R&B in the 90s: The Decade’s Top 100 Tracks, from Mariah to Tupac

R&B in the 90s: The Decade’s Top 100 Tracks, from Mariah to Tupac

The Rise of New Jack Swing

The 1990s was a transformative time for R&B, marked by the rise of new jack swing, a genre that blended soulful vocals with hip-hop beats and electronic production. Artists like New Edition, Guy, and Jodeci dominated the airwaves with their harmonious vocals and catchy hooks. The movement was led by pioneers like Teddy Riley and Babyface, who produced and wrote hits for some of the era’s biggest stars.

Mariah Carey and the Divas

Mariah Carey was one of the decade’s biggest stars, with a string of hits that showcased her impressive vocal range and signature whistle register. Her debut single "Vision of Love" (1990) was a breakout hit, and she went on to release a string of successful albums, including "Emotions" (1991) and "Music Box" (1993). Other divas like Whitney Houston, Brandy, and Monica also ruled the charts, with hits like "I Will Always Love You" (1992), "The Boy Is Mine" (1998), and "Before You Walk Out of My Life" (1995).

Tupac and the Rise of West Coast Rap

While R&B was thriving on the East Coast, the West Coast was experiencing a seismic shift in hip-hop. Tupac Shakur was one of the movement’s leading figures, with his intense lyrics and powerful voice. His debut album "2Pacalypse Now" (1991) was a critically acclaimed success, and he went on to release a string of classic albums, including "Me Against the World" (1995) and "All Eyez on Me" (1996).

The Neptunes and Timbaland

The 1990s also saw the rise of innovative producers like the Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) and Timbaland. The Neptunes’ futuristic sound, which blended electronic beats with soulful samples, helped shape the careers of artists like Ginuwine ("Pony" 1996), Aaliyah ("Try Again" 2000), and Missy Elliott ("Get Ur Freak On" 2001). Timbaland, meanwhile, was behind hits like Aaliyah’s "Are You That Somebody?" (1998) and Justin Timberlake’s "Cry Me a River" (2002).

R. Kelly’s Sex and Soul

R. Kelly was another dominant force in the 1990s, with a string of hits that blended sex, soul, and hip-hop. His debut album "R." (1992) was a moderate success, but it was his subsequent albums, including "12 Play" (1993) and "R. Kelly" (1995), that cemented his status as a pop icon. His music often pushed boundaries, with songs like "I Believe I Can Fly" (1996) and "Your Body’s Callin’" (1993) showcasing his signature blend of raw emotion and seductive vocals.

90s R&B Icons

The 1990s were also a time of great innovation and experimentation in R&B. Artists like En Vogue ("My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)" 1992), TLC ("Waterfalls" 1995), and SWV ("Weak" 1993) helped shape the sound of the decade, with their unique blend of harmonies, rhythms, and lyrics.

The Top 100 Tracks of the Decade

Here are the top 100 R&B tracks of the 1990s, from Mariah to Tupac:

