Tricky year this, as I don't think a lot of the records from '94 have really stood the test of time. Anyway, here's my pick of the year:

 

1. Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing My Way

fantastic comeback record. Should have been a much bigger hit!

 

2. Billie Ray Martin - Your Loving Arms

A mega hit in '95, but originally a No.38 in '94, It'll always be a 1994 track for me.

 

3. Livin' Joy - Dreamer

Again, a No.1 in '95, but a hit in '94, so ditto above.

 

4. Enigma - Return To Innocence

Loved this! Still do.

 

5. Ace Of Base - The Sign

Cheese fest this, but a killer pop classic!

 

6. Erasure - Always

One of their best songs in my opinion

 

7. Absolutely Fabulous - Absolutely Fabulous

:lol:

 

8. Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels

Beautiful track

 

9. Let Loose - Crazy For You

Never been into boy bands, but this is a really great song!

 

10. Sophie B Hawkins - Right Beside You

My favourite track of the year back then. Still love it now.

 

11. Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me

Still sounds fresh now. Superb track.

 

12. Pet Shop Boys - Yesterday When I Was Mad

One of my favourites of theirs.

 

Worst of '94? Hmmm, well I could quite happily live without hearing Love Is All Around again. I don't understand why it spent 1 week at No.1, let alone 15! :wacko:

Worst of '94? Hmmm, well I could quite happily live without hearing Love Is All Around again. I don't understand why it spent 1 week at No.1, let alone 15! :wacko:

 

lol...youll get no arguments from me on that! but lets face it, the great british public have always had baaad taste, 'release me' keeping 'penny lane/strawberry fields' off the top? 'shaddap you face' better then 'vienna'?... and tastes were soooo bad in the early 90's you often had 'pretty' 'lerve' songs at the top for ages, bryan adams?...lol and that AWFUL wailing bint whitney houston... ruining dolly partons orig 'i will always love you'...

1. Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing My Way

great

 

2. Billie Ray Martin - Your Loving Arms

quite good

 

3. Livin' Joy - Dreamer

???

 

4. Enigma - Return To Innocence

amazing

 

5. Ace Of Base - The Sign

overplayed but still good

 

6. Erasure - Always

one of their best

 

7. Absolutely Fabulous - Absolutely Fabulous

???

 

8. Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels

???

 

9. Let Loose - Crazy For You

quite good

 

10. Sophie B Hawkins - Right Beside You

great

 

11. Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me

very good

 

12. Pet Shop Boys - Yesterday When I Was Mad

great

 

 

??? = never heard it (or heard it and never know :) )

and tastes were soooo bad in the early 90's

 

Well, mainstream tastes were certainly atrocious in the early '90s.... There was always the likes of Nirvana, The Pixies, Mudhoney, Ride, Lush, The Smashing Pumpkins, Curve, The Manics, Throwing Muses, Belly, Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr, and a precocious young outfit from Oxford called Radiohead (hmmm, whatever became of them...? LOL) for those of us of a more Indie/Alt bent.....

In the spirit of things, here's my own "Dangerous Dozen" from '94.... No particular order of preference...

 

1. Smasthing Pumpkins - Today

 

2. Radiohead - High And Dry

 

3. Lush - Desire Lines

 

4. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World

 

5. Manic Street Preachers - Faster/PCP

 

6. Underworld - Cowgirl

 

7. Massive Attack - Sly

 

8. Portishead - Sour Times (1st release)

 

9. Tricky - Overcome

 

10. The Prodigy - Voodoo People

 

11. Orbital - Are We Here..?

 

12. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

 

Contrary to what Alin reckons about early '90s, I reckon ALL these tunes hold up now pretty damned well 14 years on..... :)

 

I have a double album ready and you've covered a lot of them there Grimly.

 

1994 - Tailend of grunge and the beginning of Britpop. Great times again for the alternative end of the spectrum.

