1990's Pop Culture
The 1990's were almost 20 years ago, and as we gear up for Intrust Bank Arena's I Love the 90's concert, it's time for a look back. A time of great tv and movies, questionable-at-best fashion choices, and top-of-the-line technology, this decade was one to remember. Need a refresher? Here's a highlight reel of things you you did in the 90's.
You Watched...
Full House, 1987
Okay, okay, so this one technically started in the late 80's, but it reached its beak in the 90's, and played a significant role in the 90's TV scene.
Saved by the Bell, 1989
Also a late 80's starter, Shows like Full House and Saved by The Bell saw the turn of the decade and carried audiences through the 90's.
Rocko's Modern Life, 1993
Beginning in 1993, Rocko's Modern Life follows an Australian Wallaby as he transitions to American Life.
Pulp Fiction, 1994
One of the most memorable films of the decade, Pulp Fiction was released in 1994, a whopping 22 years ago!
Lion King, 1994
Disney hit us all in the feels with its 1994 release of the Lion King. This is often regarded as one of Disney's best films, and features a score by Elton John.
Friends, 1994
We all know that Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe are friends, and from 1994-2004, we felt like they were our friends, too. After a 10 year run, audiences were still sad to see Friends go.
Clueless, 1995
Alicia Silverstone stars in this 1990's staple film, in which she portrays a rich high school student who tries to boost the popularity of a new student.
Toy Story, 1995
The film that took us to infinity and beyond, Disney's Toy Story was released in 1995. 20 years later, in 2015, the 2018 release of Toy Story 4 was confirmed.
Titanic, 1997
We'll never let go of this film, pun intended. the 1997 classic, Titanic, astounded audiences with its cinematography.
You Listened To...
"Hold On" by Wilson Phillips
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1990.
"Everything I Do I Do it For You" by Bryan Adams
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1991.
"The End of the Road" by Boyz II Men
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1992.
"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1993.
"The Sign" by Ace of Base
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1994.
"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1995.
"Macarena" by Los Del Rio (Bayside Boys remix)
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1996.
"Candle in the Wind" by Elton John
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1997.
"Too Close" by Next
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1998.
"Believe" by Cher
This song ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Top 100 chart in 1999.
You Bought...
VHS Tapes
These clunky tapes saw us through the majority of the 90's. It wasn't until 1997 that the DVD was released, and even then, it took time for them to catch on.
Sony Discman
The precursor to the mp3 player and the successor of the tape player, the Discman was great--in theory. It was a portable CD player, allowing access to your favorite music while you were on the go. But if you jumped, had too much pep in your step or walked too fast, the CD skipped. It had some definite bugs.
1990's Best Buy ad
This advertisement from Best Buy shows the Discman priced at an astounding $69.99!
Floppy Disks
Take a look at the original flash drive. If you've ever wondered where the image on your smartphone's save button came from, look no further. This was pretty high-tech when it came out, but the best name we could give it was "floppy disk."
iMac Color
Take a look at your iPhone. Now look at this picture. Apple has come a long way since the 90's. This is the iMac Color. (You may recognize it from Zoolander: "The files are in the computer.")
Windows 95
Don't worry, the 90's weren't just for Mac users. Now, this setup is almost comical, but this bulky monitor, tower and keyboard were among the best available back in the day.
1994 Best Buy Ad
Take a look at this Best Buy ad from 1994. Here you can see the period's top-of-the-line computers, and how much they sold for at the time.
You Wore...
Chokers
Chokers were a big deal in the 90's. Like, a really big deal. And these curly plastic ones were everywhere.
Butterfly Clips
If you didn't wear butterfly clips in your hair, did you really even experience the 90's? The answer is no, obviously. Every girl had a head full of these. Apparently, they did not come with a suggested serving size.
Doc Martens
Doc. Martens. No further explanation necessary. Image via docmartensforlife.com.
The Jeans
The 90's and denim go hand-in-hand. The high-waisted, often acid washed jeans were a big deal, and double-denim was A-OK if a Levi's jean jacket was involved. Photo via thefashionisto.com.
Neon Colors
Neon colors were all the rage in the pre-2000's, and almost everyone was wearing them.
Flannel
A crucial element of the grunge look, flannel shirts were often worn over band tees.
Windbreakers
Imagine the worst windbreaker jacket you've ever seen. Now make it 10 times worse and put it on literally everyone. This was the 90's. Seriously, who let this happen? Starter jackets were also a pretty big deal, and were less hideous.
You Played...
Tamagotchi Pets
The egg-shaped keychain that entertained everyone for about 45 minutes before it died. If you were lucky enough to have a resilient Tamagotchi, you basically had to devote all of your time to it, because as soon as you look away, it dies. Image via huffingtonpost.com.
Beanie Babies
Maybe you didn't actually play with these. It's actually more likely that you weren't allowed to touch them because your crazy mom knew that they'd be worth a fortune someday. According to several articles, your crazy mom was right.
Let me tell you something right now. Nintendo 64 was where it was at. Released in 1996, this puppy had outstanding graphics for its day and offered and impressive variety of games.
N64 Game Cartridges
See what I mean about impressive selection? And these are just the beginning! The best part was that if a cartridge stopped working for any reason, all you had to do was blow on it and tada! It was fixed. Magic, I tell you.
Hit Clips
Have you ever wanted to listen to a small section of the same song 4,597,605,749,523 times? Well, in the 90's you could! Hit clips were teeny plastic cartridges that held part of one song each. They could be inserted into a similarly teeny Hit Clips Boombox, or a speaker that clipped right on to you ear.
Poo-Chi
Look familiar? I thought so. The Poo-Chi was a robotic dog with changing LED eyes that was supposed to sit and lay down in response to external sensors, but for the most part, they were pretty inactive and frustrating.
Easy Bake Oven
The Easy Bake Oven was actually introduced long before the 90's, but it was still a must have toy for 90's girls. It was a terrible pain, and a terrible mess. I can't remember a single eating a single Easy Bake snack and thinking, "Wow! that was great!"
Bop it! Pull it! Twist it! This toy likely drove many a parent to insanity, as it was easily among the most annoying (and the most addictive) of the 90's.
Playplaces
Not so much a "something" as a "somewhere," Playplaces filled every McDonalds in the 90's. It was the age of the ball pit, and that was all that mattered.
Moon Shoes
Listen, you couldn't be an astronaut in the 90's if you didn't have a pair of Moon Shoes. Basically, these footboxes use massive rubber bands to attach a shoe-part to the box-part so that kids can jump in them. I wonder how long it took Big Time Toys to come up with that?
Gameboy Color
Most of the 90's were spent playing the original Gameboy, released in the late 80's. The handheld game had a small screen, a few buttons and a plethora of game cartridges to buy. In 1998, the Gameboy Color came out, and every kid wanted one. (It was pretty identical to the original, but games were in color.)
What are your 90's favorites?
What things do you remember from the 90's? Let us know in the comments!
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