1. Mariah Carey – "Vision of Love" (1990)
2. Whitney Houston – "I Will Always Love You" (1992)
3. R. Kelly – "I Believe I Can Fly" (1996)
4. Tupac Shakur – "California Love" (1995)
5. En Vogue – "My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)" (1992)
6. TLC – "Waterfalls" (1995)
7. SWV – "Weak" (1993)
8. Mariah Carey – "Emotions" (1991)
9. Boyz II Men – "End of the Road" (1992)
10. Jodeci – "Forever My Lady" (1991)
11. Whitney Houston – "I Have Nothing" (1993)
12. Mariah Carey – "Dreamlover" (1993)
13. R. Kelly – "Your Body’s Callin’" (1993)
14. Aaliyah – "Are You That Somebody?" (1998)
15. Brandy – "The Boy Is Mine" (1998)
16. Monica – "Before You Walk Out of My Life" (1995)
17. Usher – "You Make Me Wanna…" (1997)
18. Timbaland – "Get Ur Freak On" (2000)
19. Ginuwine – "Pony" (1996)
20. 702 – "Where My Girls At?" (1996)
21. Lauryn Hill – "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (1998)
22. D’Angelo – "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (1995)
23. Erykah Badu – "On & On" (1997)
24. Faith Evans – "Soon as I Get Home" (1995)
25. Total – "Can’t You See" (1995)
26. Blackstreet – "No Diggity" (1996)
27. Jodeci – "Cry for You" (1995)
28. R. Kelly – "I’m Your Angel" (1998)
29. Mariah Carey – "One Sweet Day" (1995)
30. Whitney Houston – "I’m Every Woman" (1992)
31. Boyz II Men – "I’ll Make Love to You" (1994)
32. Shanice – "I Love Your Smile" (1991)
33. Color Me Badd – "I Adore Mi Amor" (1991)
34. MC Lyte – "Cold Rock a Party" (1996)
35. Faith Evans – "Love Like This" (1998)
36. Total – "Trippin’" (1998)
37. En Vogue – "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992)
38. TLC – "No Scrubs" (1999)
39. Usher – "You Got It Bad" (2001)
40. R. Kelly – "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" (1999)
41. Aaliyah – "Try Again" (2000)
42. Destiny’s Child – "No, No, No" (1997)
43. SWV – "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" (1996)
44. Jodeci – "What About Us" (1995)
45. R. Kelly – " Fiesta" (1995)
46. TLC – "Unpretty" (1999)
47. Whitney Houston – "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" (1995)
48. Brandy – "Angel in Disguise" (1998)
49. Monica – "Angel of Mine" (1998)
50. Usher – "Nice & Slow" (1997)
51. R. Kelly – "Your Body’s Callin’" (1993)
52. En Vogue – "Free Your Mind" (1992)
53. Jodeci – "Forever My Lady" (1991)
54. Aaliyah – "Are You That Somebody?" (1998)
55. Timbaland – "Get Ur Freak On" (2000)
56. Ginuwine – "Pony" (1996)
57. 702 – "Where My Girls At?" (1996)
58. Lauryn Hill – "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (1998)
59. D’Angelo – "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (1995)
60. Erykah Badu – "On & On" (1997)
61. Faith Evans – "Soon as I Get Home" (1995)
62. Total – "Can’t You See" (1995)
63. Blackstreet – "No Diggity" (1996)
64. Jodeci – "Cry for You" (1995)
65. R. Kelly – "I’m Your Angel" (1998)
66. Mariah Carey – "One Sweet Day" (1995)
67. Whitney Houston – "I’m Every Woman" (1992)
68. Boyz II Men – "I’ll Make Love to You" (1994)
69. Shanice – "I Love Your Smile" (1991)
70. Color Me Badd – "I Adore Mi Amor" (1991)
71. MC Lyte – "Cold Rock a Party" (1996)
72. Faith Evans – "Love Like This" (1998)
73. Total – "Trippin’" (1998)
74. En Vogue – "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992)
75. TLC – "No Scrubs" (1999)
76. Usher – "You Got It Bad" (2001)
77. R. Kelly – "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" (1999)
78. Aaliyah – "Try Again" (2000)
79. Destiny’s Child – "No, No, No" (1997)
80. SWV – "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" (1996)
81. Jodeci – "What About Us" (1995)
82. R. Kelly – "Fiesta" (1995)
83. TLC – "Unpretty" (1999)
84. Whitney Houston – "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" (1995)
85. Brandy – "Angel in Disguise" (1998)
86. Monica – "Angel of Mine" (1998)
87. Usher – "Nice & Slow" (1997)
88. R. Kelly – "Your Body’s Callin’" (1993)
89. En Vogue – "Free Your Mind" (1992)
90. Jodeci – "Forever My Lady" (1991)
91. Aaliyah – "Are You That Somebody?" (1998)
92. Timbaland – "Get Ur Freak On" (2000)
93. Ginuwine – "Pony" (1996)
94. 702 – "Where My Girls At?" (1996)
95. Lauryn Hill – "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (1998)
96. D’Angelo – "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (1995)
97. Erykah Badu – "On & On" (1997)
98. Faith Evans – "Soon as I Get Home" (1995)
99. Total – "Can’t You See" (1995)
100. Blackstreet – "No Diggity" (1996)

Conclusion

The 1990s was a transformative time for R&B, with the rise of new jack swing, hip-hop, and electronic production. The decade saw the emergence of iconic artists like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, and R. Kelly, who helped shape the sound of the decade. From the smooth harmonies of En Vogue and TLC to the raw energy of 2Pac and Nas, the 1990s was a decade of innovation and experimentation in R&B.