Samples of music from the United States
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| Roots music - 1929 - 1932 - 1934 - 1936 - 1938 - 1939 - 1940 - 1941 - 1942 - 1943 - 1944 - 1945 - 1946 - 1947 - 1949 - 1951 - 1952 - 1953 - 1954 - 1955 - 1956 - 1957 - 1958 - 1959 - 1960 - 1963 - 1964 - 1965 - 1966 - 1967 - 1968 - 1969 - 1970 - 1971 - 1972 - 1973 - 1975 - 1976 - 1977 - 1978 - 1980 - 1982 - 1984 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 |
Roots music
- Download sample of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"
- Download sample of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads Blues"
- Download recording - "Pues vuestros santos favores" a cappella alabado hymn sung at vigils in honor of St. Anthony from the Library of Congress' Juan B. Rael Collection of culture from the Northern Rio Grande; performed by Mr. Romero, age 50, of Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico
- Download recording - courtship song of the Omaha Native Americans, from the Library of Congress' Omaha Indian Music Collection; performed by George Miller in 1897, collected by Alice Cunningham Fletcher and Francis La Flesche
- Download recording - "My Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes" barbershop quartet song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ray Wood on April 13, 1939 in Houston, Texas
- Download recording - "Lost Train Blues" fiddle and guitar song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Fred Perry (fiddle) and Glenn Carver (guitar) on June 6, 1939 at the State Penitentiary in Raiford, Florida
- Download recording - "Don't You Grieve" blues mourning song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Aunt Mollie McDonald on May 27, 1939 at her family home near Livingston, Alabama
- Download recording - "Camino de San Antonio" a corrido from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Jose Ararjo on April 27, 1939 at his school near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording - "Cotton-Eyed Joe" a fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Elmo Newcomer on May 3, 1939 at his ranch home near Pipe Creek, Texas
- Download recording - "La canción de bebiendo" a mescal drinking song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by José Suarez on April 26, 1939 at the home of J.K. Wells near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording "Yo cuando era nińo - mi padre querido" habañeras song of vagrant Mexican cotton-pickers from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Jose Ararjo on April 26, 1939 at the home of J.K. Wells near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording - "Dollar Mamie" work song for hoeing from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Judge "Bootmouth" Tucker and Alexander "Neighborhood" Williams on May 23, 1939 at a State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi
- Download recording "Amazing Grace" long-meter hymn from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Mr. and Mrs. N.V. Braley on May 5, 1939 at the home of Beal D. Taylor near Medina, Texas
- Download recording - "Clemens Rag" instrumental blues guitar song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ace Johnson and L.W. Gooden on AApril 15, 1939 at Clemens State Farm near Brazoria, Texas
- Download recording - "Train" instrumental blues harmonica song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ace Johnson on April 16, 1939 at Clemens State Farm near Brazoria, Texas
- Download recording - Marine military march, instrumental piano from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Kate W. Jones on April 10, 1939 at her home in Houston, Texas
- Download recording - "Mabel" schottisch from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Elmo Newcomer (fiddle) on May 3, 1939 at his ranch home near Pipe Creek, Texas
- Download recording "My Good Lord Done Been Here" spiritual song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Aunt Florida Hampton on May 29, 1939 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Tartt in Livingston, Alabama
- Download recording Ghost Dance and gambling song from the Piute and Arapaho Native Americans from the Library of Congress' Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry Collection; performed by James Mooney (possibly along with Charles Mooney; neither are believed to be Native Americans) on July 5, 1894
- Download recording - Kiowa mescal daylight song from the Library of Congress' Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry Collection; performed by James Mooney (possibly along with Charles Mooney; neither are believed to be Native Americans) on July 5, 1894
- Download recording - "Aa kjore vatten, aa kjore ve" a cappella Norwegian folk song from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Alf Nilssen on February 18, 1939 in Carmel, California
- Download recording - "Kicsi fulemule dalol" a cappella Hungarian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Mary Gaidos on January 3, 1940 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Jenny Lind" polka from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Selleck (violin) on October 2, 1939 in Camino, California
- Download recording Hornpipe and fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Selleck on October 2, 1939 in Camino, California
