1999: The Best Songs To End The 90s For Wedding Playlists
Every so often I get caught in these daytime reveries that take me back to different eras of music. For those modern brides and grooms who have just arrived at my website and blog. Welcome. You are about to time warp back to the end of one of the greatest decades in music; the 90s. In previous posts (which I will link down below), I've featured some other years (mostly in the early 90s) which could be some of the best of the entire decade. By 1999, the Seattle grunge movement was all but pretty much over, being replaced by post grunge artists like Nickelback and Staind. I won't bore you with those bands that tend to be placed on Do Not Playlists. 1999 would be a long 8 years before the Iphone. High speed internet was just being installed, but was not nearly as "high speed" as today. :) Back in 1999, we were still inserting CDs in computer towers, and saving things to floppy disk. We were still in the midst of watching Friends, and watching Britney Spears emerge as one of the most powerful women in music at that time. Buckle your seatbelt as we take a trip back in time to the year we first saw the Sopranos, Family Guy, and American Pie. 1999.
It's hard to believe that all the music that I will showcase on this playlist could be considered classic at this point really soon. Speaking of seat belts, we all felt like we were wearing one through out all of 1999 as we seemed to be counting down to the end of our lives with the Y2K (Year 2000) scare. 1999 was a year for boy bands, sexy girls, and a bit of a miniature Latin invasion. Oh, I almost forgot. 1999 was the year we were introduced to The Matrix, as well as one of the best "coming of age" movies of all time, 10 Things I Hate About You.
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Being the non-traditional wedding DJ that I am, I've managed to put together a collection of playlists that are perfect for wedding playlist inspiration for the modern bride and groom. You'll find this playlist, as well as over 140 others that are perfectly designed to provide a headstart to those brides and grooms who need a little help when putting together their all-important wedding playlist. All you need to do is open your Spotify app, and do a search for DJ Mike Bills.
"Smooth" | Santana with Rob Thomas
Part of the mini Latin invasion onto the music charts in 1999 had a lot to do with Santana making a comeback. He'd release his super-selling album Supernatural in 1999. He'd collaborate with Matchbox 20 lead singer, Rob Thomas with this song. I've always looked at "Smooth" as the perfect "loosening up" track to throw during a cocktail hour at a wedding. Released in the summer of 1999, "Smooth" would peak at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Alternative charts.
"No Scrubs" | TLC
TLC was riding high at the end of the 90s. "No Scrubs" occasionally is placed on wedding playlists by modern brides probably as a bit of a joke. Over the years, I've seen brides dance to it with their friends and bridesmaids. "No Scrubs" was released in February 1999 and it would become the third time this awesome girl band would peak at #1 on the Hot 100 chart. For those brides and grooms looking for more of The Best Women In 90s Music <---Click HERE. Should you want a great playlist for a Bachelorette Weekend <----Click HERE
"I Want It That Way" | Backstreet Boys
In doing the research for this post, my mind was blown. I simply could not believe that "I Want It That Way" never hit the top of the charts. The song was the first single to be released from their album Millenium in the spring of 1999. While it only peaked at #6 on the Hot 100, "I Want It That Way" would peak at #1 on the adult contemporary chart and become one of the biggest songs of 1999. If I were doing a post about sing-a-long songs at weddings, this song would definitely be on that post.
"Baby One More Time" | Britney Spears
It's hard to believe that at the time of the publication of this post that it's been a quarter century since Britney Spears burst onto the scene with this wedding banger. Back in the late 90s, we were still watching MTV and tuning into Carson Daly and TRL in the afternoons when big premiere's of music videos would occur. "Baby One More Time" would debut on the Hot 100 chart in November of 1998 and would become #1 a few months later. You know you've been a wedding DJ for a long time when you look at a Britney Spears song as "classic".
"Kiss Me" | Six Pence None The Richer
I believe that this song was recorded earlier than 1999, but it might have been the movie "She's All That", which starred Freddie Prinze that caused the song to gain traction. "Kiss Me" is a romantic ballad that appears on one of my most viewed blog posts over the years; "The Best Soft Rock Songs Of The 90s" <--Click HERE. With it's popularity in the movie soundtrack, "Kiss Me" would make it all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after spending 6 months on the chart.
