From the distinctive flow of The Notorious B.I.G to the powerful sounds of Whitney Houston, here are 40 of the best songs released by Black artists in the '90s.

It goes to a place that songs rarely go; it is four minutes of full-body ecstasy, tinged with preemptive nostalgia. It is the best song by the Smiths, and it’s quite possibly the best song ever.

READ MORE: 10 Best God-Tier Rock Songs of the '90s One thing is certain though. None of these acts set out with the goal of only having one moment of success.