Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Okay before I get to my two respective champions, lets have a run down of the top ten, the albums are up first so here we go.

So yes the greatest album of the 90s is not OK Computer actually it probably is but on my list and for today the greatest album is the one and only The Soft Bulletin. So why is this album number one, it's less influencial than OK Computer, it's slightly less important, and many would argue it's not quite as good (but let's face it that's just splitting hairs. The reasons that The Soft Bulletin is number one is that it's a joyous celebration of sound and music itself. While this album if far from all smiles, even the album artworkd is ominous and depressing you can't help but feel uplifted. Not nessicarily by the message because the themes are often maccabre and down beat but by the beautitful arrangements and the richness of the sound. It's simply devine. The Soft Bulletin was the run away winner of the 1999 album of the year polls, according to Wikipedia it won over sixty such polls. Everyone was swept away with it and almost taken completely by surprise by this albums genius and won over instantly.

The Soft Bulletin marked a shift for the Flaming Lips not just in sheer commercial and critical acclaim but it marked the second half of their careers, a new awakening. After years of hit and miss pysch rocking they'd somehow ended up this Generation's Pink Floyd. Except they weren't from this generation. They were old, Wayne Coyne gets his disticntive look from his whispy gray hair, this was a bunch of old guys who had spent most of their lives off their faces on drugs, behaving badly and singing these glorious rich super songs, and we couldn't help but smile. Honestly could you imagine Thom Yorke on stage with dancing cuddly toys and then running accross the entire crowd in a plastic bubble? You can't can you because ultra credible bands aren't supposed to do silly stuff like that, that's for Mika not for Radiohead. And cool bands aren't supposed do it either, let alone write huge epics with science fiction themes, getting bitten by a spider or about putting the groceries in the cabinet. Yet when it's three middle aged men you can't help but smile, and there's that word again, smile, you just can't help it, hell I can't help it.

The Soft Bulletin is litered with so many joyous moments; the glorious chorus to the sublime Spark That Bled where Coyne in near falsetto belts out "I stood up and I said, yeah / I stood up and I said hell yeah" it's such a raptuous feeling. The album is just full of those almost indefinible feelings it's seen again at the devine conclusion of A Spoonful Weighs A Ton "Yelling as hard as they can the doubters all were stunned / sounding louder than a gun / The sound they made was love". Or the moment when the big sweeping euphoric instrumental arrangement kicks in at the end of Race For The Prize it's beautiful. However even though you some how end with a smile on your face this is far from a happy album after the aforementioned high in The Spark That Bled Coyne goes into this glorious sequence of cuplets but it all goes wrong (in story terms) as all those feelings are flipped on their head with sombre revelation "In reality there was no reaction...I accidently touched my head / And noticed I had been bleeding / For how long I didn't know". It's not a comedown it's just the dip on the rollercoaster and a fascinating end to an epic a self contained story.

If I had to boil the brilliance of this album down to just two factors, and that's a tough task I can assure you, the first is the arrangements. I strong recommend listening to this album through headphones because there are so many beautiful little florishes that contribute to the whole that would be missed otherwise, a charming horn arrangement, a quick florish of violin or a crafty squelsh oober bass. The album continually suprises and excites and it's not a cliche to say no two tracks sound alike, these are incredibly complex and subtly crafted epics. The second factor is a remarkable turn of phrase that Wayne Coyne has discovered, he comes up with this remarkable punch lines (for a lack of a better expression) that are incredibly thought provoking, and isn't that what psychedellia is really all about? Incredible imagery. That rises up above everything else and occupy your mind "A Spoonful weighs a Ton", "What kinds of weapons have they got? / The softest bullet ever shot" and hell every single line in Waiting For A Superman a moment of staggering song writting genius.

So The Soft Bulletin is never going to be a big as OK Computer or as cool as Loveless or as culturally relevant as Different Class yet while the world music would be unrecognizable without those three albums, without The Soft Bulletin the world would be a less beautiful place. The Soft Bulletin is self contained genius, it doesn't insisted upon you, it won't be a reference point for bands for the next twenty years, it will never be played on documentaries, it probably won't be on any of those annoying channel four lists but that's okay. The Soft Bulletin that is simply there to be discovered, an album that hopefully everyone at one time or another will stumble accross, and it will enrich their lives, alter their moods, and make them think hard and smile at the same time, and what could be more important than that?

