Each decade has a part of it that is most well known for.  For the 50s, it's the second half of the decade, particularly the 1956-1959 original Rock and Roll era.  For the 60s, it's definitely the late 60s with the rise of the hippies, the counterculture, and all that.  For the 70s, it's arguably the late 70s era of disco, punk, and Star Wars.  When we come to the 80s, I would argue that it's clearly the mid-80s that wound up being most remembered.

But what part of the 90s will be most remembered?  I say "will" because 90s nostalgia's rise in the mainstream is still fairly young and what will go down as defining five or ten years from now may be different.  I've already noticed a difference in focus.  Back in the mid-00s, 90s nostalgia was heavily focused on the grungy, alternative, edgier aspects of the first half of the 90s and most would say that would be the most remembered part of the 90s.  However, as things have progressed, I think we've seen nostalgia shifting away from that part of the 90s towards other aspects, such as the booming internet-driven late 90s and an increased focus on kids pop culture.

So what part of the 90s will be most remembered in the end?

So what part of the 90s will be most remembered in the end?


I think it depends on the age. I have observed on this forum that people born from the late 80s on, but especially 1989+ tend to define the 90s by the late part because that's what they remember. Everybody who remembers all of the 90s however would agree that 1992-96 were the real 90s.

Oh, well. I know, it's decadeology again.

I think it depends on the age. I have observed on this forum that people born from the late 80s on, but especially 1989+ tend to define the 90s by the late part because that's what they remember. Everybody who remembers all of the 90s however would agree that 1992-96 were the real 90s.

Oh, well. I know, it's decadeology again.


True, you could say it is definitely age dependent.  That said, I don't see how this thread is decadeology.  This isn't about "Was 1994 the 1983 of the 90s?" or "But is 1981 more like 1993 or 2002?" kind of posts that people on this forum say is decadeology. 

I would say 1993 cause of the World Trade Center Bombings.
and also 1999 too.

For me it's this:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.kidzworld.com/article/34262/1990sTimelineOJSimpson.jpg?1262313780

Or this:

http://i3.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article1508541.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Schwarzkopf+and+Powell

(Gulf War)

...and the buildup to this:

http://www.state.me.us/newsletter/backissues/apr99/l5Y2klogo.gif

It's hard to say.  It seems like most people either associate the decade with the early part of the later part.  The mid 90s seems to kind of be forgotten, probably because it's harder to really pinpoint culturally.  The early and late 90s both have a strong identity (the early 90s still having somewhat of an 80s vibe, and the late 90s already showing signs of 'millennium culture' with teen pop and the dot-com boom).  The middle of the decade was kind of a transition between the two; it was the 'peak', but not necessarily the most memorable part of the decade.

Late 90s right now, but that's only because of the "90s kids" culture popular right now that champions mid-late 90s cartoons.

I think the mid to late 90s (1996 to 1999) will generally be more remembered since that is when the internet was first popularized in culture.

I think the mid to late 90s (1996 to 1999) will generally be more remembered since that is when the internet was first popularized in culture.


I don't associate the 90s with the internet at all, because it was not as mainstreamed as it was in the 2000s in Germany. It was maybe really relevant for two years in the 90s over here; 1998 and 1999, and even then, it was still a special thing to have.

I don't associate the 90s with the internet at all, because it was not as mainstreamed as it was in the 2000s in Germany. It was maybe really relevant for two years in the 90s over here; 1998 and 1999, and even then, it was still a special thing to have.


That's not the case in the U.S. The internet was first getting big over here by 1995, and by 1998 most middle class households had access to it. By the end of the 90s we had an internet culture not too dissimilar from today.

I don't associate the 90s with the internet at all, because it was not as mainstreamed as it was in the 2000s in Germany. It was maybe really relevant for two years in the 90s over here; 1998 and 1999, and even then, it was still a special thing to have.


I don't either, but that has more to do with my own personal experiences. We didn't get internet access until the spring of 2000, and before then, I had only gotten online maybe a handful of times in the late 90's. In our area, home computers were fairly rare back then, so I'm not sure that I even knew what the internet was until those "dotcom" ads started to become more ubiquitous in about 1997 or so.

As to the original question, I think the 90's will mostly be remembered for 1991-94 "peak grunge" era (roughly between the debut of the Smells Like Teen Spirit video and the death of Kurt Cobain) in the same way that most people my age seem to think that the 70's was "all about disco", even though it was really only super popular for a period of no more than 3 years.

