1990s Popular Music
Day 61: Introduction
• 1990 is remembered as the
year rock ‘n’ roll was reborn.
• Two main cultural trends for
youth: rap and metal.
• Sinead O’Connor – mainstay of
alternative music, Nothing
Compares to You
Day 62: Seattle, From Sub Pop to Superstars
• Sub Pop Records
– Signed Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in
Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins
– Nirvana’s Nevermind album announced
alternative music to the mainstream with a
vengeance
Nirvana
Were aided by MTV’s
decision to push their
video of Smells Like Teen
Spirit to an anthem for
teens – was a defining
moment in rock history
Nevermind album sold 3
million copies in 4 months,
released by Geffen Records
Grew up in Aberdeen,
Washington
“The Gold Rush”
• Soundgarden started the
Seattle “gold rush” when
they signed to A&M in
1988. A slew of major
labels descended upon
Seattle in search of the
next big thing.
• Pearl Jam with Jeremy
• Alice in Chains with Man
in the Box
Kurt Cobain’s Suicide
• Lived “two lives”
• Married to Courtney
Love (lead singer of
Hole)
• Had daughter Frances
Bean
• April 8, 1994 body
discovered
– Instead of committing
suicide, he could have
looked for help.
Sonic Youth
Used unconventional
things to bend otherwise
standard pop songs
completely out of shape –
became their trademark
Signed to DGC in late 80s
Had a female bassist who
also sang lead vocals
Superstar
R.E.M.
Enjoyed success at a pace
they could handle without
compromising their artistic
or personal integrity
Their album Murmur (1983)
was selected as album of the
year by Rolling Stone
magazine over Thriller
Involved in environmental
causes, animal rights, and
antinuclear campaigns
Losing My Religion
Day 63: Lollapalooza
• Lollapalooza Festival in
1991 – brought together
rap, metal, and alternative
music
– Organized by Perry Farrell
(leader of Jane’s Addiction)
– The 7-act, 21-city
Lallapalooza tour played to a
total of 430,000 people and
grossed $10 million
– Also focused on political
messages
Lollapalooza Festival 1992
• Doubled its audience
attendance
(800,000) and
money ($19 million)
• Featured a second
stage for lesserknown acts
Red Hot Chili
Peppers
Combined early hip hop
sources with heavy metal
Lead singer, Anthony
Kiedis, hovered between
rapping and singing
Early skateboard-culture
heroes, early pioneers of
the mosh-pit marriage of
funk, rap, and thrash
Under the Bridge
Pearl Jam
Sound Garden
• A safer blend of heavy
metal and psychedelic rock
• Eddie Vedder, lead singer
• More dissonant with
irregular tempos and time
signatures
• Chris Cornell, lead singer
• Black Hole Sun
Alternative Nation
• By 1993, Lollapalooza was so successful that
other artists starting developing other
festivals…the biggest of these was ‘Alternative
Nation’
Soul Asylum
Their video for Runaway
Train featured listings of
missing children
Led to a performance at
the White House as
President Clinton signed
the youth service bill
Country Music
• Garth Brooks
– Top Pop Album Artist and Top
Country Album Artist for 1991, 1992,
& 1993
– NBC’s Garth Brooks special beat out
Michael Jackson’s
– Brooks’ caused a shake-up in
Nashville because he merged many
styles into his music and used
theater smoke, pyrotechnics, and
sophisticated lighting effects in his
arena shows.
– “Garth Bashing”
– We Shall Be Free: written in response
to Rodney King beating and supports
gay rights, raised $1 million
Ellen “Shania”
Twain
Country-pop superstar
Born in Ontario, Canada
Both of her parents were
killed in a car crash in her
early twenties, turned to
music to support her family
Her album, The Woman in
Me, went 12x’s platinum
without a tour
Album, Come On Over, sold
34 million copies worldwide,
the most ever by a female
Faith Hill
Country-pop star
Hit superstardom with
Breathe (1999)
Married to another
country superstar, Tim
McGraw
Day 64: The Search for the Next Big
Thing
• In the 90s, the music industry still invested in
one superstar. The major labels risked millions
of dollars in search of that one artist or group
who would make it worth their while.
• That leads to the belief that a single artist who
can sell 40 million units is worth more than 40
artists who each sell 1 million units.
– The plus is that they spend a lot less money on
marketing and promoting one artist versus 40
artists.
