I know that popular music in general was more targeted at theh teen/young adult crowd in 1993, and I somehow doubt most 13-year olds would be into bands like Nirvana, RHCP's (of course alot were, but they weren't the main bands that 13yos would listen to), probably favourite saccharine proto-Boy Band stuff like Boyz to Men, Paula Abdul.etc, glossy hip hop like M.C. Hammer, and select rock groups like the Smashing Pumpkins. Your thoughts?

Alot of 13-year olds have pretty adult musical tastes. I think stuff like NKOTB, definitely...but also alot of people probably would've liked the Pumpkins and Nirvana.

I know that popular music in general was more targeted at theh teen/young adult crowd in 1993, and I somehow doubt most 13-year olds would be into bands like Nirvana, RHCP's (of course alot were, but they weren't the main bands that 13yos would listen to), probably favourite saccharine proto-Boy Band stuff like Boyz to Men, Paula Abdul.etc, glossy hip hop like M.C. Hammer, and select rock groups like the Smashing Pumpkins. Your thoughts?


Actually in 1993, it WAS the 8-15 year old boys that drove Nirvana and Pearl Jam back in 93.  I ought to know. I have twin cousins who were 9 at the time, one of them (the boy) was a HUGE Nirvana fan back in the day.

Alot of 13-year olds have pretty adult musical tastes. I think stuff like NKOTB, definitely...but also alot of people probably would've liked the Pumpkins and Nirvana.


Yeah, Nirvana, the Pumpkins, RH's DID have a large following among young teens, although I would distance myself from saying they formed a major component of the music listened to by teens in that era, only actually becoming popular with 13-year olds after they'd reached their peak. Nirvana is one of those groups that remain eternally 'hip', and never really lose their power. Whereas most of the largely 80s sounding synth hits of 1990 scream 'cheese.'

I was 13 years old in 1993...and believe it or not, I didn't have much musical taste. I preferred to listen to sports and sports talk.

As for tv shows...the things I often watched were game shows.

I was 13 years old in 1993...and believe it or not, I didn't have much musical taste. I preferred to listen to sports and sports talk.

As for tv shows...the things I often watched were game shows.


Indeed, 90s kids didn't seem to have much of an interest in music (sort of supporting my point) in comparison to 00s teens who are bombarded with a pre-regurgitated 'package of everything a cool teen watches, listens to, wears and does' to be cool. Don't you think?

Indeed, 90s kids didn't seem to have much of an interest in music

I wouldn't exactly say that. I began to like listening to music in February/March of 1994...and I've enjoyed it ever since. :)

I wouldn't exactly say that. I began to like listening to music in February/March of 1994...and I've enjoyed it ever since. :)


But you were already...what, 14 in 1994? I understand you didn't listen to much music prior to 93?

But you were already...what, 14 in 1994? I understand you didn't listen to much music prior to 93?

I listened to some music. When I was 9 years old, in '89, I seemed to enjoy the oldies (50's/60's pop/rock)...and I had a brief stint of enjoying music in '91 with "Adult Contemporary"-type music. Other than that, I listened to whatever my parents played on the stereo at home or on the radio in the car.

And by the way, I didn't turn 14 till July of '94.

I was 14 in 1993, and I remember getting into rap again, since that was the year that gangsta rap became big. I remember "The Chronic" album by Dr. Dre was huge that year, as well as 2Pac, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, and Naughty By Nature. I also listened to R&B groups and artists that were part of the new jack swing era, such as Tony Toni Tone, SWV, Excape, Babyface, Silk, and Shai (the "Freak Me" song). 1993 also had cheesy early 90's one-hit wonders such as "Whoop, There It Is!" and "Slam".

1993 also had cheesy early 90's one-hit wonders such as "Whoomp, There It Is!"

I was in junior high at the time that one came out... I remember kids going around school singing it, and I wondered if that was part of a popular song or something...sure enough, by early 1994, I heard it on the radio and it was by a rap act called Tag Team.

I was 11 and 12 in 1993, and as far as current music went, it was more pop and rock songs (i.e. "If I Ever Lose My Faith" by Sting, "Come to My Window" by Melissa Etheridge, "Hey Jealousy" by the Gin Blossoms, etc). Plus, of course, stuff from the '80s that I already was into. ;)

I never really enjoyed Grunge, rap or heavy metal, although I remember alot of the other kids did. Metallica was pretty big among my peers I remember (I vaguely liked "Enter Sandman" once I got used to it).

