‘90s music trends were eclectic. It was the era of vibrant contrast, creative fusions between genres, and a delicate waltz between counterculture and the mainstream.
On the one hand, grunge: a movement of the disillusioned and cynical, best represented by the angst-ridden howls of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. On the other, pop: a carefree and fun explosion marked by The Spice Girls spreading a commercialised version of 'Girl Power' to the masses.
Perhaps stranger still, the almost category-less culture of the ‘90s allowed music fans to support Britpop, hip hop, alternative rock/metal, and contemporary R&B simultaneously, without a second thought. Let’s dive into the age of the open-minded music fan.
It was truly the youth culture that drove new sounds, social movements and a whole new approach for singers, performers, and record labels. Let’s take a look at the age of the open-minded music fan.
HOW COUNTERCULTURE OF THE ‘90S SHAPED THE MUSIC
In the posthumously released Journals, you'll find a scathing statement penned by the leader of the disillusioned, Kurt Cobain. He reflects upon the failure of a social movement and the subsequent apathy it bred in himself and his generation:
"I like to complain and do nothing to make things better. I like to blame my parent's generation for coming so close to social change then giving up after a few successful efforts by the media & government to deface the movement by using the Mansons and other Hippie representatives as propaganda examples on how they were nothing but unpatriotic, communist, satanic, inhuman diseases, and in turn the baby boomers became the ultimate, conforming, yuppie hypocrites a generation has ever produced."
A FAILED SOCIAL MOVEMENT
In Cobain's and many of his contemporaries' minds, the hippies were on the cusp of lasting social change. But instead of staying committed, they threw in their tie-dyed towels, kowtowed to the man and sold future generations out in their wake.
The ultimate betrayal sparked a movement full of outcasts unwilling to pretend they were anything other than apathetic, disillusioned, and troubled. And that cultural backlash was before Iggy Pop started appearing on car insurance adverts. Maybe we'd all become desensitised to iconic rebels working for the man by that point?
It wasn’t just the legends of rock in the United States that propelled a new age of music though, as musicians across the pond in the UK had similar thoughts which spurred on the creation of what we now know as ‘Britpop’.
The start of the 90s in England saw Margaret Thatcher leave Parliament and John Major enter who claimed he wanted a ‘genuinely classless society.’ In the first two years of the decade, the UK went into recession and unemployment soared - with the former years under Thatcher leaving many working-class communities in economic decline.
In the mid-90s, there was a new sense of hope for working-class families as Tony Blair became Prime Minister. Noel Gallagher - the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist in the recently re-formed Oasis - was quoted in 2014 as saying: “The working class have not got a voice any more. There doesn’t seem to be a noise coming from the council estates, you know what I mean?”
It was during the 90s when these voices became huge in mainstream music, with many songs written detailing everyday struggles. Britpop was a celebration of the country through a working-class lens.
BEYOND FRIVOLITY: GRUNGE, THE 1990S MUSIC OF THE DISILLUSIONED
Against a backdrop of the hippie movement's perceived failure and extreme poverty in many cases (including Cobain's) a new, raw, angst-ridden, apathetic counterculture arose that expressed itself through clothing and music.
Where the hippies had a hopeful tie-dyed aesthetic, grunge was all about "...work clothes, thrift store truckers' hats, pawnshop guitars – all of that came out of a culture that was very poor'' reflected Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt.
Meanwhile, the music was heavy, introspective, angst-filled, and dealt with challenging themes – a sharp contrast to the bloated stadium cock-rock and hair metal bands of the 1980s.
THE MTV GENERATION: ‘90S YOUTH CULTURE, TELEVISED
Empowered by MTV, ‘90s youth culture rejected flamboyance and frivolity in exchange for not just raw cynicism but eclecticism. While grunge had a distinct sound, it was a cacophony of preexisting genres like country, blues, indie, garage, and punk.<
Notable tracks like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind led many to discover Cobain's fellow Seattle musicians Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. These bands had more of a metal leaning with songs like "Alive," "Jesus Christ Pose," and "We Die Young", respectively. But each encapsulated the youth culture of the time in their own way.
At the time, MTV was all the rage as it showed a greater diversity in music that many young people were craving. They embraced upcoming subcultures and genres a lot quicker than commercial radio stations which brought up-and-coming artists to the big screen - it became the number one place for young people to find new music and sounds.
Unlike other networks, it was tailored towards a young adult and teen audience and it spoke to them honestly and without patronising the people watching. It was the first 24-hour music video channel too, with the network diving into the behind-the-scenes of music videos as well as creating ‘MTV News’ which spoke about political and social issues.
