Best Songs of 1994

For all of 2014 (and some of 2013), I have been working on lists representing 30, 20, and 10 years ago, along with a list for this year. Unlike every other list, this one might best represent what I actually would have done at the time.

It might also be a representation of my favorite year of music in my lifetime. It's hard to separate the music itself from the fact that I was 15 and impressionable, making a truly objective statement on the matter next to impossible. Still, objectivity is irrelevant when it comes to lists like this. And besides, I can let the music (and my audience) speak for itself.

If the music could speak, it might talk about how 1994 found a great merger between the popular and the critically acclaimed, or how genres like hip hop had matured enough to begin to provide an ever-expanding array of voices and sounds. One might say the same about the evolution of ’80s college rock into what would become known by the middle of the decade as indie rock and its more commercially successful cousin, that nebulous distinction known as “alternative”.

So maybe the greatness of 1994 wasn’t just about my teenage years, but the corresponding teenage years of certain kinds of music. We both found out who we were, and began to see the possibilities that lay before us. Back then, in a time of youth and prosperity and safety and optimism, they were endless.

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

Sure Shot

Beastie Boys

Ill Communication

Grand Royal
via past experience library: 11/14/2003 (TK)

Notes
Cut Your Hair

Pavement

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Matador
via MTV library: 1/13/2006

Notes
Loser

Beck

Mellow Gold

DGC
via MTV, 107.7 The End library: 11/13/2003 (TK)

Notes
Tractor Rape Chain

Guided by Voices

Bee Thousand

Revolver
via TK library: 11/17/2010

Notes
Your Favorite Thing

Sugar

File Under: Easy Listening

Rykodisc
via TK library: 12/10/2012

Notes
Supernova

Liz Phair

Whip-Smart

Matador
via my sister library: 8/30/2009

Notes
Dream Figure

Cardinal

Cardinal

Flydaddy
via TK library: 3/29/2012

Notes
Red Right Hand

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Red Right Hand

Mute
via Scream (1996) library: 1/17/2013

Notes
Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon

Urge Overkill

Pulp Fiction

MCA
via Pulp Fiction (1994) library: 12/9/2010

Notes
Strange Powers

The Magnetic Fields

Holiday

Merge
via TK library: 2/25/2007

Notes
Jacking the Ball

The Sea and Cake

The Sea and Cake

Thrill Jockey
via TK library: 7/23/2005

Notes
The Wishing Time

Catfish Jenkins

Aware 2 The Compilation

Aware
via Aware 2 The Compilation library: 11/20/2003 (TK)

Notes
Einstein on the Beach

Counting Crows

DGC Rarities Vol. 1

DGC
via past experience library: 12/7/2004

Notes
Hey Sandy

Polaris

Music from The Adventures of Pete & Pete

Mezzotint
via The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1991–1993) library: 10/12/2005

CD actually released in 1999, with a promo-only tape released in 1995, and the show ended in 1993. So, yeah, 1994 is a made-up year but I do not care because it makes sense here.
Feel the Pain

Dinosaur Jr.

Without a Sound

Sire
via MTV library: 10/20/2006

Notes
Seven

Sunny Day Real Estate

Diary

Sub Pop
via 107.7 The End library: 11/16/2003 (TK)

Notes
Shrine

The Dambuilders

Encendedor

Atlantic
via 107.7 The End library: 9/20/2004

Notes
She Is Weird City

Lotion

full Isaac

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

Notes
My Pathetic Friend

Noise Addict

Meet the Real You

Grand Royal
via retroactive experience (Ben Lee) library: 10/26/2003

Notes
Barbarossa

Sordid Humor

Light Music for Dying People

Capricorn
via 107.7 The End library: 11/26/2008

Notes
Headache

Frank Black

Teenager of the Year

Elektra
via 107.7 The End library: 12/7/2004

Notes
A Higher Place

Tom Petty

Wildflowers

Warner Bros.
via past experience library: 11/5/2003 (TK)

Notes
Wild Night

John Mellencamp featuring Meshell Ndegeocello

Dance Naked

Mercury
via past experience, 103.7 The Mountain library: 8/2/2011

Notes
Penguins

Lyle Lovett

I Love Everybody

Curb
via past experience library: 3/14/2004

Notes
Tenor Man

The Greyboy Allstars

West Coast Boogaloo

Greyboy
via TK library: 11/6/2003 (TK)

Notes
Lucas With the Lid Off

Lucas

Lucacentric

Big Beat
via TK library: 11/19/2009

Notes
Revival!

