When did the 90s get dull? Did it start in August of 1991 or later on? Were the 90s always a little unoriginal and bland at times?

To me, it started to feel different in 1999. I don't think the 1990s were ever boring.

To me, it started to feel different in 1999. I don't think the 1990s were ever boring.


I agree. While some of it wasn’t really my cup of tea, the 90s were never boring.

I agree. While some of it wasn’t really my cup of tea, the 90s were never boring.


Why wasn’t it your cup of tea?

When did the 90s get dull? Did it start in August of 1991 or later on? Were the 90s always a little unoriginal and bland at times?


Between Mid 1997 and Mid 1998.

Why wasn’t it your cup of tea?


Hard to describe and it takes me a lot of words to try. I loved the early 90s which was like a grand finale of the 80s. Everything was like a feel good fantasy or escape. The mid and late 90s maybe it just all seemed too dark and real. Reality tv, tabloid talk show boom, court tv and scandals, rework of SNL, shows about nothing. Music like post grunge or punk or whatever where it was more raw and they almost talked rather than truly sang a melody. Even the later 90s aside from the boy bands seemed to have a mild haze over it. I realize it wasn’t all like that but a lot of it was a dark time for me and I guess those things stood out more. During this time I built my 80s and early 90s tape collection which I still have. Hopefully this makes some sense.

Hard to describe and it takes me a lot of words to try. I loved the early 90s which was like a grand finale of the 80s. Everything was like a feel good fantasy or escape. The mid and late 90s maybe it just all seemed too dark and real. Reality tv, tabloid talk show boom, court tv and scandals, rework of SNL, shows about nothing. Music like post grunge or punk or whatever where it was more raw and they almost talked rather than truly sang a melody. Even the later 90s aside from the boy bands seemed to have a mild haze over it. I realize it wasn’t all like that but a lot of it was a dark time for me and I guess those things stood out more. During this time I built my 80s and early 90s tape collection which I still have. Hopefully this makes some sense.


You didn’t think the mid to late 1990s were boring?  ???

You didn’t think the mid to late 1990s were boring?  ???


No there was a lot going on so not boring. Just not my thing.

No there was a lot going on so not boring. Just not my thing.


Did you notice a change in vibe from 1990 to early 1991 and late 1991 to 1998?

I often liked to refer to the 90s as "The Nondescript Nineties" as even at the time I couldn't define what the look and feel of the decade is compared to previous decades and I was really missing the 80s so much and obsessively yearning to go back there.

Even looking back at whatever looks or feels "so 90s", I still cannot put a finger on it. Grunge and alternative rock, yes (even if it has been given retrospective revisionist treatment to sound bigger than it really was) but as for the R&B and pop I can't give it an identity the same way stuff rom the 80s had with glorious synth sounds and gated drums. 90s R&B and hiphop had a lot of siren type noises, Jump by Kriss Kross one of the prime offenders. Is that as well as clothes so baggy the crotch drops down to the ankles a symbol of 90s nostalgia?

I would personally describe 1995-1997 as the absolute zenith of what the OP regarded as the "boring 90s" or what I call "nondescript 90s".

I would personally describe 1995-1997 as the absolute zenith of what the OP regarded as the "boring 90s" or what I call "nondescript 90s".


I would agree in a way. A lot of the energy in the earlier 90s was starting to disappear around 95-97 but things would  pick up, in a way, in the very end of the 90s again, although not the same.

For me it was 1993-1995. Personally whilst I still had a happy life, it was just yeah a bit average. Even pop culturally, things were very "safe". I'm obviously grossly over-generalising, but that's how it felt looking back.

I agree with the above that 1993 to 1995 was very dull and bland, at times. For me, it was mostly the fashion that was very 'blah' during this era!
However, it was a great time to be a kid. Power Rangers, Goosebumps, Jurassic Park, Pocahontas ice cream cups ( ;D ), the overall Disney Renaissance, Fox Kids, the cartoons of the era was AMAZING, Animaniacs, The Magic School Bus, and cartoons such as Eek The Cat was on. You can tell I enjoyed being a kid during this era.  ;D

But, the fashion, vibe, and movies, weren't my most favorite of this era of 1993 to 1995.

As a whole, though. I loved the 1990's. 1990 was too cheesy for my taste.

I liked 1991, 1992, 1996 to 1998. However, 1993 to 1995 wasn't that bad. But, I liked the other years better!