1991: The Most INSANE Year In Music History

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Use code PUNK50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3WCGvOn Thanks Factor for sponsoring!

[@enki1597]

This channel isn't punk at all

[@mattblatchley2061]

"Punk Rock" means DIY @@enki1597

[@MellowGhetto]

Finn, how have you not done a video on The Bloodhound Gang yet?

[@HolyCity2012]

the Silver Chair kid said he was influenced by Pearl Jam

[@suicideheadaches4460]

The fact you didn't even mention ALICE IN CHAINS... makes me think less of you Finn my friend.. lol jk But still

[@zander07]

I was born in 2007 but nothing is more fun than learning about all this older music I love listening to

[@itsjvck1]

I would kill for another 1991-level year for rock/metal

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

It needs something like that if they aren't going to slowly fade into something only a small number of musicians and music nerds are into, a bit like jazz. A lack of mainstream relevance is a terminal illness for any music genre.

[@benjaminwatt2436]

1999, Blink, enemy of the state: Linkin Park, Lit, red hots californication...great year for Rock

[@lethybridtheorygolucastheo2191]

@@benjaminwatt2436 Hybrid Theory came out a year later. I'd add RATM, Incubus, Kittie, Slipknot, Korn, Sevendust, Nine Inch Nails etc on that list for Rock and Metal

[@yhy2422]

You don’t gotta kill anyone for something like that, just go start a band

[@nananoodle5020]

Oh its coming. I’m seeing so many young adults on tiktok starting bands. Something’s gotta give.

[@realsubxero]

The early 90s were insane. 91 - Nirvana's Nevermind popularized grunge 92 - Dr Dre's The Chronic popularized gangsta rap Early 94 - Green Day's Dookie popularized pop punk Late 94 - Korn's self titled basically invented nu metal

[@benjaminwatt2436]

good synopsis

[@ValaShen]

1993: Snoop Dogg's debut album. Bjork's Debut album Radiohead debut album Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Nivarna's Third and Final album In Utero Midnight Marauders by A tribe Called Quest and Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan came out on the same fucking day. November 9, 1993.

[@pbabiesinspace6112]

It was a great time to be a young teenager.

[@malcorub]

Boomers will argue that the 60's was the golden era of music... but for me it was definitely the early 90s. Teenagers today still listen to alot of early 90's music on Spotify as it is relatable to them.

[@9ramthebuffs9]

@@malcorub teenagers in the 90s listened to 60s/70s music. Teenagers in the 50s listened to 20s and 30s music. People don't change. Remember like 10-15yrs ago there was an 80s butt-rock revival and all the bands were wearing eyeliner. 90s kids now have children that are teenagers and they're influenced by their parents music.

[@jonathanmarose9685]

For those around at this period, we really didn't know what we had at the time. Most of the 90s was a great time for all types of music.

[@markh8744]

Agree. So much diversity. So many bold and innovative artists and musicians. It was my senior year of high school. We were into so many different bands. Miss those days.

[@jamesbostrom3539]

Amen dude

[@hrd2imagin]

I was a confused 12yo dork in 91. The music that year literally changed my life, especially PJ's Ten. Sure we didn't know how lasting and influential that music was going to be for the next 30 years, but that music did feel pretty revolutionary at the time.

[@user-fh6hv4eb56]

I knew!

[@HanoverFiste-xu2ot]

Agree. I never imagined that the 90s were the last rock decade. I was expecting another revolution in the 2000s, but it never came.

[@chrisdawson9312]

Let’s not forget Bring the Noise by Public Enemy and Anthrax was released, which set the groundwork for Finn’s favorite, NU METAL!!!!!!

[@solearesoul]

True

[@ivanmartin1457]

Given how everybody loves to combine musical styles nowadays, it's time to recognize Bring the Noise as a track very ahead of its time.

[@ArpLaszlo]

Let's also not forget the soundtrack to JUDGEMENT NIGHT! Alternative rockers + hip hop = a grossly underrated soundtrack with some GREAT songs. Also: I still haven't seen the movie 😆, which is about some white dudes who get lost in 'the wrong part of town' (aka a tough non-white neighborhood).

[@JockoV]

BASS! How low can you go?

[@stuartfrancis519]

They crawled so Gold Cobra could run /s

[@Adyman182]

1991 - AKA The year where mom's music taste ends, and mine begins

[@gx1tar1er]

80's Chicago is one of the cheesist things i've ever heard & so as all of the adult contemporary & adult oriented rock at that time. They're like the Maroon 5 of the 80's.

[@joemaldonado7698]

I think Out of Time deserved it's own section, not just an honorable mention. R.E.M. had a similar trajectory as Metallica. The music they made in the 80s set the stage for the alternative rock explosion in the 90s and Out of Time helped take them all of the way into the mainstream.

[@sieteocho]

That's sounds reasonable, until you consider that REM has released at least 5 albums that are better than Out of Time: Automatic, Murmur, Reckoning, Document and Lifes Rich Pageant.

[@joemaldonado7698]

I don't disagree about the quality of the other albums, I'm speaking more about the mainstream recognition.@@sieteocho

[@StratsRUs]

REM way ahead

[@tylerhollingsworth6879]

I graduated from high school in 1991. It was a great time to be a music fan. I saw Nirvana in October 1991 shortly after Nevermind came out. I went to the first Lollapalooza that summer, too.

[@macysondheim]

Christ… you must be like almost 70 or 80 years old now

[@dariavitafede3546]

​@@macysondheimso? people have many different ages you know?

[@muvdafukupouttahere]

@@macysondheim You really need to stay awake in math class if you really think this dude graduated high school at the age of 40/50.

[@heatnationwpb]

This was a really good video, but I think that Alice in Chains deserved a nod here. Especially considering their resurgence over the last few years here on this app. I've seen more positive "reaction videos" of AiC songs than just about any other grunge-era band (besides maybe Rage Against the Machine). They were one of those bands who, like Jane's Addiction and others, successfully bridged the gap between metal and alternative rock, and their music really has stood the test of time.

