The Diverse 90s - Classic Songs From Grunge to Teen Pop Madness

The 90s were certainly a strange period in the history of music. Perhaps this is due to the wide variety of genres and styles that emerged during the decade or perhaps it's because not one artist or genre seems to define the decade.

The beginning of the 90s was characterized by the rise of grunge and alternative rock into the mainstream and the disappearance of classic rock. The lead band of this genre was by far Nirvana with their classic song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" becoming an anthem for a generation. While grunge would disappear from the mainstream, alternative rock would continue throughout the 90s until today with bands such as Green Day and Blink 182.

For the first time ever, urban pop began to constantly dominate the charts, at least in North America. Artists such as Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey and TLC were almost a constant presence on the radio, and continue to inspire today's RnB artists with songs such as "One Sweet Day" or "No Scrubs". Urban pop arguably dominates the charts today more than ever before.

Hip-hop also made its mainstream debut in the 90s and today has a permanent place in contemporary music. The pioneers from this period include the Notorious B.I.G., MC Hammer, 2Pac and Snopp Dogg. Notable classic songs from this era include "Changes" from 2Pac and "Gangsta's Paradise" from Coolio.

Teen pop made a comeback in the late 90s, bigger than it ever was in the late 80s and early 90s. Bands such as the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls and singers such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were an undeniable presence on the airwaves and charts. Such artists defined the late 90s while all other genres took a backseat. Classic songs from this genre include "Baby One More Time" from Britney Spears, "Wannabe" from the Spice Girls and "As Long As You Love Me" from the Backstreet Boys.

I like to define the 90s like a fruit and vegetable salad, it was essentially a mix of so many genres and styles never seen before, but which did produce some memorable and classic songs.