The One ‘90s Pop Star No One Appreciated Enough

God bless the ‘90s. They were a wonderful time. A time for scrunches and flannel shirts and just enough sag to your jeans to never have to feel self-conscious. They were also about some of the best music of our time. With everything from grunge to boy bands taking over the music charts in that one decade, it’s no question that music was at a definite high point during ‘90s. But that doesn’t mean that every musician in the ‘90s got the credit they deserved. There is one ‘90s pop star that was always underappreciated, if you ask me. Because even though almost everyone who lived through the decade has heard this musician’s music, far too few people knew her by name.

I’m talking, of course, about Sam Phillips, the singer and songwriter who made it the closest to making it big in the ‘90s but never quite seemed to get the credit she deserved. Maybe you’ve heard her song “I Need Love” or some other song from her album Martinis and Bikinis. Her smooth vocals hit that perfect note of ‘90s disenchantment and also embody so many of the styles that were popular at the time. During her 1994 performance on The Conan O’Brien Show she seems a perfect mix if grunge, girl pop, and all of those crazy talented singer/songwriters of the decade. I mean, the woman breaks out a harmonic Blues Traveler style at the end. What’s not to love about that?

Not only did Sam Phillips seem to be all about ‘90s at her height, she also went on to write some of the most beloved music without most people knowing it. As the writer and performer of the “La La’s,” the music that played so often in the background of Gilmore Girls, Sam Phillips has some serious talent and credentials.

Clearly the decade never gave her the attention or the accolades that she deserved. If it had, this talented musician would have been a household name long ago.

So do yourself a favor and go listen to all of her music that you can. You’ll be thankful that you did.