There is a social media trend going on with common folks and celebrities participating in. The "What were you like in the 90's?" trend, featuring a photo collage and sometimes videos of folks in that decade. Often played to the Goo Goo Dolls Iris, a song I love by the way. If you look at social media clips, discussions, or podcasts. Or just listen to folks talk in general, the 90's are missed. We're 6 years into the 2020's, mathematicallly the early 2000's nostalgia wave shouold have taken over by now. Yet the 90's wave is still holding strong, so I decided to break some the reasons the 90's is still so beloved.
5 Technology
90's Kids always talk about how we were the last generation to truly enjoy life before technology took over. And that is correct, we came up in the era of analog and digital and have seen technology change so much. The 90's bought us the internet complete with AOL dial-up, cable TV offerings expanding leading to the rise of digital cable. While still in it's infancy cell phones started gaining traction in the 90's to evolve into what they are today to the world.
16-bit Video game consoles like Nintendo and Sega ruled the early and mid parts of the decade. Until 64-bit video games on CD's came into play with Playstation, Sega CD, and Sega Dreamcast. Nintendo 64 produced classics like Goldeneye, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, and the WCW and later WWF video games.
Windows 95 changed the whole game for PC's, and slowly but surely the internet became a have to have to move about in life. It was a time, which laid the foundation for so much of what we have today.
4 Sports
Whether it was hockey and greats like Wayne Gretzkey, the NFL with strong armed QB's like Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, and Brett Favre. Or running backs like Emmit Smith, Marshall Faulk, or the elusive Barry Sanders. Of course Air Jordan redefined the game of basketball in the NBA during the 90's not only on the court, but outside as well. Baseball had the greatest all-around player I've ever seen in Ken Griffey Jr. while the home run chase of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa though tainted revitalized baseball. All memorable players that produced memorable moments that have stood the test of time all these years later.
Outside of the respective stadiums and arenas, players of that era also had personality with many marching to the beat of their own drum. Guys like Dennis Rodman who was unapologetically himself, or Deion Sanders who created a whole persona based around his love for money. He also conquered pro baseball and football, famously playing a game for the Atlanta falcons during a sunday afternoon in Miami, then flying to Pittsburgh to join the Atlanta Braves in a league championship playoff game against the Pirates.
Today's players while great atheltes many have subdubed personalities, some its just them others the respective leagues have collectively worked together to dwindle the era of larger than life athelete personalities. During the 90's good players and personalities were at its peak.
3 Fashion
Fashion in the 90's was LOUD but subtle. From the starter jackets, to nylon sweatsuits swish swishing everywhere. The grunge look of oversized plaid shirts that went with just about anything. Baggy jeans, overalls, leather jackets. Throw in accessories like backwards baseball caps which gained popularity in the 90's, Doc Marten boots and various sunglasses. The fashion of the 90's was a spectacle in itself, sure looking back someone may say why did I wear that? Everyone pretty much dressed to fit their personality and it worked for everyone.
It was a wild time but the 90's fashion style has withstood the test of time.
2 Entertainment
First things first from the grunge era gaining populairty and speaking to Generation X. Pop music dominating the world towards the end of the decade. To rap and Latin artitsts becoming mainstream, and 90's R&B still considered the pinnacle of R&B music. The 90's music scene was just special.
Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman on his podcast On That Note and record producer/Executive L.A. Reid discussed it on the show. There will never be another musically era like the 90's and they are not wrong.
TV produced Blocks that you just could not miss. ABC's legendary TGIF block of sitcoms, which honestly I believe many families today wish they had for their young families on Friday nights. Fox's Thursday night lineup of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. NBC had Must-See TV with shows like The Cosby Show, A Diff'erent World, Seinfeld, Friends, Will & Grace, and ER throughout Thursdays during this decade.
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For us kid's of that time, Nickeldeon had Snick on Saturday nights. Along with numerous cartoons and game shows. In fact Nickeldeon ruled that decade for 90's kids. Cartoon Network rose to promeince during that time as well, and NBC's Saturday morning Teen shows were still thriving. Nickeldeon also gave us Nick At Nite, which introduced whole new generations to classic sitcoms from the 50's to the 70's during that time.
As CGI effects became better and more affordable, more big budget films pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. While films with heart were still made, and laugh out loud comedies were still choking people from laughing so hard.
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Raunch TV also known as Crash TV spearheaded by the Jerry Springer Show, and later South Park and pro wrestling defined pop culture during the later years of the decade.
1 Everything geled together
There's a reason the 90's are so revered, and many consider it the golden age of life. Truthfully looking back it was a good time, despite being a kid and being ignorant of so much. It truly feels like things were so much simpler back then. And everything that defined that decade from TV to fashion, all just connected together. Gen X'ers and Millennials love that decade and hold it so dear, because it really was a moment in time that will never be replicated.