Me Phi Me

Reality Bites

RCA
via Reality Bites (1994) library: 3/10/2012

Notes
I Used to Love H.E.R.

Common

Resurrection

Relativity
via retroactive experience library: 5/16/2011

Notes
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

Prince

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

NPG
via past experience library: 11/19/2009

Notes
Mass Appeal

Gang Starr

Hard to Earn

Noo Trybe
via TK library: 5/12/2012

Notes
Back and Forth

Aaliyah

Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number

Jive
via TK library: 4/7/2013

Notes
Creep

TLC

Crazysexycool

LaFace
via past experience library: 10/22/2009

Notes
Crumblin’ Erb

Outkast

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

LaFace
via my sister library: 7/30/2010

Notes
Protection

Massive Attack

Protection

Virgin
via TK library: 9/11/2007

Notes
Missing

Everything But the Girl

Amplified Heart

Atlantic
via my sister library: 3/29/2012

Notes
Fast Changes

Seal

Seal

ZTT
via past experience library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Live Forever

Oasis

Definitely Maybe

Epic
via MTV, 107.7 The End library: 3/6/2010

Notes
Machinehead

Bush

Sixteen Stone

Interscope
via 107.7 The End library: 10/11/2007

Notes
Love Spreads

The Stone Roses

Second Coming

Geffen
via TK library: 2/4/2011

Notes
Girls & Boys

Blur

Parklife

Food
via past experience, 107.7 The End library: 11/11/2003 (TK)

Notes
Shipwrecked

Sky Cries Mary

This Timeless Turning

World Domination
via TK library: 12/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
God

Tori Amos

Under the Pink

Atlantic
via past experience, 107.7 The End library: 3/8/2010

Notes
Glory Box

Portishead

Dummy

Go! Beat
via 107.7 The End library: 12/4/2010

Notes
Closer

Nine Inch Nails

The Downward Spiral

Interscope
via past experience, MTV library: 11/19/2009

Notes
White, Discussion

Live

Throwing Copper

Radioactive
via 107.7 The End library: 11/17/2003 (TK)

Notes
Screenwriter’s Blues

Soul Coughing

Ruby Vroom

Slash
via TK library: 10/31/2003 (TK)

Notes
Bring the Pain

Method Man

Tical

Def Jam
via TK library: 12/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
Flava in Ya Ear

Craig Mack

Project: Funk Da World

Bad Boy
via TK library: 4/17/2010

Notes
One More Chance (Stay With Me Remix)

The Notorious B.I.G.

One More Chance

Bad Boy
via Yo! MTV Raps library: 9/16/2010

Notes
Give It Up

Public Enemy

Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age

Def Jam
via TK library: 12/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
Ease My Mind

Arrested Development

Zingalamaduni

Chrysalis
via past experience library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
This Ain’t Living

G. Love & Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

Epic
via TK library: 11/12/2003

Notes
American Life in the Summertime

Francis Dunnery

Fearless

Atlantic
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 1/12/2010

Notes
Locked Out

Crowded House

Together Alone

Capitol
via past experience, 103.7 The Mountain library: 4/5/2009

Notes
Sometimes Always

The Jesus and Mary Chain

Stoned and Dethroned

Warner Bros.
via past experience, 107.7 The End library: 3/29/2012

Notes
Am I Wrong

Love Spit Love

Love Spit Love

Imago
via 107.7 The End library: 7/22/2010

Notes
American Dreaming

Dead Can Dance

Toward the Within

4AD
via 107.7 The End library: 11/24/2006

Notes
Reasons

Built to Spill

There's Nothing Wrong With Love

Up
via retroactive experience, Meaghan Massoth (2007) library: 9/6/2008

Notes
Whir

Smashing Pumpkins

Pisces Iscariot

Virgin
via past experience library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Last Goodbye

Jeff Buckley

Grace

Columbia
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 11/10/2003 (TK)

Notes
Not Even the Trees

Hootie & The Blowfish

Cracked Rear View

Atlantic
via the ether library: 3/6/2010

Notes
Warehouse

Dave Matthews Band

Under the Table and Dreaming

BMG
via MTV library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
Eleanor

Shannon Worrell

Aware 2 The Compilation

Aware
via the internet (ca. 1998) library: 11/20/2003 (TK)