URTHER DOWN THE COUNTERCULTURE RABBIT HOLE
Further down the counterculture rabbit hole still were notable Nirvana predecessors-come-contemporaries such as The Pixies and Sonic Youth. Music fans exposed to tracks like "Where Is My Mind?" by the Pixies, and Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" discovered the influence these underground bands had on the signature grunge sound. The likes of Nirvana gaining commercial success paved the way for other counterculture music movements like Brit Pop, Alternative rock/metal, and industrial to hit the mainstream. Bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, NIN, Tool, The Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Jane's Addiction, and Rage Against the Machine rapidly traversed from underground to somewhat mainstream.
AMERICA’S FEMALE-FRONTED MUSIC OF THE 1990S
Grunge, punk, and alternative rock/metal were male-dominated, but in the early ‘90s, there was a female-led backlash in the form of the riot grrrl movement. According to the first riot grrrl manifesto released in the second edition of the Bikini Kill zine, girls craved:
"...records and books and fanzines that speak to US that WE feel included in and can understand in our own ways…" the scathing manifesto continued, "We are angry at a society that tells us Girl = Dumb, Girl = Bad, Girl = Weak."
Continuing the legacy of all-female punk predecessors like The Slits, American bands like Bikini Kill, Calamity Jane, and Babes in Toyland began to form a cohesive female-led punk scene. At the same time, other all-female bands like L7 bridged the gap between grunge, alt-rock, and riot grrrl subcultures. The music of the riot grrrl was heavy, raw, and powerful, singing about sexism, female anger, and sexuality. Think L7's "Pretend We're Dead" and "Bruise Violet" by Babes in Toyland. By 1994, female artists like Tori Amos continued to tackle feminist issues with less heavy and more melodic tracks like "Cornflake Girl", which discussed FGM. And by 1995, Alanis Morissette released "You Oughta Know", the cutting lead single from the 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. The commercial success of Jagged Little Pill, an album primarily fuelled by female anger, equated to over 33 million album copies sold worldwide.
THE UK’S FEMALE-FRONTED MUSIC OF THE 1990S
Elastica seemingly led the charge for the female-fronted punk/post-punk UK music movement – even doing the unthinkable and experiencing some success in America. Although Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann (who dated Blur's Damon Albarn between 1991 and 1998) later reflected:
"I think it was hard for Damon when Elastica started getting some success in America," said Frischmann. "It's funny because we both thought we were too evolved for classic gender roles, but looking back he thought his band was more important because he was the guy. And on some level I did, too."
UK singers like PJ Harvey and Shirley Manson led the alternative rock charge. Tracks like "C'mon Billy" (a song about a mother urging a man to meet the child he abandoned) and "Stupid Girl" (a satirical take on a society that encourages young women's ambivalence toward their inner gifts) approached rock from a uniquely female perspective.
By the mid ‘90s, Girl Power (formerly the name of a riot grrrl zine) had come full circle. From the riot grrrl movement of the US to the UK's biggest pop sensation, The Spice Girls, girl power reached its mainstream conclusion.
HIP-HOP RE-DEFINES AND DOMINATES THE BILLBOARD CHARTS
Standing on the shoulders of ‘80s hip-hop giants like Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, and Run-DMC, Public Enemy paved the way for the genre to go mainstream with their 1990 release Fear of a Black Planet. The album sold two million copies in the US and received critical acclaim.
The following year, Billboard announced that N.W.A's, Niggaz4life (which sold close to a million copies in the first seven days post-release) had become the most popular album in the US overtaking R.E.M's Out of Time.
It was the first time in 45 years that a rap/hip-hop album charted number one on the Billboard 200...truly a sign of things to come. A study conducted by British researchers concluded that by the early ‘90s, hip-hop and rap defined the Billboard charts and dominated it for nearly two decades.
MUSIC OF THE 1990S: EXPLORING ITS MAJOR GENRES
The music of the 1990s was vibrant, vast, and varied – and these five dynamic genres show just how broad the brushstrokes were.
BRITPOP
The British counterculture movement arose as a direct response to the American-centric grunge domination of the early 1990s.
The unapologetic Liam Gallagher, who was the lead vocalist of Oasis, summed up his opinion of grunge music as he was quoted in the 90s saying: “Grunge? People in shorts and socks and pumps with guitars with stickers on jumping up and down screaming. Not having it. Far too smelly for me.”
