Pop Rock Rock
In 1997, Natalie Imbruglia captured global hearts with “Torn,” a bittersweet pop-rock gem that became one of the decade’s biggest hits. The song (a cover of an Ednaswap track) finds Imbruglia lamenting a shattered relationship — “lying naked on the floor” emotionally — with a mix of vulnerability and catchy energy. Her expressive, raspy vocals and the song’s jangly guitars struck a perfect balance of angst and radio-friendly polish. “Torn” topped airplay charts worldwide (spending months as the most-played song on US radio) and made the Australian actress-turned-singer an overnight star. Its simple music video, featuring Natalie emoting in an apartment as a drama plays out around her, became iconic on MTV. To this day, “Torn” endures as a ’90s classic that instantly evokes those late-’90s moments of singing along (often dramatically) to that unforgettable chorus about love and loss.