inthe00s
The Pop Culture Information Society...

These are the messages that have been posted on inthe00s over the past few years.

Check out the messageboard archive index for a complete list of topic areas.

This archive is periodically refreshed with the latest messages from the current messageboard.




Check for new replies or respond here...

Subject: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/13/06 at 12:20 am

I was 10 when the '90s ended...so I probably shouldn't be talking...but I'll do it anyway.

-The kids movies were absolutely stunning. Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas
-TV and pop culture may've been corny, but they were enjoyable, comforting, and without the totally vacuously busy feel of 2000s TV and pop culture. And there were some decently smart shows on TV, at least for the early-mid '90s (early The Simpsons, Seinfeld). With youth fashion, it didn't have the totally abrasive-seeming, discomfiting "money" feel, and was just sort of into being rebellious and cool. I mean, of course it was corny, but at least it was FUN.
-The internet wasn't an addictive substance quite yet.
-US politics very, very boring, the way I like them. Nothing to complain about for most of the '90s.
-The corny TV was sort of good, not like TV now, which is totally overblown. It's too much. The whole '90s had a more restrained feel to it, I guess.
-Music videos were still on TV.
-This was pre-Japanimation and most computer animation. Now all kids have today is Japanimation and computer animation.
-Pre-reality TV.
-Were a backlash against materialism, not a clueless embrace of materialism, sex, violence, and culture redolent of money and gratuitous vacuousness and shallowness.
-Great female singers: Liz Phair, Tori Amos, even some less artistically good stuff like Natalie Imbruglia...

I really, really hate being a teen in the 2000s.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Trimac20 on 02/13/06 at 4:14 am

That would make you what, 15-16?

Yeah, I spose you would have lived in the last few years, but when you're a kid everything seems so romantic, that's why I wouldn't really know what it feels like to be a teen in the 90s having been 14 in 2000. I don't know about a 'backlash against materialism' - I think it was just as much so as the 80s. Yeah music, of course, was better...and who could forget Natalia Imbruglia?

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/13/06 at 7:48 am


I was 10 when the '90s ended...so I probably shouldn't be talking...but I'll do it anyway.

-The kids movies were absolutely stunning. Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas
-TV and pop culture may've been corny, but they were enjoyable, comforting, and without the totally vacuously busy feel of 2000s TV and pop culture. And there were some decently smart shows on TV, at least for the early-mid '90s (early The Simpsons, Seinfeld). With youth fashion, it didn't have the totally abrasive-seeming, discomfiting "money" feel, and was just sort of into being rebellious and cool. I mean, of course it was corny, but at least it was FUN.
-The internet wasn't an addictive substance quite yet.
-US politics very, very boring, the way I like them. Nothing to complain about for most of the '90s.
-The corny TV was sort of good, not like TV now, which is totally overblown. It's too much. The whole '90s had a more restrained feel to it, I guess.
-Music videos were still on TV.
-This was pre-Japanimation and most computer animation. Now all kids have today is Japanimation and computer animation.
-Pre-reality TV.
-Were a backlash against materialism, not a clueless embrace of materialism, sex, violence, and culture redolent of money and gratuitous vacuousness and shallowness.
-Great female singers: Liz Phair, Tori Amos, even some less artistically good stuff like Natalie Imbruglia...

I really, really hate being a teen in the 2000s.


Me too. I'm about the same age as you (16) and even though I was only a little kid in the 90's, I remember everything so clearly.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/13/06 at 11:21 am

I was going on 13 when the 90's ended and i woulnt say that I hate the 2000's but since i can pretty much remember the whole decade i would defidently say that the 90's were better than the 00's in nearly every catagory.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Juan on 02/13/06 at 12:55 pm

Me too. I'm about the same age as you (16) and even though I was only a little kid in the 90's, I remember everything so clearly.

Exactly the same as you
I'm 16 too

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/13/06 at 1:15 pm

Hah, we're the baby boom year! Everyone is born in '90, it seems. I also think we feel alot of disorientation because just as we were hitting puberty 9/11 happened and made the whole damn thing even more difficult. I remember the '90s pretty clearly from about '94 on...I was pretty observant of things and I watched alot of TV with my babysitters (Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210). I remember fashion and music on the radio from then, pretty well. The only thing I really have to say though is that it was definitely alot better time to be a kid than the '00s.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/13/06 at 1:56 pm

Yeah it was much better being a kid in the 90's. The kids movies were way better then especially disney. The toys were way cooler. And the cartoons were much better than the rubbish they show today. I still think the 80's might have been a better time to be a kid but I was born in '87 so i wouldnt know :\'(

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie_Darko on 02/13/06 at 4:09 pm


Me too. I'm about the same age as you (16) and even though I was only a little kid in the 90's, I remember everything so clearly.


I'm also a 16-year-old 1990er.

Am I nostalgic for the '90s?  Yeah, but I'm not all that fond of them.  The '80s sounded much better, the '90s weren't end-of-the-world style like today, but they were pretty close.  Plus, 1997 on, which I remember most (before then it's pretty fragmented) was worse than today pop-culturally.  The music of the '90s had it gems, but for the most part was terribly boring.  The movies weren't notable, but the TV was great.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/13/06 at 8:16 pm

Yep, born in November of 89 and I can remember as far back as 1993. I can remember about 5-10 seconds of 1992 though.