Okay so on with the show: Let's remind ourselves of the top ten singles shall we.

"Oh Baby Baby" I did just name ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears the greatest single of the 1990s, and just incase you were wondering this is not a joke, I'm 100% deadly serious. But more importanly I'm absolutely stunned! Shocked! I feel like my entire world has been turned on it's head. Until approximately thirty seconds ago I had absolutely no idea this song was called ...Baby One More Time seriously? Dot, dot, dot, One More Time? My entire life I thought this song was called Hit Me Baby One More Time I don't know what to believe in anymore. Well no wonder I could never find it in itunes.

So I'm sure somebody reading this much be scratching their heads thinking how on earth is this ahead of Paranoid Android that can't be right can it? Well it can and if you are thinking that you are dead wrong. When it comes to ninities singles, this song is bigger than life, when it comes to music throughout history this song is as big and as good as anything else, and yes I'm serious. I garentee you every single band that you love whether it be Radiohead or Arctic Monkeys or even *shudder* Travis have at one time or another goofed off and messed around playing this song. What's more I reckon everyone reading this has at one time or another has sung this song out loud, most likely in public, and I bet you put on a silly voice for the "Still believe" bit. You did, didn't you? It's inescapible, it's totally irresistable it's absolutely everything a pop song should be.

...Baby One More Time toes that perfect line for a pop song between being just cheesey enough and just brilliant enough, and remarkably in this case it leans towards the later more than the former. Every part of this song, the way it is crafted is perfect. Every part is spot on, and the undoubted highlights are the cleverly thrown in high parts ("What Becuase", "And I", "Still Believe") there completely irresistable, they are perfectly designed to force your brain to sing along it's so fucking subversive. Not forgeting the "Oh Baby Baby"s Britney's cadence is perfect, it's so innane, I'm still not sure to this day if that silly tone in her voice is actually her singing tone or whether it's one of the most remarkable brilliant bits of subversive production ever. The way she sings is just daring you to hate it, it's playing to the macaroons who are going to start ranting about the evils of pre produced pop music, yet it's sung in such a tongue in cheek/goofy arsed way you'll never know if they joke is on you or not.

So it was the eighth biggest selling single of the 90s in this country and the only single in the top 10 that wasn't total arse or a shameless cover. Complete and utter genius, the best song of the decade hands down, there really was no competition this was the one and only plausible choice (yes and this time I actually went with the obvious choice, hooray for me).

Okay everyone prepare your best Bowie voice now 1...2...3...4 "He's A 20th Century Boy", that was fun wasn't it, now your best Damon (or Graham if you prefer) Voice 1...2...3...4 SINGING! "La-la-lalala-La-La-Lalala...Holding On For Tomorrow". This is probably the silliest interlude I've done yet. Again sorry there's no live Glasto footage yet, there was plenty of earlier footage but it was such a glorious triumphant moment to pick any other version seemed ludicrious.

Well if you need a describition of this song just go to The Bends entry in the top 50, I kind of said it all. Anyway I'm going to roll the clip from V Festival 2006, one of my best ever live experience, I was there belting it out, while my mate Benny stood there gormless, enjoy, I know I did.

The song that made sure everyone everywhere knew exactly who these two French Robots were. Again this sound doesn't need introduction, it was one of the undoubted highlights of the most mental gig I've ever been too in my life. Unfortunately channel four in all their wisdom decided not to record Around The World At Wireless so I can't even reminiss, argh! I could only find crappy cam footage so I've opted for stills this is the mix of three of the best tracks ever! Television Rules The Nation into Around The World into Harder Better Faster, if you read my Discovery entry and didn't a have clue what I was talking about listen to this, then reconsider, the sound quality is a bit boomy but you'll get the jist.

You know when this song is seventh that there was some seriously hop competition for the top spot. Now while this is Brit Pop's best song, it's not actually the highest ranking Brit Pop single in the list. That seems like a paradox, but it will make sense in light of the other track. Regardless of positioning this song could just as easily be number one is so bloody good, hell even Sadie Frost graced the video with her presence and Jarvis even improvised a dance routine! Even though it'd had only just come out it saved Glastonbury, turned disaster into triumph!

