I believe it's definitely "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now!)" by C+C Music Factory.  The song was a #1 Hit in America in February of 1991.  It seems as if most of the songs from 1990 were still kind of hangover songs from 1989 in a way.  And then "Gonna Make You Sweat" became this monster hit at the beginning of 1991, and I believe it helped jumpstart the '90s

Here's the Music Video, which further proves my point, just take a look at the all the fashion trends in the video, so Early '90s (The Square Haircut and Gold Teeth) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTgBxoLtWz0

I just can't picture this song being released in the '80s.  It seemed so revolutionary or something and the start of something new (The '90s)

"Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Actually, I agree. The appearance of house music had almost as much to do with the sudden appearance of the '90s around 1991 as grunge music. Stuff like "Gonna Make You Sweat!" by C+C Music Factory and "Finally" by CeCe Peniston, or "Gypsy Woman" by Crystal Waters sounds eons more modern than late '80s dance music like "I'm Looking for a New Love" by Jody Watley.

James would you say "The Power" by Snap! is more a 1989ish or '90s song?

James would you say "The Power" by Snap! is more a 1989ish or '90s song?


Hmm...I'll download it. But songs from about 1990 by C+C Music Factory and Ce Ce Peniston, Dee-Lite, Crystal Waters, etc. are definitely more genuinely '90s than 1989ish. "Groove is in the Heart" from 1990 is very, very '90s.

"What I am" by Edie Brickell is a very VERY 90's song...from 1988.

same with "Good Thing" by Fine Young Cannibals released in 1989.

Stand by REM, released in late 1988.

"I touch myself" by Divinyls

"500 Miles" by the Proclaimers

Do They Know It's Christmas? ~ Band Aid II

"What I am" by Edie Brickell is a very VERY 90's song...from 1988.

same with "Good Thing" by Fine Young Cannibals released in 1989.

Stand by REM, released in late 1988.

"I touch myself" by Divinyls

"500 Miles" by the Proclaimers


"I Touch Myself" is actually quite '80s.

Do you see what I'm saying about that house/club music like Dee-Lite, the C+C Music Factory, and Ce Ce Peniston being some of the first genuinely, totally '90s stuff? The more dance-pop oriented music like Paula Abdul and Jody Watley, or Madonna's "Vogue" and "Rescue Me" has a foot in genuinely '90s house, but also has a big foot in dance-pop like "Like a Virgin."

Do you see what I'm saying about that house/club music like Dee-Lite, the C+C Music Factory, and Ce Ce Peniston being some of the first genuinely, totally '90s stuff? The more dance-pop oriented music like Paula Abdul and Jody Watley, or Madonna's "Vogue" and "Rescue Me" has a foot in genuinely '90s house, but also has a big foot in dance-pop like "Like a Virgin."


I agree, although I think the "dance" stuff of the '90s was in general an evolution, rather than a backlash, against '80s stuff (unlike the rock of the '90s).  I think the '90s of Europe were in some ways an even more excessive, cheesy version of the '80s, because they never had a Grunge movement or recession like we did in the States.

I agree, although I think the "dance" stuff of the '90s was in general an evolution, rather than a backlash, against '80s stuff (unlike the rock of the '90s).  I think the '90s of Europe were in some ways an even more excessive, cheesy version of the '80s, because they never had a Grunge movement or recession like we did in the States.


Yeah, it was an evolution, rather than a backlash. Though, in many ways, it was a return to disco, so it was an extended anti-backlash against the disco backlash. House music was getting rid of all the excessive, glossy synth layerings of stuff like Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, etc. c. 1989 and stripping it down to a vital, very modern beat that is quite '90s. A song like "Gonna Make You Sweat", etc. sounds like it could be made in 1997 as well as 1991.

Yeah, it was an evolution, rather than a backlash. Though, in many ways, it was a return to disco, so it was an extended anti-backlash against the disco backlash. House music was getting rid of all the excessive, glossy synth layerings of stuff like Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, etc. c. 1989 and stripping it down to a vital, very modern beat that is quite '90s. A song like "Gonna Make You Sweat", etc. sounds like it could be made in 1997 as well as 1991.