I don't either, but that has more to do with my own personal experiences. We didn't get internet access until the spring of 2000, and before then, I had only gotten online maybe a handful of times in the late 90's.


Same to me. I got Internet access in mid 2000 and if it was such of a necessity (as it is today) already in the late 90s, I would have definetly missed it. But I didn't and it was pretty normal to me to have a computer for more than a year without the internet at all.

Same to me. I got Internet access in mid 2000 and if it was such of a necessity (as it is today) already in the late 90s, I would have definetly missed it. But I didn't and it was pretty normal to me to have a computer for more than a year without the internet at all.


Our Family finally got a computer in 1995 and 2 years later, got the internet

Our Family finally got a computer in 1995 and 2 years later, got the internet


Same, we got a PC around 1995 and had the internet by 1997.

Same, we got a PC around 1995 and had the internet by 1997.


and before 1997 I used the computer in the library.

Well for those claiming grunge as THE definitive '90s genre, you can also make a strong case for late '90s Teen Pop since that's what the '90s kids remember (often right as they hit puberty). I agree about the '90s having two distinct eras with a fuzzy transition in the middle, as the 16-bit era transitioned to the 32/64 bit era right in the middle, starting with the short-lived Atari Jaguar and Sega 32X, followed by Sega Saturn, Playstation 1, and then N64 which continued through the end of the '90s except for Dreamcast appearing at the very end. But it still puts the mid-90s as the "most 90s" part of the decade where the two main parts converge, not to mention it was the only portion of the decade when Pogs were distinctively popular and the sitcom Seinfeld was at its peak.

you can also make a strong case for late '90s Teen Pop since that's what the '90s kids remember (often right as they hit puberty).


I was never into it, but the teen pop music of the late 90s indeed reminds me of that time between being a kid and a teenager. But since that style shifted well into 2000/01, I always tend to put that music from my early 'teenhood' into the 'millennial era' which is neither really 90s nor 00s to me. It's therefore hard for me - even as a 90s kid - to say that teen pop is typical 90s.

I think the years between 1990-1995 will most likely be remembered.

About 90's pop culture: I always go back and forth with this. Right now, what I used to think of as sort of 80's style things in the 90's were really precursor 90's things in the late 80's.

Well for those claiming grunge as THE definitive '90s genre, you can also make a strong case for late '90s Teen Pop since that's what the '90s kids remember (often right as they hit puberty). I agree about the '90s having two distinct eras with a fuzzy transition in the middle, as the 16-bit era transitioned to the 32/64 bit era right in the middle, starting with the short-lived Atari Jaguar and Sega 32X, followed by Sega Saturn, Playstation 1, and then N64 which continued through the end of the '90s except for Dreamcast appearing at the very end. But it still puts the mid-90s as the "most 90s" part of the decade where the two main parts converge, not to mention it was the only portion of the decade when Pogs were distinctively popular and the sitcom Seinfeld was at its peak.



I was never into it, but the teen pop music of the late 90s indeed reminds me of that time between being a kid and a teenager. But since that style shifted well into 2000/01, I always tend to put that music from my early 'teenhood' into the 'millennial era' which is neither really 90s nor 00s to me. It's therefore hard for me - even as a 90s kid - to say that teen pop is typical 90s.


Agree with both posts.  The 90s was such a diverse decade, and a very transitional time both technologically and pop culturally.  I kind of see it as the link between the pre-internet/analog era, and the current internet/digital age.  The transition from analog to digital obviously started before the 90s, and continues on a small scale even to this day (you can still buy blank cassettes/VHS for example), but the tide seemed to start shifting towards digital in the mid-late 90s.

Culturally you could say grunge was the one genre/movement that was exclusive to the 90s for the most part, but there was a lot more to the decade than grunge.  You had the tail end of hair metal and cheesy rap like Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer in the very early 90s; the peak of grunge and gangsta rap in the early/mid 90s; an influx of r&b (R Kelly, TLC, Boyz II Men, etc.) in the middle of the decade; the emergence of post grunge in the mid/late 90s; and the peak of teen pop/latin pop and nu metal in the very late 90s/early 00s.  There was so much diversity in style, it's really hard to say what will be most remembered.

I think it depends on the age. I have observed on this forum that people born from the late 80s on, but especially 1989+ tend to define the 90s by the late part because that's what they remember. Everybody who remembers all of the 90s however would agree that 1992-96 were the real 90s.

Oh, well. I know, it's decadeology again.