Now if Common People is seven and Paranoid Andriod is six there's no way I can avoid pissing people off from here on in. While if someone said they were the two best songs of the nineties, I wouldn't argue, but this isn't best track, this is best single, and that takes something different, this is a list where MC Hammer can be ahead of Bjork, it's not just sheer quality, it's something more, and less. Who cares anyway? This song is beyond brilliant just enjoy the live show. Yet again Channel Four managed not to get it on tape from the gig I was at, so I guess it has to be Glasto.

I remember when I was anxiously anticipating seeing Radiohead at V 2006 NME did a poll and asked Radiohead fans (and people going to V) to vote for which track they most wanted to hear live from the entire back catalogue. And above Street Spirit, Paranoid Andriod, The Bends, Idoiteque, Pryamind Song, Karma Police and even Creep, yes Creep they chose Just. What more do I need to say.

So as I said it may only be the second best song of the Britpop era, but it is the most definitive, from the eras most definitive album. It says everything you need to know about the lad/laddette culture defining a generation. But besides all that nonsense, it's an amazing tune. Oh and holy shit someone actually put the live video of this up, see it must be the best, no more stills thank christ!

So its not forth time lucky for Radiohead. Yes this is their forth entry in the top ten and well they managed to crack the top three with this haunting ballad for the ages. I don't think there's a person walking the face of the earth who can't enjoy this song in some way, even if it's just watching the brilliant video. (Although Boys & Girls really should be third) and before you ask of course channel four didn't tape it, they had Radiohead performing live, had the exculsive rights and they only taped three songs!!! And one was by fucking accident, I hate channel four so much, so back to Glastonbury, and the BBC who have some bloody common sense.

Okay I'm just going to say it, oh I don't know if I should say it, fuck it I'm going do it any way, Da Funk is the greatest dance song of all time, ever ever ever. Okay was that contentious enough? I'm not even sure if it's my favorite but I'm a hundred percent convinced it's the best. Disagree? Well there's a comment section for a reason. (Oh Christ Channel Four didn't film this either!!! I give up, seriously) Oh and apologises for the bad (cam) quality.

Endnote: I'm going to do the number one album and song together. I'll be intrigued to see if anyone has actually figured this one out.

We're getting to the stage where the songs hardly need introduction and there's very few jokes to be made or new observations. You know how great this song is, I know how great this song is lets just enjoy the live version.

Classic song, somehow even more classic video, and quite simply it's one of those songs that you have to see live before you die. Honestly I caught the Beastie's touring the god awful Mix-Up you know the all instrumental record, and hearing the visercal goof ball energy of this track made sitting through 7 jazz funk numbers worthwhile after all.

Okay seriously the footage of half the songs on this list, including this one are on the bloody BBC website, I can't believe no one has sliced them up and put them on youtube yet what the hell. Was it a parody, a joke? Who cares it was bloody brilliant, another ultimate festival anthem. Please, Please, Please, Please Damon do one more tour. Headline IOW please!!! Argh! Anyway you know how it goes 1...2...3...4..."Oh My Baby...."

Ah Pulp they were so bloody brilliant. Another band who managed to get not just one great album (His'n'Hers), not just two great albums (Different Class) but three (This Is Hardcore). This was one of those songs you knew would be a classic on the first rotation. I was out a few weeks ago for my mates birthday in Camdem, and they still plays this in clubs, and not as some oldies at the end at fucking eleven o'clock, prime time. Because even to this day if a Dj sees a half empty dance floor he knows it's time to call upon Pulp.

Another mind blowing single, a ground breaking video, and a haunting live anthem. This was a special moment at V back in 2006, I was really looking forward to Idioteque, Just, Karma Police and Paranoid Android to be my dream moments, but I had completely forgot about Street Spirit and it took me by surprise and rock me to my core, it was a chilling and beautiful as the first time I heard it ten years before. God just thinking about it makes me want to put myself through the torture of Reading on more time. Fuck me watching the video back sends a shiver down my spine. How on Earth is this not in the top ten!?!

"I'm Free To Be Whatever I / Whatever I Chose And I'll Sing The Blues If I Want" quite simply the best song Noel Gallagher has ever written, a joyous trimuphant moment, a perfect synopsis of a feeling that everyone can relate to. While Liver Forever will always be their most iconic, this is a absolute gem, and it wasn't even on a LP!

