1990s Popular Music

Day 61: Introduction

• 1990 is remembered as the year rock ‘n’ roll was reborn.

• Two main cultural trends for youth: rap and metal.

• Sinead O’Connor – mainstay of alternative music, Nothing Compares to You

Day 62: Seattle, From Sub Pop to Superstars

• Sub Pop Records– Signed Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in

Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins

– Nirvana’s Nevermind album announced alternative music to the mainstream with a vengeance

Nirvana

Were aided by MTV’s decision to push their video of Smells Like Teen Spirit to an anthem for teens – was a defining moment in rock history

Nevermind album sold 3 million copies in 4 months, released by Geffen Records

Grew up in Aberdeen, Washington

“The Gold Rush”

• Soundgarden started the Seattle “gold rush” when they signed to A&M in 1988. A slew of major labels descended upon Seattle in search of the next big thing.

• Pearl Jam with Jeremy

• Alice in Chains with Man in the Box

Kurt Cobain’s Suicide

• Lived “two lives”• Married to Courtney

Love (lead singer of Hole)

• Had daughter Frances Bean

• April 8, 1994 body discovered– Instead of committing

suicide, he could have looked for help.

Sonic Youth

Used unconventional things to bend otherwise standard pop songs completely out of shape – became their trademark

Signed to DGC in late 80s

Had a female bassist who also sang lead vocals

Superstar

R.E.M.

Enjoyed success at a pace they could handle without compromising their artistic or personal integrity

Their album Murmur (1983) was selected as album of the year by Rolling Stone magazine over Thriller

Involved in environmental causes, animal rights, and antinuclear campaigns

Losing My Religion

Day 63: Lollapalooza

• Lollapalooza Festival in 1991 – brought together rap, metal, and alternative music– Organized by Perry Farrell

(leader of Jane’s Addiction)– The 7-act, 21-city Lallapalooza

tour played to a total of 430,000 people and grossed $10 million

– Also focused on political messages

Lollapalooza Festival 1992

• Doubled its audience attendance (800,000) and money ($19 million)

• Featured a second stage for lesser-known acts

Red Hot Chili PeppersCombined early hip hop sources with heavy metal

Lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, hovered between rapping and singing

Early skateboard-culture heroes, early pioneers of the mosh-pit marriage of funk, rap, and thrash

Under the Bridge

Pearl Jam

• A safer blend of heavy metal and psychedelic rock

• Eddie Vedder, lead singer

Sound Garden

• More dissonant with irregular tempos and time signatures

• Chris Cornell, lead singer• Black Hole Sun

Alternative Nation

• By 1993, Lollapalooza was so successful that other artists starting developing other festivals…the biggest of these was ‘Alternative Nation’

Soul Asylum

Their video for Runaway Train featured listings of missing children

Led to a performance at the White House as President Clinton signed the youth service bill

Country Music• Garth Brooks

– Top Pop Album Artist and Top Country Album Artist for 1991, 1992, & 1993

– NBC’s Garth Brooks special beat out Michael Jackson’s

– Brooks’ caused a shake-up in Nashville because he merged many styles into his music and used theater smoke, pyrotechnics, and sophisticated lighting effects in his arena shows.

– “Garth Bashing”– We Shall Be Free: written in response

to Rodney King beating and supports gay rights, raised $1 million

Ellen “Shania” Twain

Country-pop superstar

Born in Ontario, Canada

Both of her parents were killed in a car crash in her early twenties, turned to music to support her family

Her album, The Woman in Me, went 12x’s platinum without a tour

Album, Come On Over, sold 34 million copies worldwide, the most ever by a female

Faith Hill

Country-pop star

Hit superstardom with Breathe (1999)

Married to another country superstar, Tim McGraw

Day 64: The Search for the Next Big Thing

• In the 90s, the music industry still invested in one superstar. The major labels risked millions of dollars in search of that one artist or group who would make it worth their while.

• That leads to the belief that a single artist who can sell 40 million units is worth more than 40 artists who each sell 1 million units.– The plus is that they spend a lot less money on

marketing and promoting one artist versus 40 artists.

