“Stay (I Missed You)” is a song by American singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb. It was released in May 1994 as the lead single from the original movie soundtrack to Reality Bites (1994). The song was written and composed by Loeb herself, while production was handled by Juan Patiño. “Stay” was originally conceived in 1990, at one point with the intent of selling it to Darlt Hall for a project. Upon deciding to use the song herself, Loeb’s neighbour and friend, actor Ethan Hawke, heard the song and submitted it to Ben Stiller for use in the film he was directing, Reality Bites. The song plays over the film’s closing credits. Musically, “Stay” is a pop rock song that was also influenced by folk music. Lyrically, the song deals with a relationship that has recently ended, but the narrator is now regretful. “Stay” ultimately went on to become a number-one hit on the Billboard chart, earning her the distinction of being the first artist to top the US chart before being signed to any record label. The song was commercially successful in several other countries, including Canada, where it also reached number one, and in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
“You Get What You Give” is a 1998 song by the American alternative rock band New Radicals. It was the first and most successful single from their only studio album, Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too (1998). Released in November 1998, it reached number 36 on the US Billboard. Outside the US, it reached number five in the United Kingdom, number four in Ireland, and number one in Canada and New Zealand. In the liner notes to her 2004 compilation Artist’s Choice, the Canadian songwriter Joni Mitchell praised “You Get What You Give” for “rising from the swamp of ‘McMusic’ like a flower of hope”.
“Summertime” is a song by American hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It was released in May 1991 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Homebase. The song was produced by Chicago-based producers Hula and K. Fingers, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1992. It spent a week at number No. 1 on the US Hot Hip Hop Songs Chart, as well as reaching No. 4 on the Billboard (their highest charting single on the latter). It also became the duo’s first single to enter the top ten in the UK, peaking at No. 8.
“How Bizarre” is a song written and performed by New Zealand musical group OMC. It was released in December 1995 as the lead single from their first album. “How Bizarre” topped the singles charts in New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Canada and Ireland. As the track was only released to radio in the United States, with no commercial single made available to buy, the song was not allowed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 under the chart rules in place at the time. However, it topped the Mainstream Top 40 for a week, then called the Pop Singles. Outside New Zealand, OMC is generally considered a one hit wonder.
“Truly Madly Deeply” is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden, released as the third single from their self-titled debut album in March 1997 by Roadshow and Warner Music. It won the 1997 ARIA Music Award for Single of the Year and Highest Selling Single and was nominated for Song of the Year. It was written by bandmates Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones. The song reached No. 1 in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Two music videos were filmed for the track: one for its original Australian release and another for the international market shot in Paris. In November 2019, the song was added to the National Film & Sound Archive’s selection of recordings. The songs added to the list provide a snapshot of Australian life and have “cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance”.
