Music | Pop Culture | 90s

20 Songs You'll Immediately Recognize Even Though You Haven't Heard Them In 20 Years

It's the start of a new year, which means it's time to be reminded about how old we're getting by looking at all the iconic songs and movies we loved that will be turning 20 years old in 2018. And yes, I 100% ugly cried while reading both those lists.

Live footage of me, at work, realizing just how old I am.CBS

But memory's a funny thing, and we tend to only remember the best of the best (or the worst of the worst), so plenty of things that we loved still end up getting forgotten. Luckily, you've got us here to remind you of the songs that other "X Things Turning 20" lists won't have. You're welcome.

1. "Ray Of Light" - Madonna

Funnily enough, this song was actually Madonna's highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 (at #5), but it still gets overshadowed by, well, basically everything else that came out that year, including one of her other singles, "Frozen."

2. "When The Lights Go Out" - Five

As far as '90s boy bands go, Five tends to get the short end of the stick. Sure we all remember *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, but we always forget about Five, even though they gave us bangers like "Slam Dunk Da Funk" and this:

3. "Fly Away" - Lenny Kravitz

To be fair, considering he also released his iconic cover of The Guess Who's "American Woman" that same year, it's not that surprising this song ended up slipping our minds.

4. "Better Best Forgotten" - Steps

While some things are better best forgotten, this song isn't one of them. Also if you ever needed to define the '90s in a single music video, you've got a perfect example right here.

5. "Crush" - Jennifer Paige

This isn't the first time I've tried to remind the world about this criminally underrated song, but apparently my work is never done since there are still way too many people who don't remember this song existed.

6. "When You're Gone" - Bryan Adams feat. Mel C

They gave us the '90s music mashup we never knew we needed, then we paid them back by forgetting it ever happened.

7. "Are You Jimmy Ray" - Jimmy Ray

Jimmy Ray asked "who wants to know about me" and the answer apparently was "no one," because that's who remembers this song.

8. "The Mummer's Dance" - Loreena McKennitt

When it comes to '90s Celtic singers, most people are only going to remember Enya, but Loreena McKennitt's "The Mummer's Dance" was one of Billboard's picks for 1998's "Year-End Hot 100" so at least she's got that going for her.

9. "Millennium" - Robbie Williams

While it technically came out two years early for the millennium itself, every single New Year's party on December 31, 1999 played this song at least once to help usher in the year 2000.

10. "Shimmer" - Fuel

Honestly, the '90s were the best time to be a teenager, because nothing has ever expressed angst as well as the rock bands of that decade did. I practically get goosebumps hearing this song again, because all those feels just come right back.

11. "Out Of My Head" - Fastball

Chances are you remember Fastball for "The Way," the catchy song inspired by an elderly couple who disappeared and were later found dead. "Out of My Head" is equally catchy, and doesn't get nearly as much love as it deserves.

12. "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here" - Deborah Cox

There was another thing the '90s were good for other than angsty rock songs: R&B. "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here" held the record for longest-running #1 R&B single (at 14 weeks) for a solid 8 years, but I'm pretty sure we haven't seen Deborah Cox since.

13. "Foolish Games" - Jewel

Jewel had plenty of massive hits throughout the '90s, but we pretty much always think of either "Hands" or "You Were Meant For Me." I guarantee though, as soon as you get about 15 seconds into this song you'll immediately say "Oh yeah, she sang 'Foolish Games' too."

14. "I Will Come To You" - Hanson

Even though, we've apparently been singing it wrong this whole time, whenever we try and name a Hanson song other than "MmmBop" we usually come up blank. Which is a shame, because "I Will Come To You" is honestly a much better song.

15. "Too Much" - The Spice Girls

Considering their album Spiceworld gave us both "Spice Up Your Life" and "Stop," it's easy to see how "Too Much" could have slipped from our memories. Though considering what "Spice Up Your Life" is supposedly really about, maybe we should be paying more attention to their other songs.

16. "Slide" - The Goo Goo Dolls

When you think of The Goo Goo Dolls you definitely immediately think of the iconic '90s ballad, "Iris." But they did, in fact, have other songs, which you'll remember as soon as you hear the guitar intro start.

17. "Push It" - Garbage

Garbage is quite possibly one of the most underrated bands of the '90s. Plus they gave us what is arguably the best recent James Bond theme, so we really need to start giving them some more love.

18. "Turn Back Time" - Aqua

Considering just how many incredible singles came from their debut album, it's easy to see how "Turn Back Time" could fall off the radar. While the other songs like "Barbie Girl," "Doctor Jones," and "Lollipop (Candyman)" are all upbeat and dancey, "Turn Back Time" shows that Aqua can do slow ballads just as well (if not better) than the kind of pop we remember them for.

19. "Pure Morning" - Placebo

"A friend in need's a friend indeed" but a friend who reminds you that this song exists is better.

20. "We Like To Party (The Vengabus)" - Vengaboys

Ok, let's be real, none of us (hopefully) forgot about this song. But I can pretty much guarantee none of those other lists are going to include it, plus I honestly just wanted an excuse to be blasting this at work.

So there you have it, all the songs turning 20 that deserve to be remembered, but won't be. At least you'll have this Spotify playlist to keep reminding you they exist.