Photo: weheartit
90s music reinvented the sounds of a sexy night in.
By Elizabeth Z Pardue — Written on Aug 31, 2017
No decade quite defined the slow jam like the 90s with their sultry tones, smooth harmonies, and bold declarations layered over solid beats, perfect for setting the mood.
I compiled a list of 20 vintage love songs to get you in the mood for when you want to slow it down and warm it up for an evening in. Here they are in no particular order because, really, who could pick a favorite?
1. “Next Lifetime” by Erykah Badu
Badu’s ballad about lust and longing is one for the ages, and despite the theme, when accompanied with some incense and candles, it works just fine in the here and now.
2. “I’d Die Without You” by PM Dawn
Part of the soundtrack to Eddie Murphy’s sexy adult comedy Boomerang, this track has endured the test of time with covers from Childish Gambino and Alicia Keys.
3. “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men
No 90s slow jams list would be complete without this group from Philly, who ruled the charts with their tight harmonies and solid grooves.
4. “Red Light Special” by TLC
Girl groups really hit their stride in the mid-90s and, lucky for us, TLC decided to get steamy on their iconic album CrazySexyCool.
5. “Rush Rush” by Paula Abdul
Sure, it’s a hot track with Abdul’s breathy vocals, but young Keanu playing a vintage bad boy in this video is also a throwback treat.
6. “You’re Makin’ Me High” by Toni Braxton
Armed with a new look and an all-star cast for the video, this was the single that turned Tamar’s big sis from a coy, romantic balladeer into a seductive siren.
7. “Weak” by SWV
Don’t even claim you’re a fan of 90s music if you don’t know what “SWV” stands for.
8. “I’m Goin' Down” by Mary J. Blige
Nobody makes heartache sound better than Mary J, and this track is no exception.
9. “Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo
You’re just not gonna go wrong with D’Angelo on your list. Start here and work toward “Untitled.” And be sure you’re sitting down because this is one of those songs that works its magic quickly.
10. “Nice & Slow” by Usher
Usher showed us he wasn’t here to play around right out of the gate when the then-19-year-old dropped this number one track on us and destroyed panties everywhere.
11. "Freek’N You" by Jodeci
What Jodeci lacked in subtlety, they made up for in style. While the lyrics might ordinarily be so ridiculously to-the-point, the smoothness of this crew made this heavy-handed seduction sound gooooood.
12. “Anytime, Anyplace” by Janet Jackson
After showing us she was in “Control” in the 80s, Janet softened up and turned it out in the 90s with sexy grooves like this one that had us all calling her “Miss Jackson.” Also, shout out to that old school man bun!
13. "I Wanna Be Down" by Brandy
Brandy was arguably the coolest teen of the mid-90s but this cool track proved she wasn’t about to be just another teenybopper one-hit-wonder. (Plus, say what you will about “The Rachel,” but those chin-length box braids are iconic, classic 1994.)
14. “My Little Secret” by Xscape
This song about enjoying the act of seducing a man away from his girlfriend is morally questionable... and f*cking hot. These gals pair playful lyrics with flawless harmonies and maybe the best eye makeup of the whole decade in this track.
15. “What’s it Gonna Be” by Busta Rhymes ft. Janet Jackson
First of all, if I could’ve made this whole list just Janet songs, I would’ve, but this collaboration with rapper extraordinaire Busta Rhymes made for a fascinating track that juxtaposed a slow groove with his rapid fire lyrics.
16. “I Swear” by All-4-One
I’m only including this because it’s canon, but it’s become so parodied since its release in 1994. Still, though, at the time, this was THE jam to ask that cute girl to dance to at your local teen club.
17. "Don’t Let Go" by En Vogue
Nobody decent dislikes En Vogue. It’s cognitively impossible. This song was featured on the soundtrack for the female-driven, which, like this band, was powerful and damn sexy.
18. "So Anxious" by Ginuwine
Sure, everyone’s heard “Pony,” but Ginuwine slowed it down with this track to describe the intricacies of fulfilling sexual desire.
19. “One in a Million” by Aaliyah
This song is iconic Aaliyah, with her laid-back sex appeal and smooth-as-hell feminine vocals.
20. “Nobody” by Keith Sweat
Approximately half of the people turning 21 this year exist solely because of this song.
HONORABLE MENTION: "Ex-Factor" by Lauryn Hill
It's such an iconic love song with those legendary vocals and a sexy beat, but the heartrending lyrics make it hard to get anything going. Only listen to this one if you want to cry during sex with an ex.
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Liz Pardue-Schultz is a writer and activist based in North Carolina, where she overshares her bizarre journey through mental illness, recovery, parenting, and surviving Southern suburbia on her blog or anywhere she can get published. Her words have appeared in Huffington Post, Time.com, XOJane, Ravishly, ThoughtCatalog, and one time in the Letters to the Editor section of Playboy.