What year really defined the '90s? I'd say 1994 because it had a little bit of everything in it. A little early '90s and a little mid '90s.

The '90s was such a heterogenous decade that it's really impossible to pick a year that summed up the entire decade.  You could probably take any two years of the decade and contrast them to the bordering years.  But, since the late 1991-1994 period is the most '90s period IMO I'd say 1993.

The '90s was such a heterogenous decade that it's really impossible to pick a year that summed up the entire decade.  You could probably take any two years of the decade and contrast them to the bordering years.  But, since the late 1991-1994 period is the most '90s period IMO I'd say 1993.

You make an interesting point there. I wish I could remember a little more of 1993. I guess that's why I like '94 so much.

1992 & 1996 had the "most" 90s as they both had 366 days in them.

I find questions like this are a bit pointless. Can you really call anything the 'most 90s?' There is no 'one' ninties; the period 1990-1993 and 1997-2000 are as different as the 80s and 90s. So I'd call 1992 the peak of 'early nineties', 1996 the peak of 'mid-nineties' and 98 the peak of late 90s.

1994. It both had alot of early-'90s and mid-'90s to it. Though there are large differences between both the early-mid '90s and the late '90s, there still are certain similarities between them, like the same "cool factor" and lots of related musical genres.

It's weird how there are a lot of votes for 1994. Then again I would've voted 1984 for most eighties year.  :)

For the past three decades, the "4" year has been the most. Like 1984, 1994, and 2004. 1967 was the most '60s year and 1977 was the most '70s year.

I'd say 1994.

1994

1995  for me

I think it's a 3-Way tie between 1994, 1995 and 1996, but I'm leaning towards 1994.

I think it's a 3-Way tie between 1994, 1995 and 1996, but I'm leaning towards 1994.

I consider those 3 years the '90s Glory Years. But yeah, I lean more toward 1994 too.

Definitely 1992 and 1994 for me. For a lot of reasons.

1998 was the best or the most 90's yeah because good music and also it was a very good year

I like bananas.

I like bananas.



Yeah, bananas are o.k.

You know something? When I first saw all the votes for '94, I wanted to say that 1993 was a stronger year (I know, back some time ago, there was a thread on here about the Nineties culture peaking in '93, which I fully agreed with), but when I thought about it a bit, 1994 gets my vote too.

Sure, 1993 was when practically all '80s trends, music and fashion were gone (even '89ish stuff), and everything Grunge related was on top. But it still feels a bit removed from, say even 1997 (i.e. it was before The Internet was a household name), whereas 1994 doesn't.

Would anyone agree the "feel" of 1994 was the beginning of some VERY primitive late '90s/early '00s things -- violent TV becoming slightly more acceptable, or even just being (again, albeit very slightly) on the other side of grunge's absolute peak of popularity? It was mixed in the sense that audio tapes, VHS, NES games, arcades and other "80s" stuff was still decently popular and widely used, but it shared some things in common with today, too. For instance, a 1994 TV doesn't look old, even if it's not quite modern.

So yeah, if someone who knew nothing about the '90s was to see only one year, 1994 would be their best impression of the whole decade. ;)

You know something? When I first saw all the votes for '94, I wanted to say that 1993 was a stronger year (I know, back some time ago, there was a thread on here about the '90s culture peaking in '93, which I fully agreed with), but when I thought about it a bit, '94 sums up the entire '90s better. IMO.

Sure, 1993 was when practically all '80s trends, music and fashion were gone (even '89ish stuff), and Grunge was on top. But it still feels a bit removed from, say even 1997 (i.e. it was before The Internet was a household name), whereas 1994 doesn't.

Would anyone agree the "feel" of 1994 was the beginning of some VERY primitive late '90s/early '00s things -- violent TV becoming slightly more acceptable, or even just being (again, albeit very slightly) on the other side of grunge's peak.


Yeah, I'd say so. Grunge peaked in 1992-1993, though as a trend it was still widely liked until late 2002-early 2003, maybe (when I was in seventh grade I think Nirvana shirts became faux pas.) 1994 was a mix of both more 1989-1993 trends and the 1994-1998 trends. It was also probably when gangsta rap started getting huge, and stuff like the freestyle/corny early hip-hop and neon colors/early Simpsons/Seinfeld/college rock world of 1990 started becoming "out of mode." 1993 was definitely a stronger year, with lots of 1989ish stuff dead or dying already (if still pretty popular), but 1994 summed up the whole '90s better.