BTW, I would argue Nirvana had a huge "rock" fanbase in terms of ages, even if it was directly opposite the fun hair metal type stuff (and was even designed to wipe that stuff off the pop charts). I'd say anyone from 8-25 at the time could've been into it, although the median "grunge" fan was probably born around 1978.

I was 11 and 12 in 1993, and as far as current music went, it was more pop and rock songs (i.e. "If I Ever Lose My Faith" by Sting, "Come to My Window" by Melissa Etheridge, "Hey Jealousy" by the Gin Blossoms, etc). Plus, of course, stuff from the '80s that I already was into. ;)

I never really enjoyed Grunge, rap or heavy metal, although I remember alot of the other kids did. Metallica was pretty big among my peers I remember (I vaguely liked "Enter Sandman" once I got used to it).

BTW, I would argue Nirvana had a huge "rock" fanbase in terms of ages, even if it was directly opposite the fun hair metal type stuff (and was even designed to wipe that stuff off the pop charts). I'd say anyone from 8-25 at the time could've been into it, although the median "grunge" fan was probably born around 1978.


Yeah, the core Nirvana audience is probably about 22-40 now (Cobain would have turned 40 next year), someone who listened to them in their teens and 20s. Metallica is also another timeless group - hard to believe they started out in 1981 (so a 50 year old could have still grown up listening to them as a young person), yet they also have many young fans to this day.

Indeed, 90s kids didn't seem to have much of an interest in music (sort of supporting my point) in comparison to 00s teens who are bombarded with a pre-regurgitated 'package of everything a cool teen watches, listens to, wears and does' to be cool. Don't you think?



Totally agree. When I was a kid in the '90s the only music I ever got into was whatever my parents listened to. I didn't even start to really listen to music really until '98 when I turned 11 and even then it was just select pop songs. Now kids even younger than that are getting into popular music(how else could you explian something like High School Musical ever being #1 on the charts :D)

Totally agree. When I was a kid in the '90s the only music I ever got into was whatever my parents listened to. I didn't even start to really listen to music really until '98 when I turned 11 and even then it was just select pop songs. Now kids even younger than that are getting into popular music(how else could you explian something like High School Musical ever being #1 on the charts :D)


Yeah. In your honest opinion, do you think this catering to the youngsters (for financial or other reasons) is detrimental to the music industry as a whole? I mean, do you think it is reducing the quality of music produced (if that is possible)?

Yeah. In your honest opinion, do you think this catering to the youngsters (for financial or other reasons) is detrimental to the music industry as a whole? I mean, do you think it is reducing the quality of music produced (if that is possible)?



To a certian extent, yes I believe it is. I don't believe it's any coincidence that most of the music that caters to young kids is bad. And not just the '00s but the NKOTB in the '80s and Hanson in the '90s(just to name a few) are both examples of music that caters the kids is pretty much horrible(sorry NKOTB or Hanson fans). Another horrible. example of the music industry trying to make popular music accesible to children would be Kidz Bop.

To a certian extent, yes I believe it is. I don't believe it's any coincidence that most of the music that caters to young kids is bad. And not just the '00s but the NKOTB in the '80s and Hanson in the '90s(just to name a few) are both examples of music that caters the kids is pretty much horrible(sorry NKOTB or Hanson fans). Another horrible. example of the music industry trying to make popular music accesible to children would be Kidz Bop.


All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not an 11-year old growing up today.

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not an 11-year old growing up today.



No doubt about that ;D

I was 11 years old in 1993 and this is what I was into:

MTV's Real World (when it was decent to watch and you actually cared for Pedro and Puck)
Ren and Stimpy
Gansta Rap
Janet Jackson's Janet album
Free Willy
Wearing lots and lots of flannel and plaids
Birkenstocks returned
Beavis and Butthead

I was 11 years old in 1993 and this is what I was into:

MTV's Real World (when it was decent to watch and you actually cared for Pedro and Puck)
Ren and Stimpy
Gansta Rap
Janet Jackson's Janet album
Free Willy
Wearing lots and lots of flannel and plaids
Birkenstocks returned
Beavis and Butthead


Lol...I was into Ren and Stimpy, and I remember seeing Free Willy in the similar clearly. I also recall seeing Jurassic Park and Terminator 2: Judgement Day - I think those were the two defining movies of 1993, well at least in my memory. I remember wearing alot of basketball-related apparel, like basketball singlets, caps.etc.

I was 3 in 1993.  :D