Mariah Carey
Combined incredible talent and
potential for follow through
with the best business plan on
the planet
5-octave range, signed to
Columbia Records
1990 – Won Grammys for Best
New Artist & Best Pop Vocal
Performance
Was biracial – mother was a
white NY opera singer, father
was a black Venezuelan
Love Takes Time
Superstars Cash In on New Record
Company Contracts
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Janet Jackson - $30 million w/ Virgin Records
Aerosmith - $30 million w/ Columbia Records
Motley Crue - $25 million w/ Elektra Records
ZZ Top - $30 million w/ RCA
Rolling Stones - $40 million w/ Virgin
Madonna, Michael Jackson, & Prince - $60
million
• R.E.M. - $80 million w/ Warner
New Record Company Contracts
• Record company mergers – Record companies
were being sold for 20-30 times their
earnings.
• Artists realized the value of catalogue sales.
• Record companies were exploiting their rights
to artists.
The bottom falls out on record
companies
• 1996 Record sales flat-lined (plateaued)
– They were chasing hit singles rather than building
long-term careers.
– They focused on new technologies, instead of
music.
– Baby boomers completed the replacement of
their black vinyl collections.
– Failed to recognize the potential of “urban music.”
– Relied on a handful of superstars.
Electronic Dance Music
• Electronica – a catch-all phrase that included everything
from hip hop, dance pop remixes, and r&b-flavored dance
music to sounds of acid house, techno, and others that
came from England and Europe.
• Frankie Knuckles – DJ from Chicago, Move Your Body
• British Club Culture – Americans began to import British
club songs
– Pump Up The Volume
– Summer of 1988 became known as “Second Summer of Love”
– Rave: all night events with crowds of up to 20,000 people
located in aircraft hangers, abandoned warehouses, and open
fields
US Electonica
The Prodigy
The Chemical Brothers
• Signed to Elektra Records
• Played at rock festivals
• Firestarter
• Big Beat: rave-meets-rock
‘n’ roll hybrid sound
• Setting Sun
Moby
Born Richard Melville Hall,
became a radical Christian and
a vegan activist
The first techno producer to
become a full-fledged pop
celebrity
Tried to blend into his
surroundings
All 18 tracks on Play album
were licenses for use in films, tv
shows, and advertisements
before the album peaked on the
charts
We Are All Made of Stars
Day 65: The Year(s) of the Woman
• 1996 was the Year of the Woman, the 6 bestselling albums of the year were by women or
woman-fronted groups
• 1997 women took 5 of the 6 top spots
• All different genres of music are represented
(pop/dance, alternative/pop rock, folk rock,
country, and hip hop.
• Many of the women came from Canada.
Sarah McLachlan
Canadian singersongwriter started with
her debut album in 1989,
Touch
Founded the Lilith Fair in
1996 as a self-described
“Celebration of Women in
Music” (featured only
female-led acts)
Angel
Lilith Fair
• Most successful concert tour of
1997.
• Ran in the summers of 1997,
1998, and 1999 as a multi-city,
multi-date event featuring
dozens of artists on multiple
stages.
• A spectacular showcase for
women.
• One dollar from every ticket sold
was donated to a charity –
donated $700,000 in 1997.
• Sarah McLachlan was the only
artist to perform every date.
Celine Dion
Youngest of 14 children
and born in Canada,
started performing at her
parents night club at the
age of five
Released French and
English albums
Sang title song for Beauty
and the Beast and hit song
from Titanic
My Heart Will Go On
Lauryn Hill
Started out as an actress
Wrote poetry, played
basketball, ran track, was a
cheerleader, and
homecoming queen
Signed to Columbia Records
as part of the group The
Fugee’s
Solo career began in 1998,
combined big-band jazz,
soul, rap, reggae, and hip
hop into its own hybrid
Doo Wop (That Thing)
Rage Rock & Woodstock ‘99
• Rage Rockers included Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid
Rock. All came from white working-class and
mostly southern backgrounds. Combined
elements of rock and rap in their music.
– Rage Against the Machine: added directed rage into
their music
• Woodstock ‘99 – Staged at Griffis Air Force Base
in Rome, NY
– A lot of violence in the mosh pit
– There were a lot of bonfires and rioting fans.
Day 66: Teen Pop (Boy Bands & Teen
Queens)
• The Orlando/Disney Connection
– Mickey Mouse Club (1993) started careers of
Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin
Timberlake, and JC Chasez
– Lou Pearlman managed the Backstreet Boys and
‘N Sync
– Auditions for Star Search and a Southern Baptist
upbringing are themes that run through many of
these artists’ backgrounds. As well as an intense
work ethic and rigorous sense of discipline.
