Best Songs of 1992

It’s quite possible that, by the middle of the decade, I’d settled on the songs that would eventually make this list once I finalized it here in 2017. Obviously I was not thinking about 100-song Spotify playlists in my teenage years, but by 1996 or ’97 I am fairly certain I had absorbed nearly every last one of these songs, either directly or indirectly, into my musical life.

If true, then this would be the first year of my lifetime in which I could safely make that declaration, and the reason is as much technological as it is biographical. While my sources were still limited largely to radio, MTV and the influence of my slightly older sister, the diversity of sounds presented in just those three arenas was enough to broaden my horizons beyond my KUBE-heavy days just a year or two earlier.

In that sense, 1992 is a transitional year, beginning a slow shedding of the pop, hip-hop and R&B sounds of my tween years and moving toward rock, country and whatever you want to call the alternative-indie-college rock scene of this era.

The end result is a list which begins to set me on my musical path toward a boundless desire for discovery—new artists, new sounds, new genres—that here in 2017 has settled into an inevitably more balanced approach, featuring longtime favorites punctuated by the occasional comet of novelty which reminds me of these younger days, maybe not so much in sound, but in spirit.

For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or maybe never.

Show Grid

Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg

TLC

Ooooooohh… On the TLC Tip

LaFace
via MTV library: 10/22/2009

Notes
7

Prince

The Love Symbol Album

Warner Bros.
via past experience, MTV library: 6/26/2007

Notes
Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

Father MC & Jodeci

Close to You

Uptown
via MTV library: 9/24/2008

Notes
Hey Love

R. Kelly & Public Announcement

Born Into the 90s

Jive
via TK library: 4/7/2011 (TK)

Notes
Freak Me

Silk

Lose Control

Elektra
via MTV, KUBE 93.3 library: 4/7/2010 (TK)

Notes
Weak

SWV

It’s About Time

RCA
via MTV library: 3/17/2012

Notes
I’m Every Woman

Whitney Houston

The Bodyguard

Arista
via past experience, my sister library: 2/12/2012

Notes
Rhythm Is a Dancer

Snap!

The Madman’s Return

Arista
via MTV library: 2/9/2011

Notes
Walking on Broken Glass

Annie Lennox

Diva

Arista
via TK library: 3/15/2015

Notes
Constant Craving

k.d. lang

Ingenue

Sire
via TK library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Black Eyed Man

Cowboy Junkies

Black Eyed Man

RCA
via retroactive experience library: 6/29/2014

Notes
Harvest Moon

Neil Young

Harvest Moon

Reprise
via MTV Unplugged, 103.7 The Mountain library: 2/18/2006

Notes
Sandusky

Uncle Tupelo

March 16–20, 1992

Rockville
via retroactive experience library: 10/29/2003 (TK)

Notes
Blue Sky Blues

Chris Whitley

Fathers and Sons

Sony
via retroactive experience library: 8/16/2006

Notes
Sex in a Pan

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

UFO Tofu

Warner Bros.
via retroactive experience library: 11/12/2003 (TK)

Notes
You Look Like Rain

Morphine

Good

Rykodisc
via retroactive experience library: 3/23/2011

Notes
Don’t Sweat the Technique

Eric B. & Rakim

Don’t Sweat the Technique

MCA
via TK library: 2/10/2014

Notes
They Reminisce Over You

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Mecca and the Soul Brother

Elektra
via TK library: 4/28/2012

Notes
Ex Girl to the Next Girl

Gang Starr

Daily Operation

Virgin
via TK library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Tonight’s Da Night

Redman

Whut? Thee Album

Def Jam
via TK library: 12/2/2003 (TK)

Notes
Final Frontier

MC Ren

Kizz My Black Azz

Priority
via TK library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang

Dr. Dre

The Chronic

Interscope
via MTV library: 7/9/2008

Notes
It Was a Good Day

Ice Cube

The Predator

Priority
via MTV library: 2/2/2011

Notes
Ditty

Paperboy

Ditty

Next Plateau
via KUBE 93.3 library: 12/19/2010

Notes
Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta

Geto Boys

Uncut Dope

Rap-A-Lot
via MTV library: 8/19/2007

Notes
They Want EFX

Das EFX

Dead Serious

East West
via TK library: 2/12/2012

Notes
Rump Shaker

Wreckx-N-Effect

Hard or Smooth

MCA
via MTV library: 2/5/2011

Notes
Hit

The Sugarcubes

Stick Around for Joy

Elektra
via TK library: 10/2/2013

Notes
Dizz Knee Land

Dada

Puzzle

I.R.S.
via 107.7 The End library: 7/6/2009

Notes
Smile

Luna

Lunapark

Elektra
via TK library: 7/3/2014

Notes
Peng! 33

Stereolab

Peng!

