1990s in music

For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99

1990s in music were music performed in the 1990s. This decade saw the continuation of teen pop of the 1980s and the emergence of grunge music and alternative rock in pop culture replacing glam metal by 1992 and the beginning of hip hop.

the U.S. and North America

Pop

New Kids on the Block

Contemporary R&B and urban pop began between 1991 to 1998. Popular artists include Salt-n-Pepa, Groove Theory, Diana King, 3T, Brownstone, Shanice, Paula Abdul, Usher, Aaliyah, Keith Sweat, R. Kelly, TLC, Seal, Brandy, Monica, Tevin Campbell, Maxi Priest, Shaggy and Toni Braxton. Teen pop carries over from the late 1980s into the year 1990 with Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, Milli Vanilli, Madonna, Prince and Janet Jackson at their peak, while Debbie Gibson, Boy George, Cyndi Lauper, Rick Astley, The Blow Monkeys, Spandau Ballet and Tiffany were at the end of their popularity. Between 1997 and 1999 teen pop singers and groups including the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, *NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Destiny's Child became popular. Ballad songs was popular during this decade, popular artist included Michael Bolton, George Michael, Kenny G, Robert Palmer, Celine Dion, Sade, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Bryan Adams, Lisa Stansfield, Roxette, Gloria Estefan, Vanessa L. Williams, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes and Jennifer Paige.

A revival of the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s, closely connected to Third-wave feminism and the Lilith Fair, this movement lasted up to about 2002 with artists like Norah Jones. Important artists include Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos, Edwin McCain, Jewel, Natalie Merchant and Sheryl Crow. Perhaps the most important album of this movement was the many-times platinum Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrissette. The swing music revival is sparked by bands such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin' Daddies and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. It primarily occurs late in the decade.

Rock

Nirvana

The rise of the alternative rock sound such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Live, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty. Grunge was popular from 1991 to 1994. Nirvana are considered to have brought both grunge and alternative rock, which dominates both the 1990s and 2000s rock scenes, along with Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Garbage and Alice in Chains. Pop-punk breaks into the mainstream by 1994 with the success of Green Day, The Offspring, Weezer, Blink-182 and Third Eye Blind. This genre would remain popular through the rest of the 1990s and the entire 2000s. The rise of britpop bands such as The Corrs, Blur, Oasis and Radiohead top the singles charts.

Bands like Sonic Youth and The Pixies set the stage for the rise of Indie Rock in the underground scene, with bands such as Pavement and The Flaming Lips gaining popularity in the early years. The third wave ska movement kicks off after having brewed in the underground for the majority of the 1980s, with bands like Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish and Sublime all gaining popularity. Pop groups such as No Doubt also gained popularity.

The success of Guns N' Roses, Warrant, Pantera and Van Halen in the first half of the decade and the sustained success of Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, U2 and Metallica throughout the entire decade. The decline of classic rock. The death of Stevie Ray Vaughan declined the popularity of blues. Bands like Metallica popularized thrash metal, replacing pop metal on the mainstream metal charts. Nu-metal becomes popular with the success of Korn and Limp Bizkit.

In relation to the aforementioned swing revival, psychobilly also popularizes late in the decade.

Hip hop

File:Pacsnoopsuge.jpg

Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight.

At the beginning of the 1990s, Bobby Brown, MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Kris Kross and LL Cool J made hip hop popular to the pop audience and marked the beginning of hip hop. By 1995 to 1996 hip hop starts to rival rock music with artists like Coolio, Puff Daddy, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G., Warren G, Nate Dogg, Will Smith and Mark Morrison made hip hop popular on pop radio. By 1998 the first Southern hip hop entered the music industry. In 1999, Foxy Brown releases her sophomore album Chyna Doll which debuts at number one on the Billboard 200, the first album by a female rapper to do so.

Europe

Dance music evolves throughout the decade. The popularity of house, techno and rave in the early part of the decade leads to the boom of the more commercial eurodance genre and eventually the huge popularity of trance in the late 1990s. Popular dance and pop group include Ace of Base, Aqua, Stardust, Los del Río, Jamiroquai, Soulsearcher, Corona, Everything but the Girl and Right Said Fred. Between 1990 to 1996 Pet Shop Boys, Take That, Westlife and Boy zone also became popular. Take That sparks the boy and girlband phase during the late 1990s throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, reaching as far as Australia and the United States. From 1996 to 1998, the Spice Girls reach massive success across the globe.

The fall of the Iron Curtain brings Western styles to Russia and Eastern Europe.

Britpop popular in the second half of the 1990s, bands such as Oasis, The Verve and Blur take over the grunge scene which transforms into adult contemporary rock and post-grunge.

The arrival of Massive Attack in the early 1990s leads to a new style of slow electronic music, that is dubbed Trip Hop and influences groups such as Portishead, Björk, Tricky, Morcheeba and Thievery Corporation.

Rammstein, Swedish death metal and Norwegian Black Metal became popular.

Latin America

Shakira

In 1991 21-year-old singer Luis Miguel rediscovers the bolero, echoing back to the trios of the 1950s with his album Romance. He becomes the biggest international Latin star until the late 1990s.

No Mercy, Chayanne and Thalia also becomes an international hit.

In 1998 Ricky Martin eclipses Luis Miguel as the top Latin star as he performs The Cup of Life during the 1998 World Cup and releases Livin' La Vida Loca which would become an international hit.

Surge of newfound interest in Spanish-language rock, led by bands like Soda Stereo, Café Tacuba or Maná which gained large international following during this period. Others would follow their footsteps.

Along with the rise of Spanish rock came "rock alternativo", a Spanish equivalent to alternative rock headed by bands like Los Piojos, Babasonicos and Attaque 77. The "rolinga" or "stone rock" genre also emerged from "rock alternativo", popularized and headed throughout the entire decade by Viejas Locas. The stone-rock genre would remain popular in the 2000s with the Viejas Locas' vocalist, Pity Álvarez's other band, Intoxicados.

In the mid-1990s, Puerto Rican singer Jennifer Lopez and Mexican-American singer Selena became popular.

By the early 1990s, Puerto Rico becomes a merengue stronghold, with acts such as Elvis Crespo, Olga Tanon and Grupo Mania topping the charts throughout Latin America.

After Selena's death, Colombian singer Shakira and Spanish-Filipino singer Enrique Iglesias began to rise into the top of the pop charts by the end of the decade.

Beginning in 1990, the salsa romantica that began in the 1980s becomes a standard in tropical music thanks to chart-topping stars such as Marc Anthony, Jerry Rivera, Tito Rojas, Victor Manuelle and Gilberto Santa Rosa.

Oceania

Michael Hutchence

Bands and singers such as INXS, Crowded House, Peter Andre, Human Nature, CDB, Silverchair, Tina Arena, Kylie Minogue and Deni Hines were popular during this decade.

See also

• 1980s in music
• 2000s in music