‘Captain Marvel’ is set in 1995, and a crucial scene involves her crashing through the roof of a Blockbuster Video. On top of that, the film is peppered with ’90s easter eggs and is suitably set to a soundtrack of some of the biggest hits of the decade. Just as James Gunn filled the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movies with light rock tunes of the ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s, co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck dove deep into the grunge era.
Here are all the ’90s hits from ‘Captain Marvel’:
1. “Whatta Man” – Salt-N-Pepa featuring En Vogue (1993)
Taken from the same album as “Shoop,” (‘Very Necessary’) which was featured in ‘Deadpool’, this song combined the talents of two of the biggest girl groups of the time, rappers Salt-N-Pepa and R&B chanteuses En Vogue.
2. “Connection” – Elastica (1994)
This Britpop single was teased in the trailers for ‘Captain Marvel’, and is a great fit with its snarling “Riot Grrrl” vibe. While it wasn’t released in the US until 1996, the year after this movie takes place, technically it was released in 1995 in Europe so it just skirts being anachronistic.
3. “Only Happy When It Rains” – Garbage (1996)
Elastica’s “Connection” may have paved the way for Garbage’s “Only Happy When It Rains” to find greater success. Just like “Connection,” “Only Happy When it Rains” was released in Europe in 1995, but wasn’t released in the US until 1996. But it’s still a kickass song!
4. “Crush With Eyeliner” – REM (1995)
REM’s biggest hits tended to be mellow ballads and radio-friendly mid-tempo tunes. (See #9) Lead singer Michael Stipe stated that this fuzzy, garage-y single was inspired by ’70s punk pioneers the New York Dolls.
5. “Waterfalls” – TLC (1995)
TLC got topical with “Waterfalls” which addressed the AIDS epidemic and gun violence, but in such a chill way that this became in THE summer jam of the year.
6. “You Gotta Be” – Des’ree (1995)
Perhaps THE self-help mantra of the ’90s, “You Gotta Be” was inescapable, not just in 1995, but for YEARS after. Seriously, radio could NOT stop playing this song. Not only that, but it was snapped up for use in various commercials including for ‘Good Morning America’, Ford, PBS, and more, just in case you weren’t listening to the radio. Des’ree would not be denied!
7. “Come as You Are” – Nirvana (1992)
Nirvana changed the sound of music in the ’90s, so it’s fitting that they would find their way into this mix somehow. This was their mellow second single after the raucous “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and hit #32 on the charts. Lead singer Kurt Cobain had to be convinced to release it as a single because he thought it was too commercial-sounding. (Because, God forbid.)
8. “Just A Girl” – No Doubt (1995)
While ‘Just a Girl’ is a sneering girl-power anthem, bubbly lead singer Gwen Stefani is less a “Riot Grrrl” and more of a Girlie Girl. This was the song that broke No Doubt who would go on to a long career. Stefani’s solo career wound up outlasting the band’s, but she never outgrew this single. She named her 2018-19 Vegas residency ‘Just A Girl’.
While some of these songs play in the background of scenes in ‘Captain Marvel’, “Just a Girl” factors in much heavier, scoring a huge battle sequence.
9. “Man on the Moon” – REM (1992)
This song was a tribute to tragic comedian Andy Kaufman with references to his career, including his Elvis impersonation, and his career of wrestling women. The title, “Man on the Moon” is a reference to the conspiracy theory that the US never actually sent a man to the moon and that the famous footage was faked, which connects to the fact that many believed that Kaufman’s 1984 death was also a hoax. It makes a more literal connection in ‘Captain Marvel’, which is partially set in space.
The song’s title was used as the title of the 1999 Kaufman biopic, starring Jim Carrey.
10. “Celebrity Skin” – Hole (1998)
Okay, there’s no way this song should have been included, but its sound fits the overall vibe. Hole were around for the entire decade, but this ditty became one of their biggest hits because of its poppier sound.
Now you can make yourself a ‘Captain Marvel’ playlist to get you pumped for the film, or if you’ve already seen it, relive the ’90s raver energy. Or if you want to be more accurate, make a mix cd… no wait, that wasn’t a thing yet. Go buy yourself these ten full-length albums on cd, then only listen to these songs!
‘Captain Marvel’ is now playing in theaters.
Source: Screen Rant