90's nostalgia people born in 1989-1990 have it made. We made it just in time to witness key events of the 90's. If we were born in 1991-1995, we'd be traped in the pop culture nightmare known as the 00's. :o

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: audkal on 02/13/06 at 10:34 pm

Same, I was born in August '89 and remember really cool stuff from the mid 90s (the earliest thing I can remember I think is Christmas '92).  Everything was alot cooler because we weren't spoiled with good special-effects in movies and video games (that's why Jurassic Park ruled!).  Also, the sitcoms today, it seems like all of their jokes are about sex, I'm like "Where's the creativity?"

Being alive for the good parts of the 90s was a good thing but now that they're gone it makes me depressed to be living in the present.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/13/06 at 10:42 pm

I can pretty much remember back to 1990 and yeah the 90's was a great decade. I also agree that anybody born from say '92 on would have a tough time remembering anything special about the 90's as they probably wouldnt be able to remember anything clearly until at least '97-'98

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: MotleyCrueFan'05 on 02/14/06 at 2:34 pm


I was 10 when the '90s ended...so I probably shouldn't be talking...but I'll do it anyway.

-The kids movies were absolutely stunning. Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas
-TV and pop culture may've been corny, but they were enjoyable, comforting, and without the totally vacuously busy feel of 2000s TV and pop culture. And there were some decently smart shows on TV, at least for the early-mid '90s (early The Simpsons, Seinfeld). With youth fashion, it didn't have the totally abrasive-seeming, discomfiting "money" feel, and was just sort of into being rebellious and cool. I mean, of course it was corny, but at least it was FUN.
-The internet wasn't an addictive substance quite yet.
-US politics very, very boring, the way I like them. Nothing to complain about for most of the '90s.
-The corny TV was sort of good, not like TV now, which is totally overblown. It's too much. The whole '90s had a more restrained feel to it, I guess.
-Music videos were still on TV.
-This was pre-Japanimation and most computer animation. Now all kids have today is Japanimation and computer animation.
-Pre-reality TV.
-Were a backlash against materialism, not a clueless embrace of materialism, sex, violence, and culture redolent of money and gratuitous vacuousness and shallowness.
-Great female singers: Liz Phair, Tori Amos, even some less artistically good stuff like Natalie Imbruglia...

I really, really hate being a teen in the 2000s.



-There were still Saturday Morning cartoons
-Arcades were still around- now there are Chuck E. Cheese Knock off "family fun"centers
-Classic cartoons were still shown on TV
-Kids played OUTSIDE

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/14/06 at 2:49 pm


Same, I was born in August '89 and remember really cool stuff from the mid 90s (the earliest thing I can remember I think is Christmas '92).  Everything was alot cooler because we weren't spoiled with good special-effects in movies and video games (that's why Jurassic Park ruled!).  Also, the sitcoms today, it seems like all of their jokes are about sex, I'm like "Where's the creativity?"

Being alive for the good parts of the 90s was a good thing but now that they're gone it makes me depressed to be living in the present.


I'm January of '90, so just a few months younger than you.

I think I can remember back to late 1993, possibly even as far as early 1993 or late 1992.  But unfortunately, 1996-1999 is the part I remember best, which is the part that I think is pop-culturally worse than now. 

1991-1996 is really the "nostalgia window", 1990 and even some aspects of 1991 seem like late '80s to me (not that that's a bad thing!). Late 1991-early 1997 is the core, mid-1997 on doesn't really feel like the '90s, even though it most certainly is, if you know what I mean.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: audkal on 02/14/06 at 10:01 pm


I'm January of '90, so just a few months younger than you.

I think I can remember back to late 1993, possibly even as far as early 1993 or late 1992.  But unfortunately, 1996-1999 is the part I remember best, which is the part that I think is pop-culturally worse than now. 

1991-1996 is really the "nostalgia window", 1990 and even some aspects of 1991 seem like late '80s to me (not that that's a bad thing!). Late 1991-early 1997 is the core, mid-1997 on doesn't really feel like the '90s, even though it most certainly is, if you know what I mean.


For me, 1997 was the last year that felt like the 90s.  I actually really liked '97 (I used to watch One Saturday Morning every Saturday on ABC, was awesome!), hehe.  I've said this before, I'll say it again, most people will tell you that the best years of your life are your High School years.  They haven't been for me, I still say the best years of my life were '93-'97.  I've been thinking about those times so much for the past couple years, it all seems like, it was just a dream, like it was too good to be true.  It's almost sick--how much I wanna go back, lol.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/14/06 at 10:17 pm


For me, 1997 was the last year that felt like the 90s.  I actually really liked '97 (I used to watch One Saturday Morning every Saturday on ABC, was awesome!), hehe.  I've said this before, I'll say it again, most people will tell you that the best years of your life are your High School years.  They haven't been for me, I still say the best years of my life were '93-'97.  I've been thinking about those times so much for the past couple years, it all seems like, it was just a dream, like it was too good to be true.  It's almost sick--how much I wanna go back, lol.



