1990s Grunge

In my mind, there are three different aspects of 1990s music. There is grunge, there is rap, and there are girl power/boy bands. These three different musical fads are all very different from one another but all equally popular.

To go in order, grunge music was the curveball of the decade. It was seen somewhat in the 1980s. During that time, it was considered a subgenre that was far from mainstream music. However, when the ‘90s rolled around grunge became one of the leading genres of the decade.

Many attribute Nirvana’s 3-time Grammy nominated album Nevermind, which features popular songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are.” Furthermore, the style of grunge can be described as the “sound of angst” and features other bands such as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Piolets, and Bush.

Next, Rap and Hip-Hop took over the ‘90s scene in their own way. Also stemming from the 1980s, Hip-Hop became more mainstream with calmer lyrics that fit well as party songs. However, many rappers and Hip-Hop artists wrote about the harsh realities of urban life and spoke on issues about poverty and race.

This influential genre has since shifted from what it was in the 90s. The core of the stories told remain but the trends surrounding rappers graffitiing, breakdancing, and DJing have since passed. Some prominent artists from this time are 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Vanilla Ice, Ice Cube, Eminem, and many more.

With that, there was also a rise in women artists like Shania Twain, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, Janet Jackson, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, The Spice Girls, Whitney Houston, and Madonna. (That list was very extensive, yet very necessary #girlboss).

There were also famous boy bands like Boyz II Men, NSYNC, The Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and New Kids on the Block. These bands have ICONIC songs that are still known by us 2000s kids today!

Now, the genre that has prevailed since the 1950s is Rock. There have been many subgenres created through the years, and here are some of the ones from the 1990s:

At the core of rock in the ‘90s you have Alternative Rock. This was like the ‘80s but once again, became more mainstream in the ‘90s. Bands that are still prevalent and influential to other bands are Foo Fighters, The Strokes, The Cranberries, and many more.

There was also Punk Rock (of course). This was created in the earlier years of the 1990s but bands like Green Day and The Offspring brought it to be more mainstream and made punk “cool” for the time being. There were also styles of punk like Ska and hardcore punk which were both fast paced and had a heavy sound. Other bands in this genre are Blink-182, Bad Religion, and Rancid.

Next, there was Hard Rock which was popular in the 1970s but was fazed out in the 1980s. It resurfaced in the 1990s because of bands like Guns ‘N Roses and Metallica. Hard Rock was popular among younger people (as it was often an acquired taste) and the concerts had long and powerful performances.

Furthermore, Indie Rock made its way to the mainstream. It was originally one of the subgenres in the 1980s that also did not have the intention of being mainstream, but eventually was. Bands in this genre are still popular today like The Strokes, Neutral Milk Hotel, and The Pixies.

Now, it is also worth mentioning the British Bands that made their way to the top of charts from all different genres during the ‘90s. These bands include Oasis, Radiohead (my fave), Blur, The Verve, and Coldplay. I love all these bands and all these genres. The 1990s are just too iconic, here are the top 10 songs of the decade:

• Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
• Macarena – Los Del Rio
• End of the Road – Boyz II Men
• Candle in the Wind – Elton John
• Whoomp! (The It Is) – Tag Team
• I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
• Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
• Nothing Compare to You – Sinead O’Connor
• Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
• You Oughta Know – Alanis Morrisette

My personal favorites:

• 1979 – The Smashing Pumpkins
• Fade Into You –Mazzy Star
• Let Down – Radiohead
• Everlong – Foo Fighter
• Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
• Linger – The Cranberries
• Heart-Shaped Box – Nirvana
• She – Green Day
• Santeria – Sublime
• Where Is My Mind? – Pixies

Cited:

Gola (2022) What wins best 90s music genre? – gola blog, Gola Blog – Gola Classics is the original British Sportswear brand, established in 1905. Available at: https://www.gola.co.uk/borninbritain/what-wins-best-90s-music-genre/ (Accessed: October 27, 2022).