Not the best of the 90s years but contained a fair few good songs. Out of the ones mentioned so far, especially agreed with Sparks, Ace of Base, Enigma, Erasure and The Prodigy, here's a few more of my faves:

 

CJ Lewis - Sweets For My Sweet

Whigfield - Saturday Night

D-Ream - Things Can Only Get Better/U R The Best Thing

Blur - Girls & Boys/Parklife

The Prodigy - No Good (Start the Dance)

Underworld - Dark & Long

Pato Banton - Baby Come Back

Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing My Way

UK Apache & Shy FX - Original Nuttah

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You

Oasis - Whatever

 

Wasn't sure whether to include N-Trance's 'Set You Free' and Strike's 'U Sure Do' as they both came out in '94 but were big hits on their 1995 re-issue, both great anyway.

 

Most of them though I didn't hear until years later. Ones I remember actually at the time include 'Absolutely Fabulous' by Absolutely Fabulous, and a song that never seemed to be off CBBC, 'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble' by PJ and Duncan!

Edited November 11, 200816 yr by BillyH

Well, mainstream tastes were certainly atrocious in the early '90s.... There was always the likes of Nirvana, The Pixies, Mudhoney, Ride, Lush, The Smashing Pumpkins, Curve, The Manics, Throwing Muses, Belly, Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr, and a precocious young outfit from Oxford called Radiohead (hmmm, whatever became of them...? LOL) for those of us of a more Indie/Alt bent.....

 

its all down to personal taste m8, and although i wouldnt argue against those artists being any good, i personally didnt like their music.

Mine are:

 

Eternal - "Oh Baby I" - I was mad on this group and that song is gorgeous!

 

Corona - "Ryhtm of the night" - A true dance classic.

 

Patra - "Worker Man" - She might have sung about sex a lot, but this is a decent hip-hop song.

 

 

Madonna - "Take A Bow" - One of Madonna's Best :heart:

 

Erasure - "Always" - One of their best. A really wonderful song with a beautiful video.

 

Shampoo - "Trouble" - Feisty Girl Pop at it's best

 

Dawn Penn - "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" - A very laidback and catchy reggae song.

 

China Black - "Searching" - I know it's a bit corny, but it's a decent song :)

 

Baby D - "Let me be your fantasy" - That is a dance classic!

 

Let Loose - "Crazy For You" - I was mad on this song back in the day!

 

Lisa Loeb - "Stay" - I think this is a great song, and I know she doesnt fit the image of a pop singer but she had a great voice.

 

Louchie Lou and Michie One - "Champagne and Wine" - This was a huge hit on The Box back in the day, and this is a very nice laid back song.

 

 

Michelle Gayle - "Sweetness" - Totally fantastic.

1. The Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm

2. Kelly Family - An Angel

3. Prince Ital Joe & Marky Mark - United

4. Youssou N'Dour & Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds

5. Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me

6. Green Day - Basket Case

7. Whigfield - Saturday Night

8. Culture Beat - Anything

9. Bon Jovi - Always

10. East 17 - Stay Another Day

 

11. Magic Affair - Omen III

12. Baby D - Let Me Be Your Fantasy

13. Lisa Loeb - Stay (I Missed You)

14. Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You

15. Stiltskin - Inside

16. Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun

17. Mark 'Oh - Tears Don't Lie

18. Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing My Way

19. Toni Di Bart - The Real Thing

20. Scooter - Hyper Hyper

 

This is my best of 1994, did it quite quickly so probably at least a few great tracks missing. Lots of dance there and one of my all time favourite tracks, Smashing Pumpkins with Disarm, topping the chart.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 200816 yr by JackJones

The best thing to come out of 94' is this.

 

many of the best have already been mentioned

 

prodigy 'no good (start the dance)'

dawn penn 'you dont love me (no no no)'

whigfield 'saturday night' ......... i was in majorca ok! lol

 

to me 94 was the year of oasis, live forever, cigarettes and alcohol, but my fav was 'shakermaker' :)

 

apart from that though it was generally imho a pisspoor year.

Don't see what was so p***-poor about it.

