It’s hard to believe that The Lion King is 30 years old, but it is, and at the time it was one of the biggest Disney movies if not its biggest box-office success at that point.  A big reason for it was the soundtrack, and while one of my favorites was Circle of Life, this track is the one that makes it into the countdown.  It won the Oscar for Best Song and gave yet another new era of life for this singer/songwriter.  Coming in at #12 is Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John.

If I could recommend an album from 1994, it would be Throwing Copper by this next group.  Every track on there is great and this won’t be the only song from that album that makes this list.  Although this wasn’t their debut album, it exploded them on the scene and this track is one of my and my wife’s favorite songs from it.  At #13 it is I Alone by Live.

There are only a couple of songs that people immediately think of when somebody mentions this group.  One song will likely appear in an older countdown to come, the other is this song.  At the time, it was so revolutionary yet fit in the grunge/punk era we were in, that it is viewed as a part of the foundation for what would become metal-rap.  This song still holds up to this day, and at #14 in the top 20 songs turning 30 years old countdown, it’s Sabotage by The Beastie Boys.

This is probably the only track in this 1994 countdown that could make people ask why it belongs here.  While it’s understandable, this track reestablished this 80s band and gave them maybe one of their biggest songs ever.  It’s still used in commercials and other avenues enough for it be considered a top track for this year.  Coming in at #15 is I’ll Stand By You by The Pretenders.

The next hip-hop entry to the top 20 songs turning 30 years old countdown is slightly controversial, in that some would argue this track samples too much of a song that hit a previous countdown.  I would argue the song has enough originality, thanks to Warren G’s hypnotic vocal, to earn a place in this list.  Add to the fact this song gave renewed vigor to Michael McDonald’s track that gets sampled, and you have a strong entry at #16 – It’s Regulate by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg.

When I started playing music professionally, frat/beer acoustic rock was still a big deal and a lot of it was thanks to this next group coming into the top 20 1994 songs countdown.  They had an even bigger hit but that was released the following year.  Yet, this track still managed to make its way in here and it introduced us to a band whose singer would go on to do great success years later.  Our #17 song turning 30 years old this year is Hold my Hand by Hootie and the Blowfish.