- Download recording - Irish harmonica tune from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan (harmonica) on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording Mazurka - Mazurka from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording - "Macleod's reel" from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording - "Erivan bachem arer" Armenian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed a cappella by Ruben J. Baboyan on April 16, 1939 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - "Lili bat ikhusi dut" Basque folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Francisco and Matias Etcheverry on September 11, 1940 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - Gusle solo (Croatian folk music) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Peter Boro on December 20, 1939 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - "Vaka vanha Vainamoinen" Finnish poetry from the Kalevala from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Soininen on November 5, 1939 in Berkeley, California
- Download recording - Rimur (Icelandic folk music) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Sigurd Bardarson on April 29, 1940 in Carmel, California
- Download recording - "Addio, mamma" Italian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed a cappella by Louis Brangone on May 7, 1939 in Woodside, California
- Download recording - "Olivi, salati" Sicilian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Francisco Sanfilippo on February 11, 1939 in Martinez, California
- Download recording "Le estrella del Oriente" aguinaldo (Puerto Rican Christmas Carol) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Cruz Losada on April 10, 1939 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Na cuperean" Scottish folk music from Nova Scotia from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Mary A. McDonald on April 11, 1939 in Berkeley, California
- Download recording - "Venid pastores" Spanish folk Christmas song from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aurora Calderon on April 10, 1939 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Roll the Old Chariot Along" spiritual and sea shanty from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA1.html#rolltheoldchariotalong); performed by unknown persons in the Bay Area of California in the early 1920s
- Download recording - "Haul the Woodpile Down" Minstrel song and sea shanty from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA1.html#haulthewoodpiledown); performed by unknown persons in the Bay Area of California in the early 1920s
- Download recording - "The Old Grey Mare" Appalachian folk music from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA3.html#oldgraymare); performed by Bascam Lamar Lunsford in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 19, 1925
- Download recording "Hesitation Blues" blues song from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA3.html#hesitationblues); performed by Bascam Lamar Lunsford in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 19, 1925
- Download recording - "Sally Goodin" fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA5.html#sallygoodin); performed by John W. Dillon in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 22, 1925
- Download recording - "Prisoner's Song" country music from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAband8.html); performed by Ernest Hilton with banjo accompaniment in Biltmore, North Carolina on November 20, 1925
- Download recording - "The Wagon" ragtime from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideBbandB4.html); performed by Ben Harney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on about September 9, 1925
- Download recording - "Deep Down in My Heart" - Spiritual from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideBbandB1.html); performed by W. M. Givens in Darien, Georgia on about March 19, 1926
- Download recording - "Po' Gal" East Coast blues from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Zora Neale Hurston on June 18, 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida
- Download recording - "Drive the Nail a'Right, Boys" Bahamanian conch song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Naomi Nelson on January 15, 1940 in Riviera, Florida
- Download recording - "On the Old Kissimmee Prairie" British tune from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Bob Hall, Walter van Bass, Ned Hugh Bass and J. C. King with banjos, guitars and violin in Juli, 1940 in Kenansville, Florida
- Download recording - "Tece voda, tece" Czech tune from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Michael and Elizabeth Prácher on August 28, 1939 in Masaryktown, Florida
- Download recording - "Amaxas" Greek song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Charles M. Brown, Louis Peronis (fiddle), Charylaos Perris (santouri) and George Kafezio (mandola) on August 26, 1939 in Tarpon Springs, Florida
- Download recording - "Alfonso Doce" Minorcan song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Maria Hugas de Aceval on September 26, 1939 in St. Augustine, Florida
