Quiz: How Quick Can You Pick the First Word in Each '90s Song Title?

It’s time to head back to the ‘90s! This decade was before cell phones, social media, and streaming, so it felt like an entirely different world from the one we live in today. Pop stars and rock bands ruled the charts, though some songs found more radio play than others. How well do you know the biggest songs of the ‘90s? Test your knowledge with the quiz below by picking the first word of the ‘90s hits.

How many did you get right? Is it time to brush up on your knowledge of ‘90s music? Read on for a nostalgic journey through some of the top musical trends of the decade.

The music of the ‘90s

The 1990s were a diverse and memorable time for music. Pop stars, rock bands, and rappers thrived on the charts, as did the odd emotional ballad. 

Many stars that dominated this decade got their start in the ‘80s, like Guns N’ Roses, or even as far back as the ‘70s, like Elton John. Of course, plenty of fresh new acts arrived on the scene as well during this time. 

The start of the ‘90s saw an explosion in grunge, a subculture that spawned in Washington state in the mid-to-late ‘80s and grew unavoidable in the ‘90s. Characterized by fuzzy guitars and a sense of nihilism and rage, the genre appealed to a generation of young people often labeled apathetic. 

Nirvana’s rise was at the center of grunge’s explosion, but Kurt Cobain’s tragic death in 1994 put an end to the band’s meteoric ascent. Older rock bands like Metallica still thrived during this time, meanwhile, while newer bands like Weezer picked up the mantle. Clearly, rock was alive and well in the ‘90s. 

Rap, divas, and megahits

Simultaneously, rap was fully mainstream by the ‘90s. The genre emerged in the 1970s, went mainstream in the ‘80s, and the ‘90s were characterized by its continued ascent and development. Artists like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg topped the charts and helped bring the genre to wider and wider audiences, setting up its complete cultural dominance in the 2000s and beyond. 

At the same time, some classic divas were unavoidable in the ‘90s. Mariah Carey’s first single came out in 1990. Britney Spears’ first single, “...Baby One More Time,” was released in 1998, and she was soon joined by Christina Aguilera, who had her first hit in 1999. These stars entered a competitive arena that often involved relentless judgment and scrutiny. 

Many of the bands that came to the fore during this decade still remain popular today. In today’s overcrowded, tech-saturated music landscape, there’s also something comforting about returning to the music from this era.