I was thinking about this earlier. If Grunge/alternative rock did not breakthrough into the mainstream in Late 1991/Early 1992, the '90s (and 2000s) could have turned out very differently. I think people underestimate the influence Grunge/alternative rock had on the popular culture of the '90s. If Grunge/alternative rock hadn't of emerged, here is how the '90s possibly might have panned out.

* Rock music quite possibly would have suffered the same fate as it did in the Early 2010s. While hair metal was still popular in 1990 and 1991, it was quite clearly on its last legs. If Grunge/alternative rock hadn't of emerged in Late 1991, I predict that rock music would have disappeared from the mainstream by 1993.

* Post-grunge wouldn't exist, meaning that the 2000s would have had a completely different overall sound. This also means that there is a chance that Nu Metal wouldn't have become popular in the Late 90s/Early 2000s, as it was built on the foundations established by Grunge (e.g angst, dark themes etc.)

* The Generation-X nature of pop culture (cynicism, edginess) most likely wouldn't have existed.

* This also puts into doubt the existence of Beavis & Butthead. Do you think the show would have worked if the pair were mocking songs such as "House of Love" by East 17 or "I Swear" by All-4-One? Probably not.

* The '90s most likely would have been a more hip-hop and dance focused decade.

This makes me feel glad that grunge kept rock alive for the 90s and 2000s. There were a lot of good techno artists back in the 90s and 2000s, but I would rather listen to rock and metal from those decades.

I was thinking about this earlier. If Grunge/alternative rock did not breakthrough into the mainstream in Late 1991/Early 1992, the '90s (and 2000s) could have turned out very differently. I think people underestimate the influence Grunge/alternative rock had on the popular culture of the '90s. If Grunge/alternative rock hadn't of emerged, here is how the '90s possibly might have panned out.

* Rock music quite possibly would have suffered the same fate as it did in the Early 2010s. While hair metal was still popular in 1990 and 1991, it was quite clearly on its last legs. If Grunge/alternative rock hadn't of emerged in Late 1991, I predict that rock music would have disappeared from the mainstream by 1993.

Rock would not have died, it just would've followed a different trajectory. People were already sort of warming up to alternative music in the late 80s, and...well, once again, 90s rock was more than just grunge. Actually, I think Madchester music would have lasted far deeper into the decade, since it was so huge in the early 1990s, even achieving serious success in the United States as well with Jesus Jones and EMF, for example. In that case, more 90s rock would've blurred the lines between dance/hip hop and rock, and who knows where that would've led?

* Post-grunge wouldn't exist, meaning that the 2000s would have had a completely different overall sound. This also means that there is a chance that Nu Metal wouldn't have become popular in the Late 90s/Early 2000s, as it was built on the foundations established by Grunge (e.g angst, dark themes etc.)

Well, since metal had already been popular before the 1980s, and Metallica's Black Album got successful right before Nirvana's Nevermind, I think at some point nu-metal would still have come to be, likely not even that different from what it was in the real late 90s and early 2000s.

* The Generation-X nature of pop culture (cynicism, edginess) most likely wouldn't have existed.

Nirvana didn't just storm in and make Generation X depressed and angsty, they were already just that due to the social and political changes of the previous decade. Grunge was just a sort of mirror for what the non-mainstream crowd felt in the early 1990s, making it an accidental grassroots success, not a commercial movement...at least not until post-grunge arrived in the mid-1990s.

* This also puts into doubt the existence of Beavis & Butthead. Do you think the show would have worked if the pair were mocking songs such as "House of Love" by East 17 or "I Swear" by All-4-One? Probably not.

They might have found other extravagant songs to mock. By the way, brownie points for mentioning East 17's "House of Love" - great freaking dance song from a group the United States completely turned a cold shoulder to and I only discovered because of the UK Now series.

* The '90s most likely would have been a more hip-hop and dance focused decade.

Yep, I agree, though still gangsta rap would've eventually found its way into the mainstream, due to the sociopolitical context of the time and the fact that the foundations had already been laid in the late 1980s.

Rock would not have died, it just would've followed a different trajectory. People were already sort of warming up to alternative music in the late 80s, and...well, once again, 90s rock was more than just grunge. Actually, I think Madchester music would have lasted far deeper into the decade, since it was so huge in the early 1990s, even achieving serious success in the United States as well with Jesus Jones and EMF, for example. In that case, more 90s rock would've blurred the lines between dance/hip hop and rock, and who knows where that would've led?

Well, since metal had already been popular before the 1980s, and Metallica's Black Album got successful right before Nirvana's Nevermind, I think at some point nu-metal would still have come to be, likely not even that different from what it was in the real late 90s and early 2000s.

Nirvana didn't just storm in and make Generation X depressed and angsty, they were already just that due to the social and political changes of the previous decade. Grunge was just a sort of mirror for what the non-mainstream crowd felt in the early 1990s, making it an accidental grassroots success, not a commercial movement...at least not until post-grunge arrived in the mid-1990s.

They might have found other extravagant songs to mock. By the way, brownie points for mentioning East 17's "House of Love" - great freaking dance song from a group the United States completely turned a cold shoulder to and I only discovered because of the UK Now series.

Yep, I agree, though still gangsta rap would've eventually found its way into the mainstream, due to the sociopolitical context of the time and the fact that the foundations had already been laid in the late 1980s.

I agree with everything that #Infinity said here.

Rock would not have died, it just would've followed a different trajectory. People were already sort of warming up to alternative music in the late 80s, and...well, once again, 90s rock was more than just grunge.


You're right, 90s rock was more than just grunge, however I think it's up to debate as to whether rock would've followed a different trajectory or if it would have eventually disappeared from the mainstream altogether. I'm not entirely convinced that alternative music would have become as successful, had it not been for Grunge. R.E.M achieved several hits in the Billboard Hot 100 prior to the emergence of Grunge in Late 1991, however they were the only band of their kind to do so. Bands such as Sonic Youth and Jane's Addiction may have been influential to the genre, but none of the bands ever charted in the Billboard Hot 100.

It's likely that rock music would have survived in some form, however if you were to base it on the status of rock prior to the emergence of Grunge, I think you could make a case for it not surviving in the mainstream for much longer. However, with that said, there's no real way of predicting which direction rock music could have headed in.


Nirvana didn't just storm in and make Generation X depressed and angsty, they were already just that due to the social and political changes of the previous decade. Grunge was just a sort of mirror for what the non-mainstream crowd felt in the early 1990s, making it an accidental grassroots success, not a commercial movement...at least not until post-grunge arrived in the mid-1990s.


Yes, but do you think it would have been reflected in other elements of popular culture? Most aspects of '90s pop culture which are renowned for being cynical and angsty, have some sort of connection to the Grunge movement. With the absence of Grunge, I have my doubts that those same characteristics would have been reflected in other prominent music genres of the time, such as New-Jack Swing and eurodance.


By the way, brownie points for mentioning East 17's "House of Love" - great freaking dance song from a group the United States completely turned a cold shoulder to and I only discovered because of the UK Now series.


Unfortunately, that doesn't surprise me. Generally speaking, it seems as though the US is not as accepting of international bands/artists. :(

Interestingly enough, "House of Love" was actually more successful in Australia than it was in the UK. The song peaked at #10 on the UK charts, however it managed to peak as high as #5 on the ARIA chart and it was even certified gold in 1993, having sold 35,000 units. I'm personally not a fan of the song (or the genre, in all honesty), but I can completely understand why other people would like it. :)