"You Want It All But You Can't Have It" was the monsterous chorus that flung Faith No More from the creative underground scene to the mainstream. The first true rap-metal song of original materiel, an absolute classic, it's great to have them back. Enjoy this rousing live effort.

I already mention how the 90s was the decade of great cover versions and no cover was finer or more successful than this soulful ballad by Miss O'Connor. All credit to Prince for the writting duties but Sinead owns this song.

Metallica's biggest hit single, it's just monster riffage and huge chorus and the insane fun of saying "HUUUURRRH" before the guitars kick back in.

"Hey, Dirty, Baby I Got Your Money", okay so ODB was probably the least talented memory of ODB even if he did sort of invent the clowny half sleep talked free style rhyme pattern. Anyway who cares this song was a monster hit and about as dope as tracks get "I Don't Have A Problem With You Fucking Me / But I Do Have A Problem With You Not Fucking Me". The first of the Neptunes super hits.

This is possibly my favorite wrap song of all time! It's just unrelenting fun, lyrically it's awesome from start to finish. Honestly this song needs no introduction.

Another of my absolute favorites, possibly my favorite Radiohead track. It's fragility is beautiful and it was the perfect end to Romeo & Juilet, funnily enough the second track from that films sound track.

This is song is mamoth, it's the ultimate Prodigy song, and it's the only reason to subject yourself to Fat Of The Land, an absolute dancer monster it's also Liam's most mature as a dance producer.

A subtly reference to climate changes and a not so subtle jab at consumerism and a hell of a tragic love song. All things to all men, one of the ultimate ballads, Thom Yorke's absolute speciality.

God isn't a real pain in the arse when your trying to express the brilliance of a song and it suddenly get put into rotation on a ridiculously annoying TV advert ARGH!!!! Regardless this is still the a huge grandiose ballad the sort of which we hadn't heard from Blur in a little. Uplifting and powerful beyond belief.

France since 1997 has been the heartland of the best pure dance music, Air, Daft Punk and Justice not a bad threesome eh? I shouldn't dismiss New York but the LCD led dance is more emotional and lyrically than cool and dancy. No track however was cooler than the ice cold Kelly Watch The Stars complete with a superb video.

Okay I'm a sucker for cute and cuddly videos and I'm sure your all aware of just how good this video is but of course that's secondary to the music. Coffee & TV was a prime example of the low key ballads that Blur had oft mastered but rarely put out as sing. Graham took the lead on vocals and it was the first hint of how great he could be as a solo artist. About as charming as singles get.

The gorgeous Deserters Songs made the world sit up and take notice of Mecury Rev but every great album needs a great lead single. Goddess On A Hiway was perfect, it was tender, soulful and beautiful arranged. It also had one of insanely catchiest opening verses in human history "Well, I got us on a high way and I got us in a car / And I got us going faster than we've ever gone before" and one of the best written choruses in recent memory "When I see your eyes arrive / They explode like two bugs on glass".

Oh yes this is getting serious now. Three straight songs with mind blowing videos and songs of staggering quality. Where to start the guitar line, the wonderful croon or the beautiful lyrics? It's such a fragile and beautiful track. I'll leave you with the great line "I'll Take A Quiet Life / A Carbon Monoxide Handshake".

I already spoke at lenght about this song during Ems entrance in the greatest album list, so I won't go on too much. This song perfect combination of a genius concept with some razor sharp lyricism, it remains one of Ems greatest moments. (the vid starts with My Name Is but it switches up)

Ah Midnite Vultures the album when Beck proved his experimentation wasn't just code for "I do one creative thing that hard to define and then repeat again and again and again". Beck proved he was an genuine musical Albertross when he genuinely jumped from genre to genre. No track was more of a pleasent suprise than this slice of insane party funk who would of though the man you brought you Loser could be this much fun. I always have one MAJOR gripe with this song, I've seen Beck twice once he didn't play it (fair enough he has years of materiel) and the second time, he did requests it was requested and he did a fucking folk version ARGHH!!!!