"Beautiful Stranger" | Madonna
In 1999, Madonna would record a song for the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. The song was released for the soundtrack but would also appear on some of her compilations. "Beautiful Stranger" was released in May of 1999 and would become one of the big dance songs of that summer breaking into the Top 20 by July.
"Blue (Da Ba Dee)" | Eiffel 65
Even in the late 90s, there were a few groups left over from the massive Eurodance invasion we experienced earlier in the decade. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" would be released in December of 1998 and make it all the way to #6 on the Hot 100. For those modern brides and grooms who would like to further explore A Golden Era of Dance Music <----Click HERE
"Steal My Sunshine" | Len
If you asked me to give you a song that defined the summer of 1999, it would have to be "Steal My Sunshine". The song would debut on Hot 100 chart on August 14, 1999 and would peak at #9, but also become a Top 40 hit in seven other countries. For more of The Most Popular 90s One Hit Wonders, <--Click HERE
"Genie In A Bottle" | Christina Aguilera
This debut song by Christina Aguilera would be another song to add to the list of the Sounds Of The Summer of 1999. "Genie In A Bottle" would debut on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 3, 1999, eventually becoming Christina Aguilera's first #1 song, spending 5 weeks at the top.
"Believe" | Cher
At the end of 1998, Cher would release her 22nd, (that's right, 22) album. The title track to her album Believe would hit the Hot 100 right before Christmas in 1998 and peak at #1 for 4 straight weeks. The song would also peak at #1 on the Dance Club chart.
"We Like To Party" | Vengaboys
For those modern brides and grooms who want to add some great dance music from the clubs in 1999, this is the perfect addition to your wedding playlist. Released in February of 1999, "We Like To Party" would peak at #26 on the Hot 100. The groups name is pronounced "Benga Boys".
"Livin La Vida Loca" | Ricky Martin
Formerly of the Latin boy band Menudo in the 80s, Ricky Martin would play a huge role in that Latin invasion of the music charts in 1999. In 1999, Ricky Martin would release his self -titled album, which featured this signature song. "Livin La Vida Loca" would enter the Hot 100 in April of 1999 and become a summer sensation by topping the chart for 5 straight weeks.
"Last Kiss" | Pearl Jam
Originally recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961, Pearl Jam would cover the song and it would become the performing song of their career on the Hot 100 chart. The song would debut on the chart at the end of May 1999 and become another song of the summer of 1999 eventually peaking at Number 2. For those brides and grooms who might be interested in other 90s Alternative Songs For Their Wedding Playlist, <-CLICK Here
"Waiting For Tonight" | Jennifer Lopez
I had to add this song into this playlist because it would be one of the first times we'd hear from the lovely and talented Jennifer Lopez. "Waiting For Tonight" would become a Top 10 hit and can be found on her debut solo album On The 6.
"I Knew I Loved You" | Savage Garden
We wrap up this look back at a snapshot of the end of the 90s with the soft rock and easy listening sounds of Savage Garden. This song was actually just featured on my Best Mix Of Dinner Music For Your Wedding Playlist post a few weeks back. "I Knew I Loved You" would enter the Billboard Hot 100 in October of 1999 and would spend close to 6 months on the chart peaking at #1 for 4 weeks.
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And there you have it; a snapshot of what music looked like at the end ofthe 90s. I hope you enjoyed this little trip back in time as much as I did in putting it together for you. You can expect more of these types of posts to emerge on my blog in 2023 and beyond. I pride myself on being a wedding DJ who is totally about the music. Music is my passion and I will continue to aid and assist my clients in helping them put together the best wedding playlist for them and their clients that will have them on the dance floor all night long. Thank you for making it all the way to the end of this post. If you are interested in opening up a dialogue about hiring me to be your wedding DJ, please do click the link right above this paragraph and you'll be taken over to my contact form where you'll be asked for some basic details. Congratulations on your engagement! For more of my posts about some of the best years of 90s music, click the links below.