Notes
Bad Reputation

Freedy Johnston

This Perfect World

Elektra
via Rolling Stone, 103.7 The Mountain library: 10/31/2003 (TK)

Notes
Stay

Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories

Reality Bites

RCA
via MTV library: 12/28/2010

Notes
Walk Away

Ben Harper

Welcome to the Cruel World

Virgin
via my sister library: 10/31/2003 (TK)

Notes
Hole in the Bucket

Spearhead

Home

Capitol
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 11/4/2003 (TK)

Notes
Nappy Heads (Remix)

Fugees

Blunted on Reality

Ruffhouse
via MTV library: 9/21/2004 (TK)

Notes
I Remember

Coolio

It Takes a Thief

Tommy Boy
via MTV library: 2/10/2014

Notes
Regulate

Warren G featuring Nate Dogg

Regulate… G Funk Era

Def Jam
via MTV library: 12/3/2003 (TK)

Notes
Behind Bars (Dum Ditty Dum Mix)

Slick Rick

Behind Bars

Def Jam
via MTV library: 11/3/2005

Notes
It Ain’t Hard to Tell

Nas

Illmatic

Columbia
via TK library: 9/8/2010

Notes
Swept Away

The Roots

Do You Want More?!!!??!

DGC
via retroactive experience library: 11/12/2003 (TK)

Notes
Rollin’

Luscious Jackson

Natural Ingredients

Grand Royal
via retroactive experience library: 11/8/2003 (TK)

Notes
Buildings and Bridges

Ani DiFranco

Out of Range

Righteous Babe
via my sister library: 4/20/2008

Notes
Pandora

Shawn Mullins

Big Blue Sky

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

Notes
No Name #3

Elliott Smith

Roman Candle

Kill Rock Stars
via Good Will Hunting (1998) library: 2/14/2005 (TK)

Notes
Windmills

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Dulcinea

Columbia
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 10/26/2003 (TK)

Notes
Streets of Philadelphia

Bruce Springsteen

Philadelphia

Epic
via past experience, the ether library: 11/25/2008

Notes
Crazy Mary

Victoria Williams

Loose

Mammoth
via the Pearl Jam cover library: 4/7/2010

Notes
Alternative Girlfriend

Barenaked Ladies

Maybe You Should Drive

Sire
via my sister library: 12/5/2008

Notes
If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself)

Pete Droge

Necktie Second

American
via TK library: 4/28/2012

Notes
Good

Better Than Ezra

Aware 2 The Compilation

Aware
via 107.7 The End, MTV library: 11/20/2003 (TK)

Notes
Down With Disease

Phish

Hoist

Elektra
via TK library: TK

Notes
Backwater

Meat Puppets

Too High to Die

London
via 107.7 The End library: 6/25/2011

Notes
Possum Kingdom

Toadies

Rubberneck

Interscope
via 107.7 The End library: 11/19/2009

Notes
Molly (Sixteen Candles)

Sponge

Rotting Piñata

Sony Work
via 107.7 The End library: 7/14/2009

Notes
Longview

Green Day

Dookie

Reprise
via MTV library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Self Esteem

The Offspring

Smash

Epitaph
via 107.7 The End library: 10/5/2010

Notes
Stranger Than Fiction

Bad Religion

Stranger Than Fiction

Atlantic
via 107.7 The End library: 11/15/2003 (TK)

Notes
Say It Ain’t So

Weezer

Weezer

DGC
via 107.7 The End, MTV library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Your Ghost

Kristin Hersh

Hips and Makers

Reprise
via 107.7 The End library: 5/3/2011

Notes
Touch Me Fall

Indigo Girls

Swamp Ophelia

Epic
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 7/14/2009

Notes
Star 69

R.E.M.

Monster

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

Notes
Still Remains

Stone Temple Pilots

Purple

Atlantic
via past experience library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Superunknown

Soundgarden

Superunknown

A&M
via 107.7 The End, MTV library: 10/31/2003 (TK)

Notes
Corduroy

Pearl Jam

Vitalogy

Epic
via past experience library: 11/14/2003 (TK)

Notes
I Stay Away

Alice in Chains

Jar of Flies

Sony
via MTV, 107.7 The End library: 11/18/2003 (TK)

Notes
Asking for It

Hole

Live Through This

DGC
via 107.7 The End, MTV library: 11/13/2003 (TK)

Notes
Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Nirvana

Unplugged in New York

DGC
via past experience, MTV library: 10/27/2003 (TK)

Notes