Mariah Carey

Combined incredible talent and potential for follow through with the best business plan on the planet

5-octave range, signed to Columbia Records

1990 – Won Grammys for Best New Artist & Best Pop Vocal Performance

Was biracial – mother was a white NY opera singer, father was a black Venezuelan

Love Takes Time

Superstars Cash In on New Record Company Contracts

• Janet Jackson - $30 million w/ Virgin Records• Aerosmith - $30 million w/ Columbia Records• Motley Crue - $25 million w/ Elektra Records• ZZ Top - $30 million w/ RCA• Rolling Stones - $40 million w/ Virgin• Madonna, Michael Jackson, & Prince - $60

million• R.E.M. - $80 million w/ Warner

New Record Company Contracts

• Record company mergers – Record companies were being sold for 20-30 times their earnings.

• Artists realized the value of catalogue sales.• Record companies were exploiting their rights

to artists.

The bottom falls out on record companies

• 1996 Record sales flat-lined (plateaued)– They were chasing hit singles rather than building

long-term careers.– They focused on new technologies, instead of

music.– Baby boomers completed the replacement of their

black vinyl collections.– Failed to recognize the potential of “urban music.”– Relied on a handful of superstars.

Electronic Dance Music

• Electronica – a catch-all phrase that included everything from hip hop, dance pop remixes, and r&b-flavored dance music to sounds of acid house, techno, and others that came from England and Europe.

• Frankie Knuckles – DJ from Chicago, Move Your Body• British Club Culture – Americans began to import British

club songs– Pump Up The Volume– Summer of 1988 became known as “Second Summer of Love”– Rave: all night events with crowds of up to 20,000 people located

in aircraft hangers, abandoned warehouses, and open fields

US ElectonicaThe Prodigy

• Signed to Elektra Records• Played at rock festivals• Firestarter

The Chemical Brothers

• Big Beat: rave-meets-rock ‘n’ roll hybrid sound

• Setting Sun

Moby

Born Richard Melville Hall, became a radical Christian and a vegan activist

The first techno producer to become a full-fledged pop celebrity

Tried to blend into his surroundings

All 18 tracks on Play album were licenses for use in films, tv shows, and advertisements before the album peaked on the charts

We Are All Made of Stars

Day 65: The Year(s) of the Woman

• 1996 was the Year of the Woman, the 6 best-selling albums of the year were by women or woman-fronted groups

• 1997 women took 5 of the 6 top spots• All different genres of music are represented

(pop/dance, alternative/pop rock, folk rock, country, and hip hop.

• Many of the women came from Canada.

Sarah McLachlan

Canadian singer-songwriter started with her debut album in 1989, Touch

Founded the Lilith Fair in 1996 as a self-described “Celebration of Women in Music” (featured only female-led acts)

Angel

Lilith Fair• Most successful concert tour of

1997.• Ran in the summers of 1997, 1998,

and 1999 as a multi-city, multi-date event featuring dozens of artists on multiple stages.

• A spectacular showcase for women.

• One dollar from every ticket sold was donated to a charity – donated $700,000 in 1997.

• Sarah McLachlan was the only artist to perform every date.

Celine Dion

Youngest of 14 children and born in Canada, started performing at her parents night club at the age of five

Released French and English albums

Sang title song for Beauty and the Beast and hit song from Titanic

My Heart Will Go On

Lauryn Hill

Started out as an actress

Wrote poetry, played basketball, ran track, was a cheerleader, and homecoming queen

Signed to Columbia Records as part of the group The Fugee’s

Solo career began in 1998, combined big-band jazz, soul, rap, reggae, and hip hop into its own hybrid

Doo Wop (That Thing)

Rage Rock & Woodstock ‘99

• Rage Rockers included Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock. All came from white working-class and mostly southern backgrounds. Combined elements of rock and rap in their music.– Rage Against the Machine: added directed rage into

their music• Woodstock ‘99 – Staged at Griffis Air Force Base in

Rome, NY– A lot of violence in the mosh pit– There were a lot of bonfires and rioting fans.

Day 66: Teen Pop (Boy Bands & Teen Queens)

• The Orlando/Disney Connection– Mickey Mouse Club (1993) started careers of

Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and JC Chasez

– Lou Pearlman managed the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync

– Auditions for Star Search and a Southern Baptist upbringing are themes that run through many of these artists’ backgrounds. As well as an intense work ethic and rigorous sense of discipline.