[@peaner083]

Well said!🤘

[@shawnmorris4479]

Agreed 100%. Facelift was released in 1990, but Man in the Box hit in the summer of 1991.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

91 wasn’t really their year so they wouldn’t fit here

[@MW-dd8vk]

@@ThePunkRockMBA It would be cool if you did a video on them individually discussing their influence and overall impact considering they’ve had a resurgence in popularity in recent years.

[@heatnationwpb]

@@ThePunkRockMBA Facelift was released in 1990, and rose to popularity in 1991.

[@stanislavpetrov5955]

Shoutout to a forgotten band called Ugly Kid Joe who did enjoy 15 minutes of fame with “Everything About You”, a huge hit in this time period, yet they deserve mention, because I think they encapsulate the brief funk metal zeitgeist of this period, and were that genre’s most successful band.

[@adamlee9071]

These guys rock

[@HotStrange]

Damn I forgot all about them. Had a few of their cds back in the 90s.

[@rockoorbe2002]

I had to look this song up. Yup, totally forgot about it and it's a pity. Great underrated song.

[@adamlee9071]

U know who else is underated..SCATTERBRAIN

[@adamlee9071]

Don't forget their hit "neighbour"

[@HistoriasOficiales]

The year that changed music forever. Even Michael Jackson was part of that change with his Dangerous album

[@jmecklenborg]

Jane's Addiction Ritual de lo Habitual came out in summer 1990, which was way weirder than any of the 1991 stuff.

[@yessitsme6884]

I was 13 in 1991, all the legends are true. This was an INCREDIBLE time period for music, it made me pick my guitar back up and I'm still playing gigs to this day, and still playing music that came out that year. I feel EXTREMELY lucky to have lived through that time as a teenager. If there was a "San Junipero" kind of digital afterlife someday, 1991 is the year I'd choose to live my afterlife in.

[@vlcheish]

Thumbs up on Black Mirror reference Yeah I might take '91 as well. I can also re-live my youth in the arcade when Street Fighter 2 came out.

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

Signed. It's all true, it was unbelievable. I remember the moment a friend handed me a cassette of Suck On This by Primus. Then I discovered Butthole Surfers. Man, 1991 was INSANE.

[@jcrtv83]

90’s is the best decade in my opinion.

[@MW-dd8vk]

The 70’s was also a great decade for rock music especially because of the widespread innovation

[@JoinMeInDeathBaby]

80's were better in my opinion. Metal in it's prime. Neon decade.

[@VYMQGSOH]

It was rare I was seeing any issues in the 90s, and as soon as it turned 2000, for some reason almost everyone started fighting and staying away from each other, having financial struggles more and getting divorces constantly, more crimes, more suicide, abusing their children and as time went on until this day. Yet in my opinion, My favorite music came out in 2010-2019. But life wasn't at all. In the sense of how much I enjoyed life with music, The 90s were here and I was too young to remember the 80s and not even born to see the 70s. I think some say those older days were better because it was just easier, you more free and it was more peaceful without all the crazy issues people had to deal with later on in life afterwards.

[@thebandit9982]

@@JoinMeInDeathBaby80s was a lot of hair metal tho

[@themydnighthour]

I was a teen in the 90s, so I have heavy member berries.....buuttttttttttttt objectively, a lot of the stuff I loved then doesn't hold up that great. Whereas a lot more 60s/70s rock does even now.

[@metalpunk3785]

The 90s. When music in the mainstream was actually good.

[@Hobbiiihorsah]

I started to study in 1988 in Berlin, and I remember Fugazi and Public Enemy being among main musical influences from America in the student clubs. The urban underground culture in Berlin was completely ripe for a change. As I came from a smaller town, I could really smell the 90s… and yes, it all blew up in 1991. Definitely!

[@christyamar]

wow crazy! im in berlin now!! im from california being a kid and nirvana came out and metallica was getting maistream then the gangster rappers from cali it was poppin!! Now here in berlin its all the hard techno and detroit techno!!!

[@sneekopotamus]

Also U2's Achtung Baby came out in the fall of 1991. It was a severe departure from their previous work. World record tour with Public Enemy opening. Man what a year. Glad I lived it.

[@ryansm3417]

U2 - Achtung Baby was released Nov 1991, how’d you miss that 😮! It was Billboard #1, and the tour that came after was considered one of the best ever even decades later. It'd be like forgetting to mention the Black Album.

[@rockoorbe2002]

I don't even like U2 that much but I'll agree with you.

[@vicentiualecsandrescu]

And skid row slave to the grind

[@JessicaWalsh-fe4jy]

U2's strengths were the being great live, the concert tech they invented, and coasting thru eras, not ever really dominating with any one album. I don't think anyone but hardcore fans cared about Achtung Baby and no one ever mentioned it with the likes of the other 1991 releases. It was too grownup for the grunge kids, and too weird for the older ppl listening to like REM. I respect them for working hard to reinvent themselves but as an album it's way back.

[@andrewfoster883]

@@JessicaWalsh-fe4jy I don't think you were around at the time! Your opinions are totally removed from how Achtung Baby was received

[@JessicaWalsh-fe4jy]

@@andrewfoster883 it was well received by critics, who have since kind of cooled off on it because they see what ppl still care about and what they don't, and u2 hardcore fans. no one else remembers it.

[@Darrkness]

I graduated in 91 and very fondly remember the release and impact of these albums. Especially the shift in popularity from Metal and Thrash to Alternative and Grunge. One of my favorite record stores would also sell band tour shirts which was another great way to find new music back then.

[@mike04574]

pop music was still popular

[@bobcobb3654]

Thrash became more popular than ever in the 90s. Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax all had mainstream breakthrough records. Likewise, Metal expanded with Pantera, White Zombie, Ministry, and others.

[@Darrkness]

@@bobcobb3654 yes, that's true. Metal got way bigger and more widespread. While being a fan, the 90's were my first time going to see alot of those guys live in concert but I still think outside of our own Metalhead circles, the general publics, radio and Mtv's convergence on Alternative and Grunge gave it massive growth in a short amount making it the new hotness till Nu-metal began to tip the scale back.

