Timeless Guilty Pleasure Songs of the ’90s
Audio Ink Radio presents five fantastic guilty pleasure songs from the ’90s to play at maximum volume, with no shame. – Author: Cat Badra, Photo courtesy of Def Leppard
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure here and there, and in that spirit, some of the best guilty pleasure songs are from the 1990s. Sure, the 1990s were known as the grunge decade, and so many of the era’s trademark songs were so widespread that it wasn’t embarrassing at all to crank them. But, a few songs from the ’90s may feel a bit silly playing loud today.
The moral of this story, however, is to not give into that temptation to be sheepish about one’s musical tastes. Here, Audio Ink Radio presents five guilty pleasure songs from the ’90s to play at maximum volume.
Amazing Guilty Pleasure Songs From the ’90s
Chumbawamba, “Tubthumping”
When Chumbawamba released “Tubthumping” in 1997, the song took off like crazy. The song’s message of getting up after getting knocked down struck a chord with pop lovers, but it wasn’t just the message. The song also had a super catchy, electronic beat that was perfect for dancing and raving. It may feel still to play this one today, but give into the temptation.
Def Leppard, “Let’s Get Rocked”
Def Leppard has some of the greatest glam rock songs of all time, and “Let’s Get Rocked” is one of the band’s later ones. The song arrived in 1992, years after the band had already broken out big, and with the onslaught of grunge music at the time, it kind of, well, didn’t fit in. Because of its timing, “Let’s Get Rocked” has fallen a little under the radar, but it’s a great song and deserves to be played even if it’s a guilty pleasure.
Extreme, “More Than Words”
Extreme released “More Than Words” in 1991, and make no mistake that this is simply a great song. It’s one of the greatest love ballads of its era, and there’s no shame about that. But, it’s such an emotional song and has that late-1980s, early-1990s vibe, so it might seem a bit silly to still play it loud and proud today. But, it’s not silly, and this song needs to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Meatloaf, “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”
Meatloaf built a career on being melodramatic and over-the-top, and that was totally a part of his brand that people loved. His biggest hit, 1993’s “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” is indicative of that approach. It’s so big and grandiose, and that’s what makes it a great guilty pleasure.
Warrant, “Cherry Pie”
Okay, there is absolutely no shame in loving cherry pie, the dessert or the song. But, it does feel kind of silly to crank this song at maximum volume sometimes. Or does it? Regardless, the hair metal era was packed with songs that were larger than life and super big-sounding, and “Cherry Pie” was one of them. It was one of the most cheeky songs from that era, and it’s still a fun one today. Silly? Maybe a little, but it just may be the ultimate guilty pleasure song.
For more from the 1990s, find Audio Ink Radio’s forgotten grunge songs of the 1990s.
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