Best of THE 90s

Because of the nature of Awakenings with its strong dedication to America, introduction to the 90s will be Whitney Houston singing our National Anthem. The singer's unforgettable live performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XXV (1991) in Tampa, Florida has become an iconic moment in American history. This event occurred during the time of the Persian Gulf War. Whitney Houston actually rose to international prominence in the mid-eighties but it is the 90s during which she made the greatest impact. Sadly in 2012, at the age of 48, Whitney Houston was found dead in her guest room at The Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. Houston was one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 200 million records worldwide.

 Into the 90s...

Top 100 Songs From the 90s

With the 90s came many popular styles of music. Some much more entertaining than others but then, of course, that depends upon the age of those listening to the music. It also measures one's ability to understand music's musicality - how "good" it is, how strong an emotional effect it has, and how much a person enjoys listening to it!

The 90s birthed the age of alternative rock. The term 'alternative' implies there is more than one possibility. With so many different rock genres, this gave music lovers one more choice. It is important to understand alternative rock is merely an umbrella term encompassing numerous sub-genres among which is indie rock and grunge.  Pop punk, another strand of alternative music, also gained mainstream popularity. Each of the rock groups brought their own kind of music, style and showmanship to the stage.

Here are but a few of the notable alternative rock groups of the 90s decade, some who blossomed out of the 80s: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Goo Goo Dolls, The Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots.  Grunge music, which combines rock, punk and metal sounds, was popularized in the 90s by groups such as Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Pop punk's popularity boasts thanks to the success of groups such as Green Day, Blink-182, and Weezer as they combined elements of punk rock with pop music to varying degrees.

[Sidenote: Thought about putting a youtube video of punk rock until I listened to some of the so-called music. Nah! Don't think so. If you are into that kind of music, you can just Google it!] 

The 18 Best 90s Pop Songs You Forgot Existed

Many European artists were the driving force behind Pop music through the 90s decade. Some of the top groups/artists included All Saints, the Spice Girls, George Michael, Ace of Base, Robert Palmer and Oasis. Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera had their first chart-topping hits in the late 90s, and their careers boomed in the 2000s. Paula Abdul, Hanson, and R. Kelly are just a few of the others’ enjoying success in the 90s.

Contemporary R&B brought forth elements of rhythm and blues, pop, soul, funk, and hip hop. During the mid-1990s, Michael Jackson, Zapp and Roger, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, TLC, Brandy and Boyz II Men brought contemporary R&B to the mainstream. Boyz II Men are the most commercially successful R&B group of all time.

Love Songs of the 90s

Adult contemporary music was popular in the form of soft-rock and singer-songwriter styles throughout the decade. Lilith Fair concert tour and music festival exemplified the singer-songwriter style and provided an outlet for a feminist wave. Participating artists included SarahMcLachlan, Jewel, Lisa Loeb, Joan Osborne and Meredith Brooks. Other popular artists in this genre that borrowed from this style included Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Dave MatthewsBand, Natalie Merchant and Edwin McCain. 

Adult contemporary artist Celine Dion is one of the biggest international stars in music history, selling more than 220 million albums worldwide. In 1991, Dion was a featured soloist in Voices That Care, a tribute to American troops fighting in Operation Desert Storm. Also at the top of the contemporary charts in the early 90s were Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Whitney Houston's version of the Dolly Parton song, "I Will Always Love You" (1992), stands as one of the best selling singles of all time.

Celine Dion's real international breakthrough came when she performed a duet with Peabo Bryson on the title track to Disney's animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991).

Top 20 Dance/Club Hits of the 1990s

 

I really have to ask myself, "Is this for real?"

Since the visit to the 90s began with a tribute to America, it is only fitting to end it in the same way.

Following the September 11 attacks, Dion returned to the music scene, and in a televised performance sang "God Bless America" at the benefit concert America: A Tribute to Heroes. Chuck Taylor of Billboard wrote, "the performance... brings to mind what has made her one of the celebrated vocalists of our time: the ability to render emotion that shakes the soul. Affecting, meaningful, and filled with grace, this is a musical reflection to share with all of us still searching for ways to cope." [Source: en.wikipedia.org]

 And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...