An American Songwriter feature picks out three 1990s songs it argues will win over any fan of singer-songwriter music, spanning pop, folk-rock and jam-band styles. The piece highlights how genre boundaries blurred during the decade, allowing artists with strong lyrical and vocal craft to cross into the mainstream, and it frames each selection as a showcase of the singer-songwriter tradition regardless of the artist's usual musical label.

The list includes Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" (1994), which found fame after Ethan Hawke placed it on the Reality Bites soundtrack; Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" (1995), a radio and MTV staple praised for its enduring popularity; and Dave Matthews Band's "#41" (1996), a stream-of-consciousness track credited with reviving interest in acoustic guitar and jam-band music. Each entry is accompanied by brief background on its origins and reception.

– Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" gained fame via Ethan Hawke and the Reality Bites soundtrack (1994).
– Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" (1995) was a beloved 90s radio and MTV hit.
– Dave Matthews Band's "#41" (1996) helped popularise acoustic guitar and jam-band sounds.