As many BU students are children of the 90s, this decade holds an extremely special place in our hearts. We all remember the ridiculously voluminous front bangs, high waisted jeans and fabulous scrunchies (many of which we donned ourselves.) But what makes the 90s really so special? Two words: the music. In a time of synthesized industry songs, lackluster lyrics and highly sexualized and demeaning messages, music today strays far from the iconic tunes of our adolescent years. From Britney to N’sync and all those in between, let’s take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about why 90s music is better than music today.
1. Pop Music
With such iconic hits from the 90s pop era, it is not hard to deduce how pop these days surely cannot compare. The catchy, nostalgic sound of Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and “(You Drive Me) Crazy” serve as unparalleled dance songs. Similar artists such as Christina Aguilera belted out tunes with fierce falsettos and impressive runs in songs like “Genie in a Bottle” (how can we forget this classic?) and “What a Girl Wants.” Today, you’d be hard pressed to find such talent, when up-and-coming pop singers are merely a highly processed product of the industry, with auto tune run rampant.
Additionally, pop music of the 90s cannot be referenced without mentioning the illustrious Michael Jackson. With a repertoire that began in the 70s and included iconic hits like “Thriller” and “Beat It,” M.J. continued his legacy in the 90s with classics like “Black or White” and “the Earth Song.” M.J. not only had the incredible voice and impeccable dance moves, but illustrated a passion to sing about pressing issues plaguing the nation. His vivacious spirit comes alive in his music unlike any other vocalist to date. With his vast popularity and undeniable talent, many pop artists today attempt to emulate the legend, but none have been able to parallel his finesse.
2. Boy Bands
While female stars dominated the 90s music pop arena, boy bands also vied for our attention. N’sync and the Backstreet Boys dueled it out as the top two boy bands of the era, and many teens chose sides. Despite the rivalry, each band produced extremely influential pop hits that even today make us want to get up out of our seats and dance. The three simple and catchy words of N’Sync’s song “Bye Bye Bye” instantly had us hooked from the beginning. Timberlake’s flawless moves and cute curls caught our eye, but the band’s impressive harmonies and undeniably catchy rhythms lured us to listen more. “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” by the Backstreet Boys made us yearn over the heartache we were sure to experience when we got older (thank you Backstreet Boys for giving us some lessons in love). In “Everybody,” the Backstreet Boys sang that “Backstreet’s back,” and we surely hope they fulfill their promise. Boy bands of today just simply aren’t up to par – I mean “The Wanted” who?
3. Rap Music, Hip Hop, and R&B
The biggest downfall in the music industry today lies in the frighteningly debase rap and hip hop genre. Today’s rappers highly objectify women and glorify sex and drugs masked behind stereotypical beats to lure in listeners, whether they be merely young kids or more mature viewers. The vulgar lyrics are almost too explicit to believe, and the tunes are often exceedingly unoriginal. Even rap guru Nicki Minaj with her “Anaconda” rip -off song borrows from the music of our predecessors (Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”). Throwing it back to the 90s, rap and hip hop brought us MC Hammer, Tupac, Boyz II Men and TLC. MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” is a legendary hit that revolutionized not only the world of hip hop music but dance as well. The song’s impact is undeniable, earning MC Hammer a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo performance. Tupac’s “California Love” simply declares its love for the sunshine state with a laid back beat and catchy rhyming scheme. We definitely mourned the death of this iconic rapper. Boyz II Men and the female group TLC brought us sultry hits in the R&B realm. Boyz II men’s “I’ll Make Love to You” taught us what it means to be a real man and TLC told us to follow our heart when it comes to love in “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls.” These melodies make us nostalgic for the days when rap and hip hop were actually meaningful.
4. Powerhouse Female Vocalists – the Classics
The 90s also produced some of the most phenomenal female vocalists in history. The late Whitney Houston, with her booming voice and stellar vocal range made us weep with her emotional “I Will Always Love You.” The decade also brought us Mariah Carey and her dynamic and powerful ballads, including “Vision of Love” and memorable melodies like “You’ll Always Be My Baby.” Celine Dion also showed us what it means to be a true artist. Her captivating and melodic tone took listeners to new heights. Her beautiful voice will forever be ingrained in our minds as we shed a tear for the fateful lovers of Titanic in “My Heart Will Go On.” These strong female figures produced inspiring hits with pure, unadulterated talent. Few artists today can encapsulate such raw capability in an era of auto-tune.
5. Country
Finally, vocalists including Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks put the real heart in country in the 90s. Twain’s flaunted her sassy style in “Man I Feel Like a Woman,” while still maintaining a signature twang. Her extremely catchy tunes and image as a strong female figure could turn any skeptic over to the side of country. The Dixie Chicks brought us a fresh new acoustic take on country that made us revel in the beauty of the trio’s sound with songs like “Wide Open Spaces.” They also proved to popularize the banjo for future artists in their genre. In a time when artists like Taylor Swift blur the line between country and pop, coming to ignore their roots altogether to cater to highly saturated demands, country seems to have lost its pureness and edge.