15. Gangsta’s Paradise, by Coolio feat. L.V., from Dangerous Minds (1994)
Sampling Stevie Wonder’s Pastime Paradise, the main track from the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds, was a mammoth hit for Coolio and L.V. Used heavily in promotions, the song pushed an otherwise middling movie to decent box office success, but it was the song that endures 20 years later. Not only did it reach number 1 in 13 countries, it was the top selling single of the year in several of them, and the 13th biggest song of the decade in the US. Forget gangstas; that level of sales is paradise for anyone.
Stats: Number 1 in the US, UK and Australia.
Penalty Points: The song does not, unfortunately, feature a verse rapped by Michelle Pfeiffer.
Bonus Points: The hair! Holy God, that hair!
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