Yeah '93-'97 seem like the best years of my life too. And I agree about high school. Last year was my last year and I must say I was glad to be out. btw one saturday morning was great

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie_Darko on 02/15/06 at 2:00 am


For me, 1997 was the last year that felt like the 90s.  I actually really liked '97 (I used to watch One Saturday Morning every Saturday on ABC, was awesome!), hehe.  I've said this before, I'll say it again, most people will tell you that the best years of your life are your High School years.  They haven't been for me, I still say the best years of my life were '93-'97.  I've been thinking about those times so much for the past couple years, it all seems like, it was just a dream, like it was too good to be true.  It's almost sick--how much I wanna go back, lol.


Yeah, 1997 was the last year that counted I would say.  A lot of stuff I attribute to 1995 or 1996 actually happened in 1997.  It was certainly transitional (i.e. South Park, King of the Hill, boybands, Clinton's second term, etc. all started in 1997), but it still felt like the '90s.  1998 and 1999 were definitely '90s too, but they didn't feel like the '90s.  Only the medium of 1998 and 1999 were distinctly '90s.  That of 2000 and 2001 also was too in some ways.  Sort of like how now has a lot of '90s-like culture, but doesn't feel '90s. 

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 10:36 am

Also since soundgarden broke up in 1997 most people say that this is the year grunge offically died which would certianly make '97 the last year that had that true '90's feel. Also I think by '98 nu-metal, glam rap,and mtv not playing much music was all pretty much in and those are more 2000's type things.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/15/06 at 11:06 am


Also since soundgarden broke up in 1997 most people say that this is the year grunge offically died which would certianly make '97 the last year that had that true '90's feel. Also I think by '98 nu-metal, glam rap,and mtv not playing much music was all pretty much in and those are more 2000's type things.


Even the teen pop of the late '90s (which began in '97 in the States, but especially around 1999) was sort of a precursor to the '00s, even though it only lasted up to 2001 or 2002, it's influential on emo and there's still remnants of it to this day.

1998 is a lot more "true" '90s than 1999 though.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 11:12 am


Even the teen pop of the late '90s (which began in '97 in the States, but especially around 1999) was sort of a precursor to the '00s, even though it only lasted up to 2001 or 2002, it's influential on emo and there's still remnants of it to this day.

1998 is a lot more "true" '90s than 1999 though.



Oh yeah I almost forgot about teen pop. In '98-'99 the Backstreet Boys/NSYNC were all over the place so yeah thats another 00's type thing.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/15/06 at 11:18 am



Oh yeah I almost forgot about teen pop. In '98-'99 the Backstreet Boys/NSYNC were all over the place so yeah thats another 00's type thing.


Which is why nostalgia of the 1990s should focus on 1991-1996, and probably 1997 too and perhaps 1998.  1990 is too '80s-like to be focused as '90s and 1999 is too pseudo-'90s.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/15/06 at 12:39 pm

Yeah, '99 definitely felt different, or from about mid-99 on I would say, early '99 was still like '98. I just remember it being a different atmosphere before the middle of 2000, I think everybody seemed alot happier, and more than even in the mid-'90s, and culture was very carefree right then. Bad, yeah, but carefree. Also, Seinfeld ended in '98 or so and The Simpsons wasn't what it used to be like by '99. And people were still listening to grunge, but it wasn't of the cultural moment. Alot of people were listening to pop-punk and other soft rock.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 1:01 pm

There was a huge pop culture shift that built up in '98 and hit its peak in '99. I agree that '99 does feel different from the rest of the decade even from '98 but that could also be because everybody was gearing up for the new mellinium and 1990 was still alot like the 80's with hair metal and pop still big so yeah 90's nostalgia should mostly focus on 1991-1996/97

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/15/06 at 1:10 pm


There was a huge pop culture shift that built up in '98 and hit its peak in '99. I agree that '99 does feel different from the rest of the decade even from '98 but that could also be because everybody was gearing up for the new mellinium and 1990 was still alot like the 80's with hair metal and pop still big so yeah 90's nostalgia should mostly focus on 1991-1996/97



The shift began in 1997 with teen pop and South Park, but didn't hit off until 1999.  The late '90s era ended in 2001, but is still very influential.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 1:18 pm



The shift began in 1997 with teen pop and South Park, but didn't hit off until 1999.  The late '90s era ended in 2001, but is still very influential.



You know even though current rap was fairly big in the late 90's I always think of it as more of a 2000's thing. I think that when teen pop sort of fell in late 2001 that was when glam rap really hit it big

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/15/06 at 2:36 pm



You know even though current rap was fairly big in the late 90's I always think of it as more of a 2000's thing. I think that when teen pop sort of fell in late 2001 that was when glam rap really hit it big




I'd have to agree.

Also, although rap was big in the '90s it was just a genre, like Grunge or New Wave was.  Today, the entire culture is hip hop.  I never get the feeling that the '90s were all about rap, that was just one important facet of them.  Today is musically mostly rap, emo/pop-punk, adult contemporary pop and nu metal.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 5:09 pm


Also, although rap was big in the '90s it was just a genre, like Grunge or New Wave was.  Today, the entire culture is hip hop.  I never get the feeling that the '90s were all about rap, that was just one important facet of them.  Today is musically mostly rap, emo/pop-punk, adult contemporary pop and nu metal.



Today hip-hop IS the culture for sure. All you have to do is go to your local mall and you'll see what I mean ;D

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/15/06 at 5:36 pm

Well, when do we think interest in rap as the main focus of culture will subside?

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/15/06 at 11:59 pm


Well, when do we think interest in rap as the main focus of culture will subside?




