Our 90s generation was influenced by a number of music styles and musical artists, and we all grew up listening to a mix of bands or solo artists, whom we loved immensely and idolized even to an extent. Their songs would become a favorite on the playlist, the cassette or the CD of their albums would be played regularly, and their posters would be up on the wall or wardrobe. Music has always been a pleasure to all and one cannot deny that music is never soothing. And these musical artists would provide us with such a wide range to choose from, that our taste in music would blend with almost all styles.
Be it MJ’s ‘Black O White’ or ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls, the rap numbers, by Eminem or Snoop Dogg, which were a new addition to the music world, or the pop songs by Katy Perry or Kesha, there were an array of song numbers to be loved and enjoyed by us. Thus, I’m going to take you down memory lane with a list of 10 musical artists whom we grew up listening to and enjoyed.
10 Wonderful Musical Artists We Grew Up Listening To
1. Beyoncé
Genre – Pop, R&B, Hip Hop
Years Active – 1997-present
“The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence.”
There is no doubt about the confidence that Beyoncé has that has made her a global pop culture icon. With a highly distinctive voice, and a unique rhythmic vocal style, Beyoncé has been one of the most loved pop musical artists of our childhood. Although she started at the end of the 90s, her fan base was in fact the growing teens of the era, absolutely in love with her voice and aura.
With major hits in the recent past, such as ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Single Ladies’, ‘Run the World’ among so many others, Beyoncé has been in the top ranks in the ‘100 Greatest Women in Music list as well as a recipient of numerous awards, including the Grammys.
2. Michael Jackson
Genre – Pop, Funk, Soul, Disco, Dance Pop
Years Active – 1964-2009
“I’m never pleased with anything, I’m a perfectionist, it’s part of who I am”
Indeed, a true perfectionist, MJ as he was fondly called would strive to deliver his performances only the best and maybe that need of being a perfectionist got him to where he is. One of the most loved musical artists and entertainer in history, not only did he redefined the pop world and earned the title of ‘King of Pop’, he gave the world refreshing music and his dear ‘Moonwalk’, among other dance styles.
Most of his songs were an instant hit, such as ‘Black or White’ or ‘They Don’t Care About Us’, ‘Thriller’ or ‘Heal the World’, and MJ had gained a huge fan base in just few years. Even with his share of lows and highs, MJ has been a global figure in popular culture over 50 years.
3. Backstreet Boys
Genre – Pop rock, Contemporary R&B, Dance pop
Years Active – 1993-present
“I want it that way.”
And not only the Backstreet Boys, but most of us want things our way, right? Often abbreviated to BSB, the Backstreet Boys was a pop-centric band that reached success at the end of the 90s & beginning of the 2000s. With a number of dance hits and songs like ‘I Want It That Way’ or ‘Drowning’, the band gradually earned a fan base. It was with their debut international album ‘Backstreet Boys’ in 1996 that the group rose to fame.
4. Mariah Carey
Genre – Teen Pop, R&B, Hip Hop
Years Active – 1989-present
“Whatever you are going through in life, don’t ever give up”
Well, with such a motivational quote and beautiful songs as well, Mariah Carey is another great talent in the music world. Referred as the ‘Songbird Supreme’ by the Guinness World Records, Carey added fee new styles to hip hop, and with songs such as ‘We Belong Together’, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ etc, she achieved worldwide success.
5. Eminem
Genre – Rap
Years Active – 1988-present
“The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride and you don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”
Often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Eminem came to be a representation of popular angst and the American underclass, especially for breaking racial barriers of accepting White rappers in popular music. Also, popularly called ‘God of Rap’, Eminem has been a global figure right since the beginning of the 90s till date. With his hit movie 8Mile and various hit songs including the very famous ‘Rap God’ and ‘Without Me’, Eminem has been a recipient of 15 Grammy awards but has been an equally controversial figure in the music world.
6. Spice Girls
Genre – Pop, Dance-Pop
Years Active – 1994-2000, 2007-2012, 2018-present
“Don’t care how you look, it’s just how you feel.”
The Spice Girls were popular musical artists and cultural icons of the 1990s with their “Girl Power” label. Their debut hit album ‘Spice’ became the best-selling album by a female group in history. With their hit songs ‘Wannabe’, ‘Say You’ll be There’, ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ and the like, Spice Girls became a hit culture for many teens in the early 2000s.
7. Vengaboys
Genre – Dance Pop
Years Active – 1997-2002, 2006-present
“We like to Party!”
Yes, who doesn’t, who doesn’t like to party. And Venga Boys became famous for this reason. They gave a number of party hits like ‘Boom Boom’ or ‘Shala la la la’ being major of them. Although, they were considered the most successful Dutch pop group in history, they faded with the same suddenness as they came with.
8. Madonna
Genre – Pop, Punk Rock, Disco Music
Years Active – 1979-present
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art”
Well, I would have to say she is an excellent piece of art indeed. A talented female artist in the music world, according to Rick Nowels, Madonna is a brilliant pop melodist and lyricist. If Michael Jackson is considered as the ‘King of Pop’, then Madonna is the ‘Queen of Pop’. What captures the audience’s attention is Madonna’s talent for developing incredible lyrics, and especially songs that have social, political and sexual themes, which have garnered both fame & hate, both acclaimed and criticized.
Most of her hits have been number-one singles throughout her career, like ‘Frozen’, ‘Hung Up’, ‘Like a Prayer’, ‘4 Minutes’ among a lot of others. Madonna was ranked No. 1 in the ‘100 Greatest Women in Music’ list a lot of times and has been known for her versatility in music since the 90s.
9. Nirvana
Genre – Alternative Rock, Grunge, Punk, Pop
Years Active – 1987-1994
“All rock music is good music as long as it has passion and meaning.”
Yes, Nirvana did provide with alternative music. They provided alternative rock, and just like Kurt Cobain said in the quote above, Nirvana’s music had both passion and meaning. They were known for their fusion of pop melodies. Their hit songs ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘Come As You Are’, ‘Something In The Way’, ‘About a Girl’ have been best selling hits while even at present their music and popularity continue to influence the rock and roll culture.
10. Shakira
Genre – Rock, Pop, Latin
Years Active – 1990-present
“You are a song written by the hands of God.”
And her own quote applies to her true. This Colombian beauty had seized hearts with her vocal and dancing skills, both in her native land as well as with her entry in the English market. Her ‘Hips Don’t Like’ became one of the best-selling songs of the time, and with her other single hits such as ‘Wherever Whenever’ or her duet performance with Beyoncé in ‘Beautiful Liar’ or with Rihanna in ‘Can’t Remember to Forget You’ among many others, were worldwide successful hits.
She gave major dance numbers and enriched the Latin music world too. The official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song was an instant hit with Shakira providing the vocals for Waka Waka. Her contribution to both Latin and English music has propelled her image as a superb crossover artist.
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