5 Rock Songs From 1990 That Sound Even Cooler Today

The year 1990 might be the most important 12 months in pop culture history, as it boasted the release of "Home Alone" and Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Death Warrant." Apart from those two magnificent movies that are cinema at its finest, everyone rocked around the clock to music from Roxette to New Kids on the Block. Rock wasn't dead, but it experienced complications at the turn of the decade, as glam rock's makeup washed away and grunge exploded.

Consequently, many rock hits went under the radar or didn't receive the attention they fully deserved. It's time to change that. This is a rewrite of history to acknowledge the rock songs from 1990 that sound even cooler today.

So, what we have done is to track down the hits that would easily make their way onto any best-of compilation for that year. Not only are these songs serious earworms that linger long after they end, but they also stand out as some of the best tunes produced by these artists. More importantly, they are the type of tracks that will unite young and old at any party, as everybody can't help but be sucked into the sing-alongs and rock out.

By 1990, glam rock's stilettos had buckled under the pressure and cracked. The audience craved something more genuine than these bands wearing eyeliner and singing about trite topics like picking up girls and partying. Yet here was Poison — one of the biggest culprits of glam — dropping a banger album titled "Flesh & Blood," featuring the undeniable hit single "Unskinny Bop." This would also be the last album before Poison fired guitarist C.C. DeVille; he would return to the venomous fold years later.

Back to "Unskinny Bop" — what the heck is this even about? The group chorus is absolutely nonsensical, and the guitar lick tickles the senses, but it's so addictive to belt out "unskinny bop, bop" like it's a hymn of some kind. It's an absolutely silly number, with little to no substance, but try to ignore this song when it's blasting on the speakers at full volume — it's impossible.

As it turns out, Poison had no clue what "Unskinny Bop" was about either, admitting it was a made-up lyric in the studio while recording. Regardless, it climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is the band's second-biggest hit on the chart after 1988's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Unskinny bop indeed.

Go to any sporting event and there are certain rock songs almost guaranteed to play every single time. AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" — off 1990's "The Razor's Edge" — is one of these, as it pumps up both the players and spectators in attendance.

The opening intro sees guitarist Angus Young show off his impressive technical chops to create a hypnotizing and fast riff that entrances the listener. It isn't long until the repetitive calls of "thunder" have everyone clapping along, because they know what's about to go down. Explosive and electric are good descriptors of this high-energy track.

There's no disputing that "Thunderstruck" is all about living life in the fast lane and going full throttle around every bend. Yeah, maybe it lacks the nuance to connect with the soul and say something meaningful about the human experience, but it's certainly a party starter that gets everyone singing and cheering. The track also hit the No. 5 position on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. While it might not have been as big of a hit as some of the rock band's other songs on the Billboard charts, it has stood the test of time, which says something about its influence. Hey, at least it isn't one of the AC/DC songs used for torture.

Bob Dylan wrote "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and released it in 1973. However, there's an argument to be made that the Guns N' Roses version of the song is far more impactful and memorable, as the self-proclaimed most dangerous band in the world infused it with more emotion and rock 'n' roll attitude. The song debuted on the soundtrack of Tom Cruise's "Day of Thunder," instantly grabbing the attention of listeners around the globe and peaking at No. 18 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It stayed on the chart for nine weeks.

What stands out about this version is how Axl Rose and the boys turn it into a pure rock ballad. Slash lets his guitar gently weep the melody, while Rose shows off his underrated range as a singer, crooning and wailing through all the peaks and valleys of the song. In addition to this, Rose chucks in his own vocal flourishes, such as the hey-heys and ooh-yeahs, into the chorus, to give it even more of a singalong quality than the original.

As soon as Guns N' Roses' "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" comes on the playlist, it's time to warm up the old pipes and raise those lighters in the air. This is one song that will have everyone on their feet and swaying along with it.

By the turn of the decade, grunge seeped into the cultural zeitgeist. Bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana burst into full gear with their lumberjack shirts, angst-filled lyrics, and moody music. One group that deserves as much credit during this period was Alice in Chains, led by the bellowing talent known as Layne Staley. It's still a tragedy that Staley died so young, because his voice could have defined several generations.

Fortunately, Alice in Chains' "We Die Young" exists, and it continues to receive newfound love and appreciation, as younger fans discover it by swiping through Instagram Reels and TikTok. Coming in just over two-and-a-half minutes, the track wastes no time in laying down the groove and setting the tone of what's to come. It isn't a complicated song, and neither is the chorus: "And we die young / Faster we run." It's simple and effective, perhaps even more poignant when you look back and realize that it's eerily prophetic of what would happen to Staley.

"We Die Young" didn't chart on the Billboard charts, but it was a precursor of what was to come. In 1991, the single "Man in the Box" dropped, and everybody turned around and paid notice of Alice in Chains. However, "We Die Young" is still a killer tune that refuses to quit.

Living Colour remains one of the most important rock bands of the '80s. At a time when the genre was very white, this all-Black group stepped up to the plate and blew everyone away with its album "Vivid." Yet while Living Colour is undoubtedly best known for "Cult of Personality," there's a 1990 track called "Type" — from the album "Time's Up" — that's just as memorable if not as equally celebrated.

Essentially, this song is all about how humans continue to be divided, and it's all due to the systems around us. The opening line of "Stereotype / Monotype / Blood type / Are you my type?" speaks volumes about what the message here is. Despite the powerful reality check and reminder for humans to wake up at what's happening around them, the music encourages everyone to get their groove on. From the bouncy beat to the pointed guitar riff, this stomping track gets the blood pumping and feet moving faster than anyone could have ever imagined.

"Type" performed well on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, hitting the No. 5 position. As a matter of fact, it actually charted higher than "Cult of Personality," proving it's a song that deserves a revisit and replay today.