Hopefully within the next 2-3 years.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Todd Pettingzoo on 02/16/06 at 12:09 pm

I think 1993-1997, were the glory years of this decade. Also, is it just me, or did the 90's have a way more cynical, but laidback attitude than nowadays? People are still cynical, but it doesn't seem as widespread to me.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/16/06 at 3:10 pm


I think 1993-1997, were the glory years of this decade. Also, is it just me, or did the 90's have a way more cynical, but laidback attitude than nowadays? People are still cynical, but it doesn't seem as widespread to me.


Yes.  The '00s are far more trendy, but somehow keep the same styles as the '90s, without getting the good parts of the '90s with them.  They can't replicate the feel of the actual 1990s, even if they are little more than the "New Nineties".

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/16/06 at 3:35 pm

Man the 90's are so different from the 2000's.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/16/06 at 3:40 pm


Man the 90's are so different from the 2000's.


I guess.  They have different tech, and a different feel, but you have to admit the pop culture of today is like bastardized '90s with a little '80s nostalgia put in the mix.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: bbigd04 on 02/16/06 at 3:55 pm


Man the 90's are so different from the 2000's.


In ways, but I don't think the late '90s are all that much different.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/16/06 at 3:57 pm


In ways, but I don't think the late '90s are all that much different.


Yeah I agree.  1998 is more like 2006 than 1992, for example.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/16/06 at 4:43 pm

Here's how I categorize the 90's:

Very Early 90's: 1990-1991
Early 90's: 1992-Summer 1995
Mid 90's: Fall 1995-1997
Late 90's: 1998-2001

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Mr. Critic on 02/16/06 at 4:53 pm


Here's how I categorize the 90's:

Very Early 90's: 1990-1991
Early 90's: 1992-Summer 1995
Mid 90's: Fall 1995-1997
Late 90's: 1998-2001

Two thousand one? ARE YOU CRAZY?! >:( That is not part of the nineties (because you don't say 90 for the year then). The final year of the 90s was 1999; December 31st, 1999 was the last day of the 90's, so stop trying to say something to the contrary that is factually untrue.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/16/06 at 5:27 pm


Two thousand one? ARE YOU CRAZY?! >:( That is not part of the nineties (because you don't say 90 for the year then). The final year of the 90s was 1999; December 31st, 1999 was the last day of the 90's, so stop trying to say something to the contrary that is factually untrue.

I was speaking pop culturaly.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: audkal on 02/16/06 at 5:55 pm

Duh 2001 isn't the 90s, but he was talking about which years still *felt like* the late 90s, not what years they literally were.  Everyone knows the 90s ended on December 31, 1999, but that's not what Roadgeek meant.  Indeed--you are "Mr Critic".

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/16/06 at 6:20 pm

Yeah, I think it still felt like the late '90s until September 11th. I think of the late '90s as being 2nd grade-5th grade for me, roughly.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Dan1978 on 02/16/06 at 10:40 pm

Cool clothes from Early to mid 90's. I can't stand what they have now.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Marty McFly on 02/17/06 at 7:11 am



You know even though current rap was fairly big in the late 90's I always think of it as more of a 2000's thing. I think that when teen pop sort of fell in late 2001 that was when glam rap really hit it big




Yeah. Just wondering though, do you think boybands and today's mainstream/glam rap actually have a little bit in common? It seems NSync, Backstreet Boys and such, started out as more adult contemporary/teenpop styled (1998-00) and around 2001, they all started doing hip hop or at least rap-flavored music. Especially alot of the members' solo work.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Marty McFly on 02/17/06 at 7:16 am


For me, 1997 was the last year that felt like the 90s.  I actually really liked '97 (I used to watch One Saturday Morning every Saturday on ABC, was awesome!), hehe.  I've said this before, I'll say it again, most people will tell you that the best years of your life are your High School years.  They haven't been for me, I still say the best years of my life were '93-'97.  I've been thinking about those times so much for the past couple years, it all seems like, it was just a dream, like it was too good to be true.  It's almost sick--how much I wanna go back, lol.


Same here. I was born in late 1981 and my favorite pop culture year is 1984!  ;) Although I'm pretty attached to everything through 1996 or '97.

Of course everyone is different, but I think most of us are imprinted by Elementary and Junior High, at least with pop culture and our lives in general. Roughly age 8-14 or so. This is when you'll probably start watching TV, listening to music or hanging with your friends more and more.

Alot of people might enjoy their high school experiences the most, but probably were already imprinted by their childhood/early teen years.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Marty McFly on 02/17/06 at 7:20 am


Two thousand one? ARE YOU CRAZY?! >:( That is not part of the nineties (because you don't say 90 for the year then). The final year of the 90s was 1999; December 31st, 1999 was the last day of the 90's, so stop trying to say something to the contrary that is factually untrue.


This gets a bit tiring to read. When people talk about this sort of thing, it's not calendar years, but the trends and feel of the time.

For instance, 1990 was the 90's, but still was VERY "late 80s" with trends. See what I mean? :D

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/17/06 at 12:37 pm

I think 1988-1990 was alot more a transitional period towards the '90s and even now than the bona fide '80s. There wasn't alot of new big mainstream culture, as Madonna and Michael Jackson were just releasing new albums. Also, this was when rap and alt rock really started to get onto the mainstream consciousness, hair metal declined, and soul became popular again.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/17/06 at 3:01 pm


This gets a bit tiring to read. When people talk about this sort of thing, it's not calendar years, but the trends and feel of the time.

