Every #1 Song of 1995
The Year Gen X Discovered TLC, Coolio, and the Musical Power of Waterfalls and Gangstas
If 1994 was about slow jams and romantic crooning, 1995 turned up the attitude. This was the year Gen X officially started turning the dial toward bold confidence and socially conscious lyrics—while still making plenty of room for power ballads and dance floor anthems. From R&B queens to gangsta rap poets, this year’s charts captured our contradictions perfectly.
So pull on that oversized flannel (yes, still), fire up the Discman, and relive the sonic rollercoaster that was 1995.
📅 January 1 – January 20
“On Bended Knee” – Boyz II Men
Genre: R&B / Apology Ballad
Still dominating from late ‘94, this one kept the crying-in-your-bedroom streak alive into the new year. Boyz II Men knew how to beg, and apparently, we were into that.
💔 Gen X Moment: This was the “I messed up but here’s a mixtape” anthem. Half the country was in an imaginary relationship just so they could pretend to be heartbroken by this song.
📅 January 21 – February 3
“Creep” – TLC
Genre: R&B / Confessional Anthem
Left Eye, Chilli, and T-Boz flipped the script. You cheat? We cheat too. TLC wasn’t just singing—they were throwing shade in silk pajamas, and we were here for it.
😏 Gen X Energy: This song made you feel like a badass even if your most rebellious act was skipping algebra once.
📅 February 4 – February 17
“Take a Bow” – Madonna
Genre: Adult Contemporary / Sad Diva Vibes
Madonna hit pause on the shock factor and served up a soft-focus heartbreaker. Dramatic? Yes. Gorgeous? Also yes.
🎭 Gen X Truth: You pretended to understand the artistic pain behind this video, but really you just liked the moody lighting and velvet outfits.
📅 February 18 – March 17
“Creep” – TLC (Again)
Genre: R&B / Repeat Offenders
TLC came back like, “You thought we were done?” Nope. The radio said, “One more round of toxic empowerment, please,” and we nodded like it was gospel.
🔁 Gen X Cycle: Break up → play “Creep” → feel vindicated → repeat.
📅 March 18 – April 21
“This Is How We Do It” – Montell Jordan
Genre: R&B / Party Anthem
A bottle of cheap booze. A basement party. A boombox. That’s how we did it. This song was everywhere and made you feel instantly cooler just for knowing the words.
🎉 Gen X Flashback: If you didn’t yell “South Central does it like nobody does,” did you even go to a ‘90s party?
📅 April 22 – June 2
“I Know” – Dionne Farris
Genre: Soul Rock / Alt R&B
A low-key hit that managed to climb to the top, this track blended rock, soul, and a little angst in a way that felt ahead of its time.
🎸 Gen X Appreciation: A rare moment when a cool, artsy song actually made it to #1. You felt smarter for liking this one.
📅 June 3 – July 28
“Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” – Bryan Adams
Genre: Acoustic Ballad / Soundtrack Song
From the Don Juan DeMarco soundtrack (yes, that was a real movie), Bryan Adams leaned hard into flamenco guitar and over-the-top romanticism.
🧀 Gen X Snark: If your answer was “No, Bryan, I was 16 and didn’t know how to do my taxes yet,” you weren’t alone.
📅 July 29 – September 8
“Waterfalls” – TLC
Genre: R&B / Social Message Ballad
The realest song of the year. Drugs. Disease. Death. TLC didn’t pull punches—and still made it radio-friendly. That video? Iconic.
💧 Gen X Culture Shock: It was the first time a slow jam made you think deeply about the world and cry in your beanbag chair.
📅 September 9 – September 15
“Kiss from a Rose” – Seal
Genre: Power Ballad / Cinematic Romance
Thanks to Batman Forever, this song became the sexiest, weirdest hit of the year. Nobody understood the lyrics, and nobody cared.
🦇 Gen X Mood: You were either slow-dancing to this at prom or lip-syncing dramatically in your bedroom mirror. Probably both.
📅 September 16 – October 6
“Gangsta’s Paradise” – Coolio feat. L.V.
Genre: Hip-Hop / Social Commentary
Coolio dropped a lyrical nuke with this one. Suddenly, every suburban teen was quoting lines like they’d grown up in Compton.
🎓 Gen X Education: You didn’t need school—Coolio taught you everything you needed to know about real life and regret. And Michelle Pfeiffer was your new principal.
📅 October 7 – October 27
“Fantasy” – Mariah Carey
Genre: Pop-R&B / Bubblegum Funk
Mariah + Tom Tom Club + peak ‘90s music video = pure perfection. You could not escape this earworm—and you didn’t want to.
🛼 Gen X Joy: Roller rink banger. Sparkle lip gloss. Butterfly clips. It was a pop culture explosion.
📅 October 28 – November 24
“Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” – Whitney Houston
Genre: R&B / Movie Ballad
From the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, Whitney gave us emotional exhaling, dramatic pauses, and… the word “Shoop” like 57 times.
💨 Gen X Thought: We didn’t understand adult relationships yet—but this song made us feel like we did.
📅 November 25 – December 15
“One Sweet Day” – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
Genre: R&B / Sad Ballad Supreme™
Two powerhouse acts joined forces for the ultimate tearjerker. If you didn’t cry to this, check your pulse.
🕊️ Gen X Funeral Anthem: Played at every memorial, vigil, and emotional moment from 1995–2001. Pure heartbreak, beautifully sung.
📅 December 16 – December 31
“One Sweet Day” – (Continued)
Genre: Still devastating
It stayed on top well into 1996. We just… weren’t done crying yet.
1995 gave Gen X a little bit of everything—R&B empowerment, pop perfection, heart-shattering ballads, and hip-hop realness. Whether you were slow dancing, questioning your life choices, or just vibing to “Fantasy,” this was the year we felt all the feels and still made it look cool.
And let’s not forget: TLC ruled the year. And we don’t chase waterfalls… but we sure charted ‘em.