- Download recording - "Steal Partner" Seminole song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Richard Osceola, Naha Tiger, John Josh and Morgan Smith in July 1940 in Cow Creek, Florida
- Download recording "Ej lúcka, lúcka siroká" Slovak song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Lillian Jakubcin and Emily Mertán on July 31, 1939 in Slavia, Florida
- Download recording "Ughniyah li al-Atfal" Syrian lullaby from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Nicholas Debs on March 10, 1940 in Jacksonville, Florida
1929 in music
- Download sample of "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Louis Armstrong, a song from the Broadway revue Hot Chocolate and one of the earliest hits by Armstrong, a musical superstar of the 1930s and 40s
1932 in music
- Download sample of "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Aint't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington, an early hit from one of the giants of American popular song
1934 in music
- Download sample of "Finger Buster" by Willie The Lion Smith, a long-unreleased piano solo from one of the giants of stride
1936 in music
- Download sample of "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" by Fats Waller, a well-known song by the pianist
1938 in music
- Download sample of "Begin the Beguine" by Artie Shaw, a surprise hit that turned the clarinetist into a swing star
- Download sample of "Jumpin' at the Woodside" by Count Basie & His Orchestra, a popular swing song by a jazz legend
- Download sample of "Take the A-Train" by Duke Ellington
1939 in music
- Download sample of The Ink Spots' "If I Didn't Care", the first major hit for The Ink Spots, who were the first major pop doo wop group
- Download sample of "And the Angels Sing" by Benny Goodman and Martha Tilton, a legendary swing recording that helped keep Goodman's career afloat as band members departed
1940 in music
- Download sample of "Tuxedo Junction" by Glenn Miller
1941 in music
- Download sample of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas", one of the best-selling singles of all time
1942 in music
- Download sample of "Summertime" by PJ Witherspoon
1943 in music
- Download sample of "Blue Sky" by Ben Webster
1944 in music
- Download sample of "She's Funny That Way" by Lester Young, a popular jazz song
- Download sample of "That Ol' Devil Called Love" by Billie Holiday
1945 in music
- Download sample of "Caldonia" by Louis Jordan, one of the biggest hits of Jordan's career
- Download sample of "Hot House" by Dizzy Gillespie, one of the breakthrough releases for Gillespie, who was a major star in the middle of the century
- Download sample of "How High the Moon" by Ella Fitzgerald from Lullabies of Birdland, one of Fitzgerald's biggest songs
- Download sample of "Laura" by Errol Garner
- Download sample of "Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week)" by Frank Sinatra, a popular song from one of the most famous American musicians, written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn
1946 in music
- Download sample of "Bird of Paradise" by Charlie Parker from In a Soulful Mood, one of the historic recordings that launched the bebop revolution
- Download sample of "What a Difference a Day Made" by Sarah Vaughan
- Download sample of "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" by Nat King Cole
1947 in music
- Download sample of "In the Still of the Night" by Billy Eckstine, a popular version of a Cole Porter song
- Download sample of "Ruby My Dear" by Thelonius Monk, an early recording from a popular bop performer
1949 in music
- Download sample of "Boplicity" by Miles Davis from Birth of Cool, an album that is often said to be the beginning of the cool jazz genre
- Download sample of "Indian Summer" by Stan Getz, an influential bop performer
- Download sample of "Night and Day" by Mel Tormé & the Mel-Tones
1951 in music
- Download sample of Hank Williams' "Cold Cold Heart", perhaps the best-known Williams songs, covered by numerous other stars, and an excellent representation of the 1950s Nashville Sound
1952 in music
- Download sample of "Mixed Emotions" by Dinah Washington
1953 in music
- Download sample of "Basin Street Blues" by Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford
1954 in music
- Download sample of "I Can't Get Started" by Eddie Lockjaw Davis, an influential bebop recording
1955 in music
- Download sample of "I'll Never Be the Same" by Buddy Rich and Lionel Hampton, a noted jazz collaboration
1956 in music
- Download sample of "April in Paris" by Ella Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong, one of many well-known songs by this collaboration, both solo stars in their own right
1957 in music
- Download sample of Elvis Presley's "Good Rockin' Tonight", one of the most representative songs of the rockabilly era
- Download sample of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" by Sonny Rollins from The Sound of Sonny, a well-known hard bop song
- Download sample of "Traneing In" by John Coltrane from Traneing In, a well-known hard bop album
1958 in music
- Download sample of "Moanin'" by Art Blakely & the Jazz Messengers, a song which influentially incorporated soul influences into bop
- Download sample of "It's the Good Life" by Ahmad Jamal
1959 in music