For instance, 1990 was the 90's, but still was VERY "late 80s" with trends. See what I mean? :D


Exactly.  Some people just don't get it, or simply are so anal/annoyed by it they have to blurt it out.

What McFly means is that 1990 is part of the 1990s indisputably, but fits in, just barely with the "Eighties" zeitgeist.  It's "1990s" but "Eighties" too, but not "1980s", if that makes sense.  1990 is not really the "Beavis and Butt-head/Starbucks Nineties".  So does the first half of 1991, to quite a lesser extent, because it's essentially rooted in late 1990.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: bbigd04 on 02/17/06 at 3:04 pm


Exactly.  Some people just don't get it, or simply are so anal/annoyed by it they have to blurt it out.

What McFly means is that 1990 is part of the 1990s indisputably, but fits in, just barely with the "Eighties" zeitgeist.  It's "1990s" but "Eighties" too, but not "1980s", if that makes sense.  1990 is not really the "Beavis and Butt-head/Starbucks Nineties".  So does the first half of 1991, to quite a lesser extent, because it's essentially rooted in late 1990.


The same goes for 2000, it's part of the '00s, but it's very late '90s like. This is with every decade, the decade takes a couple years to really get going.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/17/06 at 3:07 pm


The same goes for 2000, it's part of the '00s, but it's very late '90s like. This is with every decade, the decade takes a couple years to really get going.


Right on the nail.

You see, the beginning of a decade is always almost exactly like the the late part of the previous decade, so in a sense it is part of the previous decade. 

The year 2000 did have some '00s things, like Reality (although IMO this really began in 1999, with Millionaire in the US and Big Brother in Europe).  Even 1999 had some '00s things.

1990 had the Simpsons and Mariah Carey too, even if they didn't really take off until the fall of the year.  But as a whole it's still a lot like 1988 and 1989.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: bbigd04 on 02/17/06 at 3:15 pm


Right on the nail.

You see, the beginning of a decade is always almost exactly like the the late part of the previous decade, so in a sense it is part of the previous decade. 

The year 2000 did have some '00s things, like Reality (although IMO this really began in 1999, with Millionaire in the US and Big Brother in Europe).  Even 1999 had some '00s things.

1990 had the Simpsons and Mariah Carey too, even if they didn't really take off until the fall of the year.  But as a whole it's still a lot like 1988 and 1989.


I used to love Millionaire, but it got old after a couple years. Millionaire really wasn't the typical reality show though, it was a prime-time game show. I can see the similarities though. There was a few more of these game shows (Greed-Fox, 21-NBC) in 1999 and the early '00s because of Millionaire, but they died out very quickly. Now NBC is trying to bring it back with "Deal or No Deal".

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/17/06 at 4:03 pm


I used to love Millionaire, but it got old after a couple years. Millionaire really wasn't the typical reality show though, it was a prime-time game show. I can see the similarities though. There was a few more of these game shows (Greed-Fox, 21-NBC) in 1999 and the early '00s because of Millionaire, but they died out very quickly. Now NBC is trying to bring it back with "Deal or No Deal".


Yeah, "Millionaire" technically isn't a reality show, but since Reality is essentially the 21st Century version of Game Shows I consider it part of the same trend.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: audkal on 02/17/06 at 4:14 pm


The same goes for 2000, it's part of the '00s, but it's very late '90s like. This is with every decade, the decade takes a couple years to really get going.


Agreed.  8)

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Roadgeek on 02/17/06 at 4:53 pm


The same goes for 2000, it's part of the '00s, but it's very late '90s like. This is with every decade, the decade takes a couple years to really get going.

Right. Think like a car. The motor has to warm up before you can turn the heat on. Just watch that gage. Same goes for decades. It takes a year or two for it to warm up.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Joe Blow on 02/17/06 at 11:17 pm


I was speaking pop culturaly.

Mabye so, but Mr. Critic is correct.

I know a lot of pop cultural things tend to hang around in the early part of the following decade, but to actually say that the early part of one decade is really part of the previous one, is downright absurd.

Enough of these inane threads, guys. ::)

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/17/06 at 11:44 pm


Right. Think like a car. The motor has to warm up before you can turn the heat on. Just watch that gage. Same goes for decades. It takes a year or two for it to warm up.


Absolutely.  It's not like as soon as a decade turns, every one is gonna hang up their favorite music just because third digit in the year is different.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: deadrockstar on 02/17/06 at 11:54 pm

Things i like about the 90s:

Bill Clinton
Batman Returns
Batman: The Animated Series
Quintin Terentino(sp?)
Mortal Kombat
Sega Channel
Sony Playstation
Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX.
The Big Lebowski
Classic Nick shows like Pete & Pete, and Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
Classic Nick@Nite, with I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, The Jeffersons, The Wonder Years, I Dream Of Jeanie, Get Smart etc. their original line-up back inthe early to mid 90s was so much better. When TV Land first launched I thought it was better too..its been kinda crappy lately.
Married..With Children - it started in the 80s but I think of it as a 90s show basically
The Simpsons - Same as above. And its probably the best show of all time.
Seinfeld - One of the great sitcoms. So many classics like "man hands" and "Festivus".
Roseanne - another one of the funny "anti-family" sit-coms to start in the late 80s but really hit it's stride in the early 90s.