[@Faerie_Kim]

I was 16 in 1991. It was indeed a great year for music. Grunge, Shoegaze, grebo, rave music all came in in a big way. Thrash, death metal and doom metal all reached greater heights than before. A good year to be a teenager.

[@malcorub]

I was only 9 in 1991 but my 16 older sister and her rock/punk/new wave styles influenced my musical taste heavily to go beyond just what my parents were listening too.

[@whoami7721]

I turned 16 that year, too, and was constantly watching MTV, listening to rock radio and anything my friends recommended. I remember C&C Music Factory being played ad nauseum, and Paula Abdul being inescapable. Any rock on the radio was Guns N' Roses, Poison, Warrant, or Whitesnake. At least Van Halen had a new album out. I'd been introduced to heavier stuff like Iron Maiden and Metallica, before the Black Album came out that summer. I'd even heard punk, like The Ramones and Circle Jerks and death metal, like Deicide and Napalm Death. There was a "feeling in the air", as Nirvana's Kurt Cobain said in a 1993 MTV interview. Something had to break, and Nirvana did that in the fall. Their album came out in September, the same time as Guns N' Roses, and was quickly outselling them, Metallica and even Michael Jackson, by January 1992. I instantly loved "Smells Like Teen Spirit", and managed to get a copy of Nevermind the day after Thanksgiving, 1991. Quickly, I got a copy of Bleach, and they were my favorite band by then. They knocked the pretentious Guns N' Roses' double album from No. 1 and dethroned the King of Pop. Their reign was brief but brilliant, and I'll love them always.

[@Bleww6207]

I’ve noticed that we’re getting to that same breaking point again. Pop is getting so plastic and bland, people have had enough. I feel like we’re gonna see another Nirvana in a few years. Can’t wait for that!!

[@laurisaarinen1126]

I'm not 100% sure on what "grebo" is but i believe it's that electro dance-rock stuff like Jesus Jones, Happy Mondays, EMF, etc.?

[@Faerie_Kim]

@@laurisaarinen1126 the main bands were Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Pop Will Eat Itself and the Wonderstuff.

[@seanmckelvey6618]

I think it's probably fair to point out that while Nevermind released in 91, it didn't really reach it's full impact until 1992. '92 was the point when the 80s officially died. At least imo.

[@MrBlink1980]

Nirvana got me to listen to Grunge, but Soundgarden and Chris Cornell are by far my favorite band/artist.

[@donniewynn3277]

Nirvana is my favorite but Soundgarden are the most underrated Seattle band. I absolutely love them. Better technical musicians than nirvana

[@alukuhito]

Nirvana made me realize I like Nirvana, but not grunge. I had no interest in any of those other Seattle bands.

[@kohhna]

Nice to hear REM getting a bit of love. They were incredible, nobody speaks of them now but they're one of the best rock bands, possibly ever.

[@alkap91]

Massive Attack's Blue Lines must also be mentioned. Kicked off the Trip-Hop Genre that spawned excellent Albums as well

[@puturro]

Michael Jackson's Dangerous! I know it's not metal or anything related, but that was a HUGE release that year. Straight to no. 1. "Black or white" was played everywhere in the world.

[@malcorub]

The Black or White video premiering on Fox Network during The Simpsons with Bart Simpson introducing it. What a fun year!

[@greenrobot5]

Black or white does open with a guitar riff, MJ had some rock in some of his songs

[@puturro]

@@greenrobot5 that album has some sick guest players!

[@Bleww6207]

What an epic time. MJ’s “Dangerous”, Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, Pearl Jam’s “Ten”.

[@laurisaarinen1126]

Speaking about RnB, also Diamonds and Pearls by Prince came out in 1991, his biggest album since Purple Rain i believe

[@TheMikZino]

I love all decades of music, I am 54, but I agree with you 91 was amazing!

[@scarab944]

The collaboration between Anthrax and Public Enemy on "Bring The Noise" (1991) also deserves mention.

[@vvx600]

7:56 I believe Guns N Roses are just not even comparable to any Hair Metal, they’re just there whole own thing

[@gx1tar1er]

I think Guns N' Roses is the beginning of the end for hair metal era though. They're like in between hair metal (hard rock) & grunge.

[@sgtbucksauce9129]

Ya they had a punk rock edge over hair metal garbage

[@benjaminwatt2436]

@@sgtbucksauce9129 GnR were a legendary band, but definately hair metal. Paradise city, welcome to the jungle...fun great songs, but also had that 80s cheesy vibe, similar to Quiet Riot or Poison

[@lethybridtheorygolucastheo2191]

Calling them Hair Metal is literally an insult to Guns N' Roses as they fired the first shot in Hair Metal's death (Yes Grunge ended Hair Metal but also them, Metallica, Pantera, R.E.M etc put it into it's grave before Nirvana)

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

@@lethybridtheorygolucastheo2191 They are hair metal though, just with some of the hair metal aesthetics way tuned down in comparison to bands like Poison or Ratt. Back in the late 80s or early 90s no one was saying that Guns N Roses was in a different genre than all the popular hair metal bands. That's something people only say decades out with hindsight because hair metal is now remembered as being lame, while GnR at it's height is an all time great band. That a lot of the hair metal aesthetics were way tuned down was definitely part of their popularity though and in retrospect a warning shot that a lot of rock fans were ready for something else.

[@escoddy8706]

Innuendo by Queen as a rock album really acted as a return to form for the band with their more experimental rock roots. It was definitely one of their most grand albums, it also being the last album released before Freddie’s death in late November of 1991 gives it a sense of finality despite it not actually having been the last album they would ever release. Having been released in February I feel like it was an epic way to kickstart what would be one of the most defining years in rock music.

[@therobotdevil2284]

Freddie really put in his all, all the way up until the end. Truly a special album.

[@Andres33AU]

I still get goose bumps every time I listen to The Show Must Go On. A fantastic final Freddie album, and Made in Heaven is a fantastic final "send-off" album as well.