This must be the third or forth entry from Music For The Jilted Generation it'll be interesting to see which album contributed the most to this list. One of the truely immortal club bangers. (This video if you get invited onto the stage you better know you to fucking dance)

Ah the second entry from Air and a suitably epic electro monster. This was so spacious so floaty and frankily so friggin' silly. Oh and yet another brilliant video enjoy.

Ah Roisin Murphy how wonderful brilliant a one woman one song disco revival you brought us. She went on the proved she had more than just pop hits but honestly who cares when you make pop music this darn good! Looking at the live performances now it looks like Miss Murphy would be a darn cool girl friend, although she has got pretentious with age. And no your eyes are not deceiving you this took well over Ten minutes live, including an impromtu Donna Summer cover at Glasto but luckily I've found a 9 minute version with some hilarious dancing. Oh Hell I'll include the Legendary metallic dress video as well.

Ah the art of the 90s monster ballad, when it came to females (ooh forshadowing) no ballad was bigger or more syruppy than Toni Braxton's ludicrious affecting Un-Break My Heart.

It's amazing to think that this the ultimate karaoke ballad only reached number three into the UK charts. It seems mind boggling looking back, but who cares girls will love this song from now until eternity. I can't lie I was singing along at Live8 granted from the back I wasn't going near that many feral Robbie crazed women.

Fat Of The Land is one of the most consistantly overated albums of all time but what it did have was a series of mamoth singles and Breathe was the second best, and remains the biggest live sing along. Now if you don't know what the best single of this album is shame on you. Enjoy a great live performance at Isle Of Wight 09, it was truely mental.

So it's more or less U2's best song, how about that for a contenious statement. It was the first sign of U2 being sick of being U2 and wanting to have some fun and make some great music in the process.

Quiet loud, Quiet loud, Quiet loud, that's all you need to know about Nirvana, but honestly who cares when you milk a formula this well. A riff that could feel sky scrappers, could this song be anymore Iconic?

Another bit of ligtening in a bottle from Definitely Maybe. Another song that encapsulates the age and the feeling within the UK. Contain's some great lines "I Was Looking For Some Action / But All I Found Were Cigarettes & Alcohol" I think everyone on earth can relate to that sentiment.

Ah Pavement they were as good as anyone at defining the feelings and emotions conjured by the early ninities US alt rock movement. Like Weezer you feel that for a big indie band they were ten years before their time, and go sadly unappreaciated.

Another freaky creepy video par excellence from mr. James. He also created one hell of a subversive dance track, while the videos creeping you out you become completely hooked on the track, genius.

Beck's best single from the artistic point of view, this was Beck at the height of his eletronic-folk-hip hop powers. Sit back and enjoy a maverick genius back when he was actually a maverick and definitely a genius.

The moment when Antony Kiedis proved to the world that he has to be taken seriously a songwriter and a geniune lyricist. This was the first of the Chillis lush sweeping ballads, it wouldn't be the last, it arguable isn't the best, but it by far and away is the most hearfelt. A love letter to his home town and a struggle with heroin and a classic track.

"Today Is The Greatest / Day I Ever Known" some times the simplest sentiments are the best. This is as big a live anthem has ever been written, no matter how bad the new materiel was, huge songs of this calibre made their live return at Reading Festival an unquestionable triumph.

No genre has had worse last twenty years that Punk music, it's completely lost it's testicles, not to mention it's dirrections and creativity. However back in 1994 Green Day gave us a sublime slice of pop-punk by the name of Basket Case.

Another delicious cut from Nevermind now while Nirvana are many things the one thing that no one describes them as but they damn well should be is a pop act. That's not an insult, we're not twelve, it's not a dirty word, Kurt was a genius when it came to basic formulaic song structure and writting these sublime three minute pop songs.

There was always something a bit special about Gwen Stefani, you knew that even from within the confines of a ska-punk band (honestly could there be anythign less cool) she managed to shine as a superstar and with songs this big how could we not pay attention.

It was a tough choice it was either this or Block Rocking Beats I don't think there really is a wrong choice between those two monster singles but I opted for Hey because it's aged so much better, and still remains a sure fire festival slayer. As big as Dance tunes can possible get.

