3 Songs That Sound Like Driving Home on a Summer Night in the 1990s

If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s putting together a 90s playlist. And if you want to capture the essence of driving down the highway during a sticky 1990s summer night, these songs are must-haves for such a playlist. Let’s get nostalgic, shall we?

“1979” by Smashing Pumpkins from ‘Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness’ (1996)

Smashing Pumpkins produced quite a few songs suitable for this list, many of which can be found on Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. I went with their biggest hit single, simply because it fits the vibe so well. This gorgeous, ethereal alternative rock song is a coming-of-age anthem of sorts, one that resonated with listeners in 1996. “1979” was a smash hit on the charts, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“I’m on the edge of losing my connection to youth, but I wanted to communicate from the edge of it, an echo back to the generation that’s coming, to sum up all the things I felt as a youth but was never able to voice articulately,” Billy Corgan said of the song.

“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star from ‘So Tonight That I Might See’ (1993)

Another ethereal, dreamy song, this lovely tune from Mazzy Star remains their most well-known track to date. “Fade Into You” is a dream pop song that just sounds like the early 1990s. Anyone who was around when it first dropped will get sent back in time before the vocals even kick in. “Fade Into You” was only a minor hit on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 44. But it did do particularly well in Iceland and the US Alternative Airplay charts at No. 3.

“Interstate Love Song” by Stone Temple Pilots from ‘Purple’ (1994)

“Interstate” is in the name, after all. This one’s a must-have for a playlist of 1990s songs dedicated to driving down the freeway during a warm summer night. Stone Temple Pilots’ grunge classic was the second single off their album Purple, and it became a very quick hit on the charts. This country-leaning rock song peaked at No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart and No. 9 on the UK Rock & Metal chart. 

(Photo by Patti Ouderkirk/WireImage)

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