Too Pure
via TK library: 9/26/2010

Notes
Bury the Hammer

Beat Happening

You Turn Me On

K Records
via TK library: 6/29/2014

Notes
She Is Weird City

Lotion

Head

Kokopop
via retroactive experience library: 7/5/2004

Notes
With a Wish

Miracle Legion

Drenched

Morgan Creek
via retroactive experience library: 12/2/2014

Notes
Everybody Loves Me But You

Juliana Hatfield

Hey Babe

Mammoth
via TK library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Summer Babe (Winter Version)

Pavement

Slanted & Enchanted

Matador
via retroactive experience library: 9/17/2009

Notes
Sheela-Na-Gig

PJ Harvey

Dry

Island
via retroactive experience library: 3/31/2012

Notes
Safari

The Breeders

Safari

4AD
via TK library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Pretend We’re Dead

L7

Bricks Are Heavy

Slash
via TK library: 7/21/2010

Notes
Bad Luck

Social Distortion

Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell

Epic
via 107.7 The End library: 5/27/2011

Notes
2000 Light Years Away

Green Day

Kerplunk

Lookout!
via retroactive experience, 107.7 The End library: 9/23/2006

1991 vinyl release
Somebody to Shove

Soul Asylum

Grave Dancers Union

Columbia
via TK library: 7/21/2010

Notes
Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)

Cracker

Cracker

Virgin
via TK library: 9/6/2011

Notes
No One Knows

Screaming Trees

Sweet Oblivion

Epic
via TK library: 11/17/2003 (TK)

Notes
Breath

Pearl Jam

Singles

Epic
via Singles (1992) library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Black Metallic

Catherine Wheel

Ferment

Fontana
via 107.7 The End library: 12/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
Wild Horses

The Sundays

Blind

DGC
via 107.7 The End library: 8/4/2008

Notes
Human Touch

Bruce Springsteen

Human Touch

Columbia
via past/retroactive experience library: 11/25/2008

Notes
Not Enough Time

INXS

Welcome to Wherever You Are

Atlantic
via 103.7 The Mountain, past experience library: 8/22/2008

Notes
This Time Around

The Freddy Jones Band

The Freddy Jones Band

Capricorn
via retroactive experience, my sister library: 10/31/2003 (TK)

Notes
This Time - Last Time

Shawn Mullins

Better Days

SMG
via retroactive experience library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
Galileo

Indigo Girls

Rites of Passage

Epic
via my sister library: 2/13/2011

Notes
Dream in Blue

Los Lobos

Kiko

Slash / Warner Bros.
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 12/10/2003 (TK)

Notes
In the New Sunshine

Freedy Johnston

Can You Fly

Bar/None
via retroactive/past experience library: 6/29/2014

Notes
Waiting for the Sun

The Jayhawks

Hollywood Town Hall

Def American
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 8/27/2010

Notes
Waiting for Somebody

Paul Westerberg

Singles

Epic
via Singles (1992), past experience (The Replacements) library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Got Me Wrong

Alice in Chains

Sap

Sony
via 107.7 The End library: 12/8/2007

Notes
Plush

Stone Temple Pilots

Core

Atlantic
via MTV library: 4/4/2007

Notes
Freedom

Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine

Epic
via MTV, 107.7 The End library: 7/14/2009

Notes
Aneurysm

Nirvana

Incesticide

DGC
via past experience, 107.7 The End library: 11/24/2009

Notes
Chapel Hill

Sonic Youth

Dirty

Geffen
via retroactive experience library: 5/14/2011

Notes
Drown

Smashing Pumpkins

Singles

Epic
via past experience, Singles (1992) library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Secret World

Peter Gabriel

Us

Real World
via past experience library: 11/4/2003 (TK)

Notes
All in All

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Walk on the Ocean

Columbia
via In Lite Syrup (1995) library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
Found Out About You