[@trenchy1990]

Achtung Baby by U2. Released November 1991. Quite a sound change for U2 that went along well with the alternative music landscape that just developed few months prior. Almost perfect timing.

[@dream_in_digital]

This is my favorite video of yours so far. You explained the reason for the 90's explosion perfectly. Including genres of music besides rock helps people see what mainstream music and pop culture as a whole was like. Sometimes just focusing on rock makes it difficult for people to see why there was a need for such a revolutionary rebellion and how radically it changed everything.

[@jcup77]

I agree with all of this 100%! I remember all of these albums coming out! Everyone says nirvana killed hair metal and 80's pop? Imo it was all of these albums breaking the boundaries and rewriting the standards. Nirvana couldn't have done it alone. This was a full-scale culture shift, and I'm glad that i was there to see the scene flip.

[@SoCalFreelance]

1991, good year, the year I graduated high school.🤘😁 I got the best of both worlds. Awesome 80's tunes and all the culture that came with that era as a kid, and then the 90's with some of the best music an older teen and then 20-something year old could experience. I feel for the current generation. Crappy music, COVID shutdowns, one economic crisis after another, etc.

[@macysondheim]

Christ… that would make you around 70 or 75 years old. Yikes 😬

[@abdulmerhi4442]

@@macysondheim more like 50. Math is hard, I know.

[@jenhodge9018]

Me too!!! 🎉

[@McCready12]

This video is great. Achtung Baby was a masterpiece from the band that was and still is the biggest band in the world. U2 reinvented themselves with this album.

[@bootska]

I was a 14yo wannabe punk kid. That year completely changed my life.

[@dannyinoakpark9095]

REM Losing My Religion kicked EVERYONE'S ass at The MTV Music Video Awards in 1991 They won everything It was insane And that song STILL holds up

[@SlipdeGarcondeJour]

91 was my peak music era I reckon. It's funny, because I remember the really cheesy old style 80s metal still being pushed really hard on music TV.

[@PolkCountyWIProgressive]

I could exist with 1991 music for a long time. Suffocation’s Effigy of the Forgotten, Dismember’s Like an Ever Flowing Stream, and Death’s Human really captured the Death Metal scene’s artistic output.

[@RUDI-UK]

Dismember's guitar sound on that album kills. Same producer Entombed used, i believe.

[@astrolopitekos]

That tour with Faith No More, Soundgarden and Guns n Roses has some serious epic tales 90s-style. Like people throwing food and grass/dirt on stage when requested by Mike Patton and then later Axl tripping, singing while lying on the floor, throwing a tantrum and ragequitting. Slash performing some extended solo waiting for axl to return but to no avail. 😂 man this stuff doesn’t happen anymore

[@MachineGunPhilly]

In my opinion Ten will be remembered as a great album as long as great rock albums are discussed. A **perfect** debut. It still charts on every greatest albums list and has been streamed over 1.7 billion times on Spotify. It was also quite influential - *The Strokes, The White Stripes, Corey Taylor, Amy Lee, Amy Winehouse, Chester Bennington, Jason Isbell, Incubus, Lzzy Hale, Taking Back Sunday, Fleet Foxes, John Mayer, Ellie Goulding and St. Vincent* have all cited Pearl Jam as formative influences of their careers, as well as *Post Malone.*

[@jeremysette3657]

Yup!!!

[@nunya1951]

Eddie Vedder is generally considered the most influential vocalist of his generation.

[@MachineGunPhilly]

@@nunya1951 nobody has proven to be more influential from this time period. I agree.

[@alterI4]

I always found it so weird how closely the 80s bands and 90s bands were to each other, because musically the two idioms contrast so much, but this video really helps put in perspective how diverse music actually was in the late 80s early 90s. Like the music industry was really riding the 80s fashion, and music wave hard and as long as they could after 84, but the underground music scene was always there and im sure not everyone enjoyed the idiomatic gated reverb, and synth music of that time or the hair metal craze. So yeah, what a time to be alive im sure. This is an awesome video by the way. Love rock mbas channel, feels alot like the old VH1 or MTV music docs they use to do for different bands/decades etc

[@owenbloomfield1177]

I turned 20 in 91, starting my second year in post-secondary. I went to high school in the late 80s and was as aware as I could be of the cool music scene. I was not surprised when grunge blew up. I could sense in 89 and 90 this pressure building. If I, a kid from a remote town in northern Ontario, new of the cool underground bands, then there was a serious market for it. Nirvana was the right band at the right time.

[@Gen-Xers]

I graduated high school in 1991. Heck of year and great music in every genre, even country.

[@MachineGunPhilly]

1991 was **amazing** Ten, Badmotorfinger, Achtung Baby, BSSM, The Black Album.. and that’s just the rock albums What a crazy, super important year that defined the whole decade. Respect.

[@RanterInShades]

1992 is my personal favorite year of the 90’s with how much variety there was, but 1991 is the year I see as being one of the most important years in pop culture history with how much of a major cultural shift took place.

[@mitcheltheman1366]

@@Luke5100 I agree. The Chronic was the Nevermind of 1992. Also, Mary J. Blige's debut record changed R&B forever.

[@alexj9056]

Insane year. Also deserving of a mention, Primus, Blur, Green Day, Temple of the Dog, Atheist, U2, NWA, Mr Bungle, Queen, Massive Attack, Talk Talk, and more, came out with new albums that were just amazing. Glad I was there to live this year.

[@map3384]

Yes Temple of the Dog. To me that album blew open the 90s sound which would change everything.

[@hulluporo9067]

Thank you so much for this great video. It brought back so many memories. I was 13 back in the days and I started to be interested in music. First there was REM and U2, later on there was Metallica, Nirvana and GnR. 1991 was the year that set the stage for my musical taste. And thank you for playing Gonna Make You Sweat. This song reminds me of my English teacher, then an old fart in his early 60s who was counting the days until he retires. We asked him if gonna means going to. I'm from Germany by the way. He refused to answer, because he wanted to teach us good English.