I'd say that on the whole the 90s had better TV and better movies. When it comes to music mainstream music in the 90s was better than now i think, but it still wasn't great imo. Mainstream music on the whole hasn't been too good since the late 80s imo. Video games are better in the 00s imo. I really, really dig GTA.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/17/06 at 11:59 pm


Things i like about the 90s:

Bill Clinton
Batman Returns
Batman: The Animated Series
Quintin Terentino(sp?)
Mortal Kombat
Sega Channel
Sony Playstation
Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX.
The Big Lebowski
Classic Nick shows like Pete & Pete, and Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
Classic Nick@Nite, with I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, The Jeffersons, The Wonder Years, I Dream Of Jeanie, Get Smart etc. their original line-up back inthe early to mid 90s was so much better. When TV Land first launched I thought it was better too..its been kinda crappy lately.
Married..With Children - it started in the 80s but I think of it as a 90s show basically
The Simpsons - Same as above. And its probably the best show of all time.
Seinfeld - One of the great sitcoms. So many classics like "man hands" and "Festivus".
Roseanne - another one of the funny "anti-family" sit-coms to start in the late 80s but really hit it's stride in the early 90s.

I'd say that on the whole the 90s had better TV and better movies. When it comes to music mainstream music in the 90s was better than now i think, but it still wasn't great imo. Mainstream music on the whole hasn't been too good since the late 80s imo. Video games are better in the 00s imo. I really, really dig GTA.


I think the '90s ruled TV, was boring for music (the last good year was 1987 I'd say), and was a bit above average for movies.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/18/06 at 12:41 pm


Yeah, I think it still felt like the late '90s until September 11th. I think of the late '90s as being 2nd grade-5th grade for me, roughly.



Yeah 9/11 does seem like the day that the 90's feel really died. Kinda like the Kennedy assasination really killed the 50's atmosphere in '63. Also 2001 was when glam rap started to take off well when it really started to take off.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/18/06 at 1:37 pm

It was sort of pseudo post-90s from mid-2000 through summer 2001, the economy was pretty bad and we had a different president, but it still sort of felt like a coda to the '90s and there were alot of '90s-like things. The '00s took off in 2002.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Mephistopheles on 02/18/06 at 1:42 pm

To me the 90's ended once Clinton left office.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: rich1981 on 02/18/06 at 10:24 pm

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES): Had some of the best games that decade.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/19/06 at 11:22 am


Yeah. Just wondering though, do you think boybands and today's mainstream/glam rap actually have a little bit in common? It seems NSync, Backstreet Boys and such, started out as more adult contemporary/teenpop styled (1998-00) and around 2001, they all started doing hip hop or at least rap-flavored music. Especially alot of the members' solo work.



Your right about that. At first teen pop was way on the other side of the streep from rap but then in '01 at the end of its popularity it started to embrace rap a little more. Probably because rap was more popular by that time.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/19/06 at 4:43 pm



I'd say that on the whole the 90s had better TV and better movies. When it comes to music mainstream music in the 90s was better than now i think, but it still wasn't great imo. Mainstream music on the whole hasn't been too good since the late 80s imo. Video games are better in the 00s imo. I really, really dig GTA.


I'd have to agree.  The fault with '90s music wasn't how shallow and raunchy/violent it was (with some exceptions), but how boring and depressing it was.  In the '80s, people listened to music to have fun, but the 1990s political correctness made it so your music had to boring in order to be considered thoughtful.  Even the more '80s-like '90s music doesn't hold a candle to true 1980s music.  But at least '90s music wasn't all gimmicks, at least up to 1996 or 1997.

The television was definitely better, but a little too gory for my taste.  The movies weren't that great, but at least they were pretty original, esp compared to today when every freaking non-comedy movie is a remake.

Ditto on video games, the more tech the better IMO.  Halo and Jet Set Radio Future are awesome.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/19/06 at 8:08 pm




Video games are better in the 00s imo. I really, really dig GTA.



I've been playing video games for almost 15 years and I like 90's and 00's video games pretty much equally even though my tastes are tinted a little bit more toward the old school 8). But yeah I do love 00's games too just got an Xbox 360 on Nov.22 as a matter of fact.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/19/06 at 10:05 pm

Yeah, most '90s music was boring, but there was better non-mainstream stuff except for the late '90s. Most indie rock now is just as boring and worthless as the mainstream stuff. Also, music now is extremely violent and raunchy. And A/C stuff a la Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 literally all has the same overprocessed voice and guitars, and faux angry sound. Like most '90s music I at least found amusing-the techno and slow jam was more tolerable, to some extent anyway, and the R&B was better (Destiny's Child and TLC were pretty good back then.) The TV was about 100x better and the movies were probably better, or more original, anyway.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/20/06 at 2:11 am

A few things good about the 90's

- Certain things from the 80's were still around in the early-mid-90's.
- Life seemed more simple without the constant use of cell phones and internet usage. Beepers were around, but not half as intrusive as a cell phone.
- TV had the last bit of great TV shows (although there are a few that stick out today that will go down in time as "great")
- Movies seemed more magical and better made, in a sense. People seemed to make a bigger deal of going to the theatre than they do today.
- We still had mom and pop stores around instead of big intrusive Wal-marts taking over the land.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/20/06 at 2:43 am


A few things good about the 90's

- Certain things from the 80's were still around in the early-mid-90's.
- Life seemed more simple without the constant use of cell phones and internet usage. Beepers were around, but not half as intrusive as a cell phone.
- TV had the last bit of great TV shows (although there are a few that stick out today that will go down in time as "great")
- Movies seemed more magical and better made, in a sense. People seemed to make a bigger deal of going to the theatre than they do today.
- We still had mom and pop stores around instead of big intrusive Wal-marts taking over the land.