- Download sample of Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk", a surprise instrumental rock hit
- Download sample of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say", the most well-known hit from Charles, a noted R&B and soul singer
- Download sample of Richie Valens' "La Bamba", the signature song for Valens, a pioneering rock star, and the first Mexican-American musical celebrity
- Download sample of "Fables of Faubus" by Charles Mingus from Mingus Ah Um, a song which criticized Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, who opposed desegregation; the lyrics were censored by company executives -- an uncut version was not released until 1960's Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
- Download sample of "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck, a popular experimental jazz piece
1960 in music
- Download sample of The Flamingos' "Nobody Loves Me Like You" from Respectfully Yours, a popular doo wop song
1963 in music
- Download sample of Peter, Paul & Mary's "Puff the Magic Dragon", a popular pop-folk song
1964 in music
- Download sample of The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie", a hit song that was originally a Jamaican ballad; The Kingsmen's version, originally a rival with Paul Revere & the Raiders' nearly-simultaneously released take, launched a national debate over the lyric's supposed sexual content. After an investigation, the FBI concluded that the words (in The Kingsmen's version) were incomprehensible.
1965 in music
- Download sample of The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" from Mr. Tambourine Man, helped launch careers of both The Byrds and Bob Dylan, noted folk-rock song with controversial allusions to drug abuse
- Download sample of Otis Redding's "Mr. Pitiful", one of the most well-remembered songs from this soul great
- Download sample of James Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", an influential proto-funk recording
- Download sample of "One Note Samba" by Al Jarreau, a popular jazz song
1966 in music
- Download sample of Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention's "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" from Freak Out!; the debut song on Zappa's debut album, "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" is an exhortation to end the domination of teen-pop on the American charts
1967 in music
- Download sample of The Doors' "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" from The Doors, a notorious recording of The Doors' signture dark psychedelic sound and mystical, LSD-inspired lyrics
- Download sample of Gram Parson's "Miller's Cave" from Gram Parsons International Submarine Band (Safe at Home); Parsons was the leading figure in the nascent country rock scene
- Download sample of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" from Surrealistic Pillow, one of the most legendary songs of the psychedelic rock genre
1968 in music
- Download sample of Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools", one of the biggest hits of Franklin's career and a still well-known soul and R&B song
- Download sample of "Dance to the Music" by Sly & the Family Stone, a popular hit single that led to the development of the soul music subgenre psychedelic soul.
1969 in music
- Download sample of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" from Green River, one of the band's most famous songs, notable as an early example of Southern rock
- Download sample of The Delfonics' "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)" from The Sound of Sexy Soul, one of the pioneering recordings of Philly soul
- Download sample of Janis Joplin's "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" from I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama, perhaps Joplin's most well-regarded song, "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" was released at the popular peak of American blues rock
1970 in music
- Download sample of Gil Scott-Heron's "Small Talk at 125th and Lennox" from Small Talk at 125th and Lennox; this song is a form of spoken poetry with simple percussion accomaniment, and is considered a precursor to the rapping vocals of hip hop. Heron was associated with the Black Power movement, and was especially known for criticizing the leaders of the African American community, as well as those blacks who gave only tepid or no support to the cause, as in this track
- Download sample of Grateful Dead's "Box of Rain" from American Beauty; for a band known more for live performances than studio releases, American Beauty and its album opener, "Box of Rain", are both among the most well-known and widely-respected recordings by the Grateful Dead. The song is a mixture of influences ranging from bluegrass and country to rock and roll and psychedelic rock
1971 in music
- Download sample of Don McLean's "American Pie"; this song was a major hit and has come to represent the singer-songwriter tradition in the minds of many listeners, though McLean's popular career never lasted as long as other luminaries in the field like James Taylor or Carol King. "American Pie" is a guitar-based ballad filled with cryptic lyrics which describe the musical events of McLean's life, from the rock and roll boom in the 1950s to the social turmoil of the later 60s.
