This ones a little weird but there are quite a few songs that dont sound very Core 90s, but not Y2K either, here are a few examples:

Ghost Town DJ's - My Boo (1996) While Miami Bass was a thing in the Late 80s/Early 90s, this one sounds completely different. It's not dark like a typical Classic 90s R&B or Ballad song, and it has that Bubblegum feel to it, but it doesnt sound very Y2K either.
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Aaliyah - One In A Million (1997) This one was produced by Timbaland, so it has the same flow similar to Say My Name by Destiny's Child, although it doesnt sound as bright or poppy and is more in between a Classic 90s R&B and a Y2K Pop-R&B song.
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What do you guys think?

I noticed that quite a few songs from 1996-1998 are on the 'cusp' of the two islands.

I Want You Back - N-Sync (1996): This was a late 90s Max Martin teen pop song but at the same time, it sounds kinda like New Jack Swing.
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Barbie Girl - Aqua(1997): While it sounds very bubblegummy and cheery, the Eurodance production sounds similar to 1996 eurodance songs Where Do You Go and Be My Lover.
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I Want You Back - N-Sync (1996): This was a late 90s Max Martin teen pop song but at the same time, it sounds kinda like New Jack Swing.
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Barbie Girl - Aqua(1997): While it sounds very bubblegummy and cheery, the Eurodance production sounds similar to 1996 eurodance songs Where Do You Go and Be My Lover.
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Wow, two great examples! I Want You Back sounds kinda in between Humpin Around By Bobby Brown, and Candy by Mandy Moore.

Barbie Girl is also another one I was gonna add, it's Eurodance but cheesier, but not Y2K-sounding either like Trance.

90’s cusp:

Los Del Rio’s 1996 hit “Macarena”

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Destinys Child- No No No part 2 1997/1998
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Early 2000’s cusp:

Ashanti- Baby 2002 (similar to Aaliyah’s one in a million)

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Brandy- What about us 2002

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Honestly, I prefer NSync's 1996-1997 album as it still had that New Jack Swing vibe with a Teen Pop feel to it. Its just my opinion...

Honestly, I prefer NSync's 1996-1997 album as it still had that New Jack Swing vibe with a Teen Pop feel to it. Its just my opinion...


It’s their only authentic album imo. Teen pop was of much higher quality from 1995 to early 1998 than the y2k era.

90’s cusp:

Los Del Rio’s 1996 hit “Macarena”

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Destinys Child- No No No part 2 1997/1998
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Early 2000’s cusp:

Ashanti- Baby 2002 (similar to Aaliyah’s one in a million)

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Brandy- What about us 2002

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Ouch! Slow downloading...

It’s their only authentic album imo. Teen pop was of much higher quality from 1995 to early 1998 than the y2k era.


I liked both back in the day - same with the Backstreet boys - all albums up to and incl. Black and Blue had a bunch of great songs on them.

What about other songs that didn't really fit into the ' pure pop' or 'r&b" style like say Spiller - Groovejet, Sonique - It Feels So Good, Moloko - The Time is now? Songs like that I think don't really fit into either an especially 90s vibe, or a y2k one.

Next - Too Close
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Sounds in-between the G-funk Era and the Bling Era.

Sugar Ray - Fly
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Sounds in-between core 90s pop rock and 1999 stuff like Smash Mouth and Limp Bizkit.

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Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind comes to mind.
That song, as well as many other alternative rock songs from 1997, have a noticeably more pop sound than most mid 90s songs in the same genre.
To me that’s a huge reflection of grunge dying. Bands like Third Eye Blind and Sugar Ray could have only gotten popular in 1997.

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

Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind comes to mind.
That song, as well as many other alternative rock songs from 1997, have a noticeably more pop sound than most mid 90s songs in the same genre.
To me that’s a huge reflection of grunge dying. Bands like Third Eye Blind and Sugar Ray could have only gotten popular in 1997.
Good assertion but I also want to point out that Post-Grunge was first popular in 1995, so that song still sounds Core 90s, but you're right about it sounding brighter than an average Post-Grunge song

Next - Too Close
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Sounds in-between the G-funk Era and the Bling Era.
Too close sounds more 90s as it has New Jack Swing elements though, and it sounds kinda similar to No Diggity, but idk, thats just my two cents :P

Timbaland was ahead of his time.  :)

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Pony has that syncopated and shuffle drums but that R&B synth sounds so painfully 90s.