The 90's

At my work, there are two guys that I talk with a lot. They are both musicians. They are always talking about music, bands, instruments, etc. They are both about two years younger than me, so they grew up in essentially the same era that I did. One of these guys is always saying how the 1990's brought the best music to the world than any other era.

Well, maybe I'm naive. Or, maybe I'm completely uneducated or uninformed, but I agree.... The 1990's were superior!

Now, of course everyone will be biased about their era of music. This is because, music from our child hood or from when we're young can bring back some sweet memories and feelings that no other music or media can. So, how can we really judge what music is better? What music was superior to another? Maybe we can do this by asking the question, what would happen if this band or era of music were to simply, no longer exist? Or, would the world be changed, or even notice if this band never had the hits that they did? Or, did that era even effect future era's?

People who grew up in the 1960's will rant about how the Beatles owned music, or explain how Elvis was the founder of "real" rock and roll. People that grew up in the 1970's will explain how Kiss, the Beegee's, or even Stevie Wonder were where it's at. But let's face it, the song Superstition by Stevie Wonder, although a catchy little tune, didn't do anything for the development of music as we know it today.

The 1980's are a completely different animal. With the majority of music being ruled by electronic keyboards and synthesizers, how could you even compare the two era's of the 80's and 90's? With the exception of some 80's bands like Guns 'n Roses and the Beastie Boys, how can you even compare the 80's to the 90's?

I came across a music montage online that was supposedly trying to sum up the 80's in 6 minutes. In the song were some good songs. The artists that were in the song were Bryan Adams, Van Halen, the song from Breakfast Club, Flash Dance, a-ha, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, The Scorpions, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Madonna, Blondie, Queen, David Bowie, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi, Yes, Soft Cell, The Buggles, B-52's, and A Flock of Seagulls. These pretty much sum up the 80's, right? ....A whole bunch of electronic music, coupled with hilarious lyrics............right? Ok, maybe I'm missing some others, like Lauper, the Petshop Boys, and Culture Club. 80's hair bands and butt rock have a special place in my heart, but the 80's, in my opinion, were just too crowded by bands like Duran Duran and a-ha to hold too much credibility. So, with this I ask the question.....what would happen if all of these bands fell of the face of the earth before they pumped out their hits???? What influence did the 80's have on music today?

So, on to the 90's. What a blessed time!!! This is when music got back to it's roots, but also did things a little better and a little louder. U-2, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Metallica (they rocked in the 80's, but also in the 90's, so I'm counting them for the 90's), Jewel, Fiona Apple, Korn, etc. I can look back to this era, and there really aren't a lot of bands or songs that I liked from the 90's that I should be embarrassed by. Some songs like Sir Mix A Lot, or Vanilla Ice are really corny, but still awesome to this day. The 90's have stood the test of time, and are still rockin' the radio waves, and there are so many bands now that found their inspiration from bands like Nirvana, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, and Korn.

So, am I wrong? Am I off base? Plead your case. Let me know what you think. And, please don't be offended if I insulted your favorite band........if you liked Culture Club, you deserve a little razzing........ :)