Backstreet Boys
Started in 1993, signed to
Mercury Records
Signed to Jive Records in
1994 and became big stars
in Europe
Album, Millenium (1999),
sold 1.1 million units in the
first week. Tour for the
album sold out all 53 dates
(765,000 tickets)
2000 album titled Black
and Blue
‘N Sync
1st album, ‘N Sync, sold more
than 11x’s platinum and
remained on the charts for
more than 2 years
2nd album, No Strings
Attached, sold 2.4 million
copies in 1st week
3rd album, Celebrity,
projected a more mature and
musically diverse image
Made over $90 million on
their 2001 tour
Britney Spears
Burst onto the charts in
late 1998, signed w/ Jive
Records
1st album, Baby One More
Time, was certified 13x’s
platinum
Started performing at age
5, career was thoroughly
mapped out
Oops!...I Did It Again
Christina Aguilera
Large vocal range and power
Recorded Reflection for
Disney soundtrack to Mulan
Won Best New Artist
Grammy in 2000
First single was Genie in a
Bottle went straight to #1
Beautiful
Took on alter ego, Xtina, for
2nd album, Stripped
Day 67: The Year of Latin Music
• 1999 Popular Music Charts had hits from
Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Gloria
Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky
Martin, and Santana
• 2000 – Latin Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences (off-shoot of the Grammy’s) had its
own separate prime-time telecast of the Latin
Grammys
Ricky Martin
At the age of 12, he was
already a star as a member
of Menudo
Was an actor on soap
operas and on Broadway
1999 he released his first
English-language album
Livin’ La Vida Loca
Santana
Superstar of the 1960s
who was a master guitar
player
Released a hit album,
Supernatural, with Arista
Records in June 1999 –
contained half vintage
Santana and half
collaborations
Smooth
Jennifer Lopez
Started out as an actress
In 1999, she turned her
attention to music to
record On the 6 with Epic
Records
Dance/pop style with Latin
flavor
Jenny From the Block
Shakira
Born in Barranquilla, Columbia
First became a pop superstar
throughout Latin America,
performing rock-oriented songs
in Spanish
Signed to Sony Records (in
Columbia) at the age of 13
Was influenced by Aerosmith,
Nirvana, and Tom Petty
Her performance on MTV
Unplugged was the channel’s
first ever Spanish-speaking
cablecast
Wherever, Whenever
What is Latin Music?
• The late 90s Latin boom showcased the diversity of
artists and music that make up the Latin music
category.
• Latin music has been defined as music made by Latinos
for Latinos, but was in Latino?
• Latino is an umbrella term referring to people of Latin
American descent who live permanently in the US.
• The use of the term Latino in music has more to do
with social relations and ethnic backgrounds, than it
does with a particular music tradition or style of music.
Day 68: Black Music at the Base
• Hip hop doo wop or Hip hop soul –
hip hop vocal style which focused
on harmonies
– Signature sound for
writers/producers like P. Diddy, L.A.
Reid, & Babyface
• Toni Braxton
– 1993 self-titled album sold 8x’s
platinum, generating 5 hits
– Un-break My Heart
TLC
Discovered by L.A. Reid’s
writer/producer wife
Pebbles and signed to
LaFace in 1991
Had a pop/rap/hip hop
sound
2nd album CrazySexyCool
(1994) sold about 11
million copies
Waterfalls
Boyz II Men
The top-selling smooth r&b
group of the decade
Went from Philadelphia’s
Creative and Performing High
School to Motown Records
Motownphilly was 1st single off
their debut album,
Cooleyhighharmony
2nd album, Boyz II Men II (1994)
established them as the
premier r&b harmony group of
the 90s, went on to sell 17
million copies and became
Motown’s best-selling album
ever
Destiny’s Child
Formed in Houston, TX in
1990, took 7 years to get
signed to Columbia
Records
Say My Name
The original group selfdestructed. Their 3rd
album, Survivor,
showcased the new group
and produced the hit
Bootylicious
R. Kelly
Writer, producer, performer,
and pro basketball player
Raised in South Side
Chicago, saw music and
sports as a way out of
poverty
Wrote and produced music
for big name artists
I Believe I Can Fly
The World’s Greatest at
Winter Olympics
Sean “Puffy”
Combs
One of the first moguls
(successful artist playing
roles of writer, producer,
label head, and performer)
Career was plagued by
tragedy in the 90s, Presided
over Bad Boy Entertainment
empire by 1997
First album, No Way Out,
was certified 7x’s platinum
Best known for sampling in
creating his songs
I’ll Be Missing You and Bad
Boy for Life
Master P.
Real name is Percy Miller
Wanted to build “the profile of a
business man, not a gangsta.”
