Highlights of Music of the ’90s

he 1990s were a golden age for all different genres of music. (Some may even consider it the last golden age of contemporary music!) We will explore the different styles that evolved during the decade, as well as some of the key musicians that made a significant impact.

The end of the 1980s was rife with hair metal bands, synth-heavy pop, rock and new wave groups and the newly emerging rap and hip-hop genres. While these styles may have spilled into the 1990s, many were replaced with genres that some people would say was a breath of fresh air when compared to their 1980s counterparts:

1. Grunge/Alternative Rock: It's hard to lump these two categories together, but they are nonetheless derivatives of rock music. Grunge music can be viewed as a slowed down and more melodic version of punk rock. It was very heavy sounding, with bands often tuning their guitars down a half or whole step. Alternative rock is a much broader term, often describing bands that didn't fit into the classic rock sound of the 60s and 70s. Famous grunge bands are Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Pivotal alternative rock bands are Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, Bush, Green Day, No Doubt, Sublime, Alanis Morisette, Beck, REM and Red Hot Chili Peppers. (Note that some of these bands could fit into both categories!)

2. Pop: Pop music in the 90s took on many different sub-styles. There were the superstars from the 80s such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson. Those that rose to prominent fame in the 90s were Celine Dion, No Doubt (again, crossing genres), Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Mariah Carey, Sinead O'Connor, Ace of Base, Jewel, and Paula Abdul. The 90s seemed to rely more on the traditional band setup, either favoring guitars over synthesized sounds, or incorporating the two in a more symbiotic way than the 80s. (Don't forget that some bands are the exception to this rule.)

3. Hip Hop/R&B: The 90s were truly the golden age of hip-hop. What was mainly an underground phenomenon in the 80s, blew up into a mainstream genre in the 90s. The rap superstars were Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Public Enemy, Nas, Mos Def, LL Cool Jay, KRS-1, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest. R&B champions were Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah, R. Kelly, TLC, SWV, Bobby Brown, En Vogue, and Boyz II Men. The relatively more minimalist sample and synth-driven sounds of the 80s evolved into various types of styles in the 90s. Beats of the 90s used samples in very creative ways that weren't seen the decade before. Whereas lyrical content of the 80s was usually concerned with partying and having a good time, 90s lyrics could touch on deeper issues such as politics, race, and social problems of the day, while retaining the fun-loving aspect as well.