The 1990s were the last of the good old days :)  Even the late 1990s, to some extent were.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/20/06 at 2:50 am

The "good old days" is pretty subjective, though. In the '60s and '70s everybody thought the '50s was the last of the good old days, and people in the '90s looked at the '70s that way. We still have plenty of mom-and-pops around in NJ and they aren't going out of business, I think the more dramatic change has been in small towns across the country. One thing I do miss is independent video stores, some of my fondest memories are of those places.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/20/06 at 2:59 am


The "good old days" is pretty subjective, though. In the '60s and '70s everybody thought the '50s was the last of the good old days, and people in the '90s looked at the '70s that way. We still have plenty of mom-and-pops around in NJ and they aren't going out of business, I think the more dramatic change has been in small towns across the country. One thing I do miss is independent video stores, some of my fondest memories are of those places.


True.

But maybe the '90s are the real claimer to that title.  They were the last pre-end of the world decade, even if they weren't the '80s.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/20/06 at 3:00 am

However, the '60s/'70s pretty much felt like the end of the world. Especially to alot of older people. So did the '40s.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: bbigd04 on 02/20/06 at 3:01 am


A few things good about the 90's

- Certain things from the 80's were still around in the early-mid-90's.
- Life seemed more simple without the constant use of cell phones and internet usage. Beepers were around, but not half as intrusive as a cell phone.
- TV had the last bit of great TV shows (although there are a few that stick out today that will go down in time as "great")
- Movies seemed more magical and better made, in a sense. People seemed to make a bigger deal of going to the theatre than they do today.
- We still had mom and pop stores around instead of big intrusive Wal-marts taking over the land.


Yea cell phones were more limited for most of the '90s, they were pretty prevalent by the mid '90s, but it wasn't something that everybody had. They were more money and more limited in functionality. Like I had a cell phone in 1998, but I was like one of the few kids at that time that had their own cell phone, now it seems like everybody on the planet has one. Toward the end of the '90s cell phones began to become more common place. Wal-mart was really just another retail store for most of the '90s, now it's a huge empire. Small hardware stores were more common place until the home depot's and the lowes' starting taking over in the later '90s. There were a lot of little computer shops as well, now not so many.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/20/06 at 3:38 am


However, the '60s/'70s pretty much felt like the end of the world. Especially to alot of older people. So did the '40s.


True.  But the '00s is the beginning of the freaking scifi era.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/20/06 at 3:42 am

Maybe, that's sort of scary, but the '40s were terrifying and before that the '10s. Everything is fairly relative. I think this decade demonstrates the end of the late 20th century, dominant US world, the way the '70s was the end of the mid-century cold war America and the '10s was the end of the Victorian era and all its comforts in Europe.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/20/06 at 12:28 pm


Yea cell phones were more limited for most of the '90s, they were pretty prevalent by the mid '90s, but it wasn't something that everybody had. They were more money and more limited in functionality. Like I had a cell phone in 1998, but I was like one of the few kids at that time that had their own cell phone, now it seems like everybody on the planet has one. Toward the end of the '90s cell phones began to become more common place. Wal-mart was really just another retail store for most of the '90s, now it's a huge empire. Small hardware stores were more common place until the home depot's and the lowes' starting taking over in the later '90s. There were a lot of little computer shops as well, now not so many.


Yeah, cell phones didn't become really populer until just about that time, 1998. Yet, I remember in 1999 they just sort of exploded all over the scene. And now, 7 years later - Just about everyone I know has one. It isn't like they're bad, it's just with new technology there has to be new etiquitte for these things. And etiquitte is something people have not learned while owning a cell phone. Yeah, Wal-Mart did not come off as intrusive in the 90's. Now they seem more like a monopoly than they did then.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/20/06 at 12:43 pm

I was just thinking again about that...the 1910s were roughly as scary and sci-fi-ish as the Victorians were used to, there was World War I, automobiles becoming popular, airplanes flying in the sky, telephones becoming widespread...to somebody from the 19th century that must have been about as  much the beginning of the "sci-fi era" as imaginable, and very much the end of the world.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/20/06 at 3:18 pm


Yeah, cell phones didn't become really populer until just about that time, 1998. Yet, I remember in 1999 they just sort of exploded all over the scene. And now, 7 years later - Just about everyone I know has one. It isn't like they're bad, it's just with new technology there has to be new etiquitte for these things. And etiquitte is something people have not learned while owning a cell phone. Yeah, Wal-Mart did not come off as intrusive in the 90's. Now they seem more like a monopoly than they did then.


I definitely think the the second half of 1997 was the beginning of the digital age.  It didn't really became totally so until 1999 though. 1999 was the first "ultramodern" year.