Backstreet Boys

Started in 1993, signed to Mercury Records

Signed to Jive Records in 1994 and became big stars in Europe

Album, Millenium (1999), sold 1.1 million units in the first week. Tour for the album sold out all 53 dates (765,000 tickets)

2000 album titled Black and Blue

‘N Sync

1st album, ‘N Sync, sold more than 11x’s platinum and remained on the charts for more than 2 years

2nd album, No Strings Attached, sold 2.4 million copies in 1st week

3rd album, Celebrity, projected a more mature and musically diverse image

Made over $90 million on their 2001 tour

Britney Spears

Burst onto the charts in late 1998, signed w/ Jive Records

1st album, Baby One More Time, was certified 13x’s platinum

Started performing at age 5, career was thoroughly mapped out

Oops!...I Did It Again

Christina Aguilera

Large vocal range and power

Recorded Reflection for Disney soundtrack to Mulan

Won Best New Artist Grammy in 2000

First single was Genie in a Bottle went straight to #1

Beautiful

Took on alter ego, Xtina, for 2nd album, Stripped

Day 67: The Year of Latin Music

• 1999 Popular Music Charts had hits from Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Santana

• 2000 – Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (off-shoot of the Grammy’s) had its own separate prime-time telecast of the Latin Grammys

Ricky Martin

At the age of 12, he was already a star as a member of Menudo

Was an actor on soap operas and on Broadway

1999 he released his first English-language album

Livin’ La Vida Loca

Santana

Superstar of the 1960s who was a master guitar player

Released a hit album, Supernatural, with Arista Records in June 1999 – contained half vintage Santana and half collaborations

Smooth

Jennifer Lopez

Started out as an actress

In 1999, she turned her attention to music to record On the 6 with Epic Records

Dance/pop style with Latin flavor

Jenny From the Block

Shakira

Born in Barranquilla, Columbia

First became a pop superstar throughout Latin America, performing rock-oriented songs in Spanish

Signed to Sony Records (in Columbia) at the age of 13

Was influenced by Aerosmith, Nirvana, and Tom Petty

Her performance on MTV Unplugged was the channel’s first ever Spanish-speaking cablecast

Wherever, Whenever

What is Latin Music?

• The late 90s Latin boom showcased the diversity of artists and music that make up the Latin music category.

• Latin music has been defined as music made by Latinos for Latinos, but was in Latino?

• Latino is an umbrella term referring to people of Latin American descent who live permanently in the US.

• The use of the term Latino in music has more to do with social relations and ethnic backgrounds, than it does with a particular music tradition or style of music.

Day 68: Black Music at the Base

• Hip hop doo wop or Hip hop soul – hip hop vocal style which focused on harmonies– Signature sound for writers/producers

like P. Diddy, L.A. Reid, & Babyface• Toni Braxton– 1993 self-titled album sold 8x’s

platinum, generating 5 hits– Un-break My Heart

TLC

Discovered by L.A. Reid’s writer/producer wife Pebbles and signed to LaFace in 1991

Had a pop/rap/hip hop sound

2nd album CrazySexyCool (1994) sold about 11 million copies

Waterfalls

Boyz II Men

The top-selling smooth r&b group of the decade

Went from Philadelphia’s Creative and Performing High School to Motown Records

Motownphilly was 1st single off their debut album, Cooleyhighharmony

2nd album, Boyz II Men II (1994) established them as the premier r&b harmony group of the 90s, went on to sell 17 million copies and became Motown’s best-selling album ever

Destiny’s Child

Formed in Houston, TX in 1990, took 7 years to get signed to Columbia Records

Say My Name

The original group self-destructed. Their 3rd album, Survivor, showcased the new group and produced the hit Bootylicious

R. Kelly

Writer, producer, performer, and pro basketball player

Raised in South Side Chicago, saw music and sports as a way out of poverty

Wrote and produced music for big name artists

I Believe I Can Fly

The World’s Greatest at Winter Olympics

Sean “Puffy” Combs

One of the first moguls (successful artist playing roles of writer, producer, label head, and performer)

Career was plagued by tragedy in the 90s, Presided over Bad Boy Entertainment empire by 1997

First album, No Way Out, was certified 7x’s platinum

Best known for sampling in creating his songs

I’ll Be Missing You and Bad Boy for Life

Master P.Real name is Percy Miller

Wanted to build “the profile of a business man, not a gangsta.”