While the music paid homage to the British scene of the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, the movements’ fashion played on both mod and rocker aesthetics. Britpop intentionally centred themes and issues synonymous with British life and culture.
Signature bands included Blur, Suede, Pulp, Ash, Elastica, Supergrass, The Verve, and Oasis. Notable Britpop tracks you may remember include Blur's "Parklife," "Common People" by Pulp, and "Wonderwall" by Oasis.
GRUNGE
The heavy metal-punk grunge sound was inspired by underground alternative rock bands like The Pixies and Sonic Youth. At the same time, the counterculture element was a backlash to the perceived selling out of the hippie movement.
It started as a niche subset of music, coming from the city of Seattle, but with a hardcore group of dedicated fans. It was still in the 1980s when this localised movement was taking shape on the West Coast of the United States, with Seattle’s independent record label SubPop being at the centre of it.
The label encouraged the media to describe the music as ‘grunge,’ with this being a hybrid of punk and heavy metal from the very beginning. It was then in the early 1990s when the genre had started to spread further across the country and in Australia.
In the early-to-mid 1990s, Nirvana released Nevermind, Pearl Jam debuted with Ten, and Stone Temple Pilots released Core - all of which propelled the style of music into the stratosphere.
The new genre became an outlet for angsty Gen-Xers who were rebelling against the excess of the 1980s, with this change bringing a new rawness and gritty-ness to music and society. Bands like Green Day, Nine Inch Nails and Blink 182 also became hugely popular during this time.
Grunge's success paved the way for alternative rock/metal bands to dominate the chart; Kurt Cobain became the voice of a disfranchised generation, and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was their war cry.
RAP AND HIP-HOP
Rap and hip-hop rose from subculture status in the 1980s to world domination during the 1990s, and both genres' dynamism caused this success. It wasn't just Public Enemy and N.W.A that dominated the Billboard charts, but Snoop Dogg, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G, 2Pac, and later on, Jay-Z.
Female rappers and hip-hop artists like Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, and TLC also led the way: Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and subsequently sold over 19 million copies globally.
CONTEMPORARY R&B
The ‘90s is often referred to as the golden age of R&B – and while that’s a bold statement, it's hard to deny. It was the decade that cemented Whitney Houston as the best-selling female R&B artist of the 20th century and saw Billboard magazine name Mariah Carey ‘Artist of the Decade’ in the US.
We also saw R&B’s relationship with hip-hop grow ever closer throughout the decade, with new jack swing and classic soul-inspired vocal harmonies bridging the gap between the two genres. This welcome fusion was embodied by artists such as Janet Jackson, Boys II Men, and Mary J Blige.
Mariah Carey and Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 collaboration "Fantasy" is synonymous with the vibe of the ‘90s hip-hop and R&B crossover.
POP
One word to describe the 90s decade is ‘innovative’ with a number of genres and sub-genres seeing new stars and approaches during this time, with Pop being one of them.
Although the genre actually began in its modern form in the 50s, the 90s saw the golden era of the style of music. The time marked a rise in boy bands, girl groups and female solo artists.
The 90s boybands, for example, sparked a whole new social phenomenon with stadiums sold out worldwide. All of them played into curated images for fans, complete with practised vocal harmonies and signature choreography.
Madonna and Michael Jackson had been the King and Queen of Pop, with music releases including “Like a Prayer”, “Vogue”, “You Are Not Alone” and “Earth Song”.
Not only did they produce well-loved songs which saw them winning a plethora of awards, but they nailed the marketing side of being a celebrity. It was the culture that grew during this era, due to the gossip magazines and television talk shows that reigned supreme.
Madonna and Michael Jackson became the influences that opened up the door for new icons who followed in their footsteps.
The 1990s saw The Spice Girls become the most commercially successful British group in North America since the Beatles – an achievement that spurred a resurgence of a genre that seemingly never fails to sell, American teen pop.
Pop stars like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Hanson, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Lopez, and Destiny's Child dominated the airwaves.
While it's hard not to cringe at some of the pop tracks released during this era, the classics like "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears, "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, and Cher's "Believe" still light up many a dance floor today.
COUNTRY
Country music was first introduced in the 1920s, with the first songs ever recorded within this genre thought to have been ‘Arkansas Traveler’ and ‘Sallie Gooden.’ Whilst it had come a long way in just a short number of years, the cowboy craze in the 80s brought a whole new wave of attention to the genre in the 90s.
The industry experienced a record level of commercial success, with innovators in the space intertwining classic country elements with pop, jazz and even rock.