True. Not only do I slightly disagree with your parameters but your post is the very reason decadology is banned. As many differences as you can make between the mid 90s and late 90s, there are plenty of differences between the late 90s and early 2000s. The 90s is 1990-1999, there is no "true 90s". If there was I would probably say 1993-97 (slide a year over) but there really isn't such a thing. There are enough similarities and differences between any year x and any year y.

1994 because that was when I graduated high school.  :)

1993

1991-1996

1991-1996


1991-1996 = -5

:D

1991-1996 = -5

:D


Yes.  ;D

December 31st, 1999  :D

I'd say late 90's at least for now because whenever I ask someone about the 90's they say they remember "Spice Girls, N Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Y2K. Never Nirvana and Grunge for some reason. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the 90's currently is being remembered as the Golden Age of Hip-Hop and R&B and the rapper legend Tupac. I guess that's just the way it is.  :-\\

I'd say late 90's at least for now because whenever I ask someone about the 90's they say they remember "Spice Girls, N Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Y2K. Never Nirvana and Grunge for some reason.


Then ask different -older- people and not only those who remember the late 90s. ;)

December 31st, 1999  :D
What a party it was that night!

December 31st, 1999  :D


My favorite part of the 90s were all the 90s days after that.

What a party it was that night!


But it was pure chaos!  :o

Ninety-seven

Grunge, Flannel, Friends, the rise of the World Wide Web, Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad pitt, Oklahoma city bombing, Y2K, and boy/girl bands. I think those will be the most remebered things about the 90'z in years to come

Grunge, Flannel, Friends, the rise of the World Wide Web, Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad pitt, Oklahoma city bombing, Y2K, and boy/girl bands. I think those will be the most remebered things about the 90'z in years to come

And old school hip hop as well.

Any time between 1990 - 1998, 1999 was already starting the y2k era.

Grunge, Flannel, Friends, the rise of the World Wide Web, Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad pitt, Oklahoma city bombing, Y2K, and boy/girl bands. I think those will be the most remebered things about the 90'z in years to come


That pretty much sums it up.

And old school hip hop as well.
Old school was late 70s to late 80s. 90s Hip-Hop is not considered "old school".

Old school was late 70s to late 80s. 90s Hip-Hop is not considered "old school".


depends, some people have it from 1984-1997 death of biggie smalls. while others have it from 1980-1992, 1979-1987, and 1987-1994.

depends, some people have it from 1984-1997 death of biggie smalls. while others have it from 1980-1992, 1979-1987, and 1987-1994.


The technical definition of "old school" is 1970's~1984, as opposed to the New School hip-hop that came out late 1984.

Old school was late 70s to late 80s. 90s Hip-Hop is not considered "old school".


It's more of a genre.

Early-Mid 90s, I don't hear much of Late 90s, when I grew up, only stuff in which I was before I was born before I was a kid.

I really wish the Late 90s was more celebrated, as a kid I was always wanted to be apart of the 80s, or early-mid 90s, but I grew content and realized the late 90s were better because it's something I can actually recall.

At the moment, I'd also have to say the early to mid 90's ('91-'96).

Early-Mid 90s, I don't hear much of Late 90s, when I grew up, only stuff in which I was before I was born before I was a kid.

I really wish the Late 90s was more celebrated, as a kid I was always wanted to be apart of the 80s, or early-mid 90s, but I grew content and realized the late 90s were better because it's something I can actually recall.


I think you haven't heard much of the late 90s because it hasn't been old enough for many people to be nostalgic about it. Around 2008 is when I started noticing early 90s nostalgia, and then mid 90s nostalgia around 2011. I think the late 90s nostalgia will start to creep in very soon as 1997 is already 16 years ago.

I think you haven't heard much of the late 90s because it hasn't been old enough for many people to be nostalgic about it. Around 2008 is when I started noticing early 90s nostalgia, and then mid 90s nostalgia around 2011. I think the late 90s nostalgia will start to creep in very soon as 1997 is already 16 years ago.


Yeah, I don't think nostalgia for the late 90's will start until the late 10's early 20's (by then, the 90's as a whole will be 20+ years old).

The late '90s.  When I think of the '90s, I think mostly of the period from 1996-1999, during the tech boom.  I was alive and conscious  during the early part of the decade but it had a far different feel.

Yeah, I don't think nostalgia for the late 90's will start until the late 10's early 20's (by then, the 90's as a whole will be 20+ years old).


I agree, just wait another couple of more years.

I agree, just wait another couple of more years.


People can and often do get nostalgic before 20 years. In 2010, there were countless 90s nostalgia threads on websites and they weren't just talking about 1990. As late as 1994 was defnitely nostalgic for people born in the eighties.

