I know there's a lot of different opinions on when the 90s actually we're 90s "culturally" but I think and feel it really became 90s in 93 I sort of feel 90-92 were like an extension of the late 80s but with a 90s flavor to them.Thanks for answering.

By my calendar it was January 1st 1990.

By my calendar it was January 1st 1990.
culturally not by calendar because I'm pretty sure 90s culture didn't start right at 1990.

culturally not by calendar because I'm pretty sure 90s culture didn't start right at 1990.


It kind of did. If you look at how the Cold War was basically over, house and madchester were big influences in music, and television saw the debuts of several revolutionary programs within one year, it's perfectly reasonable to declare 1990 as the beginning of the cultural 90s. Yeah, there were still a lot of things tied to the late 80s that hadn't faded yet, but regardless, even the first year of the 1990s was reasonably distinguished from the last year of the 1980s.

Culturally it began around Autumn 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell, when house and several other 90's music genres began to rise and when the Simpsons made its official debut, but it wasn't a fully 90's zeitgeist until the 1991-1992 school year when Grunge made its breakthrough and when the Soviet Union collapsed.

culturally not by calendar because I'm pretty sure 90s culture didn't start right at 1990.


'90s culture came out of the '80s, so everything (i.e. - Sega Genesis, the TV show "Roseanne", and the music of Janet Jackson) was there in 1990. 1990 was the most '90s year out of all of  the 1990s.

Culturally it began around Autumn 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell, when house and several other 90's music genres began to rise and when the Simpsons made its official debut, but it wasn't a fully 90's zeitgeist until the 1991-1992 school year when Grunge made its breakthrough and when the Soviet Union collapsed.

The Christmas Special was not the first episode of the series. It was a stand-alone Christmas special.

I'd say the last remnants of the 80s were gone by the end of summer 1993......the 93-94 school year was the first that felt like your were fully engulfed in the 90s.

I'd say the last remnants of the 80s were gone by the end of summer 1993......the 93-94 school year was the first that felt like your were fully engulfed in the 90s.


What remnants are you talking about?

The first time you'd see any hints of 90s culture? Probably 1989. The time when 90s culture became dominate and nearly all 80s leftovers disappearing? I'd say around late 1992/early 1993.

The first time you'd see any hints of 90s culture? Probably 1989. The time when 90s culture became dominate and nearly all 80s leftovers disappearing? I'd say around late 1992/early 1993.


'90s culture was already dominant in the first seven months of the year 1990. There were not any"80s holdovers" in the '90s. The  TV show Married with Children, the Raven Simone episodes of The Cosby Show, the Leonardo Dicaprio episodes of Growing Pains, Nintendo, Batman, and The Little Mermaid are all '90s things.

What remnants are you talking about?


A sampling of some top 40 hits in January 1993. Gradually fading '80s remnants.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP9wVS857v8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0oAyDMHOjg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt87bLX7m_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSN4ybN0jzg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU

A sampling of some top 40 hits in January 1993. Gradually fading '80s remnants.....

I agree with all of those except "I Will Always Love You," which could have come out in the late 80s but is really more iconic to the 90s and fits perfectly fine alongside late 90s love ballads like "My Heart Will Go On" and "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time." Whitney Houston's hit-making abilities didn't fade until the 2000s.

I would also say Peter Gabriel's "Steam" isn't distinctly 80s because of its production, but it's still by a primarily 80s solo artist and is written much more like an 80s song.

I agree with all of those except "I Will Always Love You," which could have come out in the late 80s but is really more iconic to the 90s and fits perfectly fine alongside late 90s love ballads like "My Heart Will Go On" and "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time." Whitney Houston's hit-making abilities didn't fade until the 2000s.

I would also say Peter Gabriel's "Steam" isn't distinctly 80s because of its production, but it's still by a primarily 80s solo artist and is written much more like an 80s song.


Yeah, it became pretty iconic for the '90s because of its enormous international success and The Bodyguard. But that saxophone....

By my calendar it was January 1st 1990.


I agree Philip!

By my calendar it was January 1st 1990.


I agree.

In 1990, rugby pullover sweaters and Dolfins shorts were no longer fashionable. Also, the original Star Wars action figures from Kenner were being sold at Salvation Army stores everywhere and Jane Pauley was no longer a co-host on the Today show. The '80s were over.

I would say 91-92.

1993.

1993.


Why do you say that?  ???

1993.


I second this.

I second this.

Awesome! 8)

Why do you say that?  ???

A lot reasons.

However, I know that you have a very unique opinion on this question that I most likely won't change.

For those saying 1993, I think we could add the death of River Phoenix in October 1993 as the last, last, last nail in the coffin of the 80s. When you think of it in retrospect, for all his edginess or quirkiness that fit comfortably alongside grunge, and his excellent performance in 1991's "My Own Private Idaho" (which in itself could be viewed as an 80s-to-90s transitional movie), the bulk of his career took place in the 80s, making him essentially, or even quintessentially,  for all intents and purposes, an 80s star.

For those saying 1993, I think we could add the death of River Phoenix in October 1993 as the last, last, last nail in the coffin of the 80s. When you think of it in retrospect, for all his edginess or quirkiness that fit comfortably alongside grunge, and his excellent performance in 1991's "My Own Private Idaho" (which in itself could be viewed as an 80s-to-90s transitional movie), the bulk of his career took place in the 80s, making him essentially, or even quintessentially,  for all intents and purposes, an 80s star.


Jane Pauley leaving the Today show was the final nail in the coffin of the ‘80s. The ‘80s were over way before River Phoenix passed away in ‘93. 1990 to 1992 are early ‘90s years.

'80s hair and clothing lasted the longest. At least among everyday people. By 1995, hair and clothes were predominately '90s. By 1997, '80s hair became a "Where is Waldo?" kind of thing.

I agree that 1992/1993 was when the 90's 'had arrived'. But if you look at pictures, there were still subtle hints of '80s' all the way until like 1994/1995.

'80s hair and clothing lasted the longest. At least among everyday people. By 1995, hair and clothes were predominately '90s. By 1997, '80s hair became a "Where is Waldo?" kind of thing.


So, you’re saying that the long-layered feathered shag hairstyle, Dolfins, and ‘I’m With Stupid’ shirts were still being worn in 1994?
:o


I agree that 1992/1993 was when the 90's 'had arrived'. But if you look at pictures, there were still subtle hints of '80s' all the way until like 1994/1995.


Actually, the 90s arrived in 1990. Those “subtle hints of the 80s” that you’re talking about were all thought of as ‘90s things to most people who lived in that time.

Calander wise: 1990
Culturally: the most popular answers are either 1991 or 1993.

I would say 1993, when Bill Clinton was inaugurated. However, I think a case can be made for 1989 or 1991. Things didn't really feel like the core '90s though until Clinton was in office.

Overall, the 80s and 90s followed a similar pattern to the '00s and '10s in my opinion.

I think it was sometime between late 1990 when the Persian Gulf War happened and early 1993 when Bill Clinton became president and the World Trade Center Bombing occured.

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1990