Yeah, people think of Wal-Mart as a '90s thing, but yeah it was more just the biggest store.  I wasn't like freaking Microsoft to computers.  It's killing the town  :\'(

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/20/06 at 3:53 pm

The backlash against Wal-Mart is rapidly growing, though, and I think is having more effect. See www.walmartwatch.com for more info.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: rich1981 on 02/20/06 at 6:36 pm

There are also DVDs regarding the Walmart craze: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BWFSOA/qid=1140482020/sr=8-3/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-8877994-0283029?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/20/06 at 6:39 pm


Yeah, people think of Wal-Mart as a '90s thing, but yeah it was more just the biggest store.  I wasn't like freaking Microsoft to computers.  It's killing the town  :\'(



Wal-Mart was huge in the 90's but it could at least co-exist with other stores including big ones(K-Mart) and small ones(like the ones in the small towns they come into and basically take over) I like Wal-Mart then but I hate it now.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/21/06 at 12:54 am



Wal-Mart was huge in the 90's but it could at least co-exist with other stores including big ones(K-Mart) and small ones(like the ones in the small towns they come into and basically take over) I like Wal-Mart then but I hate it now.


Maybe Wal-Mart didn't seem as intimidating because Sam Walton was still at the helm. But, once he went, it seems thats when his legacy went down as well.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/21/06 at 12:56 am


Maybe Wal-Mart didn't seem as intimidating because Sam Walton was still at the helm. But, once he went, it seems thats when his legacy went down as well.



Yeah Walton died in '92 I think and I dont think he would have let things get this out of hand but I could be wrong.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: velvetoneo on 02/21/06 at 12:59 am

Yeah, I remember when K-Mart was in serious trouble around the turn of the century (sounds weird to be saying that.) Now, Wal-Mart is forcing Macy's to overtake all these regional department stores. F*ck Wal-Mart. I hate them with a passion I reserve for no entity, even Adolf Hitler who killed six million of my people and a quarter of my family, because at least he died a death of humiliation. They are representative of the problem with this great land my ancestors came to from Eastern Europe, cow dealers, and became Ivy League professionals. I want to mature to dedicate alot of my time and energy to making sure big box stores and big business don't ruin America. And the backlash is growing every day...

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/21/06 at 1:00 am



Yeah Walton died in '92 I think and I dont think he would have let things get this out of hand but I could be wrong.


I think he would have kept more integrity within the group of people that manage it now. I actually went to Arkansas about 2 years ago and was about 2 miles from where the Wal-Mart headquarters were, but I never actually got to see them as I was being escorted places and I was there primarily for a wedding. Yet, I did land at a Wal-Mart owned airport in Fayetteville, AR, lol.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/21/06 at 1:32 am


Maybe Wal-Mart didn't seem as intimidating because Sam Walton was still at the helm. But, once he went, it seems thats when his legacy went down as well.


Hmmm.  1992 is also about the time Starbucks started popping up too I think.

I have a joke:

Q: What do you call a McDonald's inside a Wal-Mart?
A: The ultimate evil  ;D

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: mach!ne_he@d on 02/21/06 at 11:13 am


Hmmm.  1992 is also about the time Starbucks started popping up too I think.

I have a joke:

Q: What do you call a McDonald's inside a Wal-Mart?
A: The ultimate evil  ;D



Yeah you see so many McDonald's inside Wal-Mart's these days you'd almost think they merged or something.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/21/06 at 3:04 pm



Yeah you see so many McDonald's inside Wal-Mart's these days you'd almost think they merged or something.


I know!

Next thing you know, they'll have a Starbucks and a Microsoft outlet in there too!  ;D

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/21/06 at 5:12 pm



Yeah you see so many McDonald's inside Wal-Mart's these days you'd almost think they merged or something.


Last time I ate McDonalds at Wal-Mart I got food poisoning  ::)

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Donnie Darko on 02/21/06 at 5:13 pm


Last time I ate McDonalds at Wal-Mart I got food poisoning  ::)


More proof of their evil! :(  ;D

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: Starde on 06/30/10 at 3:45 pm


Here's how I categorize the 90's:

Very Early 90's: 1990-1991
Early 90's: 1992-Summer 1995
Mid 90's: Fall 1995-1997
Late 90's: 1998-2001


I personally don't think late-90s culture was entirely gone 'til 2003. 2003 was when the real 2000s started to me.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: preston181 on 07/26/10 at 3:52 pm

Agreed about the "real 2000's" starting around 2003/2004. I think the tech changed things. You had more mainstream connectivity to tech and the internet became king around that time. People went from CD players/Minidisc players to MP3 players. The grunge bands started being replaced by boy bands. Madonna was out, Britney was in. I could go on for a long time, but I don't want to break the decadeology rules.

I remember the awesome and responsibility-light (I don't remember ever being responsibility-free. My folks were strict) summers of my teenage life in the 90's. I remember working at McDonald's: Getting off work in the afternoon, grabbing an Arch Deluxe, and going home to play some Goldeneye 007 on my Nintendo 64 in my parent's basement. (Which now, because of the internet, has become a huge cliche'). Those were the days.

Subject: Re: Great Things About the '90s

Written By: whistledog on 07/26/10 at 7:34 pm

The day they ended

Check for new replies or respond here...