 

Here's my double album from 94

 

Volume 1

 

Rocks - Primal Scream

Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Beercan - Beck

Come Out and Play - Offspring

Girls and Boys - Blur

Sabotage - Beastie Boys

Rock 'n' Roll Star - Oasis

Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana

Connection - Elastica

Trouble - Shampoo

Bug Powder Dust - Bomb the Bass

Faster - Manic Street Preachers

 

 

Volume 2

 

Voodoo People - The Prodigy

My Iron Lung - Radiohead

Bull in the Heather - Sonic Youth

Sour Times - Portishead

I Can't Imagine a World Without Me - Echobelly

Seether - Veruca Salt

Caught By The Fuzz - Supergrass

Stay Together - Suede

Bang and Blame - REM

Do You Remember the First Time - Pulp

Love Spreads - Stone Roses

Don't see what was so p***-poor about it.

 

Here's my double album from 94

 

Volume 1

 

Rocks - Primal Scream

Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Beercan - Beck

Come Out and Play - Offspring

Girls and Boys - Blur

Sabotage - Beastie Boys

Rock 'n' Roll Star - Oasis

Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana

Connection - Elastica

Trouble - Shampoo

Bug Powder Dust - Bomb the Bass

Faster - Manic Street Preachers

Volume 2

 

Voodoo People - The Prodigy

My Iron Lung - Radiohead

Bull in the Heather - Sonic Youth

Sour Times - Portishead

I Can't Imagine a World Without Me - Echobelly

Seether - Veruca Salt

Caught By The Fuzz - Supergrass

Stay Together - Suede

Bang and Blame - REM

Do You Remember the First Time - Pulp

Love Spreads - Stone Roses

 

personal taste m8.... your album does nothing for me, (i like some tracks, but not alot), i cant find enough tracks that i like enough from 94 to even make an album.

 

but

 

if the notion of this was to make an album of nominate 'good' tracks from this year indifferent to personal taste then thats a different proposition.

Madonna - "Take A Bow" - One of Madonna's Best :heart:

 

:huh: no way - it's easily one of her weakest, most toe-curling singles... YEUCH.

personal taste m8.... your album does nothing for me, (i like some tracks, but not alot), i cant find enough tracks that i like enough from 94 to even make an album.

 

but

 

if the notion of this was to make an album of nominate 'good' tracks from this year indifferent to personal taste then thats a different proposition.

 

TBH I don't know why you post on some of these threads. We all know you didn't like pop or rock much during the 90s and if one of the best songs you can come up with is Saturday Night then I think that says it all.

 

It has never been the point to come up with "good tracks" in these "Album of threads". How the hell can you come up with such a list that leaves out personal taste. What do you do, count how many notes each song has?!?

As you pointed out in the 99 thread (when I think music did reach a low point) it's all down to personal opinion anyway.

Not the best of years...

 

01: Kylie Minogue "Confide In Me"... A milestone in her illustrious career. Still sounds remarkably fresh 14 years later.

 

02: Barbara Tucker "Beautiful People"... An intense gospel house record from the soaring New York house diva! Inspiring stuff, indeed. Check this clip of the lady on TOTP! Sing it girl!

 

 

03: Judy Cheeks "Reach"... Top notch handbag house!

 

04: Primal Scream "Rocks"... Is this the catchiest track of all time? :D

 

05: Prodigy "No Good (Start The Dance)"... An obvious but equally essential choice. The 1990s = The Prodge!

 

06: Brand New Heavies "Back To Love"... One of the most uncoolest acts of the mid 90s, but this is a great track anyway I don't care!

 

07: Barbara Tucker "I Get Lifted"... Yep, she's back!

 

08: Degrees Of Motion "Shine On"... First released in 1992 but failed to make any chart impact, but was later a top ten hit in 1994. This is my single greatest track of all time, but the best I can get hold of is this clip from the chart show! The fast-forwardy bits and "state-of-the-art" graphics should bring back memories...

 

 

 

The guilty pleasures!

 

 

09: Whigfield "Saturday Night"... oink! oink! oink! oink! oink! oink!...... Dee-dee-da-da-dah!