Dance music is one of the few things that is common to the entire 1990s (I'd probably date '90s dance to 1989-2000).

Some of these were released before 1990, some after, but the thread calls for "ushered in" the '90s.
Some I liked, some i didn't.

Blackbox: Everybody, Everybody
Paula Abdul: Cold Hearted
Right Said Fred: I'm Too Sexy
Dee Lite: Groove is in the Heart
Enigma: Sadeness
Depeche Mode: Personal Jesus
Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Madonna: Vogue
C+C Music Factory: Everybody Dance Now
Lisa Stansfield: Been Around the World
Don Henley: The Heart of the Matter
Nine Inch Nails: Head Like A Hole
Ministry: Jesus Built My Hotrod
Aerosmith, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey: Wayne's World theme song.
B-52s: Love Shack/Roam
Paul Simon: The Obvious Child
New Order: Round & Round
Brian Eno & John Cale: One Word
R.E.M: Losing my Religion
Mariah Carey: There's Gonna Be A Way

Some of these were released before 1990, some after, but the thread calls for "ushered in" the '90s.
Some I liked, some i didn't.

Blackbox: Everybody, Everybody
Paula Abdul: Cold Hearted
Right Said Fred: I'm Too Sexy
Dee Lite: Groove is in the Heart
Enigma: Sadeness
Depeche Mode: Personal Jesus
Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Madonna: Vogue
C+C Music Factory: Everybody Dance Now
Lisa Stansfield: Been Around the World
Don Henley: The Heart of the Matter
Nine Inch Nails: Head Like A Hole
Ministry: Jesus Built My Hotrod
Aerosmith, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey: Wayne's World theme song.
B-52s: Love Shack/Roam
Paul Simon: The Obvious Child
New Order: Round & Round
Brian Eno & John Cale: One Word
R.E.M: Losing my Religion
Mariah Carey: There's Gonna Be A Way




Yeah, all of those helped to usher in the '90s. R.E.M's "Losing My Religion" was one of the first genuine alt rock hit singles, and Madonna's "Vogue" was the first house-music influenced non-house dance-pop single, arguably, creating the dance-pop blueprint for the '90s.

Yes, S.L.T.S. and other Nirvana tracks would be the obvious choice. 'Black Hole Sun' by Soundgarden, some early R.H.C.P's, 'Today' by the Smashing Pumpkins (even though it came out in '93). 'Can't Touch This' by M.C. Hammer.

I think 1989 was the first year that had the early 90's style dance music when Technotronic came out with "Pump Up the Jam".

Yes, S.L.T.S. and other Nirvana tracks would be the obvious choice. 'Black Hole Sun' by Soundgarden, some early R.H.C.P's, 'Today' by the Smashing Pumpkins (even though it came out in '93). 'Can't Touch This' by M.C. Hammer.


I would rule "Smells Like Teen Spirit" out simply because it wasn't released until Late 1991, and there were other songs that were released before it that beat it to the punch of being considered '90s Songs that ushered in the Decade.

"Black Hole Sun" was a Hit in the Summer of 1994 (WAY too late) so that's definitely not one.

Either way, I doubt a Rock song would be what ushered in the '90s.  I'd lean more towards a Dance/Pop Song.  Songs like...

"Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory (Early 1991)
"Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch (Mid/Late 1991)
"I've Been Thinking About You" by Londonbeat (Early 1991)

All 3 of those songs ushered in the '90s definitely.  None of them sound 80'ish, they all sound like something "New" and "Groundbreaking" for the beginning of the '90s

The Song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman, from '87 or '88, sounds very un80's.

"I Touch Myself" is actually quite '80s.



"I Touch Myself" is from 1991.

The Song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman, from '87 or '88, sounds very un80's.


It was both "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman and "Luka" by Suzanne Vega that started all the female rock of the '90s c. 1987.