[@mrsbrandylove]

I was a teenager during the 90’s as well and this video is supreme nostalgia. I couldn’t agree more. ❤

[@1mlb704]

Great video Finn! I was waiting for some kind of video about 1991, seriously a massive year for music. I would also say 1994 was a huge year for alternative rock

[@yodanwhatsthejam4398]

Right on Finn - didn't realize so many hit albums to this day all came out on 1991. Given the fact that there's nearly ZERO hype these days for an album release - to have so many legendary ones - all within days of each other in a single year ...really is amazing! It's also sad and telling of the toilet music is currently in this last decade.

[@happybenjful]

I went to my sons high school recently and sat in with the rock bands and was shocked to see theyre still playing nirvana. Timeless.

[@Caffeine_Club]

'88-'97 was the best decade in music.

[@Nozes..]

I was 16 in 1991 and I can tell it was hard to follow everything that was going on,as it was a overload of good music. Adding to all the music that Finn makes reference in the video,techno and house were also booming at the time,and I tried to discover it all with the only mean I had,the radio. Good times ❤

[@thestu7066]

One of the best day's in history......Released September 24th 1991 Badmotorfinger -Soundgarden - Blood Sugar Sex sugar Magik - RHCP's Nevermind- Nirvana

[@jamesstaggs4160]

How ya gonna leave out Alice in Chains releasing Man in the Box as a single that year?

[@ConstantBurningFire]

Technically 1990. MegaDeth is in a similar situation. Came out in 1990 but I think of it as a 91 phenomenon.

[@whalesequence]

I know it's not 1991, but A Vulger Display of Power came out in early 1992, that should definitely be part of this group

[@neilpneilp]

It’s not just nostalgia… 1991 changed everything… so special being a kid old enough to witness how impactful all these events were. Life changing stuff… especially Terminator 2

[@vlcheish]

Terminator 2, Street Fighter 2.....yes 1991 is god

[@Laurikiwi]

100% dude, I started playing guitar at 15 in the late '80's and was into all the shredders and hair metal. And then in 1991 the immediate impact of Smells like teen spirit in particular cannot be overstated, everything changed literally overnight

[@RafitoOoO]

The lasting impact of these releases can't be overstated. I was born in 91 and I know and have listened to all the records you listed. That's how big and influential they are.

[@richardjones38]

I was 17 in 1991. Musically the best year of my life. The only downside was I could only afford some of the awesome albums coming out. Good job 1991 was still in the era of exchanging taped copies of albums with friends

[@orangecounty2033]

alternative rock scene was happening in 89-90 but not on mainstream radio. College radio if you had it. Bars & clubs were playing The Mountain Song, Head Like A Hole, Fascination Street etc. The music industry got smart, we were sooo ready for a change from Def Leopard, Poison & Ratt

[@laurisaarinen1126]

I absolutely love all those songs you mentioned, great picks 👌

[@neighbor2thenorthcomics]

You are not looking back at this year with anything but appreciation for this amazing year. I was 10 and every album shaped my musical taste for years to come.

[@folkrocksage9666]

Skid Row put out Slave to the Grind which is so underrated. It rocks as much as any of the other "91" albums and the vocals on it are insanely good.

[@kentonkilgore317]

That album is a flat-out masterpiece of hard rock. With it, Skid Row proved they weren't just a pretty-boy hair-metal band.

[@folkrocksage9666]

@@kentonkilgore317 It's ridiculously underrated and better than any album GnR has ever released. The production is outstanding and it's heavy. Apparently pantera (who toured with Skid Row) were influenced by Slave to the Grind yet hardly anyone mentions this. The vocals are some of the best ever recorded on a hard rock album.

[@kentonkilgore317]

@@folkrocksage9666 Amen!

[@emilypeterson1133]

We need another 1991 this decade! What a wild time!

[@smokymountainlegends7797]

Spot on Finn. Re: Pearl Jam being an influence - As a high-schooler in the 90’s, Jeff Ament was the entire basis of my persona as a bass player. Pre-91 I wanted to be Slash, Axl, or even Izzy, but started playing bass because none of the guys I started playing with wanted to, lol. The moment I heard Jeff’s work on Ten and then saw his stage antics in the Even Flow and Alive videos I knew I had my heading. And much like Nirvana, PJ proved you could be a rockstar in shorts and Doc Martins’, which was a TON easier than black leather and spandex for suburban Georgia teenagers. So now you’ve heard at least one. 🤘😝

[@MachineGunPhilly]

They majorly influenced my music as well 😂 small world, eh?

[@Gian4455]

Same here! I started playing guitar right after I heard Even Flow on the radio around december 1991. I was just watching PJ performance of Jeremy on the 1992 MTV VMAs and saw Stone's green shorts and suddenly remembered I had those exact ones 😅

[@smokymountainlegends7797]

@@Gian4455 I may or may not have bought a pair or two of plaid flannel shorts 😆

[@DingleMcDangle]

I was 10 years old when Nevermind came out. As a kid that was obsessed with Poison and Def Leppard, I can 100% agree with how things literally changed over night. Within just a few weeks, all the kids in my elementary school started to dress completely differently.

[@rebellemoermin6128]

You know the band Queen? Album Innuendo also 1991

[@spiderdoom]

The long hair got cut and the mohawk erupted.

[@spddiesel]

I graduated high school in 1991. In the next 2-3 years, while attending U of I, I saw Gerardo, Megadeth, Gwar, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anthrax, Public Enemy, The Steve Miller Band, Smashing Pumpkins, Helmet, Faith No More, Foghat, and Metallica, twice. It could not have been a better time to be alive. 🤘

[@197604121040]

1991 was indeed incredible, and that was clear even at the time, we were kind of aware that in the future people would look back to it just like we did look at Led Zeppelin or Doors albums then. That said, Nirvana may have been an overnight thing for the casual fen, but for those paying attention it only fired a mercyful shot at hair metal, that was already mortally wounded since GnR released AFD. Many music fans were already paying attention to Living Colour, FNM and Jane's Addiction so Nirvana making it big was far from shocking. But for the average mall going kid, yeah they came out of nowhere.