Gin Blossoms

New Miserable Experience

A&M
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 10/18/2008

Notes
It’s a Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

It’s a Shame About Ray

Atlantic
via 107.7 The End, 103.7 The Mountain library: 5/1/2005

Notes
Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover

Sophie B. Hawkins

Tongues and Tails

Columbia
via TK library: 7/22/2010

Notes
Rain

Madonna

Erotica

Maverick
via past experience library: 1/17/2013

Notes
She’s Playing Hard to Get

Hi-Five

Keep It Goin’ On

Jive
via past experience library: 3/10/2012 (TK)

Notes
My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)

En Vogue

Funky Divas

East West
via MTV library: 4/7/2011 (TK)

Notes
Real Love

Mary J. Blige

What’s the 411?

Uptown
via MTV library: 4/7/2011 (TK)

Notes
People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix)

Arrested Development

People Everyday

Chrysalis
via MTV library: 3/10/2012

Notes
Crossover

EPMD

Business Never Personal

Def Jam
via TK library: 12/2/2003 (TK)

Notes
Scenario (Remix)

A Tribe Called Quest

Scenario

Jive
via MTV library: 11/14/2003 (TK)

Notes
Slam

Onyx

Bacdafucup

Def Jam
via MTV library: 12/2/2003

Notes
Jump Around

House of Pain

House of Pain

Tommy Boy
via MTV library: 11/13/2011

Notes
Jump

Kris Kross

Totally Krossed Out

Ruffhouse
via MTV library: 2/8/2010 (TK)

Notes
Baby Got Back

Sir Mix-A-Lot

Mack Daddy

Def American
via MTV library: 3/31/2012

Notes
The Way I Swing

Kid Sensation & Ken Griffey Jr.

The Power of Rhyme

Nastymix
via KUBE 93.3 library: 6/12/2011 (TK)

Notes
Passing Me By

The Pharcyde

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

Delicious Vinyl
via MTV library: 11/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
So What’cha Want

Beastie Boys

Check Your Head

Grand Royal
via past experience, MTV library: 11/15/2003 (TK)

Notes
Satellite

Luscious Jackson

In Search of Manny

Grand Royal
via retroactive experience library: 2/9/2014

Notes
Trapped in a Box

No Doubt

No Doubt

Interscope
via retroactive experience library: 12/7/2004

Notes
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead

XTC

Nonsuch

Virgin
via TK library: 5/10/2010

Notes
I Palindrome I

They Might Be Giants

Apollo 18

Elektra
via TK library: 8/31/2009

Notes
The Mango Song

Phish

A Picture of Nectar

Elektra
via TK library: 11/11/2003 (TK)

Notes
Did You Ever Look So Nice

The Samples

No Room

What Are Records?
via my sister library: 11/1/2003 (TK)

Notes
Friday I’m in Love

The Cure

Wish

Elektra
via 107.7 The End library: 11/7/2009

Notes
99.9 F°

Suzanne Vega

99.9 F°

A&M
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 2/27/2012

Notes
Lifetime Piling Up

Talking Heads

Sand in the Vaseline

Sire
via past experience library: 4/9/2016

Notes
I Don’t Wanna Grow Up

Tom Waits

Bone Machine

Island
via TK library: 2/2/2011

Notes
Tonight

The Afghan Whigs

Congregation

Sub Pop
via TK library: 6/29/2014

Notes
Silent All These Years

Tori Amos

Little Earthquakes

Atlantic
via 107.7 The End, 103.7 The Mountain library: 3/2/2017

Notes
Tears in Heaven

Eric Clapton

Rush

Reprise
via MTV Unplugged library: 12/18/2011

Notes
Birds Without Wings

David Gray

Birds Without Wings

HUT
via retroactive experience library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
Seasons

Chris Cornell

Singles

Epic
via Singles (1992) library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
No Rain

Blind Melon

Blind Melon

Capitol
via MTV library: 12/26/2006

Notes
Man on the Moon

R.E.M.

Automatic for the People

Warner Bros.
via my sister, past experience library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
These Are Days

10,000 Maniacs

Our Time in Eden

Elektra
via TK library: 2/13/2010

Notes
Remedy

The Black Crowes

The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion

Def American
via TK library: 6/24/2010

Notes