I agree that it was the beginning of some very primitive late '90s/early '00s things, with the internet becoming more widespread, alt rock moving away into stuff like Weezer/Beck and the Smashing Pumpkins away from the Pixies/Sonic Youth/Nirvana style

1993 was definitely a stronger year, with lots of 1989ish stuff dead or dying already (if still pretty popular), but 1994 summed up the whole '90s better.



Yeah, that's the same reason I picked '94 over '93. Even though it's close 1994 just sums up the entire decade better than 1993 IMO.

When I think of "90's" I think of No Doubt, Sublime, The Chemical Brothers, Cake, 311, Tupac, B.I.G., Korn, NIN, and Moby.  In other words...I'd have to say 1994-1996.  The early nineties (1990-1993) immitated the late 60s and early 70s.  Late nineties (1997-1999) were into the late 70s early 80s, with the oncoming of the disco, new wave, and 1980s pop way of thinking.  The mid nineties (1994-1996), to me, was THE "NINETIES".  Those three years had their own brand of pop culture for their time, which was very unique from the other years in that decade.  Do you see the pattern there?  The most nineties year, to break it down, has to be 1994.

You know something? When I first saw all the votes for '94, I wanted to say that 1993 was a stronger year (I know, back some time ago, there was a thread on here about the Nineties culture peaking in '93, which I fully agreed with), but when I thought about it a bit, 1994 gets my vote too.

Sure, 1993 was when practically all '80s trends, music and fashion were gone (even '89ish stuff), and everything Grunge related was on top. But it still feels a bit removed from, say even 1997 (i.e. it was before The Internet was a household name), whereas 1994 doesn't.

Would anyone agree the "feel" of 1994 was the beginning of some VERY primitive late '90s/early '00s things -- violent TV becoming slightly more acceptable, or even just being (again, albeit very slightly) on the other side of grunge's absolute peak of popularity? It was mixed in the sense that audio tapes, VHS, NES games, arcades and other "80s" stuff was still decently popular and widely used, but it shared some things in common with today, too. For instance, a 1994 TV doesn't look old, even if it's not quite modern.

So yeah, if someone who knew nothing about the '90s was to see only one year, 1994 would be their best impression of the whole decade. ;)


I'd pretty much agree with that.  1994 sums up the decade as a whole; for instance, it has plenty of early '90s, and the controversial things of the late '90s wouldn't seem completely off base then (for instance, I think the very earliest South Park could have began would be 1994, even though it didn't start until '97). Here's how I see the '90s, in terms of "old school-ness":

1990: Very, very old school. Only slightly more new school than 1989.
1991: The first 2/3 of the year was like 1990, but the fall of 1991 really ushered in the early '90s Grunge era.
1992: Definitely '90s, but still very old school.  Aside from the Grunge movement and the rap of this time, very little remains of this time, and the technology and television is similar to that of the 1980s.  This was also the last year that was not really a part of the '90s tech boom.
1993: The peak of the "Early Nineties", arguably, the absolute peak of the decade.  Totally '90s, but somehow it's still more like 1989 than it is like 1997. Quite old school.  The very beginning of the tech boom.
1994: The last year that is really 100% "back in the day" relative to 2006.  Some very primitive late '90s/early '00s things were around by now (i.e. NYPD Blue, E.R.), but it's still just before popular culture started falling apart in the latter half of the '90s.
1995: Old school, but a little less old school.  Full House ended this year, and Grunge gave into post-grunge, Playstation was released, etc., but it's still more like 1993 than 1997.
1996: The last year that's really a different era from now (makes sense, being that it's 10 years ago).  This was the very beginning of the Internet age, and was when the Telecommunications Act was passed.
1997: The first year that's leaning towards New School. Puff Daddy (Diddy?), South Park, One Saturday Morning, and King of the Hill all started in 1997 and the Internet became pretty ubuitiquous.  Still it's more old school than 1999.
1998: See 1997.
1999: Very '90s, but still new school from a 2006 perspective. Nothing really retro about 1999 yet.

I so totally agree with the 1994 statements. That's why my nostalgic '90s flashback movie Back to the Future the Second mostly takes place in 1994. 1994 was the "1955" of this version of Back to the Future and 2004 was the "1985" of it.

I so totally agree with the 1994 statements. That's why my nostalgic '90s flashback movie Back to the Future the Second mostly takes place in 1994. 1994 was the "1955" of this version of Back to the Future and 2004 was the "1985" of it.


You're filming a movie?

I think we've all agreed it's 1994...

Yeah, bananas are o.k.


I also like apples and apricots.  But I tend to avoid grapefruit.

