# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1994 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990 "2015-03-14T14:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/1 "2015-03-14T14:23:28Z")
The year is now 1994. We have 31 songs in the Top 40 that didn’t make #1, including one of the only double-A-sides to make the year-end chart. What’s your favorite? - denotes one half of a double A-side Previous polls: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749060) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749217) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749398) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749610) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749795) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749949) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750154) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750299) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750488) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750641) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750845) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751015) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751202) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751368) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751517) Best #1 single polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/2 "2015-03-14T15:15:02Z")
Not as dire as 1993 but still pretty weak. **10,000 Maniacs** - _Because the Night_ is the clear winner here which means that, like in the previous year’s poll, I’m again voting for a song that was written long before the year it charted/was covered. I briefly considered **Enigma** , **Crash Test Dummies** and **Sheryl Crow** but as soon as I saw the last entry, my choice was clear. They would have been a pity vote anyway. **Elton John** and **The Artist Formerly Known As Prince** ’ s singles are lackluster. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/3 "2015-03-14T15:59:50Z")
I like a good beer buzz early in the morning! I was also torn between Sheryl Crow and 10,000 Maniacs, but “All I Wanna Do” was such a huge breakout hit for Crow and really cemented her as one of the biggest female artists of the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/4 "2015-03-14T16:08:35Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > **10,000 Maniacs** - _Because the Night_ is the clear winner here which means that, like in the previous year’s poll, I’m again voting for a song that was written long before the year it charted/was covered. At least it’s not the oldest song on this list! ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/5 "2015-03-14T16:44:54Z")
Enigma, with it’s nice chanting got my vote. Just behind would have been 10,000 Maniacs and Collective Soul. Several I liked but not in the sense that I would vote for them. Not as ghetto as 1993. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/6 "2015-03-14T18:02:23Z")
I’m going with the Crash Test Dummies’ 15 minutes of fame. Besides, the Al Yankovic parody is great. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/7 "2015-03-14T20:26:45Z")
This is a pretty underwhelming list. I voted for Ace of Base’s “All That She Wants.” ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/8 "2015-03-14T20:40:08Z")
Easily 10,000 Maniacs. Because the Night is one of my favorite songs and almost everything else on the list sucks except for 3 or 4 that I find passable. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/9 "2015-03-15T04:11:31Z")
I only see two here that I could vote for: 10,000 Maniacs and Sheryl Crow. I’m going to go with Sheryl on this one. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/10 "2015-03-15T11:31:11Z")
**10,000 Maniacs** for me, **Crash Test Dummies** would have been my second choice. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/11 "2015-03-15T14:59:04Z")
I voted Crash Test Dummies, but in an ironic way. [walks away humming] ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/12 "2015-03-15T17:41:24Z")
Dagnabbit, I meant to vote for Sheryl Crow but voted for Enigma instead. That’s okay; Enigma’s a good one too. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/13 "2015-03-16T22:17:24Z")
Off the top of my head I have to go with “Whatta Man” by Salt ‘n’ Pepa/En Vogue. Maybe that’s influenced by the video of those fine-looking women strutting about. Mmmmmmmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/14 "2015-03-16T22:23:26Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I voted Crash Test Dummies, but in an ironic way. > > [walks away humming] That had my vote. It was the only song I liked on the list. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1994/714990/15 "2015-03-17T10:51:34Z")
Hey, I like this list better than most of the 80s! Definitely better than 93, too, although that wasn’t bad. Went with Salt-N-Pepa “Shoop” but a lot of others could’ve gotten my vote.