20 iconic music moments that defined the '90s

For artists who sing the Star Spangled Banner at sporting events, it’s important to know that Whitney Houston’s rendition will always be the standard. In 1991, just ten days into the Persian Gulf War, Houston took the field at Super Bowl XXV. Joined by the Florida Orchestra, Houston shows off her astronomical vocals as she honors her country with her rendition to a stadium filled with fans. 

Tensions were extremely high at the 1995 Source Awards since it was a time when East Coast rappers were feuding with West Coast rappers. Atlanta duo Outkast was in the audience and went on stage to accept their award for New Group of the Year. However, the audience booed them as they gave their acceptance speech, so André 3000 made sure to get on the microphone to say, "The South got something to say." Many fans, fellow rappers from the South, and music executives believe that André's speech helped spark more recognition and respect for hip-hop in the South. 

The ‘90s was essential for fans to discover music thanks to the channel MTV. In 1998, the network launched its daily video countdown show Total Request Live (TRL), which also served as a solid promotional outlet for artists. During the show, TRL would play the ten most requested videos, which were voted by fans via phone or online. Carson Daly was the show’s original host for the first few years, but later, other VJs such as Lala Anthony, Vanessa Lachey, and Quddus were hosts as well.  

It was all about screaming “girl power” when the Spice Girls came onto the scene in 1996 with their debut album. With each group member having their own unique style that was fitting to their monikers, the Spice Girls became a worldwide phenomenon. They starred in their own movie Spice World, landed endorsement deals with brands such as Pepsi and Target, and had their own Barbie dolls. 

It was back in 1989 when the duo Milli Vanilli was exposed for not being the vocalists on their songs. One of the incidents occurred during a live performance when the recorded song malfunctioned and kept repeating the same line. Due to the controversy and the eventual confession, the Grammy Awards revoked their award for Best New Artist, making it the first time the academy rescinded an award. 

In the ‘90s, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. were two of the biggest rappers in the industry, as hip-hop was starting to see a lot more mainstream success. However, over the short course of their careers, different events occurred such as diss tracks, audience hate at the 1995 Source Awards, and shootings between rival crews. Unfortunately in September 1996, Tupac was killed in a drive-by shooting. Six months later, The Notorious B.I.G. lost his life the same way.  

Teen pop stars rose to prominence in the ‘90s, and boy bands were at the height of their success. Some of the biggest boy bands included *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Hansen, and 98 Degrees. 

Selena will always be known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," thanks to her massive success in the Latin music markets. With albums such as Entre a Mi Mundo and Amor Prohibido topping several Billboard charts and winning several awards, Selena was ready to take her career to a new level with her first cross-over album Dreaming of You. However, just months before the album was released, Selena's life was stolen from her as she was shot and killed by her fan club president Yolanda Saldivar. Selena was only 23-years-old at the time of her passing and her career was just starting to elevate even further. 

Spanish duo Los del Rio released one of the biggest dance crazes with their ‘90s hit “Macarena.” Miami-based producers Bayside Boys released a remix to it, and the song saw massive success as it became a No. 1 hit for fourteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout the years, it’s been coined as one of the most popular dances. 

In 1994, Da Brat came onto the scene as one of the newest signees to Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def record label. She released her debut album Funkdafied which featured the eponymous single and the hit song “Give It 2 You.” Within six months of its release, the album sold one million copies, making Da Brat the first solo female rapper to go platinum. 

Although the use of auto-tune was more popularized in the 2000s, it was Cher who first used it successfully with her 1998 single “Believe.” The song topped numerous Billboard charts and it’s still Cher’s best-selling single to date. 

The late ‘90s saw quite the dominance of Latin pop artists across Billboard charts and airwaves. Ricky Martin released his first English album which included the single “Livin La Vida Loca,” Jennifer Lopez released her debut single “If You Had My Love,” and Santana released their hit album Supernatural.

After the success of her albums Control and Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson was a hot commodity. In 1991, there was a bidding war to sign Jackson to a number of record labels including A&M, Atlantic, and Capitol. Jackson ended up signing with Virgin Records for a three-album deal worth about $32 million, the largest record contract of the time. In 1996, she signed a new contract for a four-album deal worth $80 million. 

MC Hammer is easily regarded as one of the first rappers to truly bring hip-hop into the pop mainstream world. His third album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em featured his hit single "U Can't Touch This." Not only was the album the first rap album to be nominated for the Grammy Awards Album of the Year category, but it also became the first rap album to sell ten million copies in the U.S. 

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men were two of the biggest music acts in R&B and pop in the ‘90s. They teamed up for their 1995 single “One Sweet Day,” a ballad that reflects on a person who’s lost loved ones. The single spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, the longest-running No. 1 single on the chart. It’s a record that was held for 23 years until Lil Nas X broke the record in 2019 when his single “Old Town Road” topped the chart for 17 weeks. 

In 1992, the sketch comedy show In Living Color hijacked nearly a quarter of the Super Bowl’s viewers when Fox aired a special episode during the halftime period. To avoid any viewership competition the following year, the NFL booked Michael Jackson for the halftime show. For the first two minutes of Jackson’s performance, he stood on stage in silence while fan pandemonium was heard across the stadium. Jackson then performed a medley of hit songs such as “Jam,” “Billie Jean,” and “Black or White.” 

TLC is regarded as one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Thanks to their debut album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip and their follow-up CrazySexyCool, hit singles that topped Billboard charts, and multiple Grammy Award wins, TLC was pushed into superstardom. Even their CrazySexyCool sold ten million copies, making TLC the first girl group to achieve diamond status. However, even with all the accolades and success, the group wasn't seeing a lot of the money they made. In 1995, TLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which they declared was caused by odd deals they signed with their recording and management companies. 

In the late ‘90s, teen pop took over the charts and the airwaves, and the genre’s newest artist Britney Spears was right at the forefront. Britney Spears came onto the scene with her 1999 debut single “...Baby One More Time,” a track that peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

In 1999, Napster, a file-sharing platform that allowed users to download music for free, was launched. While fans saw it as a great opportunity to get free music, the music industry saw it as chaotic and not allowing them to make money. The Recording Industry Association of America along with music publishers, songwriters, and record labels soon filed multiple lawsuits against Napster. By 2002, Napster filed for bankruptcy. 

After The Fugees disbanded, Lauryn Hill released her solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. With her hit singles like “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Ex Factor,” it became one of the year’s most successful albums, and the Grammy Awards took notice. The following year, Hill became a Grammy darling and won multiple awards including Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, and Album of the Year—the latter making Hill the first hip-hop artist to win the most prestigious award.