I also like apples and apricots.  But I tend to avoid grapefruit.



I'm a mango man m'self ;D

I also like apples and apricots.  But I tend to avoid grapefruit.



Aww man. I hate grapefruit.

i say 1989.

How can you possibly remember the difference?
the 90s was one big, really long year.

OK, for what it's worth, I think "the most 90s year", the year that best represents the whole decade would be......1995.

1994, 1996 and even 1993 are all close, but not quite there IMO.  With the 80s it's a no brainer, 1984.  And 1977 is a pretty good pick for the 70s. 

But I honestly feel 1995 is it for the 90s.

OK, for what it's worth, I think "the most 90s year", the year that best represents the whole decade would be......1995.

1994, 1996 and even 1993 are all close, but not quite there IMO.  With the 80s it's a no brainer, 1984.  And 1977 is a pretty good pick for the 70s. 

But I honestly feel 1995 is it for the 90s.


In the sense that it's a perfect compromise between the triangle-and-squiggle early '90s and the teenybopper late '90s, I'd definitely say yes. 1996 is too bleak to really define the '90s.

Reason I say 1989 is "heathers" came out that year. That movie pretty much created the 90s; I mean, compare Christian slater to Michael j. fox! And winona ryder! She's the uber90s chick and that movie put her on the map! (well, okay, there was beetlejuice but still... I mean as an adult.) plus the whole slacker mentality of that movie and its antigreed message. There wouldn't have even been a 90s if it hadnt been for heathers.

I also think the 80s began in 1978 (van halen got started and feathered hair became vogue) and the 70s began in 1969 (with led zeppelin I).

Reason I say 1989 is "heathers" came out that year. That movie pretty much created the 90s; I mean, compare Christian slater to Michael j. fox! And winona ryder! She's the uber90s chick and that movie put her on the map! (well, okay, there was beetlejuice but still... I mean as an adult.) plus the whole slacker mentality of that movie and its antigreed message. There wouldn't have even been a 90s if it hadnt been for heathers.

I also think the 80s began in 1978 (van halen got started and feathered hair became vogue) and the 70s began in 1969 (with led zeppelin I).



Nicely done.... 8)

Nicely done.... 8)
thanks joyzee!

a lot of people find my decades theory rather radical. (50s? began in 1949, when china went communist and the soviets developed the H-bomb. 60s? began in 1959, when hawaii and alaska becama states.)

In the sense that it's a perfect compromise between the triangle-and-squiggle early '90s and the teenybopper late '90s, I'd definitely say yes. 1996 is too bleak to really define the '90s.


Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill came out in 1995, which represents the early-mid 90s feel very well.  Bone Thug's had their Crossroads hit in '95 too.  1994 didn't yet have this.

I can't believe we're talking about 10-11 or 12  years ago like it's so long ago.  I know to you it's a really long time ago, but to me "10-11 years ago" seems more like what 5-6 years ago probably feels like to you.  A while back, but very recent past.

I can't believe we're talking about 10-11 or 12  years ago like it's so long ago.  I know to you it's a really long time ago, but to me "10-11 years ago" seems more like what 5-6 years ago probably feels like to you.  A while back, but very recent past.


I know huh?  1995 feels like only a couple years ago.  I graduated in '96 and I am freaking out that I have my 10 year reunion this August......all-effin'-ready!!!!!!!!! :o

I know, everyone's getting nostalgic about the 90s and it's crazy! Way too soon folks!

And when they call things form the 90s "old school"... that's the worst!  ;D

I know, everyone's getting nostalgic about the 90s and it's crazy! Way too soon folks!

And when they call things form the 90s "old school"... that's the worst!  ;D

Sorry, but we can't help it. The '90s seem as nostalgic to me as the '80s.

No worries, just an observation. And when I mean "they" I mean people not from this board... namely rap people who class 90s rap as old-school.

Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill came out in 1995, which represents the early-mid 90s feel very well.  Bone Thug's had their Crossroads hit in '95 too.  1994 didn't yet have this.

I can't believe we're talking about 10-11 or 12  years ago like it's so long ago.  I know to you it's a really long time ago, but to me "10-11 years ago" seems more like what 5-6 years ago probably feels like to you.  A while back, but very recent past.


You would probably see 1994 or 1996 the way I would see 1999 or 2002, would you say? As long ago as it seems, it doesn't seem "retro" to me.  People still wore their hair in similar ways, listened to similar music, had primitive versions of modern tech, in 1995.  Even the '80s I don't really see as "retro" the way I see the '60s or '70s, even if I wasn't alive in them, just because the '90s still had things in common with them.

thanks joyzee!

a lot of people find my decades theory rather radical. (50s? began in 1949, when china went communist and the soviets developed the H-bomb. 60s? began in 1959, when hawaii and alaska becama states.)