[@jefferydavis3332]

I was 7 in 1991 and all this stuff was the first music that ever resonated with me. I picked up the guitar a few years later and never looked back.

[@hobbycorp1996]

Just another awesome, awesome episode. Crushed four episodes on the treadmill this morning and cannot wait to watch more! Your style of video-making is incredibly entertaining, informative, and not to mention, addictive. I think the history of W.A.S.P. would fit perfectly within your videography and I believe you could do them better justice than just about anyone else!

[@dalekay9ine]

I really loved this video Finn. You brought up a few great points I never fully considered. It's pretty wild to think that so many future classic albums all came out in such a short amount of time.

[@TheQxx]

I was 11 in 91-92 and Apocalypse '91 (Public Enemy) was the first album I ever bought and at the same time I got the Smells Like Teen Spirit single with Even In His Youth on the B Side - that moment for music was incredible. The Chronic came out a minute later and all those Seattle rock and punk bands blew UP. But the best way to frame just how amazing music was then...to really try to make someone understand how much unique visions and innovative music was allowed to thrive, all you need to know is PRIMUS got a shot at the big time...Primus. I love Primus but I know that there's no other time in history where Primus could have been appreciated as popular music except the 90s. That says everything about how much creativity was allowed to thrive in popular music at that time.

[@derelictor]

Blue Lines by Massive Attack was another great example of that year

[@hsatin20]

This video takes me back to an awesome time. I would argue that Guns N Roses is not really a hair metal band. Where most hair metal bands seemed like they were faking their image, GNR always seemed like they really lived the gritty dark side of the LA scene and their music always had much more of an edge.

[@annepatton8727]

I was in 5th grade but I was already choosing my musical path, things were beginning to resonate in my head. it was 94' for me when I was blown away by grunge for ever.

[@jeffjunge7663]

I was 15 in 1991. I loved watching MTV's Headbangers Ball and just wanted my music to get heavier and heavier. I was sick to death of glam by 89 or so. I welcomed the change grunge and metal brought. 120 Minutes was also a good show to watch.

[@Luka_Griffin]

I was 11 in 1991 and starting to listen to Rock and Metal. I agree with your opinion. It's weird that Pearl Jam and REM aren't talked about much these days, because they were very big at that time and in the years to follow. I guess they had some influence in Alt Rock, as their music used to be played a lot on the radio. It was a great time to be a Metal fan. I loved reading the magazines, such as Kerrang, Guitar World, Metal Hammer, Circus, Spin. I guess there's also a bit of nostalgia in this, but I miss MTV as it was back then, the magazines, and also the radio djs who played whole albums and lesser known bands, including those from the 60s and 70s. Thanks for the video!

[@blasperez7764]

Great video! I remember being 14 yrs old in 91 and thinking how cool it is to be a teenager during this huge shift. It was a magical time! Also Mr. Bungle Self Titled and Primus Seas of Cheese dropped in 91 which in my opinion were the blueprint for Korn.

[@jeffprice7474]

Mike Patton with Bungle and of course Faith No More definitely helped pave the way for Korn and many others

[@tofuxtim]

Awesome video! Yes, this was incredible!💚 I remember recording songs from the radio to my cassette tapeplayer then and buying my first few CDs (which were really expensive back then)🙏👌

[@chadliley]

You’re right- it’s so weird that Pearl Jam doesn’t get mentioned. Ten was a masterpiece. Vs. and Vitalogy were amazing as well!

[@donniewynn3277]

Sorry Pearl jam weren't grunge. Grunge was the sub pop sound, more punk influenced. But I know how big PJ were and I'm not bashing them. I just think Mudhoney and soundgarden were more important and of course the melvins

[@Fanged.Fiend.Reactor]

I think Alice In Chains gets mentioned a lt less.

[@joeruiz4010]

"Ten" had to compete with "Metallica" (the self-tited Black Album), "Nevermind" by Nirvana, and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.........that level of competition was absolutely THERMONUCLEAR. "Ten" beat out every other album except for Metallica's Black Album and Nevermind. I know so many people dislike the Black Album, but it helped the Grunge Movement because the Thrash Metal Bands were NOT mainstream, and Metallica had a huge influence on the Big 4 Grunge Bands.

[@joeruiz4010]

​@donniewynn3277 Pearl Jam is the epitome of "Alternative Rock".

[@joeruiz4010]

Also, "Ten" had to compete with G&R's "Use Your Illusion 1 & 2". "Ten" beat them out too.

[@sonusworld5357]

1991 also had releases from Van Halen and Skid Row

[@sonusworld5357]

@@Luke5100 Right now was great but that record also had 2 other Big hits - Runaround and Pound Cake - Slave to the Grind by Skid Row Debuted at number 1 🤟🏻🤟🏻🤘🤘

[@patrick2365]

Awesome video! I was 16 and this year of music literally changed my life and shaped my musical taste. Thanks for taking me back to this insane time in music.

[@genxmamabear5965]

I was 21. It was the BEST year ever for music and Live Gigs and garage bands. I’m so glad I was in my 20’s through the 90’s. The last truely Free decade. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[@genxmamabear5965]

Ministry and Soundgarden were my faves. The Pixies are still my all time favourite. Australia had some great bands too.

[@marvinbohme7575]

1991 was in fact quite a revolutionary year for many genres, but most of all: rock. Also, as you've said, it freed itself from the 80s to be its own decade. You just have to take a look at those albums you've showed in the beginning. Man, but also Talk Talk, My Bloody Valentine, Massive Attack and Slint who went a completely other direction sonically and musically. Even hip hop had shown their capabilities at that point, going from A Tribe Called Quest, 2Pac and Ice Cube. If it's the best year of the 90s, I don't know, but certainly the most important for the decade itself. My favorite of that year would be either "The Low End Theory" by ATCQ or "Nevermind" by Nirvana. And with Guns N' Roses calling them "hair metal": They feel more blues based hard rock to me like Van Halen did, a band which paved the way for this kind of metal although they're definitely not that kind of Poison, Whitesnake and Mötley Crüe. I wouldn't say the 90s overall is my favorite musical decade. There are just a few movements, especially disco, techno and electronic, that I don't vibe with one bit. I'd go, like I would go with movies, with the 70s. But it showed promising start of Neo Soul and the shape of hip hop to come and also some subgenres of rock (i.e. industrial) that had lyrical depth and a great tones and atmospheres. Those things applied to grunge, of course, big time. Greetings from someone born in 2002!

