90s Alternative Number Ones Trivia Quiz

Answer: Depeche Mode

"Enjoy the Silence" went to number one on the Alternative charts the week of April 21, 1990. It was the second single from their seventh studio album "Violator". "Enjoy the Silence" has been covered many times including by popular bands or musicians Tori Amos, Anberlin, and Lacuna Coil.

The Lacuna Coil version was ranked by New York Post as one of the Top 100 cover tracks of all time and went to number one in their home nation of Italy in 2006.

Answer: Nirvana

Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" went to number one on the US Alternative Songs chart the week of November 23, 1991. It also peaked at number one in Belgium, France, New Zealand, and Spain. The song peaked at #32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well in 1992. The song has been dubbed "the anthem of apathetic kids", referring to those born as Generation X. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" gained mass popularity as being one of the first Grunge songs to make it big in the industry and was even parodied by Weird Al Yankovic on his "Off The Deep End" album (the album cover even mocks Nirvana's "Nevermind" album). The song gained so much success, however, that prior to his death Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain once noted a slight disdain for the song:

"I still like playing 'Teen Spirit,' but it's almost an embarrassment to play it [. . .] Everyone has focused on that song so much."

Answer: Faith No More

"Midlife Crisis" was the sole number one hit for American rock band Faith No More. It was from their fourth studio album "Angel Dust" and reached number one the week of August 8, 1992. Many music critics believed that the song was an actual account of having a midlife crisis, but vocalist Mike Patton denied these claims stating that the song is actually about "being emotional" rather than an act of being in a crisis.

Answer: Blind Melon

Blind Melon's "No Rain" reached number one the week of September 18, 1993 on the Alternative Songs chart. It would also peak at number one on the Album Rock Tracks as well as at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also went to number one in Canada.

The song was renowned for its music video with the infamous "Bee Girl". It would be their only successful hit song being ranked at number 15 on VH1's "40 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 1990's". Sadly, in 1995, lead singer Shannon Hoon died of a heart attack caused by a cocaine overdose.

The band went through several lineup changes after his death, but never gained the success it once had in the early 1990s.

Answer: Pearl Jam

"Daughter" was released as the second single from Pearl Jam's "Vs." album. The song went to number one the week of January 8, 1994. It spent a total of eight weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock chart. When asked about the meaning of the song, lead singer Eddie Vedder said:

"The child in that song obviously has a learning difficulty. And it's only in the last few years that they've actually been able to diagnose these learning disabilities that before were looked at as misbehavior, as just outright rebelliousness."

Answer: Goo Goo Dolls

"Name" was the Goo Goo Dolls first hit song reaching number one on October 7, 1995. It would also peak at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. MTV DJ Kennedy, in her book "The Kennedy Chronicles", mentioned that the song was about her complicated relationship with Goo Goo Dolls lead singer Johnny Rzeznik.

In fact, it was not common knowledge that the two were in a relationship, hence the lyric in the song "And I won't tell no one your name, And I won't tell 'em your name". Rzeznik later admitted that the song was in fact about their relationship and stated that "it was pretty interesting to have a song inspired by a moment".

Answer: Oasis

Oasis' "Wonderwall" reached number one the week of March 9, 1996. While the band had a less than spectacular relationship with one another, often fighting with each other, they were able to pull off two number one hits in the 1990's on the Alternative Charts. Both "Wonderwall" and later "Champagne Supernova" would both peak on the charts.

They also had eight number ones on the UK Singles chart between 1995-2005 and ten Top 10 hits in Canada during the same time frame.

Answer: Live

"Lakhini's Juice" reached number one the week of March 7, 1997 from their album "Secret Samadhi". It would also peak at number two on the Mainstream Rock chart. The music video for the song sparked some controversy for its provocativeness. By all accounts, it is a video that delves into the subject of "obsession" and "love". One account of the meaning of the video suggests that we all have specific urges in life and often will do anything to get it, even if this means the destruction of our relationships.

Another account, however, delves into a completely different meaning of the song and its lyrics. In an article written by Beau Dure in 2015 for Pop Dose, he relates the lyrics of the song to human bodily fluids:

"In Hinduism, Lakini is the goddess of the Manipuraka (city of jewels), which is the third of the seven Chakras. This Chakra represents the solar plexis of the human body, just above the navel, and is responsible for the pancreas and gall bladder as well as intuition (gut feelings). Lakini's "juice" is the bile, pancreatic fluid, and other chemicals produced by this region of the body that aid in digestion and excretion."

Answer: Hole

"Celebrity Skin" reached number one the week of November 7, 1998. It was the most successful music track for Courtney Love and her band Hole. Their third album, "Celebrity Skin" even garnered them three Grammy nominations in 1999 and the music video was nominated for a Grammy in 2000. "Celebrity Skin" also peaked at number one on the RPM Alternative 30 in Canada in 1998.

Answer: Blink 182

"All The Small Things" reached number one on the Alternative Songs chart the week of December 25, 1999 making it the last song to peak at number one in the 1990's and stayed there for eight weeks. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles chart and finished number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

The song has been used in many popular culture settings including the end credits of "Charlie's Angels", the film "Clockstoppers", and was also performed both on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.