A New Wave of Music

Michael Winter  
Dr Wagner
Eng 101
16 Sept. 2010

A new wave of Music
When you think of music diversity, what decade of music comes to mind? The music of the 1990s was a decade filled with techno, rap, alternative punk, alternative, and pop music artists as well as a countless one-hit wonders. It was a time when musical taste varied as most artists wrote songs about things during different periods of the 90’s.
The early years of the 1990s began with a surge in popularity for music genres like techno and hip-hop that continued throughout the decade. Groups like Techno entered the Billboard charts with big hits like “Pump Up the Jam” “Tribal Dance” and “Ride the Train.” Others still may remember the hits from C+C Music Factory, including “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” which is still a popular dance song that is still played today. Similarly, hip-hop music became extremely popular with artists like MC Hammer, Tupac, Mos Def, and Snoop Dogg. These artists chose to use their own personal lifestyle in their music, so the hip/hop was varied as well as their audiences. MC Hammer, for instance, sang about subjects including the rise of his career as well as songs about praying for the betterment of society. On the other hand, Tupac wrote songs about protecting women’s rights, while also promoting his famous “Thug Luv” mentality. Snoop Dogg on the other hand, wrote about his life under the use of alcohol and marijuana, in his 1992 album “Doggystyle” where his hit song “Gin and Juice” made the #1 top of the charts single.
Around late 1992, a change was starting in the playlists of all music lovers. While techno and hip-hop still dominated the radio and walkmans, a new style of rock music was making an waves. Bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machines, and Nirvana were making a new type of rock music to listen to that had catchy lyrics about the anger and rage of teenage years. Songs like Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” spoke...