Dave -
In the span of a year, the music scene can take a drastic turn. When 1990 hit, hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Warrant, and Skid Row were still making noise on the scene. Nirvana would come on in the following year with their 2nd release, "Nevermind", and nearly single-handedly change the face of popular music. Their hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had everyone trading in their leather and spandex for flannel. The hair metal (btw, I hate that term) heroes were on the way out and the grunge scene was coming in.
It's now that alternative music wasn't there before. We all know it was. A lot of it wasn't really making the charts until Nirvana kicked the door down and made room for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soul Asylum, Everclear, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, and many more. Everyone saw the writing on the wall. In fact, Warrant and Alice in Chains were both on the same record label. A member of Warrant said they were in the label's office in 1990 when their "Cherry Pie" record was coming out and there was a huge banner of their album cover in the lobby. A couple years later, when they went in, the banner above them was Alice in Chains "Dirt". Times they were achangin'.
As with every musical trend, this led to an over-saturation in the music scene. Just a few years before, labels were signing any glam band that wore make-up (of course, this is after the same labels refused to sign Poison because they wore make-up). Now everyone was signing alternative and grunge related bands, regardless of actual talent. At the same time, the blend of rap & metal were also getting signed after the Anthax/Public Enemy "Bring the Noise" collaboration. That scene didn't quite catch on though. It was too late for some labels. They’d already signed a ton of them. It seems like there was a new one debuting every week on MTV's Headbangers Ball.
Melanie - Fun Fact.... I had never heard of Headbangers Ball until I came to live here and Greg used to like it. I actually discovered HIM because they were on there!
Did you get into the alternative scene when it hit? What songs would you add to the playlist? Let us know in the comments below!
About The Writer -
DAVE - Dave Christy loves horror, music, documentaries and more. He is also the co-runner of several fan based groups including Morningstars (THE Lucifer fan group also run by Melanie), and now is a member of the VIPers Spotlight Lounge team for Melanie's Muses. Other than "In The Spotlight" Features -check out his "31 Days Of Halloween Movies" |
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