I would say there were two parts to the late '80s.

1. Mid 1986-Early 1988: The "hair metal" era of the '80s. The time period of the '80s when alternative rock and hip-hop were pretty big, bigger than 1984, but had next to no influence on "mainstream culture." New wave was essentially dying, but influential, and A/C type rock, hair metal, and dance-pop were all the rage. Also, still totally '80s attitudes, with Reagan and such.
2. Mid 1988-Early 1991: The '80s in decline/late, late '80s. With the Berlin Wall collapsing and Reagan going out of office, and the recession of 1990, alot of things about the '80s were rapidly going away. Even hair metal was past its peak. Hip-hop was steadily becoming a bigger and bigger cultural influence, even as A/C rock and dance-pop retained popularity, causing the Vanilla Ice-esque white hip-hop culture. Beginning in 1988 was the explosion of '90sesque bands like Dinosaur Jr., R.E.M, The Pixies, Fishbone, Green Day, Jane's Addiction, Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and They Might Be Giants. The non-feeling '80s '80s.

I would say there were two parts to the late '80s.

1. Mid 1986-Early 1988: The "hair metal" era of the '80s. The time period of the '80s when alternative rock and hip-hop were pretty big, bigger than 1984, but had next to no influence on "mainstream culture." New wave was essentially dying, but influential, and A/C type rock, hair metal, and dance-pop were all the rage. Also, still totally '80s attitudes, with Reagan and such.
2. Mid 1988-Early 1991: The '80s in decline/late, late '80s. With the Berlin Wall collapsing and Reagan going out of office, and the recession of 1990, alot of things about the '80s were rapidly going away. Even hair metal was past its peak. Hip-hop was steadily becoming a bigger and bigger cultural influence, even as A/C rock and dance-pop retained popularity, causing the Vanilla Ice-esque white hip-hop culture. Beginning in 1988 was the explosion of '90sesque bands like Dinosaur Jr., R.E.M, The Pixies, Fishbone, Green Day, Jane's Addiction, Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and They Might Be Giants. The non-feeling '80s '80s.


Well, Greenday actually formed in 1991, and their 'first' album (first really commercially released one anyway) 'Dookie' was only released in 1994. R.E.M. and the Pixies were actually quite popular before 1986 (the Pixies particularly in '87), but yeah, those other bands really came to their own along with Grunge in the late 80s/early 90s cusp/

Well, Greenday actually formed in 1991, and their 'first' album (first really commercially released one anyway) 'Dookie' was only released in 1994. R.E.M. and the Pixies were actually quite popular before 1986 (the Pixies particularly in '87), but yeah, those other bands really came to their own along with Grunge in the late 80s/early 90s cusp/


Surfer Rosa was 1988, though.

Bump...what do people think?

For myself, the final nail in the coffin of the 80's was Nirvana's Nevermind knocking Michael Jackson's Dangerous off the chart in 92.