Vukovi’s Epic 90s Bella Playlist
Having been longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award earlier this summer with their long-awaited muscular, colourful debut, Glasgow four-piece Vukovi follow their recent performance at TRNSMT with a set at Belladrum festival near Inverness on August 4.
Vukovi frontwoman and recent Kerrang cover star Janine Shilstone makes us a 1990s Mix Tape featuring Britney to the Notorious B.I.G, rivals Oasis and Blur and Ace of Bass to Rage Against The Machine.
Britney Spears – Baby One More Time
In 1998, TLC apparently turned down the latest song from Swedish pop machine Max Martin and it was picked up by an ambitious teenage star-in-waiting called Britney Jean Spears. With its original un-PC title trimmed Hit Me Baby One More Time went to No 1 in 19 countries, kickstarting a major pop career.
Weezer – Undone – The Sweater Song
US geek rock champions Weezer hit the limelight with Buddy Holly, but the real star of their self-titled 1994 debut album was this melancholy stoner rock gem.
Ace of Bass – All That She Wants
Nonsensical lyrics about … something (broodiness? fox hunting?) I guiltily love it.
Spice Girls – Say You’ll Be There
If you were to condense the 1990s into one pop song, it would probably sound a lot like the Spice Girls’ second single Say You’ll Be There.
Alanis Morrisette – You Oughta Know
A sarcastic missive to an ex in the key of grunge-lite: it doesn’t sound too promising on paper, but in 1995 You Oughta Know became an anthem of mine.
Madonna – Vogue
The jump from the 1980s to the 1990s was tough for pop’s top dog but this song is the perfect example of moving with the times and the reason why she’s had such a long successful career in music.
The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy
No-one before or since has done more to justify the gangsta rap lifestyle than Biggie, this was the lead single to his immense debut album.
Rage Against The Machine – Killing In The Name
‘Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.’ Zach De La Rocha’s chant in this anti-establishment rock-rap anthem started a million moshpits in the early 1990s.
Underworld – Born Slippy
A pounding techno track about getting out of your tree – made famous by film Trainspotting.
Oasis – Live Forever
All over the TV, all over the radio, all over the school playgrounds. Crowds of mad-for-it teenage boys swaggered under sun hats. How did it happen? Listen to that soaring melody, those soaring vocals and you’ll know why Oasis dominated the 1990s.
TLC – Waterfalls
They took a Macca ballad from 1980 about the dangerous sport of waterfall-jumping and totally transformed it into a heartrending urban drama with a killer chorus.
Beetlebum – Blur
This is classic British weirdo alt-rock songwriting. Damon’s heroin-chic drawling and Graham’s slumping riff and killer solo, this one of Britpop’s finest examples.
love it! I was living in the States in the 90’s so I missed a lot of the UK music scene – my fault