Electronic dance music began in the 1980s in the black, Latino, and queer communities of cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and New York, and exploded in the 1990s to incorporate techno, rave, jungle, and other permutations from around the world. . World. But there's nothing quite like '90s dance music, whose beats set the pulse of club culture.
He was everywhere, both a dominant force in the underground and the voice of the moment at the top of the charts. And as it spread, it transformed and created different styles. There was deep house, influenced by black humor and soulful expression; The House of the Gospel, which brings together liberation and spiritual unity on the dance floor; A minimalist, light and flexible home to name a few. A home can be elegant and simple or elaborately prepared, inclined towards furs or in love with slides.
The list below, sorted alphabetically by artist, includes house songs that made our Top 250 Songs of the '90s, as well as those that didn't make it but are still important to the genre. These are the tracks that best defined '90s house, that changed dance music forever and keep us moving to this day.
Read Pitchfork's list of the best songs of the 1990s here and our list of the best albums of the 1990s here, and read the full 90s collection here .
Barbara Tucker: "Beautiful People (Underground Mix)" (1994)
Produced by Masters at Work, "Beautiful People" combines the songwriting of recording legends Gamble and Huff with late '90s house. The 1994 single topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart and will forever be remembered for Barbara Tucker's vocals, Louis Vega's Masters at Work sample on his hard drive, and Kanye West's use of 2016's "Fade."
But there's much more to the song than just an (admittedly strong) verse, as Tucker's bold, tender lyrics feature jazzy chord changes, big high notes and church organs. He has one of the most recognizable voices in house music - his penetrating tones, impeccable control and a hint of fuzzy rawness are enough to shred even the most introverted outcast. Louis Vega of Masters at Work, working under the moniker "Harddrive", ended up amplifying two powerful tapes of Tucker's performance to create the cult hit "Deep Inside", a smoother follow-up to 1993's released a few months earlier. Tucker's single sampled by DJ Rashad. - Ben Cardew
Listen: Barbara Tucker, "Beautiful People (Underground Mix)"
Keller Jax: "Fly Life" (1996)
While they've had much bigger hits like "Red Alert" and "Where's Your Head At" since then, nothing matches Basement Jaxx's head-to-toe dance form on "Fly Life." DJ Sneak Bud's "U Can't Hide From Your" was released alongside a slew of club EPs the British duo released over the five years leading up to their 1999 debut The Stamp. . stands out from the pack with its relentless rhythms and eerie vocal line that stretches wordless melismas to psychedelic swirls. Meanwhile, "Brix Mix" added raspy ragga vocals to the mix, showcasing the adaptability of house music and the future beyond "Gender of Basement." Jaxx: Closing Score - Phillip Sherburne