[@QuincyKane]

I was born that year, so I grew up more in the late 90s, but I agree with you; looking back objectively, there was definitely a significant change in music at this time!

[@JayKughan]

This was a duckin' eye opening analysis & summary of 1991! 🤘 Bless you man.. brilliant video.. 🍻

[@justinburlingame5109]

To me, 1991 was the greatest yr in the history of music. For all genres of music, not just rock. In country, Garth Brooks became the star he would eventually become. He owned that yr in that genre. And if u were around country in the 80s, it was dominated by pop country acts like The Judds, or the countrypolitan acts like Ronnie Milsap. After 1991, the honky tonk era of country really started, and all the pop country and countrypolitan acts were old news. After Billy Ray Cyrus in '92, u didn't see a lot of pop country acts with success outside of Shania Twain in the business. Authenticity became a big deal in that genre, and lasted a good 15 or so yrs before Taylor Swift made it kewl to like pop country again. In R&B, the New Jack Swing era was in high gear. The members of New Edition had all started releasing solo albums, or in the case of Bell Biv Devoe, they recorded as a trio. Teddy Riley, member of the R&B group Guy, pioneered the New Jack Swing sound. However, R&B producers had started paying attention to hip hop and how the beats were being made there, and u could slowly see them incorporating more of that in what they made for R&B acts. I think that all came to a head when Jodeci released the song "Forever My Lady", where u started hearing 808s in R&B beats. Before with New Jack Swing, they used rock style drum kicks. After 1991, that all died, and 808s have pretty much been commonplace in R&B ever since. It really helped the next big thing to hit R&B, which was the contemporary R&B scene, where R. Kelly, Usher, Ginuwine, and Babyface really cashed in. TLC went from making what they dubbed "New Jill Swing" on the "TLC tip" album to the CrazySexyCool album in '94 where they all but got away from anything New Jack related. When Michael Jackson approached Teddy Riley to produce the Dangerous album, u saw his production skills evolve, to where u could tell the New Jack influences, yet could tell it was starting to fade. After Guy broke up, Teddy Riley formed a new R&B group called Blackstreet, which had very little New Jack style production to it. It showed where the future of R&B was gonna stay, and made a lot of 80s acts like Ready For The World look like dinosaurs compared to what was acceptable just a few yrs prior. Pop music really changed, probably more than any other genre tbh. From 1988-1991, acts like Taylor Dayne, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Samantha Fox, Paula Abdul, and NKOTB were all the rave. They fit the 80s mold perfectly. Safe, tightly knit pop music ur tween daughter could listen to. Even pop rockers like Roxette wrote and performed music with that style. If straight up bubble gum pop wasn't ur thing, but u still liked accessible pop music, 2 other musical genres were relevant around that time. One was freestyle, and Exposé were the queens of it, having huge hits at the tail end of the 80s. Timmy T had the biggest success in this genre with a song called "One More Try" released in 1991. The other was adult contemporary where Michael Bolton and Wilson Phillips owned the genre. As much as that style gets made fun of for being "old ppl music", the voices in that genre were actually really good, and it had better song writing than a lot of ppl remember (check out Wilson Phillips debut if u need a reminder). But after 1991, both of those genres all but disappeared from the mainstream. When grunge hit, ppl instantly got sick of the pop format, and helped benefit those like Richard Marx, John Mellencamp, Elton John, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, and the Eagles with their comeback, who were rock enough to be considered rockers, but weren't straight up pop either. All had big hits in the mid 90s. Even Amy Grant, who was considered a contemporary Christian artist, had success in '91 and '92, and had a hit in '94 mainly off the ideology that she wasn't exactly rock, but not bubble gum pop either. In the world of rap, everybody talks about how gangsta rap went mainstream in '92. But I nvr really viewed it that way. I think what was more important to the genre as a whole was the lyrical content change. Which started on the backs of N.W.A. and 2 Live Crew. But in 1991, it really shined. Sure, Marky Mark and Gerardo were charting in '91. But so was LL Cool J. And Heavy D & The Boyz. And Salt N' Pepa. All with street cred to go along with the hip hop prowess they presented. Once those artists changed with the lyrical content, they weren't considered products of the so called "pop rap" format that MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Kyper, and Kid N' Play presented. After '91, there were very few pop rap style hits and only Will Smith still charted with that style of rap music. The lyrical content change made hip hop in general much easier to digest as a serious art form moving forward. The aforementioned R&B taking notes from hip hop culture and applying it to that genre also helped usher in rap's eventual staying power. Rock music, in my mind, was always in 2 different places around the time grunge was about to explode in popularity. In one area, u had the glam metal scene (and everyone knows the story around that). But the alternative rock scene of the 80s doesn't get talked about much. Rather it was the college rock scene (R.E.M., the B-52's, XTC, The Church), the goth rock scene (Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, and The Cure), the funk rock scene (Living Colour, Mr. Bungle, Faith No More and early RHCP), the Madchester scene (Stone Roses, EMF), or the few alt rock acts that got mainstream exposure around that time like Depeche Mode, INXS, Crowded House, Tracy Chapman, and Suzanne Vega. I truly believe those artists knew it was only a matter of time before alternative became the mainstream. They saw acts like Husker Du, Sonic Youth, the Pixies, Love and Rockets, Killing Joke, the Replacements, and so on and saw the talent those artists possessed, and knew eventually that it was coming. I just always thought it was always a shame that most of the 80s alternative acts nvr got the success the 90s ones did. Nowadays, with the internet, I think they would've. But a lot of them got passed over, and it really sucks for them. I think the biggest "What If" in all of music is how rock would've navigated rap's rise had grunge not gotten overexposed so quickly, and alternative rock having another star to build its future upon. B/c rap music really benefitted from Kurt Cobain dying. It took over after his death, and the genre of rock hasn't been the same since. Rock could still be the dominant in music today had the star power for the genre been there after Kurt's passing. It survived the disco craze, the rise and fall of synthpop in the early to mid 80s, and other music movements along the way. It's why I completely understand rock being in indie world now. As much as indie rock doesn't chart for the genre like I wish it would, I think rock is trying to find itself an identity again, kinda like how it was when grunge plummeted from relevancy. Maybe indie rock acts like Iron & Wine, Arcade Fire, Tame Impala, The Lumineers and others are this generation's XTC, The Church, Husker Du, and Sonic Youth, and will miss the next big rock explosion. Only time will tell!?!

