The 1990s was such an iconic decade. Not only did we see the rise of the boy band and girl band era with NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, but we also witnessed some of the greatest pop stars emerging from this decade. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Lopez are only to name a few.
That said, there's no better thing to do to relieve this golden era than reminiscing some of the most iconic pop music videos of the 1990s. From Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" to Spice Girls' "Wannabe," let the countdown begin!
10 Ricky Martin - 'Livin' La Vida Loca'
There are many reasons why Ricky Martin's "Livin la Vida Loca" is an iconic piece of art. One of them is how it helped Spanish-speaking musicians at that time (Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, etc) to reach the English-speaking market. The song is a wild invitation to the dance floor every time it comes on, and thanks to that, it propelled the singer's career to a whole new height.
9 Aqua - 'Barbie Girl'
Aqua's "Barbie Girl" is a case of an old song with seemingly pure lyrics and music video, but when you give it another listen, it's far from innocent. The bubblegum music video is so iconic that it's amassed over 880 million YouTube views despite being released in 1997. Life in plastic, it's fantastic.
8 Michael Jackson - 'You Are Not Alone'
After a series of controversies, Michael Jackson announced his comeback with his ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I. One of its singles is "You Are Not Alone," a 5 minute and 45 seconds pure R&B ballad. Written by R. Kelly, the music video features the King of Pop and his then-wife Lisa Presley in a semi-nude setting. He also embraced his new after-surgery look.
7 Mariah Carey - 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'
No one could ever forget Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It's been a Christmas anthem almost every single year since its release. It's so iconic that it has a total of three versions of the music video: one is Carey's home footage during the holiday season, the second is a black-and-white tribute to the Ronettes girl group, and the third is Joseph Kahn's execution to celebrate the song's 25th anniversary in 2019.
6 Britney Spears - 'Baby One More Time'
Released in 1999, "Baby One More Time" catapulted young Britney Spears to the teenage sensation position. It's one of the most important landscapes of the 1990s pop culture. Since MTV premiered the video in November 1998, there was nothing you could do to escape this catchy video for months to come. Up to this writing, it's the singer's most recognizable signature song.
5 Christina Aguilera - 'Genie In A Bottle'
Another teen pop star of the 1990s, Christina Aguilera shot to stardom in 1999 with "Genie In a Bottle" from her self-titled debut album. The song has a special place in the pop culture to the point where it's been sampled many times, including on Camila Cabello's "Crying In The Club" and Jason Derulo's "Talk with Your Body."
4 Cher - 'Believe'
Amidst the swarming "invasion" of teenage sensations, Cher cemented her name position as a pop culture icon with "Believe" from her 22nd studio album. It's an invitation to dance and placed the singer in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female musician to top the Hot 100 chart. Up to this writing, the Grammy-nominated track remains the singer's most important song.
3 Backstreet Boys- 'I Want It That Way'
Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" was a monster hit. The power ballad has a long impact and uniqueness among the fans. Everything about the video screams what the 1990s pop landscape looked like. The boy band has never been quite able to top the song's legacy. Speaking of accolades, "I Want It That Way" earned three Grammy Awards nominations, including the prestigious Song and Record of the Year trophies.
2 Spice Girls - 'Wannabe'
Miles away from the U.S., there was the Spice Girls who topped the chart in 37 countries with "Wannabe" in 1996. It exposed the girls' to a bigger market in the U.S., making them one of the most successful girl bands of all time. It's a girl-power anthem that catapulted the girls to global stardom, garnering "Spicemania" fandom name in the process.
1 Los Del Rio - 'Macarena' (Remix)
Lastly, there was "Macarena" from Los del Río in 1995. It was so iconic that it has plenty of famous covers, versions, and samples, including rapper Tyga's "Ayy Macarena" in 2019. Although the band wasn't quite as successful with their future endeavors after this song, it was enough to cement their popularity from 1995 until 1997.