Many scenes popped up in the earlier part of the 90's at the height of Alternative Rock's Popularity in the mainstream, some more successful than others. After the numerous Hair Metal, and Gothic styled Post-Punk bands of the 80's, youth cultures started making their own spin on the Alternative Rock sound pioneered by bands such as the Velvet Underground, and various early Post-Punk/Hardcore bands, such as the Wipers, and Bad Brains. Across both North America, and the UK this style of music came to define the 90's for a lot of people growing up in so called Generation X, a term used to describe youth living in the late 80's/early 90's time period. Many fantastic, and great band emerged from this time, with lots of band sticking to a single style that helped categorize these bands that gave rise to the sub genres in Alternative Rock, and to grow a scene that broke the very boundaries of Rock itself.
Lets analyse, and break down these scenes, shall we...
Grunge (1985 - 1996) (Mainstream Popularity 1991 - 1994)
Origins - Seattle, and the Washington Area, USA
One of the more well known Alternative Rock scenes of the 90's. The term Grunge came about when Mark Arm (The lead singer of Mudhoney) reviewed his previous band in a Seattle magazine Desperate times in the early 80's called Mr Epp and the Calculations calling it "Pure Noise, Pure Grunge, Pure Shit". The term was later picked up by the record label Sub Pop in the late 80's to describe a Punkish style of Alternative Rock. The origins of Grunge can be traced back to the early 80's Post-Punk/Hardcore bands who were making their own heavier and more louder spin on the mostly dark and gloomy nature of British Post-Punk. It came into it's own though in the early 90's when a energetic youthful Nirvana Frontman Kurt Cobain inspired millions of youths to say no to Establishment. This youth revolution came to be known as the new punk, and Nirvana's second album Nevermind became a best seller, launching his career in the limelight (much to Kurt Cobain's distaste). Many bands from around the Seattle area also shared the same sort of success left by Nirvana, with the Classic Rock inspired Pearl Jam (created by ex members of Mother Love Bone), and the heavy Metal flavored Alice in Chains. Sadly Kurt Cobain's death in 1994 proved the final nail in the coffin for the original Grunge scene, and it disappeared as quickly as it came. However a more commercially viable Post-Grunge scene appeared shortly after, and is now considered a basis for modern mainstream rock to this day. With the ideas and Inspirations taken from the original scene into a much more radio friendly sound.
Riot Grrrl (1993-1997) (Mainstream Popularity N/A)
Orgins - Portland Oregon, and the Washington Area, USA
Riot Grrrl was a short lived Underground feminist American Punk scene that also ran with the Seattle Grunge scene at the Time. Many of the lyrics feature female empowerment, Rape, Sexuality ect. Inspired by Early British so called "Girl Power" Punk bands of the 70's such as X-Ray Spex, and Siouxxie and the Banshees. Like other scene that came before it including the New York No-Wave scene, it also was a basis for all kinds of arts that wasn't just music, including Political Activism, and Magazines. There were not many noteworthy bands that came out of the Riot Grrrl scene, but Sleater-Kinney was one of the more successful ones, and had a long standing career even after the scene completely came to a halt in the late 90's.
Nu-Metal/Rap Metal (1995 - 2002) (Mainstream Popularity 1998 - 2001)
Origins - California, USA
The sound that came to define that late 90's for many people, like how Grunge did for many in the early 90's. Drawn from Hip-Hop, Metal and Post-Grunge scenes. This incorporation of Rap and Metal proved a hit with fans of each of the two sides of the music spectrum, and became a huge mainstream hit with bands such as Limp Biskit, and Korn leading the charge. The scene has had it's fair share of critism though, with people calling it watered down, and has been seen as the "Anti-Christ" of Metal by Metal fans to this very day. Nu-Metal faded out of the Mainstream in the early 00's when Metalcore came about.
Britpop (1993 - 1998) (Mainstream Popularity 1995 - 1998)
Origins - London, UK
Britpop was a step back into the simple "60's Beatles inspired" Rock music. which unlike other Alternative scenes at the time which were progressing into uncharted territories, Britpop kept it simple, and was unlike the Psychedelia drones of Shoegazing, or the experimental nature of Baggy at the time. The scene mostly consisted of a "Do it yourself" style created by working class people living in the British Post-Thatcher years. Given the timeframe the scene was proved to be a great success in the UK, however it became a British cultural thing and was unpopular in other countries because of this. The scene died around 1998, but Post-Britpop bands such as Coldplay are still proving to be immensely popular in both the UK and overseas.
