90s Anthem Quiz: Who Sang It? (1)

[B] Nirvana | Kurt Cobain wrote this grunge anthem in 1991, naming it after a deodorant brand his friend's sister scrawled on his wall.

[D] U2 | This ballad explores fractured relationships through Bono's soaring vocals, becoming their third consecutive number-one hit from "Achtung Baby."

[D] Backstreet Boys | Max Martin produced this pop masterpiece in 1999, though the boys admitted they never understood what the lyrics actually meant.

[A] Whitney Houston | Whitney transformed Dolly Parton's country original into a powerhouse R&B ballad for "The Bodyguard" soundtrack in 1992.

[B] Madonna | Madonna celebrated 1920s Harlem ballroom culture while name-dropping Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe.

[C] Sir Mix-A-Lot | Anthony Ray's celebration of curves spent five weeks at number one, sampling Channel One's "Technicolor" for its bouncing beat.

[B] Britney Spears | Sixteen-year-old Britney's debut single sold 10 million copies worldwide, launching her career with that iconic schoolgirl video.

[C] TLC | T-Boz, Left Eye, and Chilli warned against dangerous temptations while Organized Noize crafted the smooth production underneath.

[D] R.E.M. | Michael Stipe's mandolin-driven confession uses a Southern phrase meaning "losing your temper," not actually about faith.

[A] Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad's tearful close-up video made Prince's composition unforgettable, filmed in just one continuous take in Paris.

[D] Pearl Jam | Eddie Vedder based this dark narrative on two real teenage tragedies he read about in newspaper articles.

[C] Alanis Morissette | Alanis unleashed raw anger about an ex-lover while rumors swirled about which famous actor inspired her fury.

[B] Dr. Dre (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) | Dre's funky Leon Haywood sample introduced the world to G-funk, defining West Coast hip-hop's laid-back groove.

[A] Mariah Carey | Mariah's debut showcased her five-octave range and whistle register, establishing her as pop's new vocal powerhouse in 1990.

[A] Red Hot Chili Peppers | Anthony Kiedis originally wrote these personal lyrics as a poem about loneliness and drug addiction in Los Angeles.

[B] MC Hammer | Stanley Burrell sampled Rick James' "Super Freak" and created parachute pants fashion history while dancing his way to bankruptcy.

[C] Destiny's Child | Rodney Jerkins produced this paranoid anthem about cheating, which won two Grammys and featured synchronized chair choreography.

[B] Metallica | James Hetfield's nightmare lullaby became metal's biggest mainstream hit, introducing thrash to MTV's regular rotation in 1991.

[D] Beastie Boys | The trio mocked 70s cop shows with Spike Jonze directing them in fake mustaches and aviator sunglasses.

[A] Hanson | Three Oklahoma brothers aged 16, 14, and 11 wrote this earworm about how quickly relationships fade away.

[D] Celine Dion | James Horner convinced reluctant Celine to record this "Titanic" theme, which stayed number one for 14 weeks.

[C] Beck | Beck Hansen freestyle-rapped nonsense Spanish ("Soy un perdedor") over a slide guitar, accidentally creating slacker generation's anthem.

[C] Salt-N-Pepa (with En Vogue) | These hip-hop queens sampled Linda Lyndell's 1968 soul classic while praising respectful men everywhere.

[A] House of Pain | Everlast's Irish-American crew created the ultimate stadium anthem using a screaming saxophone sample from Junior Walker.

[B] Soundgarden | Chris Cornell wrote this surreal grunge hit in fifteen minutes, inspired by misheard news anchor commentary.

[D] Eminem | Slim Shady introduced himself over Dr. Dre's Labi Siffre sample, launching white rap's most controversial career ever.

[A] Counting Crows | Adam Duritz sang about dancing with Marty Jones at a 1992 San Francisco concert, creating alternative rock gold.

[C] Ricky Martin | Former Menudo member Ricky exploded into English-language stardom with this Latin pop celebration of wild living.

[B] Vanilla Ice | Robert Van Winkle's Queen/Bowie sample controversy couldn't stop this becoming hip-hop's first Billboard number-one single.

[D] *NSYNC | Justin, JC, Chris, Joey, and Lance harmonized their way through Max Martin's Swedish pop perfection machine.