 

10: Corona "Rhythm Of The Night"... More cheddar!

 

11: Shampoo "Trouble"... This ends the trio of guilty pleasures! I just can't believe they got away with it!

I should have included Prodigy - No Good (Start The Dance). I love that tune! While picking my "album" i went through everyhit, like rob suggested, but somehow i must have missed The Prodigy! Oh well.

 

And I LOVED Saturday Night at the time, so much I bought the album! Tastes have changed though, so thats why I didn't include it

TBH I don't know why you post on some of these threads. We all know you didn't like pop or rock much during the 90s and if one of the best songs you can come up with is Saturday Night then I think that says it all.

 

It has never been the point to come up with "good tracks" in these "Album of threads". How the hell can you come up with such a list that leaves out personal taste. What do you do, count how many notes each song has?!?

As you pointed out in the 99 thread (when I think music did reach a low point) it's all down to personal opinion anyway.

 

nowt wrong with an occassional 3 minute no-brainer that has nostalgia value even if its musically tripe!

 

as for posting on threads...i could say the same about you, because if it doesnt feature some dreary indie/alternative element all you do is moan! thats fine, we want/need opposing opinions, theres more to music then alternative/indie, dismissing other styles is imho narrow minded :)

 

eh? "how the hell can you come up with such a list that leaves out personal taste" .... bloody EASY! be more objective and recognise that ones personal taste isnt universal! :lol: just because a track does nowt for you doesnt mean it IS c**p! you can recognise a tracks worth without you liking it or it being a musical masterpiece.... eg whigfield! its a p*** poor silly track musically but it did capture a mood and id nominate it as a 'defining track' of 94 to reprisent pop. id also nominate pulp 'do you remember the first time', i dont like it but id recognise its worth as a classic reprisentaion of that style of music at the time.

nowt wrong with an occassional 3 minute no-brainer that has nostalgia value even if its musically tripe!

 

as for posting on threads...i could say the same about you, because if it doesnt feature some dreary indie/alternative element all you do is moan! thats fine, we want/need opposing opinions, theres more to music then alternative/indie, dismissing other styles is imho narrow minded :)

 

eh? "how the hell can you come up with such a list that leaves out personal taste" .... bloody EASY! be more objective and recognise that ones personal taste isnt universal! :lol: just because a track does nowt for you doesnt mean it IS c**p! you can recognise a tracks worth without you liking it or it being a musical masterpiece.... eg whigfield! its a p*** poor silly track musically but it did capture a mood and id nominate it as a 'defining track' of 94 to reprisent pop. id also nominate pulp 'do you remember the first time', i dont like it but id recognise its worth as a classic reprisentaion of that style of music at the time.

First off, I don't only moan if it doesn't feature indie. It is my favourite genre but I have shown that it is not the only music I listen to and like.

 

TBH I would say there is something wrong with "an occasional 3 minute no-brainer that has nostalgia value even if its musically tripe"

 

Tripe music is tripe music. If you thought it is tripe then why would you like it.

 

So I'm narrow-minded am I? Because I don't like p***-poor mainstream chart music. I have liked and will continue to like good pop (Kylie, Madonna, Sugababes, Girls Aloud, the list goes on) and dance (Prodigy, Underworld, ska, reggae, disco etc) and continue to diss rubbish that probably would have made it onto The Hitman and Her. I loved Acid when it first came out around 88. I also liked some drum and bass and Jungle as well. Commercial trance music was worthless and has led into a musical cul-de-sac with the relentless remixing of old tracks.

 

Even your point about recognising a track's worth comes down to personal taste. What constitutes a track's worth is down to your own personal opinion again. You can say it was a popular piece of pop but then that's what the charts are for. Even your point about Saturday Night being a defining track of 94 is down to personal judgement. If any track is going to define 94 then it would be Love is All Around would surely be the track. But that is my opinion. (And I think it is dreadful tosh by the way, just like you do)

Edited November 13, 200816 yr by grebo69