The 90s were a very definitive decade with many pivotal points in people and their culture. From Cher’s famous first use of Auto-Tune in her song “Believe” to the creation of the world wide web, The 90s changed almost everything, and many of these changes in culture are still in effect. Alongside these changes, the decade introduced Grunge, also known as the Seattle sound. Grunge not only defined a sound but also influenced fashion, attitudes and the music industry. The Seattle sound embodies rejection of the mainstream, the idea of being different and not conforming to societal norms.
The Grunge movement began its development in the late 1980s in the northwest, most known in Washington, Seattle; it reached its peak popularity in the early to mid nineties. The music inspired by its earlier established genres like punk and heavy metal, was new to this era and the idea of the grimy, imperfect sound was new to the entirety of the music industry. This sound was created because of the expensive cost that a clean and professional recording has, and how smaller artists couldn’t have the same quality as wealthy and professional artists.
The grunge scene was grounded in the idea of getting your message out there and being truthful to what you believe; it addressed many topics like feminism, rebelling against authority, self doubt, abuse and mental health. These themes appealed to the youth of the nineties, creating an outlet for them to expel their emotions and ideas, not just in the music and its deep meaning, but also the fashion and mindset, too.
This new era introduced music that became an channel for many people due to the deep lyrics and heavy sound; many people got their rage and negative feelings out through this genre of music, possibly giving it a bad reputation because as widely-accepted as this genre was with the youth, the older generations were very unwelcoming and openly disliked this music for many reasons – some, like magazine editor Rich Lowry, thought it was “Satanic” and others just thought it was negative for people to listen to due to it being “Violent and Obscene” and “shorn of ideals and the impulse for political action,”
Many of the music artists in this era had very strong beliefs, and these carried into the music they created and that were reciprocated by the listeners. One of these big ideas includes Pearl Jam’s pro choice message, which was promoted in “MTV Unplugged” where the vocalist Eddie Vedder had written in large print on his arm the words pro-choice, which remained there for their whole performance that was broadcasted on TV to many people, spreading this message.
Grunge fashion became iconic, characterized by secondhand clothes, flannel shirts and jackets, ripped and baggy jeans, vibrant hair colors, large military-style boots and band tees were popular. The goal was to stand out, to be different and to reject the polished look of mainstream fashion.
Very quickly, the Seattle sound became what it was rebelling against, and companies began commercializing and putting it into the mainstream, an example being the name “Grunge.” This was a title pushed by music labels and companies to give the Seattle sound a name, and many of the music artists at this time disliked this title. This turned Grunge from a movement into a trend for people to follow for no reason other than it’s what everyone else was doing. Some bands began giving up their main ideas and succumbing to fame and money, but many bands like Pearl Jam, stayed true to their principles. In 1994, the band famously fought with Ticketmaster over high ticket prices and fees, ultimately going on strike.
Grunge, whether as a fashion style or a mindset, still remains relevant in culture, but it is widely debated if it is truly still ALIVE. Some argue that grunge died with the tragic loss of Kurt Cobain, Nirvana’s frontman, while others say that its main ideas and influence continue to exist in modern culture.
