The 1990s
The Top Music Genres
ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Alternative Rock is a style outside the mainstream of Rock music that generally consists of Pop Rock-based song structures performed with a less commercial, more underground sensibility. It has roots in the independent music scenes of the US and UK of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
GRUNGE
Grunge is a subgenre of Alt-Rock that emerged in the mid-1980s in Seattle, Washington and flourished in the 1990s. It fuses elements of Punk Rock and Heavy Metal and typically uses electric guitar, bass guitar, a drummer and a singer. Lyrics are angst-filled, often addressing themes such as social alienation or freedom.
SHOEGAZE
Shoegaze is a subgenre of Indie and Alternative Rock that emerged in the UK in the late 1980s but peaked in the 1990s. Its sound is characterised by an ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume.
TRIP HOP
Trip Hop is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the UK, especially Bristol. It can be highly experimental and has been described as "a fusion of hip hop and electronica until neither genre is recognizable". Trip hop is also known for its melancholy sound and aural atmospherics.
POST-ROCK
Post-Rock is a form of Experimental Rock. It is characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional Rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-Rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with electronics.
IDM
IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) is a form of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s and became popular in the 2000s, characterized by an abstract or "cerebral" sound better suited for home listening than dancing. IDM tended to rely upon individualistic experimentation rather than adhering to characteristics associated with specific genres.