- Download sample of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" from What's Going On, a seminal soul album led by the hit title track, What's Going On transformed the genre from single-led pop to cohesive albums with socio-political lyrical content. "What's Going On", recorded despite condemnation from Gaye's record label, became a hit and has since become one of the most well-known anti-Vietnam protest songs
- Download sample of MC5's "Sister Ann" from High Time, a song from past the band's creative peak, "Sister Ann" remains the most well-known MC5 song, and a characteristic example of the group's proto-punk rock sound
1972 in music
- Download sample of Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle", a critically acclaimed performer who died before making any major sustained mainstream success
- Download sample of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line", one of the biggest hits for Cash, perhaps the most enduringly popular performer in country music
1973 in music
- Download sample of Allman Brothers Band's "Rambling Man" from Brothers and Sisters, a major recording from the burgeoning Southern rock scene
- Download sample of New York Dolls' "Trash" from New York Dolls, which helped establish the sound of both punk rock and glam
1975 in music
- Download sample of Big Star's "O, Dana" from Third/Sister Lovers, the album that established the power pop genre, recording by a band in the midst of legendary feuds
1976 in music
- Download sample of "Exodus" by Quincy Jones from We Had a Ball, a pop-jazz song
- Download sample of "The Masquerade Is Over" by George Benson, a popular crossover jazz song
1977 in music
- Download sample of The Commodores' "Brick House" from The Commodores, a well-remembered song from one of the biggest bands of the disco era
1978 in music
- Download sample of Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands" from The Darkness on the Edge of Town, part of Springsteen's move towards a mature, adult sound
- Download sample of The Ramones' "I Want to Be Sedated" from Road to Ruin, a popular cover for garage bands and perhaps the most well-known song from The Ramones
1980 in music
- Download sample of "A Wheel Within a Wheel" by Wynton Marsalis from Wynton, an early album that helped establish Marsalis as one of the premiere jazz musicians of the late 20th century
- Download sample of "Herbie's Blues" by Herbie Hancock, a prominent jazz and fusion musician
1982 in music
- Download sample of Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's "Planet Rock", a major single, using electronic beats and old school raps
- Download sample of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "The Message", sometimes called the first "message rap"
1984 in music
- Download sample of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" from She's So Unusual, a ballad from Lauper, who was one of the most popular singers of the year
1986 in music
- Download sample of Bad Brains' "Secret 77" from I Against I, a widely-respected release from one of hardcore punk's most innovative albums, which added reggae to the hardcore sound
- Download sample of Beastie Boys' "Rhymin' and Stealin'" from Licensed to Ill, a major album of old school hip hop, and one of the first by a white crew
- Download sample of Paul Simon's "Graceland" from Graceland, a pivotal album that helped introduce world music
1987 in music
- Download sample Into the Woods "Ever After", a climactic song from one of the most popular new musicals of the era
- Download sample of Pixies' "Holiday Song" from Come on Pilgrim, the biggest band of late 1980s alternative rock
1988 in music
- Download sample of Eric B. & Rakim's "Follow the Leader" from Follow the Leader, sometimes considered the peak of the golden age of old school hip hop
- Download sample of Public Enemy's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, one of the first crews to bring hip hop to the mainstream, showcasing a hard-edged, sociopolitical sound
1989 in music
- Download sample of Clint Black's "Killin' Time" from Killin' Time, a song that won more awards than almost any other, including six different categories of the Country Music Awards
1990 in music
- Download sample of Danzig's "Girl" from Danzig II: Lucifuge, a well-respected album by an underground metal band
- Download sample of Operation Ivy's "Bad Town" from Energy, arguably the first American ska-punk band
1991 in music
- Download sample of De La Soul's "My Brother's a Basehead" from De La Soul Is Dead, which helped establish the sound of alternative hip hop
