I was on this thread that went on a tangent about how stars dress boring today, and saw this:

VikFoxx said:

I agree: Not only was grunge ANTI FASHION, but the genre was responsible for the most depressing music known to man. It seemed like by 1994, it influenced most recording artists to sweat that "alternative" market by releasing their most JOYLESS MUSIC of their entire discography.

For years I thought this was something I sought out on my own because it was my angst teen years, but looking back, totally depressing singles and non-dressing recording artists were the order of the day! Magazine covers, MTV, you name it.

This phenonmena could not be contained though. Even in rap you saw the removal of what I call "Happy Rap" and somewhere by 1992, smiling was outlawed, and everyone became hard as fuck. This totally paralleled the age of moping grunge stars.

Today, it lives on through emo music and post-ironic gangsta rap (which I can't believe anyone still records or listens to).

Great records but also double edged swords when it came to commercializing misery.

Stars of the 80s like Madonna and Bono had to adjust to the new anti-star movement.

In the 80s,artists had their own unique style and look...

Boy George
Madonna
Michael Jackson
Prince
Rick James
Cyndi Lauper
Annie Lennox
Grace Jones
Tina Turner,etc

With these artists,you could take their 80s look and create a Halloween costume based on it.Everyone would know who you're trying to be.In the 90s,nobody looked unique anymore.All the rappers looked the same,and all the grunge rock stars dressed alike too.

That's part of the reason I hated the 90s. I've only grown to reconcile some of it recently.

Moonbeam said:

Did you realize it during the 90s?

Cinnie said:

Yes. I hated the 90s at the time. I've only come to appreciate some of it more now. It's still way behind the 70s, 80s and 00s for me.

SoulAlive said:

So many people were killing their image in the 90s. It seems so self-sabotagey

It's ironic.... you would think the political atmosphere we have endured in the 00's would have been the catalyst for a more depressing era of music, but we can't do that because we already got it out of our system in the 90's.

It's kinda obvious now why we had that blast of super pop in the late 90s, the world needed a change.

My only problem is I had already grown to be jaded by 1997

Alanis' 90s makeover from what she recorded in 1990 to what she recorded in 1995 for instance. Case in point.

The only cure for depression in the 90s seemed to be

S-E-X:

i'm loving this thread cinnie. keep'em coming.

To be honest I wasn't impressed with Salt-N-Pepa's sexy makeover, or TLC's for that matter.

I kinda wanted more of this:


[Edited 10/24/07 6:59am]

Even spastic geek Canadian stars Barenaked Ladies had a single called "She's My Alternative Girlfriend" to jump on the bandwagon*

*with a decidedly more languid approach to their songwriting.

SoulAlive said:

You know what's even more revealing is how ALL of them undid their images in the 90s to look just as boring as everyone else.

We are still reeling from these effects today.

Cinnie said:

OK maybe not Prince

However he did release his darkest albums in 1994:

Duran Duran became depressing to listen to AND look at.

What's was with that f**king hangover everyone had?

Cinnie said:

Your post reminds me of...



I'm in agreement @ everything you pointed out.
[Edited 10/24/07 7:25am]

Harlepolis said:

Exactly! There's another one!

I mean, sure, Rose Royce had the songs like "I'm Goin' Down" or "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" originally but depression didn't carry on for a whole freaking album.

So many dark albums in the 90s!

You know I came up in the 90s and I really think it fucked over my good natured character!

Great thread! I agree the 90s did have some depressing music. I even fell into the jeans and T-shirt faze of the 90's and the all black faze of the early 90s. There was some happy moments like the Cardigans, Saint Etienne, N Vogue and the Spice Girls (yeah, I said it), but there still is no excuse for that crappy disneypop invasion in the late 90's. We as a country are still hurting from that.

Also, the movies were even depressing. Take, the Crowe, My private Idaho, Reality Bites, Boyz in da Hood and others. I love em, but damn those movies were depressing.

But hey, it may come back (who would have thought the 80's would come back) within 10 years we may see these kids falling into this trap.

I noticed this too when I was going through R.E.M.'s catalog.

They can't even recognize a song like "Shiny Happy People" these days, and followed up with joyless anthems like



"Everybody Hurts" and "Drive"

which make me want to slit my wrists!

Like, damn, people.

Oh and how can I forget Trainspotting. Another good downer film.

cla30 said:

YES!!! I was going to mention this too - SAME EXACT ERA!! I can't even stomach a depressing flick like Reality Bites these days.






Why was everyone being fed/eating up this depressing shit from all angles of entertainment?

Cinnie said:

hell yeah





I was on TLC's tits. I soo wanted to be like them.

cla30 said:

I still can't really reconcile that stuff either (see Ace Of Base) but I can see WHY entire acts were created to combat that "barrage of depression"

Commercialized oppression of the masses! I smell a conspiracy!*


*sorry that's my 90s side getting the best of me.

DanceWme said:

That wasn't really my point. I was like 12 at the time and it was really weird to be hearing all of those explicit tracks in the mainstream.

Cinnie said:

Was this era really healthy for anyone?

Cinnie said:

I know what ur point was.

DanceWme said:

Totally lurid, right?