This then prompted the emergence of female country singers who became known for their incredible powerhouse vocals, with the likes of the legendary Shania Twain earning her first No. 1 single in 1995. The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) came up during the 1990s too, with an infusion of bluegrass and country.
Faith Hill was another country singer who was propelled to incredible heights in this decade, with her first album in 1993 seeing chart-topping singles Wild One and Piece of My Heart.
The interwoven elements from different music styles meant that country elements were on the big stage, with more people than ever before getting a taste of the traditional sound.
Garth Brooks ‘Ropin’ the Wind studio album, released in September of 1991, became the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Tim McGraw was another who revolutionised the genre.
MOST POPULAR TRACKS BY YEAR IN THE ‘90S
Ready for a trip down memory lane? We’re revisiting some of the most popular tracks of the 1990s according to Billboard Magazine's Year-End Hot 100 singles list.
1991: "(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU" BY BRYAN ADAMS
The power ballad "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" written by Bryan Adams, Michael Kamen, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, topped the charts in 19 countries. It was the lead single of the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
1992: "END OF THE ROAD" BY BOYZ II MEN
"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men spent 13 weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, a record-breaking feat. Their chart-topper cemented the rise in popularity of Contemporary R&B in the 1990s.
993: "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU" BY WHITNEY HOUSTON
Whitney Houston's cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" broke the US Billboard Hot 100 record by Boyz II Men in 1992, when it spent an impressive 14 weeks in the top spot. It also became the best-selling single by a woman, and the song remains a true R&B classic to this day.
1994: "THE SIGN" BY ACE OF BASE
Swedish group Ace of Base broke R&B's two-year stronghold on the US Billboard Hot 100 with their Europop-come-pop ballad song, "The Sign". The track spent six non-consecutive weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 list.
1995: "GANGSTA'S PARADISE" BY COOLIO FEATURING L.V.
Coolio featuring L.V. represented rap on the US Billboard 100 list with "Gangsta's Paradise". The song was later named by NME one of the "100 Best Songs of the 1990s".
1996: "MACARENA (BAYSIDE BOYS MIX)" BY LOS DEL RÍO
It wouldn't be the 1990s without some cheesy pop. Let's admit it, "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" is a guilty pleasure for many. It's no wonder VH1 ranked it the "No. 1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time," and now it just may be stuck in your head all day..."Hey Macarena, ay!"
1997: "CANDLE IN THE WIND 1997" / "SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT" BY ELTON JOHN
In 1997, Elton John and Bernie Taupin revisited their 1973 classic to honour the late Diana, Princess of Wales. "Candle in the Wind 1997" was number one on Billboard's Hot 100 for 14 weeks. In some countries, the track came as a double A-side, including "Something About the Way You Look Tonight".
1998: "TOO CLOSE" BY NEXT
Next brings R&B back into the US Billboard Hot 100 for the third time in the 1990s with their platinum/best-known hit "Too Close".
1999: "BELIEVE" BY CHER
"Believe" was Cher's instantly recognisable upbeat dance-pop anthem, which sold over 11 million copies globally. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Cher became the oldest female solo artist to be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
‘90S MUSIC TRENDS: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Discovering the music of the 1990s for the first time? We answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the music of the decade.
WHAT WAS THE MOST POPULAR STYLE OF MUSIC IN THE 90S?
The most popular style of music in the ‘90s was hip-hop, closely followed by rap and contemporary R&B. Hip-hop redefined the Billboard charts in the early ‘90s and continued to dominate for two decades.
The beauty of the 90s was that people had become exposed to a wide variety of genres, with many sounds having been created through an amalgamation of several styles.
WHAT INFLUENCED MUSIC IN THE ‘90S?
‘90s music like grunge and hip-hop were heavily influenced by social issues of the day and a feeling of disillusionment with previous generations and the establishment. However, other genres of ‘90s music like Britpop was inspired by British culture.
WHO SOLD THE MOST RECORDS IN THE 90S?
Céline Dion sold the most records in the ‘90s. She published nine studio albums with 160,090,000 records sold worldwide. Mariah Carey sold 144,462,000, Garth Brooks sold 108,309,000 and Whitney Houston sold 88,381,000 in the 90s.
Nirvana released three studio albums during this time period, with 80,179,000 records sold.
The most popular artists during this time period spanned Pop, Grunge, Country, RnB, and more.
WHO WAS THE BIGGEST BAND IN THE 90S?
Nirvana was the biggest band in the ‘90s, followed by Metallica and the Backstreet Boys. In the UK, Oasis, Radiohead, and Blur reached huge heights.
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