I have to admit this is my personal favorite Guns track it's an unparrelled driving live anthem, the highlights are obvious, the awesome drum beat to open, the killer solo leading into Axl's mad breakdown "You've Been Breaking Down My Back / And I've Been Racking Out My Brains / It Don't Matter How We Make / It Always Ends The Same / You Can Push It For More Milage / The Flaps Are Wearing...You Keep Calling Up My Lawyers With Ridiculous Demands / You Can Push Your Pity So Far But It's More Than I Can Stand...Because Five Years Is Forever And You Haven't Grown Up Yet" it doesn't get better than this.

Everyone has a different choice for a favorite Nirvana song, obvious put to a public vote Smells Like... will inevitably win but for most it's a choice between three or four other classics but you always get the feeling that this is the true fans favorite. "I'm So Happy Cause Today I Found My Friends / There In My Head" you'll do well to find a more powerful opening line.

About as huanting and atomspheric as a song could possibly get, brooding and haunting with a superbly eerie lyrical performance. This is one of those songs could only have been made in the 90s, that's not a suggestion that its dated, it just perfectly represents a coming together of cultural factors and a musical movement.

Sometimes you just have the perfect turn of phrase you encapsulate a feeling, Smashing Pumpkins hit the nail on the head with the beautifully titled Bullet With Butterfly Wings it was a feeling of repressed rage, at being stuck in meneal job, or a town you hate, or working for a boss you hate and wanting to break out to scream your lungs out but you can't because "Despite All My Rage / I'm Still Just A Rat In A Cage". Perfect songwriting from Mr. Corgan, oh and this song will totally rock your socks too.

Sometimes your best song isn't your most powerful, best written, most musically interesting sometimes your best song is simply your most immediate. This is definitely the case with Every Me And Every You it's just a perfect pop record, nothing more, nothing less.

The first track on Definitely Maybe told you everything you needed to know about Oasis, a bunch of working class lads playing some lad rock and dreaming of escaping the mudane routine of everyday life to rock stardom where they can spend their days in the SunShiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

"What I Got You Gotta Give It To You Mama" yes this is about as morose as the Chillis get but boy oh boy is it a funky nonsensical romp and an absolute live anthem.

Could there be a finer bassline to a more 90s song? I think not. How many bloody movies and adverts has this song been used on by the way.

As good a song as Damon has ever penned, a gorgeous semi-ballad doing what he does best a bit of social detailing mixed with an ironic eye and a sarcastic tongue.

Do I need much of an explination? Offspring's best song.

The wonderful miss Lauryn Hill is as talented an R n B singer as there has ever been. Her career may have been brief but she was none the less great and this was her lead single.

Almost twenty years after it's release Motorcycle Emptiness remains the Manics greats song they've been playing this song since their first show and they'll damn sure be playing it at their last.

A classic of the dance world, this was the track that established the Chemical Brothers as the next big thing and would ensure them a slot as dance hit makers for the next thirteen years.

The easy song in the history of guitar hero and a live anthem, designed to make festival crowds bounce up and down until the end of time. Another irresistable slice of effects peddle wankery courtesy of one mr. Morrello.

One of the four big ones! The highest placing of those singles, simply because its the most honest and has a wonderful immediacy free of cynicism. Enjoy their triumph return at Glasto '08.

This song is one long sing along, every line is beyond brilliant "I Met Him In A Crowded Room / Where People Come To Drink Away There Gloom / I Sat Him Down And So Began / The Story Of Charmless Man / Educated The Expensive Way / He Knows His Claret From His Beaujolias..." yep I think I know the whole song of by heart its so damn catchy.

Yes my favorite Guns song, no its not You Could Be Mine although we'll see that song later on this is pure unadultared 80s hair metal balladry at its best, oh yeah.

Oh boy oh boy singles don't come much bigger than this do they, and look I'm not even going to say dad rock once....oh fuck.

The song that Damon and Blur hate most in the world, but they man up and played it straight up live at Glasto and Hyde Park, and well done to them, because everyone and their mother wanted to hear it. And it save us from Roll With It thank fucking christ.

"I'm Feeling Supersonic, Give Me Tin And Tonic" I think we've all been there, well maybe not gin and tonic, something with more fire, but you get the point, utter gibbish lad rock bollocks but such brilliant bollocks.

So you decide to take the piss out of the US rock music, you decided to do a tribute to your old video to Popscene that most have probably forgotten, and miraculously everyone loves it. It doesn't make sense, American's love this song even though it's taking the piss, geez. Well done boys you just made the greatest live song of all time.

