It’s quite shocking (and depressing) to realize that the ’90s actually ended a few decades ago, which means you’ve probably forgotten some of the songs from that era.

It’s only when you hear a vaguely familiar tune like the blurry synth intro of “Cry” by The Mavis, or needlessly click on a Buzzfeed quiz of “How Do You Remember the ’90s? You are struck with a hint of nostalgia and are quickly inundated with memories of what seems to be a bygone era, and you realize that you once forgot the song.

Thinking about it and thinking about the Australian bands that unleashed classic and less classic hits that have become the soundtrack to our school nightclubs, first loves, favorite movies, road trips and other tough times we’ve forgotten over the years . Erased from our memories like an overplayed VHS tape, it’s easy to get nostalgic.

We here at your deaf decided to get a little indulgent and took the time to think it over and here we pay homage to the fantastic deeds / crop ups / frosty advice that escaped the limelight but not been forgotten from our hearts and minds.

Amiel – “Love song”

Amiel first caught everyone’s attention as a singer on Josh G Abrahams’ dance floor, “Addicted to Bass,” but she was also a skilled songwriter in her own right. This 2003 sardonic ballad was nominated for two awards at the 2003 ARIA Awards, including Best Selling Single and Single of the Year.

Leonardo’s Bride – “Even when I sleep”

According to singer Abby Dobson, the band’s biggest hit was written after she and her then-partner and boyfriend Dean Manning got into a fight. She woke up the next morning to find the house strewn with post-it notes, one of which said, “I love you even when I’m asleep,” which inspired the melody.

End of fashion – ‘O Yeah’

The Perth band’s 2005 single drew them to mainstream attention, reaching a top 10 position in this year’s Hottest 100 and peaking just outside the Top 20 on the mainstream singles chart. But the song itself was written to settle a bet, after frontman Justin Burford boasted that he could easily hit anything on anything.

Kill Heidi – ‘Mascara’

Killing Heidi was absolutely essential in the early 2000s. Their first feature film in 2000, Reflector, was in everyone’s stereo or Sony Walkman and the Victorian band absolutely swept away that year’s ARIA Awards.

Infusion – ‘Natural’

The story of the local electronic trio Infusion is somewhat miserable when you really look at it. The group, which despite ARIA’s nods never achieved much international fame, were way ahead of their time, coming out at a time when the Australian electronic scene was best known for its illegal doof parties and Skitz mixes.

Rhubarb – “Exercise”

The title of this countdown is 16 Australian hit songs that you probably forgot but definitely remember, where you remember “Exerciser” will vary from person to person. For some, it will be his relentless game on the triple j, for others, this ad about saving water.

1200 Techniques – “Karma”

Much like Infusion, 1200 Techniques were ahead of their time in the grand scheme of things. Much of the Australian hip-hop scene took place underground, save for a few outliers, one of the most notable of which was Nfamas and his team.

Les Mavis – ‘Cry’

Shaped as “a way to get away from Ballarat” and named after a cat called Mavis they saw playing in a friend’s basement, The Mavis’s has their most memorable hit with “Cry” from 1998, which they later performed on. Hey hey it’s saturday, which makes it the most ’90s thing.

Machine Gun Blowjob – ‘Rollercoaster’

Machine Gun Fellatio was the brainchild of Pinky Beecroft, one of Australia’s most underrated songwriter talents, who co-wrote the Whitlams’ award-winning hit “No Aphrodisiac”. ARIA Award. MGF was rude, raunchy, and a lot of fun too.

Gerling – ‘Dust Me Selecta’

Gerling started out as one of Australia’s brightest alternative prospects, but has grown increasingly electronic over time. Their 2001 single ‘Dust Me Selecta’ was a heartwarming, upbeat house number that made the soundtrack to many weekend nights for young people across Australia.

Custard – ‘Girls like it (don’t go for guys like us)’

Custard was formed in 1990 in Brisbane, which was a hotbed for Australian musical talent at the time, having also given birth to Regurgitator. Known colloquially as “Custaro” due to frequent misreading of their name, the band rose to prominence for their catchy songs and wry humor.

Motor Ace – “Continue”

Part of a wave of young, mostly successful Australian artists signed to Festival Mushroom Records development label Sputnik, which launched in 1999, britpop-tinged singles like “Carry On” were proof that not only are we practicing. English sports better than them, but we play their music better too.

Lash – “Take me”

Lash were an all-female alternative band from Perth, sounding close to a local version of Veruca Salt. This uplifting single saw the band, which made their competitive debut in the Battle of the Bands competitions in Perth, win the Best New Artist award at the 2001 ARIA Music Awards.

Androids – ‘Do it with Madonna’

It started off as a jokey single with an awesome music video that got less and less awesome as the joke wore off. It’s been about 16 years since “Do It With Madonna” came out and we have to say it’s awesome once again.

Taxiride – “Get ready”

It might surprise you to learn that Taxiride tried viral street marketing before anyone else. Instead of playing around with this internet business, however, they decided to give their demo to a taxi driver friend, who tested the songs on the passengers.

Lo-Tel – “Teenager of the Year”

After being saturated with American pop culture for much of the ’90s, in 2000 Australia’s media finally broke through. Hottest movie was Australian movie In search of Alibrandi, everyone had to read the book, written by an Australian author, for school, and this cut from the film’s soundtrack rocked the Top 40.