[@travonlewis8134]

I agree with a lot of what you said other than hip hop not becoming the biggest genre if Kurt cobain lived rap would have took over regardless the biggest issue with the grunge acts was they acted like they didn’t care about fame when in reality they actually did that’s why britpop started gaining momentum around 94-95 people where starting to get tired of depressed rock stars who were millionaires hip hop was getting bigger than rock around that time simply because it was cooler and less predictable than alternative rock and by 97 even teen pop which had disappeared in the early 90s with new kids on the block disappearing due to Nirvana had risen again because at some point people would rather escape the real life hardships and just listen to fun music despite it having no meaning it’s pretty sad but that’s just how it is

[@justinburlingame5109]

I'm not one to say ur wrong, and I do think it would've taken over eventually. But I'm not sure it would've taken over as fast. If u think about chart success, the last rock #1 was "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback, in 2002. I think had Kurt lived, and grunge survived a few more yrs, it would've taken a backseat to nu-metal, and prolly wouldn't have rose to power like it did until then. Cuz after nu-metal, mainstream rock started progressing more internally, with the emo bands like MCR being less for normies and more about those who fit the emo description. And by the time the indie movement kicked off, rock had retreated from the mainstream, in large part due to the genre itself having an identity crisis, in my mind. So would it have risen to power? Probably. But I def don't think it would've happened in the 90s had grunge lasted longer, cuz I really believe nu-metal would've been able to piggyback off grunge's chart success, and prevent it from rising as fast!?!

[@lippi2171]

I used to hate the 90s because I was a 60s-70s fan. Once I checked out what the 90s (especially early 90s) were I realized it was damn special for sure.

[@WC_Beer_Reviews]

I bet you could go thru each year of the 90's and point out ground breaking, landmark, or significant bands, albums, and trends from each year.

[@WC_Beer_Reviews]

@Luke5100 I certainly agree. I think another thing that gets overlooked is the place that Country music took at that time, when 80s style rock/metal fell, with the meteoric rise of Garth Brooks. The landscape changed in that area too.

[@doom-mantia]

That was an amazing recap. I was born in 92 so only know this music retrospectively through the internet. It is remarkable to have that many iconic (even then) hits release back to back. Will there ever be another 'watershed' year like this? Again, with the internet, everyone's into different things all on their own 'content islands' (myself included).

[@1nONLY_DRock]

Guns 'n' Roses was my gateway metal band. I remember my older sister getting both their Use Your Illusion albums. That's right after we were all into the usual pop stuff like NKOTB and Vanilla Ice (Hey, I was 9!). From there I was hooked. I wished I discovered grunge sooner, but that wasn't for another year or two.

[@devastaterx]

I remember that year well. I was working in this small shop where I could watch MTV during all the breaks. I was thinking how cool music was lately with Nirvana and Chili peps grabbing a hold of me. Weirdly I thought this is how music will be from now on. Great music and big events from a genre I loved. I like all kinds of music if it's good but this was a year and time where it seemed like a bottomless pit of innovation and music news. It was pretty intense.

[@davidfulmer5840]

Thanks for the videos awesome stuff it's like a trip down memory lane. Also Thanks for introducing me to Factor. Started this a few months back and me and my kid love it. Much better than going to the grocery store. Again thanks man

[@timlarge2954]

Would love to see a deeper dive into the movies of this time that you touched on at the end. Great video. 🎉

[@joshuayettou9032]

Alice in Chains' Facelift (1990) is an extremely underrated album and was a big reason that Rock/Metal changed directions. Yes, Nirvana's Nevermind without a doubt popularized it but AiC helped spark that fire in my opinion.

[@joshbanks9261]

In the Summer of 91 Body Count debuted as well which wasn't what people were expecting as it was just labeled Ice T as one of the performers. My friend was there and told me about the performance. Rage that Zack originally was one of the front members played in my hometown in Claremont. Face to Face was starting up Don't turn away came out in 92 along with the beginning of Offspring before Smash came out. The 90s was the second wave of punk rock bands like The Descendents became big as other bands as well.

[@KBez73]

Thank you so much for this man. Most definitely one of your best uploads.

[@josephpullen1153]

I love that you mentioned DEATH “HUMAN” and played Flattening of Emotions!!!! RIP Chuck!

[@SconnerStudios]

I think the decade of the 90s was simply the best, and Nirvana really kicked it off. They gave the music industry the (true) idea that people want to hear more than the popular genre at the moment. Sometimes having a ska swing or latin song on the radio is okay.

[@xenos_n.]

The sheer variety was the best part of that decade. We've seen nothing like it in mainstream music before or since.

[@malcorub]

97-99 were the low points with all the boy bands and pop rock but 91-96 was awesome for music.

[@RicONeill1964]

We’d already been doing that in Orange County CA for a decade by then.

[@SconnerStudios]

@@malcorub Boy Bands were a fun little trend, but it should have been like ska swing, where they each got one song played a week and went away within 2 years. Now we have them as staples, though "boy bands" really could be blamed on the Beatles.