Shoegazing (1988 - 1993) (Mainstream Popularity 1991 - 1992)
Origins - London, and the Thames Valley Area, UK
A love child of the Jesus and Mary Chain and the Cocteau Twins, the scene is considered one of British music's best kept secrets. The Shoegaze scene came about when bands were experimenting with effect peddles, and guitar distortion effects came about by bands like Sonic Youth. The impression that they were staring blankly at their shoes to use the many peddles gave rise to the term. Dreamy vocals, and drony feedback guitars didn't proved to be everyone's cup of tea, but the scene gathered enough mainstream attention, which it was then shot down, and almost insulted by the mainstream media, as a bunch of middle class kids who loved their peddles too much. The Shoegaze scene was later killed off by the emerging Britpop scene, which proved that Shoegaze wasn't a mainstream viable sound. The style of sound later went on to influence many Post-Rock bands, and has since seen a revival of such recently.
Baggy/Madchester (1987-1992) (Mainstream Popularity 1988 - 1990)
Origins - Manchester, UK
A short lived British genre that came out of the Manchester Rave scene, which fused Alternative Rock with Alternative dance music. Also influenced by Drug culture at the time, as Ecstasy was readily available, as such was popular with various dance orientated scenes at the time. It caught the tail end of the 90's, but was steadily declining, as Baggy was taking it's place, which was seen as the more country-wide scene to Manchester only Madchester. Seen to be a inspiration for the later Britpop scene that emerged shortly after baggy's decline.
Pop-Punk/Skater-Punk (1994 - Present) (Mainstream Popularity 1998 - 2005)
Origins - California, USA
Pop Punk was used as a term to describe bands of 70's New-Wave, but the term didn't really come into it's own until the mid 90's when bands who were inspired by the punk of old, came together a gave the genre a revival in a poppish fashion. With bands such as Green Day and the Offspring proving popular with youth everywhere. This style of music came to be known well in the skateboarding scene, which proved to be a marriage made in heaven. The scene lost popularity after a lot of bands split in the mid 00's, and hasn't seen the same success since it's heyday towards the end of the 90's.
Out of all these what do you think is your favorite, and what scene do you think defines the 90's the most.
Lets analyse, and break down these scenes, shall we...
Grunge (1985 - 1996) (Mainstream Popularity 1991 - 1994)
Origins - Seattle, and the Washington Area, USA
One of the more well known Alternative Rock scenes of the 90's. The term Grunge came about when Mark Arm (The lead singer of Mudhoney) reviewed his previous band in a Seattle magazine Desperate times in the early 80's called Mr Epp and the Calculations calling it "Pure Noise, Pure Grunge, Pure Shit". The term was later picked up by the record label Sub Pop in the late 80's to describe a Punkish style of Alternative Rock. The origins of Grunge can be traced back to the early 80's Post-Punk/Hardcore bands who were making their own heavier and more louder spin on the mostly dark and gloomy nature of British Post-Punk. It came into it's own though in the early 90's when a energetic youthful Nirvana Frontman Kurt Cobain inspired millions of youths to say no to Establishment. This youth revolution came to be known as the new punk, and Nirvana's second album Nevermind became a best seller, launching his career in the limelight (much to Kurt Cobain's distaste). Many bands from around the Seattle area also shared the same sort of success left by Nirvana, with the Classic Rock inspired Pearl Jam (created by ex members of Mother Love Bone), and the heavy Metal flavored Alice in Chains. Sadly Kurt Cobain's death in 1994 proved the final nail in the coffin for the original Grunge scene, and it disappeared as quickly as it came. However a more commercially viable Post-Grunge scene appeared shortly after, and is now considered a basis for modern mainstream rock to this day. With the ideas and Inspirations taken from the original scene into a much more radio friendly sound.
