Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1999

Cafe Society
1

Time to close out the 20th century and party like it’s 1999 (again). IMO, this is one of the strongest lists of the '90s, and one where I had to think over my vote for quite awhile. For the first time since the Soundscan era began, there were just enough #1s to leave us with less than 25 songs, so I went to #41 for this list.

What’s your favorite?

Previous polls: 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Best #1 single polls: 1955-56 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s All-time

2

I voted for Smash Mouth, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

3

I fixed your title like you wanted.

4

Another good year and lots of good choices. I went with RHCP, but most of them would’ve gotten my vote.

5

Sarah McLachlan - “Angel”.

Although a step down in quality from last year’s Adia, it is still a great song, and the only one in this bunch that I care for.

6

Scar Tissue for me, but I could also have gone with Pearl Jam, Eagle-Eye Cherry or Everlast and felt good about my choice.

7

There are a few good songs, but again there’s a whole lot of crap. I’ll have to vote later.

Didn’t “Doo Wop (That Thing)” hit number one in 1998?

8

God damn it

You may consider any vote for that song to be an honorary vote for the #42 song of the year, “Mambo No. 5”.

9

Sorry Lauryn Hill, it has to the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want it That Way.” That song is pure pop perfection.

10

Decent list. I voted for Sixpence None the Richer.

11

Me too. Though I was tempted by Everlast and Third Eye Blind.

12

Lots of good stuff, very little garbage. Everlast gets my vote. Still a good song to listen to today.

13

Um, heaven help me, I agree. They got my vote as well.

14

Yeeeeeah, no let’s not.

15

Sugar Ray and Smashmouth were the worst things to come out of the 90’s.

I voted for Everlast, but there were several really good songs there.

16

So did I, though I considered Everlast, Lenny Kravitz, and RHCP.

17

I should have kept my stupid mouth shut! :mad:
I voted for “Jumper.” Other contenders were “All Star” and “Can I Get A…”

In dead-ass last place is another tie, just like 1998. “Every Morning” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much” should be capital offenses. It’s pretty bad when you’re worse than 98 Degrees, Mariah Carey, and Backstreet Boys.

18

My decision was a comfortable vote for “Kiss Me” by Sixpence Non The Richer. Reminded me and still does of a girl I had an emotional connection with in sixth grade. One of my strongest crushes ever, more so than any in adult hood. Plus the song really screams 1999 for me.

Other choices that would have gotten my vote would be Lenny Kravitz, Shania Twain, Deborah Cox, Backstreet Boys, Third Eye Blind and maybe LFO.

I voted for Sugar Ray’s “Every Morning” in the Alternative #1 poll, and while I like Smash Mouth, that song has not worn out well. Lauryn Hill’s song I voted for in the 1998 #1 poll series and so it is an accident showing up here.

I guess I don’t vote for songs that already got my vote in other polls.

Good year though.

19

I’ll be the sole vote so far for “Can I Get A…” God, this list is terrible. This is where pop rock started losing me as far as the Top 40 goes. “Doo Wop” would have been my vote otherwise, but it being a by-proxy vote for the execrable “Mambo 5” in the update? Hell no.

20

Whenever I see ‘RHCP’ it always takes me a minute to not read it as ‘RHPS’.