In 1988, P had built the No Limit
record store into a label and a
multimedia empire, earning $56
million a year. His artists called
themselves the No Limit Army
Signed Snoop Dogg in 1998
Also became an actor-writerproducer-director, and author, and a
sports agent
Has No Limit Records, No Limit Films,
No Limit Sports Enterprises, No Limit
clothing line (Soldier Gear) and a
multimillion dollar deal with Converse
Rap Goes National
• The new era of hip hop was not confined to New York
and LA, moved to Mid-West and “Dirty South”
– No Limits and Cash Money Label in New Orleans. The
LaFace Label and So So Def in Atlanta (Def Jam also
opened a branch there). In LA, Dr. Dre launched
Aftermath. In NYC, Jay-Z launched Roc-A-Fella, and DMX
launched Ruff-Ryders.
• Hip hop artists began to operate like extended social
groups (posses, crews)
– Bad Boy as “The Family,” Master P had “No Limit Army,”
Snoop Dogg had “Tha Dogg Pound,” and Wu-Tang Clan was
a “Clan.”
• PMRC was still “watching” rap for lyric content
Rap Ensemble Tours
• Bad Boy – No Way Out Tour
• 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour (Jay-Z) earned $18
million and donated money to the families of
victims of the Columbine shooting
• Up In Smoke Tour – featured Snoop Dogg, Dr.
Dre, and Eminem
Day 69: Rap Continued…
Eminem
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Born Marshall Mathers III in Detroit
Quit school in 9th grade, had a daughter –
had great “street cred”
Dr. Dre signed him after hearing his Slim
Shady EP that he released independently in
1997
Slim Shady was Eminem’s alter ego that
allowed him to take revenge on the world
through his lyrics
2nd album, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
sold 7 million copies in its first year of
release
Many were outraged about his lyrics and
the number of albums sold
Many were bothered by the fact that he
was white
Russell Simmons
Founded Def Jam and
turned it into a multimedia
empire
Film – The Nutty Professor
Television – Def Comedy
Jam
Clothing Line – Phat Farm
Distribution deals with
Roc-A-Fella and Ruff
Ryders
Jay-Z
Came from Brooklyn’s Marcy
projects
Was a promising student, but
got involved in trouble, until rap
showed him a way out
Started Roc-A-Fella label which
turned into a clothing line (Roca
Wear), film division
Hit song, Hard Knock Life,
doubled his audience
Laid claim to the NY rap throne
in 2001
Married Beyonce Knowles and
became president of Def Jam
Irv Gotti
Started out as a small-time
drug dealer in Hollis,
Queens
Real name was Irv Lorenzo
Launched Ashanti’s career
and focused on making
“chic records”
In 1997, he formed a joint
venture with Def Jam,
called Murder, Inc
Ja Rule
Flagship artist for Murder,
Inc.
Added a chorus of female
background singers on his
2nd and 3rd albums, which
caused him to lose some of
his “street cred”
Attacked physically and in
lyrics by DMX, Eminem,
and 50 Cent
Always on Time (duet with
Ashanti)
50 Cent
Born Curtis Jackson in Hollis,
Queens
Sold drugs at the age of 12. At
24, he was shot 9x’s – earned
him great “street cred”
Signed to Shady/Aftermath
label
1st album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’,
produced hit song In Da Club
Started a “war” with Ja Rule
Spent the early 2000s wearing a
bullet-proof vest wherever he
went
OutKast
Took rap in a more upbeat
direction without losing
their edge
From Atlanta (aka the Dirty
South)
Hey Ya!
Shaggy
Nelly
• Most popular rap artist of
2001
• Album, Hot Shot, certified
6x’s platinum
• Born in Jamaica, raised in
Brooklyn; total opposite of
NY gangsta
• Angel
• Most popular rap artist of
2002
• Born in St. Louis
• Blockbuster album, Country
Grammar, certified 8x’s
platinum
Female Rappers
Eve
Missy Elliot
• Part of the Ruff Ryders crew
in the Bronx
• Broke into mainstream with
her duet w/ Gwen Stefani,
Let Me Blow Your Mind
(2001)…also starred in
movies
• Established as a writer and
producer having her own
company
• Skilled rapper and soul
singer…spanned the worlds
of rap, r&b/hip hop, and
electronic dance music
Hip Hop Summit Action Network
• Founded in 2001 with Def Jam founder Russell
Simmons at the helm
• Mobilized support among rappers and hip hop
executives and across the spectrum of black
political leaders
• Took on issues like freedom of speech and
social injustice
• These efforts showcased the positive activities
of the hip hop scene