Riot Grrrl (1993-1997) (Mainstream Popularity N/A)
Orgins - Portland Oregon, and the Washington Area, USA
Riot Grrrl was a short lived Underground feminist American Punk scene that also ran with the Seattle Grunge scene at the Time. Many of the lyrics feature female empowerment, Rape, Sexuality ect. Inspired by Early British so called "Girl Power" Punk bands of the 70's such as X-Ray Spex, and Siouxxie and the Banshees. Like other scene that came before it including the New York No-Wave scene, it also was a basis for all kinds of arts that wasn't just music, including Political Activism, and Magazines. There were not many noteworthy bands that came out of the Riot Grrrl scene, but Sleater-Kinney was one of the more successful ones, and had a long standing career even after the scene completely came to a halt in the late 90's.
Nu-Metal/Rap Metal (1995 - 2002) (Mainstream Popularity 1998 - 2001)
Origins - California, USA
The sound that came to define that late 90's for many people, like how Grunge did for many in the early 90's. Drawn from Hip-Hop, Metal and Post-Grunge scenes. This incorporation of Rap and Metal proved a hit with fans of each of the two sides of the music spectrum, and became a huge mainstream hit with bands such as Limp Biskit, and Korn leading the charge. The scene has had it's fair share of critism though, with people calling it watered down, and has been seen as the "Anti-Christ" of Metal by Metal fans to this very day. Nu-Metal faded out of the Mainstream in the early 00's when Metalcore came about.
Britpop (1993 - 1998) (Mainstream Popularity 1995 - 1998)
Origins - London, UK
Britpop was a step back into the simple "60's Beatles inspired" Rock music. which unlike other Alternative scenes at the time which were progressing into uncharted territories, Britpop kept it simple, and was unlike the Psychedelia drones of Shoegazing, or the experimental nature of Baggy at the time. The scene mostly consisted of a "Do it yourself" style created by working class people living in the British Post-Thatcher years. Given the timeframe the scene was proved to be a great success in the UK, however it became a British cultural thing and was unpopular in other countries because of this. The scene died around 1998, but Post-Britpop bands such as Coldplay are still proving to be immensely popular in both the UK and overseas.
Shoegazing (1988 - 1993) (Mainstream Popularity 1991 - 1992)
Origins - London, and the Thames Valley Area, UK
A love child of the Jesus and Mary Chain and the Cocteau Twins, the scene is considered one of British music's best kept secrets. The Shoegaze scene came about when bands were experimenting with effect peddles, and guitar distortion effects came about by bands like Sonic Youth. The impression that they were staring blankly at their shoes to use the many peddles gave rise to the term. Dreamy vocals, and drony feedback guitars didn't proved to be everyone's cup of tea, but the scene gathered enough mainstream attention, which it was then shot down, and almost insulted by the mainstream media, as a bunch of middle class kids who loved their peddles too much. The Shoegaze scene was later killed off by the emerging Britpop scene, which proved that Shoegaze wasn't a mainstream viable sound. The style of sound later went on to influence many Post-Rock bands, and has since seen a revival of such recently.
Baggy/Madchester (1987-1992) (Mainstream Popularity 1988 - 1990)
Origins - Manchester, UK
A short lived British genre that came out of the Manchester Rave scene, which fused Alternative Rock with Alternative dance music. Also influenced by Drug culture at the time, as Ecstasy was readily available, as such was popular with various dance orientated scenes at the time. It caught the tail end of the 90's, but was steadily declining, as Baggy was taking it's place, which was seen as the more country-wide scene to Manchester only Madchester. Seen to be a inspiration for the later Britpop scene that emerged shortly after baggy's decline.
Pop-Punk/Skater-Punk (1994 - Present) (Mainstream Popularity 1998 - 2005)
Origins - California, USA
Pop Punk was used as a term to describe bands of 70's New-Wave, but the term didn't really come into it's own until the mid 90's when bands who were inspired by the punk of old, came together a gave the genre a revival in a poppish fashion. With bands such as Green Day and the Offspring proving popular with youth everywhere. This style of music came to be known well in the skateboarding scene, which proved to be a marriage made in heaven. The scene lost popularity after a lot of bands split in the mid 00's, and hasn't seen the same success since it's heyday towards the end of the 90's.
Out of all these what do you think is your favorite, and what scene do you think defines the 90's the most.
