Lancers, this article marks my final contributions as a staff member of our publication. My journey as an editor began in the Entertainment section, and I believe it is fitting I end my time with The Lancer in the same place I started. As former Editor-in-Chief Arhana Aatresh (’23) said in her final column, “I want to leave on a positive note,” so I’d like to finish in my favorite era of music. Welcome to the 1990s, everyone.
Just like the ’70s and ’80s, the 1990s saw a continuation of rock, with some of the most popular sub-genres being alt rock, grunge, pop punk, and metal. The decade saw both the rise and fall of the popularity of grunge. Grunge, which is a sub-genre of alt rock, is characterized by having a more raw, unpolished feel than its parent genre. Some of the most popular grunge bands include Nirvana and Pearl Jam, whose early-decade albums Nevermind and Ten reached the first and second spot on Billboard, respectively. However, after Nirvana’a lead singer Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994, grunge slowly saw a decline, losing visibility as the decade progressed.
In the United Kingdom, the ’90s gave way to a counterpart to the music of the American youth: Britpop, an exploration of the experiences of British young adults. Though named pop, Britpop wasn’t particularly similar to what we think of as pop today. Rather, it was closer to alt rock with heavy instrumentation, a steady beat, and that classic ’90s vocal. One of the most popular Britpop bands was Oasis, best known for their 1995 album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and their hit song “Wonderwall.”
The music of the 1990s (and the ’70s and ’80s) marked an era of dynamic rhythms, melodies, and musical patterns. Much of the music that dominates charts today features less expansive musical exploration (or, at least, a less obvious musical range). This is by no means a criticism, as many of my favorite songs are fairly simple, oftentimes lacking a baseline and only featuring one or two instruments. However, the dynamism of the past and the strength of the vocals, drums, and instruments lent themselves to busier, more energetic tracks.
Without a doubt, my favorite song of the ’90s, as well as one of my favorite songs of any decade, is “Iris” by popular alt rock band Goo Goo Dolls. The song, released in 1998, was written for the romantic film City of Angels, in which Seth, an angel, surrenders his immortality in order to live out his life with the mortal heart surgeon with whom he falls in love. The song opens with the iconic mandolin intro by Tim Pierce, and the emotional lyrics combined with the steady buildup of instrumentation make the song one of my favorites for nighttime drives.
Another of my favorite ’90s songs is Radiohead’s “Creep.” Along with being a fan favorite among Radiohead listeners, “Creep” is widely known outside of the band’s typical audience. The first time I heard the song was when I watched Tom Ellis sing it in Season 4, Episode 1 of Lucifer. Ellis’s character had just been shunned by his best friend after revealing himself to be the true Lucifer Morningstar, and the song’s lyrics clearly connect with the moment. Afterwards, I immediately went to listen to the original song and became a Radiohead fan. “Creep” has a significantly faster pace than some of the other songs I’ve enjoyed from the band, including “Fake Plastic Trees” (1995), “High & Dry” (1995), and “Karma Police” (1997).
Though I was born a couple of generations too late for the 1990s to be the music of my childhood, I still grew up with many of these bands. From my mom teaching me and my brother Green Day lyrics to my singing along when these songs appeared in television shows, the ’90s have steadily become one of my favorite eras of music. There is something just remarkable about music from the ’90s. From the instantly recognizable vocal style to the strong instrumentation, rock truly was at its peak throughout this decade. Though rock gave way to hip hop and pop in the following generation, the 1990s remain a timeless era of music.
