Sound and technology
Digital audio workstations and affordable sampling moved editing deeper into everyday production.
ERA · KNOWLEDGE GUIDE
1990s
Explore 1990s through technology, music industries, regional scenes and representative recordings—and hear why this decade differs from those around it.
- Recordings
- 1119
- Albums and releases
- 578
- Regions
- 9
THE DECADE IN CONTEXT
What happened in this decade?
The CD market peaked as alternative rock, electronic dance music, hip-hop and regional pop industries entered a more global system.
People and circulation
CD distribution and global television expanded markets while local scenes retained distinct identities.
Listen by comparing
Compare productions from different regions that use similar tools but organize language, rhythm and texture differently.
Sampling and DAWs expandedGrunge, Britpop and indie rock gained audiencesRegional pop markets grew internationally
The decade's key question
Why did globalization not make every region sound the same?
Shared production tools and formats travelled widely, but musicians continued to work through local languages, rhythms, vocal traditions and industries. Global materials were recombined in distinct social settings and produced recognizable local versions.
MAJOR GENRES
Major genres of the decade
AROUND THE WORLD
Sounds from different regions
CaribbeanExplore local scenes and recordingsCubaExplore local scenes and recordingsEuropeExplore local scenes and recordingsContinental EuropeExplore local scenes and recordingsFranceExplore local scenes and recordingsJamaicaExplore local scenes and recordingsUnited KingdomExplore local scenes and recordingsNorth AmericaExplore local scenes and recordingsUnited StatesExplore local scenes and recordings
ARTISTS
Representative artists
LISTENING PATH
Hear the decade through these recordings
REFINE THIS VIEWFilter recordings from the 1990s
Genre and region are combined; only options with recordings from the 1990s are shown.
01Sultans of Swing1995 · Rock · rockOpen in new tab 02Eloise1999 · Pop · popOpen in new tab 03Portobello Belle1992 · Rock · rockOpen in new tab 04News1992 · Rock · rockOpen in new tab 05Once Upon a Time in the West1992 · Rock · rockOpen in new tab 06The Look of Love1995 · Dance-Pop · dance popOpen in new tab 07Decadence (Unity‐mix ’98)1998 · Synth-pop · synth-popOpen in new tab 08I Know Where It’s At1998 · pop · dance-popOpen in new tab
ALBUMS
Representative albums and releases
DECADE GRAPH
View relationship graph1990s relationship map
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