It’s no surprise that after Like a Prayer, Madonna would bring a song that would define dance and modeling for a generation, and it would probably be one of the biggest songs of her career. I love the intro, right to when she tells you to “strike a pose”, and the song takes off from there. It’s hard not to groove this tune arriving at #6 in this countdown; it’s Vogue by Madonna.
We now start getting into songs that were pretty hard to place in this countdown. The first of these tracks is a song that will make you say “What is it?” Well, it’s also a tune that would open the door for a band like Red Hot Chili Peppers to kick down entirely. Mixing rap and metal, this song was a huge hit and it’s still known to this day. Coming in at #7 is Epic by Faith No More.
Continuing our dive into the hip hop of this countdown is another great song, even if it was a one-hit-wonder. This was also another song you could not get away from hearing in 1990 and for years afterward. Great production and a memorable shout make this track hard to forget. Take a listen to The Power by Snap!, the #8 song in this countdown.
Sometimes a song is played so much over so many years that it has a huge grasp on pop culture. I don’t think there has been a year since its release that this song hasn’t been played at a sports arena in this country. Despite the controversy surrounding the female vocalist’s credits, this song was everywhere in 1990 and it’s actually a fun tune to listen to. Coming in at #9 is Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C&C Music Factory.
As we enter the Top 10 of the best songs turning 30 years old, we hit the second song from Ms Jackson. Arguably the answer to her brother’s song Dirty Diana, this tune is a rocking song with a great guitar riff and awesome vocals. It’s my wife’s favorite song on Rhythm Nation and this song has still aged well. At #10 is Black Cat by Janet Jackson.
At #11 in the countdown of the Top 20 songs turning 30 years old, we reach our first hip-hop tune, but not the last. While their sophomore release Do Me was an honorable mention and a song I sang as a kid, this tune was the more powerful of the two. In addition, that drum intro was used everywhere for a long time, and the song has great hooks throughout. This is Poison by Bel Biv Devoe.