So-called “Grunge” eliminated the eighties music scene creating pariahs out of a generation of musicians. Grunge itself had a shelf life and gave way to other artists beginning in the middle nineties. By the late nineties, many could not recognize the music scene. After grunge’s death, most music lacked authenticity as the boy bands, nu metal, and pop princesses ushered in the new millennia.
In 1991, younger, more genuine, rock acts emerged. They created a movement which temporarily changed the culture. They wore flannel instead of spandex, sang from the heart as opposed to formula, and did not need hairspray to augment their music. Within a year, they supplanted the previous generation of musical acts and captured the attention of social scientists, music critics, and the media. In an instant, grunge ruled the world and then dissipated into history.
Grunge’s decline began with Curt Cobain’s 1994 suicide. Many ascribe his death as the end, but other acts continued. However, they began to reassess in the aftermath. Pearl Jam began moving in a less commercial direction. Alice In Chains went on hiatus in 1996 as a result of singer Layne Staley’s personal issues. Internal strife ripped Soundgarden apart. Although radio continued to be dominated by grunge and grunge-like acts, Soundgarden’s 1997 break up marked the end of an era.
As these acts began disintegrating, newer acts emerged and older acts adapted to fill the void. Nickelback kicked off the post grunge wave of acts with their 1996 debut album. Five years later, they owned the radio. The band incorporated metal, hard rock, alternative, and grunge into their sound. Late nineties rock and alternative radio became filled with post-grunge rock from acts like Third Eye Blind, Eve 6, and others. Unlike Nickelback, most of these acts quickly flamed out.
As post grunge experienced a shelf life of its own, the Spice Girls began their reign of terror. For a brief time in the late nineties, the Spice Girls were the biggest act on the planet. At the same time, Metallica dramatically altered their sound. Although they continued to be hard rock, Metallica jettisoned the old school thrash they pioneered.
While Metallica survived, Guns n Roses ripped apart. Guns n Roses was one of several acts vying for the title “biggest band in the world” until infighting destroyed them. Likewise, conflict fractured Van Halen. They parted ways with singer Sammy Hagar, brought back former singer David Lee Roth, and then fired him. In 1998, they released an album with Gary Cherone, but the petty feuding alienated Van Halen from their fans and each other. They released their next album of new material in 2012.
As the old guard, and newer guard, left the scene, fans searched for something to fill the void. For pop fans, the Spice Girls influenced a new generation of young girls. Britney Spears led the charge. Although she lacked musical talent or a singing voice, Spears adopted Madonna’s marketing model and emerged a superstar and tabloid darling.
Spears-wannabes emerged in both male and female form. ‘N Sync, the Backstreet Boys, and other “boy bands” emerged. These acts generally danced in highly choreographed ways eschewing instruments for a completely plastic manufactured sound. Despite this, preteens, teens, and young women flocked to the music. Another group, Blink 182, mocked the boy bands while attempting to demonstrate their punk credibility. However, Blink 182 was barely a step up from the boy bands in their sound.
At least Blink 182 played their instruments. Many critics blast hip hop for their lack of instrumentation. In particular, Puff Daddy, aka Sean Combs, aka P. Diddy, aka Diddy, became a superstar in the late nineties musical void. In 1997, he borrowed from the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” for his tribute to Notorious B.I.G., “I’ll Be Missing You.” He lifted Led Zeppelin for “Come With Me.” By this point, gangsta rap had run its course creatively and in the wake of several high profile murders. Diddy’s version of pop rap connected. Perhaps none connected better than “Mo Money Mo Problems”, which hit #1 in 1997.
Rap continued to evolve. Sometime in the nineties, it merged with heavy metal and goth to create Nu Metal. This genre fused rap with metal. Rage Against the Machine, Faith No More, and others laid the groundwork for these acts. Korn’s 1998 album, Follow the Leader, kicked off the movement. While hip hop and metal fans generally despised the genre, it somehow gained acceptance amongst the masses through Limp Bizkit’s “Nookie.” For a short time, Nu Metal became influential. Even Slayer created a Nu Metal album.
As fast as Limp Bizkit took off, the genre itself began declining. Although Linkin Park remains popular into 2012, and Nu Metal acts still draw and release new material, many now lump it with hair metal. The collapse began at Woodstock 1999 when Fred Durst inadvertently incited a riot. Fans raped women in the mosh pit and burned the site to the ground.
Woodstock ‘99 combined with the Columbine High School Massacre to bring more scrutiny to the music industry. Ironically, most music had lost its edge by 1999. However, two Columbine seniors murdered 13 people on April 20 leading some to blame Marilyn Manson among others. Earlier in the decade, Judas Priest went on trial for a boy’s suicide. Now, it was Marilyn Manson’s turn to receive blame for something out of their control.
While most music lost its edge, Eminem emerged from Detroit to reinvigorate hip hop and rap. His major label debut, The Slim Shady LP, went quadruple platinum based on Eminem’s ability to turn a rhyme, his sense of humor, and ability to offend. He engaged in many feuds through the years while continuing to be one step ahead of his contemporaries. In 2010, he joined Elvis, the Beatles, and others as an “artist of the decade” when the honor was bestowed upon him for the 2000s.
Eminem proved a breath of fresh air for many in 1999. However, the music industry seemed aimless by the late nineties. After Grunge’s decline, Hip Hop moved away from Gangsta Rap, and Boy Bands, Nu Metal, and Pop princesses dominated the airwaves. People continued to search for the new Nirvana, Guns n Roses, Run DMC, or Rolling Stones while being force fed Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears, and other like acts.
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