Well it boils down to the revival period, started in the mid to late 1970s.  Mind you, this is going back into time as far as refurbishing old styles and sounds go.  Back in the 70s, if you look at an R&B, Disco, Rock, and Pop album record, the artists were dressed up like it was the 1930s-1940s, with the old time sophisticated Ivy League look. The 1980s, say 1981-1984 brought back the "Greaser", Beatnik 1950s style and music to go with it. The early 1990s revived the late 60s and early 70s (I loved Dennis Leary's point about this one on his No Cure For Cancer comedy album). Mid 90s started moving bringing back Disco....with TONS AND TONS 'O' Disco compilation CDs.  The late 199os were starting to get 80s fever, and at last in the 2000s....diehard 80s.  It makes me wonder if the 2010s will be like the 1990s, which were like the 1970s, which were like the 1940s, which were like ahhhhhh.....yeah :o

Going forward, like you explained Tia, for the most part I agree, that we move up because the "end years" of a decade are very unique.  Those last 3 years are just itching to get out of the current decade.  The 1960s was a time of wars, political indifferences, death, and revolution.  1967, 1968, and 1969 wanted love and the younger Boomers wanted to get out of the 1960-66 "square-as-hell" mom and dad control.  1977, 1978, and 1979 (mainly '78 and '79) wanted out of the 70s....PERIOD!  By 1977, Toyota was already making vehicles geard to the 1980s.  1978 created the sounds of the New Wave era(1978-1983).  1979, Disco was getting old and being the last year of the 1970s, HUGE new years parties almost as big as the 2000 ball drop were thrown across the world to celebrate the 1980s.  1987-1989 were unique as well, because they were kind of they're own entity as far as pop culture goes.  A couple things that the late 80s celebrated about moving into the 90s was the fall of communism and the internet.  The time I was old enough to witness a "late years" period was 1997-1999. Those 3 years were very strange to me...I was 19-21 years old and was deep into the pop culture scene.  It's easy to say that '97-'99 was almost scared to enter 2000 because of the all mighty and ubiquitous Y2K scare.  So the late 90s kind of just wanted to stay where they were.  Technology in the late 90s, however, influenced a lot of things we have been taking advantage of today.  Now as we enter the 2007-2009 time frame, where will we go....?  Will we take on the 1990s, or will we finally enter what most have been waiting for...the future? 
Well Tia, and others, I hope you found this to be some help for you, and let me know if I'm wrong or right. 8)

Yes, I do agree that there are a FEW things in the '00s that were in the '90s. Example: I've had my hand on a computer mouse for about 10 years now and I haven't painted my room since then either.

However, I do consider the '90s retro. Maybe it's because that's the only former decade I've fully lived in. I even remember a handfull of grunge and neon.

However, I do consider the '90s retro. Maybe it's because that's the only former decade I've fully lived in. I even remember a handfull of grunge and neon.



The really early 90's(1990-1992) are retro because they were alot like the 80's. 1993-1996 even feels a little bit retro compared to now. 1997+ still feel's pretty current though.

I myself actually really like the look of the early '90s, with the baggies, triangles and squiggles, lots of dark urban feel, flannel shirts, etc. I wouldn't mind if that look sort of came back, actually...

Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill came out in 1995, which represents the early-mid 90s feel very well.  Bone Thug's had their Crossroads hit in '95 too.  1994 didn't yet have this.

I can't believe we're talking about 10-11 or 12  years ago like it's so long ago.  I know to you it's a really long time ago, but to me "10-11 years ago" seems more like what 5-6 years ago probably feels like to you.  A while back, but very recent past.


Just a little correction,  "Crossroads" by Bone Thugs N Harmony was a #1 Hit in July 1996

^^^^^^^^^ no it was in 95

^^^^^^^^^ no it was in 95


^^^^^^^^^no it was 62 :D

^^^^^^^^^ no it was in 95


No, In America, it was 1996

And here is some extra proof that it was 1996

http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1996/07-13.htm

Take a look at the #1 Song on the Chart that week

And then here is the list of #1 Hits on the Billboard "Hot 100" Chart from 1996
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_number-one_hits_of_1996_%28USA%29

As you can see, "Tha Crossroads" was #1 for 8 Weeks throughout the Summer of 1996