In the late 1990’s, Destiny’s Child came into na-
tional prominence with their single, “No, No, No.”
The group was an example of the fashion-conscious-
ness that would mark contemporary R&B and pop
for years to come. Also, the superfast delivery of
clean but clever lyrics made them radio-ready imme-
diately.
While groups of female performers were integral
to the changing scheme of popular music, the 1990’s
were also the years of the single performer, typically
a sultry singer who sang about love. Characterized by
arguably stunning physical features and distinctive
voices, these performers—such as Shakira, Jennifer
Lopez, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears—cre-
ated models of dance music that would change audi-
ences’ expectations for female singers for the rest of
the decade.
Teen Acts New in the 1990’s was the phenomena
of teen acts who performed music exactly as their
adult counterparts did. In a departure from previous
decades’ packaging popular teen performers as in-
nocents, the 1990’s allowed underage performers
the opportunity to express mature sentiments,
sometimes with controversial results. The rise of
teen stars was seen in a cross-section of musical gen-
res: in country music, there was LeAnn Rimes; in
pop, there was Britney Spears; and in hard rock,
there was Silverchair. Additionally, the 1990’s con-
tinued the trend of boy bands. Typically, these were
groups of four or five young men with an urban
sense of choreographed dance, soulful lyrics, and
pop hooks. Boy bands were definitely popular with
the teen demographic but, unlike in previous de-
cades, were also well-received by adult listeners. Ex-
amples of 1990’s boy bands were Backstreet Boys,
*NSYNC, and Soul Decision. Arguably, Motown’s
Boyz to Men could have been considered a boy
band, but the seriously romantic tone of the group’s
music and the almost built-in audience of Motown
fans (which was the band’s label) separate them
from other all-male singing groups of the era. The
opportunity for teens to interact with audiences like
adult performers was indicative of fact that the de-
cade was a time for redefining previously held con-
ventions.
Veteran Performers Reinvention in the music in-
dustry was not limited to child stars performing like
adults. Adult stars from previous decades were either
continuing to enjoy success previously earned or
were crossing over to new genres. Most notably, Cher
became a techno singer and was widely known for
the single “Believe.” Madonna remained nearly as
popular in the 1990’s as she was in the 1980’s. She
even sparked a dance craze by taking a move from
the gay dance scene, the Vogue, and created a single
of the same name. Veteran rock acts such as Van
Halen (albeit with a new lead singer) were popular
as well. Perhaps most notable was the 1999 release of
Supernaturalby Carlos Santana, formerly of 1970’s
supergroup Santana. On this release, Santana per-
formed with a number of contemporary young art-
ists with a range of musical styles, from rap to rock.
The meshing of styles on the recording, in essence,
symbolizes what the 1990’s had to offer audiences,
which was a mixing of styles, instead of confining
styles to the genre designations created in decades
past.
Country Music Previously ignored by mainstream
audiences, country music underwent musical and
cosmetic changes to garner a significant share of au-
diences in the 1990’s. Like the rest of the music in-
dustry during the decade, country music was given
to anthemic songs that were accompanied by a
dance. In the early 1990’s, Billy Ray Cyrus entered
the national music consciousness with a song called
“Achy Breaky Heart.” The catchy, rhyming lyrics,
and the resulting line dance, made the song an in-
stant hit that would remain popular throughout the
early 1990’s. With movie star looks and sporting a
“mullet,” or a hockey haircut popular with rock stars
and fans in the 1980’s, Cyrus was just unexpected
enough to make certain audiences rethink their per-
ception of country music.
Female country performers enjoyed a makeover
and retail success as well. Canadian Shania Twain
paved the way for other female country stars of the
era to embrace a sophisticated look in terms of fash-
ion and cosmetics, while singing a brand of country
that some critics claimed was simply retooled 1970’s
light rock. Regardless of criticism, the new country
had a pop sensibility that caused the genre to be
played on Top 40 stations all over North America.
Sultry Sounds The 1990’s were a time for both
groups and individual artists to enjoy success. Artists
who were considered R&B, or soul performers, of-
ten ensured their popularity with sensuous love
songs. Singers such as Toni Braxton, Adina Howard,
Mariah Carey, Keith Sweat, R. Kelly, and 1970’s ro-598 Music The Nineties in America