- Download sample of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" from The Black Album, an early hit for the thrash metal band, who would go on to enter the mainstream in full
- Download sample of Nirvana's "Come As You Are" from Nevermind, the album that brought grunge music into the mainstream
1992 in music
- Download sample of Alice in Chains' "Rooster" from Dirt; this song is often said to be the last hit for grunge music
1993 in music
- Download sample of Pearl Jam's "Daughter" from Vs., a song which showcases Eddie Vedder's distinctive vocals
1994 in music
- Download sample of Green Day's "Basket Case" from Dookie, which could be considered the first big band in the post-grunge era, and a controversial pop-punk album
- Download sample of Method Man's "Sub Crazy" from Tical; the album was unusually popular among mainstream audiences, and garnered critical raves
1995 in music
- Download sample of GZA's "Shadowboxing" from Liquid Swords, possibly the most well-respected album from the Wu-Tang Clan's canon and a seminal hardcore East Coast rap album
- Download sample of Natalie Merchant's "San Andreas Fault" from Tigerlily, which helped to establish the trend for female singer-songwriters that remained popular throughout the 90s
1996 in music
- Download sample of Beck's "Sissyneck" from Odelay, the breakthrough album for Beck, whose quirky style and arcane lyrics are representative of the era
- Download sample of Busta Rhymes with Rampage's "Abandon Ship" from The Coming, the debut album by Busta, whose distinctive vocals made him a unique success
- Download sample of Butthole Surfers' "Pepper" from Electriclarryland, a leading example of the mid-90s pop-punk boom
1997 in music
- Download sample of The Foo Fighters' "February Stars" from The Colour and the Shape, part of the post-grunge phenomenon
- Download sample of Jay-Z's "Streets Is Watching" from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, which established Jay-Z as possibly the most respected rapper of the late 90s
- Download sample of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "The Impression That I Get" from Let's Face It, part of a wave of American ska-punk that gained mainstream success
- Download sample of The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Niggas Bleed" from Life After Death, released posthumously, the album established Biggie's place in American hip hop
1998 in music
- Download sample of Monster Magnet's "Baby Gotterdamerung" from Power Trip, which departed from the band's stoner metal sound somewhat and found unprecedented mainstream American success
- Download sample of Mos Def's "Mathematics" from Black on Both Sides, one of the most influential late 90s alternative hip hop releases
- Download sample of OutKast's "Spottieottiedopaliscious" from Aquemini, a critically-acclaimed Southern rap album
1999 in music
- Download sample of DMX's "Dogs for Life" from 1999's Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, an album that helped re-establish hardcore East Coast rap
- Download sample of The Get Up Kids' "Red Letter Day" from Something to Write Home About, which established the band as one of the leading acts in emo
2000 in music
- Download sample of Alison Krauss' "Down to the River to Pray" from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, a surprise hit album of traditionally-styled Appalachian folk music
- Download sample of Bright Eyes' "The Calendar Hung Itself" from Fevers and Mirrors; Bright Eyes is the well-known individual to come out of the Omaha Sound of emo
- Download sample of D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" from Voodoo; accompanied by a controversial video featuring nothing but the nude singer, D'Angelo, who is one of the most renowned male artists of the hip hop/soul fusion nu soul
- Download sample of Goldfinger's "Margaret Ann" from Stomping Ground, a well-regarded example of American ska punk, a genre which has been finding limited mainstream success since the mid-1990s
- Download sample of Phish's "Farmhouse" from Farmhouse; Phish is undoubtedly the most well-known band of the 90s jam band phenomenon, and are known for their epic jams. "Farmhouse" represents the band at their most pop-oriented
- Download sample of Eminem's "Kill You" from The Marshall Mathers LP, an extremely controversial album full of violent lyrics concerning misogyny, rape and drug abuse; "Kill You" is among the most notorious of the songs on the album, and is also highly regarded for its inventive lyrical flow