In 1988, P had built the No Limit record store into a label and a multimedia empire, earning $56 million a year. His artists called themselves the No Limit Army

Signed Snoop Dogg in 1998

Also became an actor-writer-producer-director, and author, and a sports agent

Has No Limit Records, No Limit Films, No Limit Sports Enterprises, No Limit clothing line (Soldier Gear) and a multimillion dollar deal with Converse

Rap Goes National

• The new era of hip hop was not confined to New York and LA, moved to Mid-West and “Dirty South”– No Limits and Cash Money Label in New Orleans. The LaFace

Label and So So Def in Atlanta (Def Jam also opened a branch there). In LA, Dr. Dre launched Aftermath. In NYC, Jay-Z launched Roc-A-Fella, and DMX launched Ruff-Ryders.

• Hip hop artists began to operate like extended social groups (posses, crews)– Bad Boy as “The Family,” Master P had “No Limit Army,” Snoop

Dogg had “Tha Dogg Pound,” and Wu-Tang Clan was a “Clan.”• PMRC was still “watching” rap for lyric content

Rap Ensemble Tours

• Bad Boy – No Way Out Tour• 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour (Jay-Z) earned $18

million and donated money to the families of victims of the Columbine shooting

• Up In Smoke Tour – featured Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Eminem

Day 69: Rap Continued…

Eminem• Born Marshall Mathers III in Detroit• Quit school in 9th grade, had a daughter – had

great “street cred”• Dr. Dre signed him after hearing his Slim Shady

EP that he released independently in 1997• Slim Shady was Eminem’s alter ego that

allowed him to take revenge on the world through his lyrics

• 2nd album, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) sold 7 million copies in its first year of release

• Many were outraged about his lyrics and the number of albums sold

• Many were bothered by the fact that he was white

Russell Simmons

Founded Def Jam and turned it into a multimedia empire

Film – The Nutty Professor

Television – Def Comedy Jam

Clothing Line – Phat Farm

Distribution deals with Roc-A-Fella and Ruff Ryders

Jay-Z

Came from Brooklyn’s Marcy projects

Was a promising student, but got involved in trouble, until rap showed him a way out

Started Roc-A-Fella label which turned into a clothing line (Roca Wear), film division

Hit song, Hard Knock Life, doubled his audience

Laid claim to the NY rap throne in 2001

Married Beyonce Knowles and became president of Def Jam

Irv Gotti

Started out as a small-time drug dealer in Hollis, Queens

Real name was Irv Lorenzo

Launched Ashanti’s career and focused on making “chic records”

In 1997, he formed a joint venture with Def Jam, called Murder, Inc

Ja Rule

Flagship artist for Murder, Inc.

Added a chorus of female background singers on his 2nd and 3rd albums, which caused him to lose some of his “street cred”

Attacked physically and in lyrics by DMX, Eminem, and 50 Cent

Always on Time (duet with Ashanti)

50 Cent

Born Curtis Jackson in Hollis, Queens

Sold drugs at the age of 12. At 24, he was shot 9x’s – earned him great “street cred”

Signed to Shady/Aftermath label

1st album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, produced hit song In Da Club

Started a “war” with Ja Rule

Spent the early 2000s wearing a bullet-proof vest wherever he went

OutKast

Took rap in a more upbeat direction without losing their edge

From Atlanta (aka the Dirty South)

Hey Ya!

Shaggy

• Most popular rap artist of 2001

• Album, Hot Shot, certified 6x’s platinum

• Born in Jamaica, raised in Brooklyn; total opposite of NY gangsta

• Angel

Nelly

• Most popular rap artist of 2002

• Born in St. Louis• Blockbuster album, Country

Grammar, certified 8x’s platinum

Female RappersEve

• Part of the Ruff Ryders crew in the Bronx

• Broke into mainstream with her duet w/ Gwen Stefani, Let Me Blow Your Mind (2001)…also starred in movies

Missy Elliot

• Established as a writer and producer having her own company

• Skilled rapper and soul singer…spanned the worlds of rap, r&b/hip hop, and electronic dance music

Hip Hop Summit Action Network

• Founded in 2001 with Def Jam founder Russell Simmons at the helm

• Mobilized support among rappers and hip hop executives and across the spectrum of black political leaders

• Took on issues like freedom of speech and social injustice

• These efforts showcased the positive activities of the hip hop scene