3 Classic Rock Songs From 1999 That Felt Like the Last Night of the Millennium

Classic rock was on its way out in 1999, but many songs that could be considered part of the genre dropped that very year. And many of those songs have a finality to them that makes them sound like the last tunes played at the end of the 90s and the millennium as a whole. Let’s take a look at a few swan songs for the era, shall we?

“Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers from ‘Californication’

This bluesy alt-rock song from Red Hot Chili Peppers is introspective and nostalgic. A fine way to look back at a decade (and whole millennium) of music, I’d say.

“Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers was quite the international hit back in 1999. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached the Top 40 almost globally.

“The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. from ‘Man On The Moon (Music From The Motion Picture)’

R.E.M. has historically made some very dreamy music, but “The Great Beyond” takes it a step further by taking on a cosmic and otherworldly quality. By the 2000s, rock and pop music would lean toward futurism, and “The Great Beyond” seemed to predict that.

“The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. was released as a single in support of the film Man On The Moon. It was a fast hit, peaking at No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart in the US.

“Learn To Fly” by Foo Fighters from ‘There Is Nothing Left To Lose’

This post-grunge classic rock entry on our list of 1999 songs comes from a band that really dominated the 90s. Through Nirvana, Dave Grohl had a big role in the sound of rock music in the 90s, too. “Learn To Fly” by Foo Fighters is a typical uplifting anthem one would expect from the band. And it really does have that “swan song” element that sounds like the end of the 90s… and everything else.

“Learn To Fly” by Foo Fighters was a No. 19 hit on the Hot 100, and it was also the group’s very first entry on the coveted chart.

(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

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