100 Greatest Songs From 1996

Criteria: These songs released in the year 1996 were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.

Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Killing Me Softly
The Fugees
2. No Diggity
BLACKstreet, Dr. Dre, Queen Pen
3. (Love Is) What I Got
Sublime
4. I Believe I Can Fly
R. Kelly
5. Firestarter
Prodigy
6. Crash into Me
Dave Matthews Band
7. Lovefool
Cardigans
8. Where It's At
Beck
9. Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check
Busta Rhymes
10. Bulls on Parade
Rage Against The Machine
11. Un-Break My Heart
Toni Braxton
12. Ready or Not
The Fugees
13. One Headlight
The Wallflowers
14. On and On
Erykah Badu
15. Wannabe
Spice Girls
16. Push
Matchbox Twenty
17. The Distance
Cake
18. 3 AM
Matchbox 20
19. Change the World
Eric Clapton and Babyface
20. You're Makin' Me High
Toni Braxton
21. Santeria
Sublime
22. A Design for Life
Manic Street Preachers
23. Midnight in a Perfect World
DJ Shadow
24. Because You Loved Me
Celine Dion
25. El Scorcho
Weezer
26. Twisted
Keith Sweat
27. Return of the Mack
Mark Morrison
28. Setting Sun
The Chemical Brothers
29. Devil's Haircut
Beck
30. Nobody Knows
The Tony Rich Project
31. C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)
Quad City DJ's
32. Fu-gee-la
Fugees
33. Don't Let Go (Love)
En Vogue
34. How Do U Want It
2Pac and Dr. Dre
35. If I Ruled the World
Nas
36. The Good Life
Weezer
37. Elevators (Me & You)
Outkast
38. It's All Coming Back to Me Now
Celine Dion
39. Nobody
Keith Sweat and Athena Cage
40. Follow You Down
Gin Blossoms
41. If It Makes You Happy
Sheryl Crow
42. The Man Don't Give a Fuck
Super Furry Animals
43. Novocaine for the Soul
Eels
44. Every Time I Close My Eyes
Babyface
45. Breathe
Prodigy
46. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand
Primitive Radio Gods
47. Barely Breathing
Duncan Sheik
48. Not Gon' Cry
Mary J. Blige
49. I Believe in You and Me
Whitney Houston
50. The Box
Orbital

51. Cybele's Reverie
Stereolab
52. The Freshmen
The Verve Pipe
53. Say You'll Be There
Spice Girls
54. Building Steam with a Grain of Salt
DJ Shadow
55. I Want You
Savage Garden
56. In My Bed
Dru Hill
57. Swallowed
Bush
58. Only You
112, The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase
59. The State I Am In
Belle and Sebastian
60. Da' Dip
Freak Nasty
61. Trash
Suede
62. 2 Become 1
Spice Girls
63. You're the One
SWV
64. When You're Gone
The Cranberries
65. Criminal
Fiona Apple
66. Cupid
112
67. Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)
Lil' Kim
68. Sunny Came Home
Shawn Colvin
69. 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)
Coolio
70. Pepper
Butthole Surfers
71. The Hidden Camera
Photek
72. E-Bow the Letter
R.E.M.
73. Stinkfist
Tool
74. Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit
Gina G
75. Fastlove
George Michael
76. Pony
Ginuwine
77. Daytona
Ghostface Killah
78. In the Trees
Faze Action
79. Last Night
Az Yet
80. Anything
3T
81. I'm Still in Love with You
New Edition
82. Ain't Nobody
Monica
83. Kissin' You
Total
84. Get It Together
702
85. The Earth, the Sun, the Rain
Color Me Badd
86. I'll Be
Foxy Brown and Jay-Z
87. All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)
Joe
88. When You Love a Woman
Journey
89. Everyday Is a Winding Road
Sheryl Crow
90. Cold Rock a Party
MC Lyte
91. Touch Me, Tease Me
Case, Foxy Brown and Mary J. Blige
92. Theme from Mission: Impossible
Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen
93. Oh Yeah
Ash
94. Professional Widow
Tori Amos
95. Djed
Tortoise
96. Going Out
Supergrass
97. Until It Sleeps
Metallica
98. Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Madonna
99. Blue Flowers
Dr. Octagon
100. Dead Presidents II
Jay-Z
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Salvation
Cranberries
102. Helpless Child
Swans
103. If Your Girl Only Knew
Aaliyah
104. Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)
John Mellencamp
105. Fly Like an Eagle
Seal
106. No Time
Lil' Kim and Puff Daddy
107. The New Pollution
Beck
108. The Beautiful People
Marilyn Manson
109. What's on Tonight
Montell Jordan
110. Keep On, Keepin' On
MC Lyte and Xscape
111. Tattva
Kula Shaker
112. You're Gorgeous
BabyBird
113. My Boo
Ghost Town DJ's
114. That Girl
Maxi Priest and Shaggy
115. Po Pimp
Do or Die and Twista
116. Coco Jambo
Mr. President
117. Girl/Boy Song
Aphex Twin
118. Loops of Fury
The Chemical Brothers
119. Let Me Clear My Throat
DJ Kool
120. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
Sleater-Kinney
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1996
An unheralded great record from 1996
Bruce's choice:
* Harlem Hit Parade
Little Isidore & Inquisitors
Lew's choice:
* Daylight Fading
Counting Crows
Brett's choice:
* He's Luckier Than You
The Prissteens
Ryan's choice:
* The First Big Weekend
Arab Strap
    1995   |   1997

Edited By:
Last Updated: 2014-06-12