Yeah, I don't think nostalgia for the late 90's will start until the late 10's early 20's (by then, the 90's as a whole will be 20+ years old).


I have 0 nostalgia for the 90s. Zero, zilch, none..

I think I have mentioned that is several other threads...but the question keeps coming back in different threads.

I have 0 nostalgia for the 90s. Zero, zilch, none..

I think I have mentioned that is several other threads...but the question keeps coming back in different threads.


I'll never have nostalgia for the 2010s I believe. That's what the 1990s were basically to you. Why should I have nostalgia for my mid20s-mid30s? Actually nothing special happens.

Kid years and teens are different, so I have nostalgia for the 90s and early 00s.

I have 0 nostalgia for the 90s. Zero, zilch, none..

I think I have mentioned that is several other threads...but the question keeps coming back in different threads.


That might be age thing though. Once you're older than 20, every year is probably less "special" than the previous. I'm not entirely sure when you're born, was it the 60s? If you ever do have nostalgia for the '90s, you'll probably be 80 or older. It takes longer for adult years to become nostalgic and even then, there's no guarentee that you ever will be nostalgic for them.

I'll never have nostalgia for the 2010s I believe. That's what the 1990s were basically to you.


Could be..


That might be age thing though. Once you're older than 20, every year is probably less "special" than the previous. I'm not entirely sure when you're born, was it the 60s?


Yup, born in the early 60s.


If you ever do have nostalgia for the '90s, you'll probably be 80 or older. It takes longer for adult years to become nostalgic and even then, there's no guarentee that you ever will be nostalgic for them.


You may be right. Maybe I'll be nostalgic for anything 90s, when I'm 80 (If I live that long)  ;D.
Right now I don't see it, coz there was nothing I liked about the 90s. But 30 years can change things.

I am nostalgic for the '90s.  Not so much for the mid-00s because those were terrible years for me but I am more nostalgic for the late '00s.  Not because they were great years - with the economic collapse and everything they weren't, but because it was the time that I was really coming into myself.  Today, I pretty much live a robotic lifestyle and doubt I will ever be nostalgic for this period of time.

I am mostly nostalgic for 1992-1994 and 1999. I miss TV and culture from that time.  And the general feel where I live was great. I also liked cars made around 1990-1994, before the ovoid look of the mid 90's kicked in. Thank god it went back to angular in 1999/2000. Since 1999 is similar to 2000, I'd add 2000, too or exclude 1999. However, I don't like and never liked 90's music, so I don't care about it. :) 1995-1998 was not a cool era IMO.

That might be age thing though. Once you're older than 20, every year is probably less "special" than the previous. I'm not entirely sure when you're born, was it the 60s? If you ever do have nostalgia for the '90s, you'll probably be 80 or older. It takes longer for adult years to become nostalgic and even then, there's no guarentee that you ever will be nostalgic for them.


I've been nostalgic for the 70's and 80's.

I've been nostalgic for the 70's and 80's.


Okay well whatever decades people are nostalgic for isn't the point of the topic. So getting back on topic, I'd probably say that the decade is pretty consistent throughout. Even the late 90s:

* "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" - Bill Clinton
* PlayStation
* Backstreet Boys/Spice Girls
* Titanic (highest grossing film of the decade)

I have 0 nostalgia for the 90s. Zero, zilch, none..

I think I have mentioned that is several other threads...but the question keeps coming back in different threads.


Fair enough :). I remember you have mentioned that in other threads actually. I wasn't trying to say that everyone will be nostalgic for the late 90's a couple of years from now. Not everyone should be nostalgic for a time period just because they lived through it.

Personally, I'm nostalgic for the mid-late 90's at the moment. 

Speaking of nostalgia, it surprises me when I see 12 year olds on the internet saying "I miss the good old days". What "good old days"? You're still young and haven't even entered the real world yet. Not only that, but how far back are you remembering? Seven years?

I could understand a 20 year old having some nostalgia, but a 12 year old?

I could understand a 20 year old having some nostalgia, but a 12 year old?


I did not have much nostalgia for my childhood until 24-25. Back then I could only barely remember "20 years ago". Today it's different -> my start of elementary school is already 20 years ago this year.

Speaking of nostalgia, it surprises me when I see 12 year olds on the internet saying "I miss the good old days". What "good old days"? You're still young and haven't even entered the real world yet. Not only that, but how far back are you remembering? Seven years?

I could understand a 20 year old having some nostalgia, but a 12 year old?


I agree 12 year olds have no nostalgia. They're too young to understand.