I have to admit I've never cared for this song, but it is of course bigger than life, possible THE definitive dance track and the perfect synopsis of 90s dance culture. Enjoy the "euphoria".

It's tough to pick a best Marilyn Manson single but I'd image this would be the concensus pick, it's not my favorite that would be Fight Song but damn this is about as big as alternative anthems get.

Remember Pablo Honey? No don't worry nobody else does either. Creep probably single handled kept Radiohead with their record label. It ended up being their Iron Lung or their Country House but it's still a peice of genius songwriting and a pointer to the greater things that were to come.

Don't act like you don't love it. Ah yes it's the latin pop revival/sensation of the late ninities, so what if J-lo and Ricky Martin were a war crime and offensive to all five senses, this was a mamoth tune and still sounds refreshing even if it does have a rather pugnant wiff of fromage.

From one iconic 90s pop song to another, granted this one is of superior vintage and greater quality. I've always thought Madonna and her influence were highly overated, but for cultural imapact there is none greater than Madge and especially Vogue. So go ahead, strike a pose, don't feel bad about it, I know you want to.

"Oh Make Me Over / I'm All I Wanna Be / A Walking Study / In Demonology" Coutrney always was better when it came to image, sloganeering and generally acting like an Icon than actually writing iconic music. However in Celebrity Skin she managed to bring everything together perfectly for her biggest, best and most defining single.

So after the dad rock-arrific balladry of Automatic For The People, REM remember they liked to rock, but not too hard of course, big soaring chorus was a must have but REM reminded us this was a band with a rhythem section.

Another nineties pop smash and another cover this time it was World Party's She's The One that would get the mainstream make over and become and huge glorious anthem, it proved a wise choice for Mr. Williams.

This is how you make an impact if your a new rapper. Busta burst on the scene with the insanely inane and unbelievably brilliant Woo-Hah! suddenly it seemed like all the laid back rap of the 90s had been in black and white and Busta was in glorious technicolour. Like Creep for Radiohead he'd have to spend the rest of career over coming the expectation set by this track.

Dance was so huge in the late ninities it's remarkable to think how pitiful and pathetic it is these days with the likes of Casacad dominating the mainstream. Thankfully back in 1999 we had the gorgeous Rendez-Vu.

Alanis Morrisette looked to be a special talent back in the mid 90s she never quite lived up to the potential or escaped the confines of her trademark sound but thankfully before she disappeared into irrelevance she gave us You Oughta Know.

This sound couldn't have been any huger in the 90s and to be fair it's still great and probably deserves a higher placing, regardless enjoy, an absolutely killer baseline.

Whatever your opinions of Nirvana (Rock Gods or Overated Scenesters) it doesn't really matter they concured the world on the strenght of a serious of mamoth singles and few were finer than the gorgeously gloomy Come As You Are.

"Libaries gave us power!" As unique and powerful and opening line as there has ever been in rock history. This song secured the Manics rightful place as rock legends.

What to say about Beck he's been a chameloen throughout his career but it will always be Odelay that will define his career and for most this will be his trade mark track. Beck was always at his best when he was goofing off.

It's amazing to think now but back in 1997 Foo Fighters' trademark sound was actually refreshing come big american rock that had balls and agression but wasn't cronically depressed. Now it's just sickeningly generic but back then the Foos were thrilling.

Ah RATM the king of the one trick ponies, great fun without doubt but over a two hour set and multiple albums it all wore a bit thin. However this track never got old because the sentiment "Fuck You I Won't Do Want You Tell Me!" never gets old.

One of the huge hits from Urban Hymns Lucky Man was utterly irresistable with its honest sentiment and its charming melody, who could resist, not I.

Dave Grohl's best songwritting moment, Taylor's best drum loop, and a song that for some reason sucks balls live.

Undoubtably Pearl Jam's best anthem, enough said.

Primal Scream have always striven to be creative, fresh and new. This normally leads to mediocre music that gets labelled "brave" but in the awesome Swastika Eyes they hit the creative jackpot.

While Trip Hop was still on the horizon Massive Attack were already pioneering and few tracks have the beauty and the power of Unfinished Symphony.