With the recent social net trend being nostalgic or “retro” fashion and music circa 1990-2009 I thought it was high time I give all my Millennial readers a shout out. Although there are some fads that should stay buried in the past (I’m looking at you cheesy choker necklaces and platform sneakers) I got to admit that our generation touted some of the best music this side of Abbey Road. Yeah dubstep is fun to mosh to when clubbing with the girls but computer generated sound can’t hold a candle to Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot when she cuts loose.
So here from me to you is my Top Millennial Music Power Players. Generation Z, get a pen and a pad of paper ready.
1.) No Doubt is arguably the single most recognizable band to come out of the 90′s. Although it is not hard to forget them–what with Gwen’s curious choice of attire and Adrian’s complete lack of clothes–we gotta give credit where it is due. This head banging ska-punk-reggae wunderchild (yes, WUNDER) vocalized our tweenage rebellion and teen angst and managed to make it sound cool. A fairly difficult task yet Gwen and company made it look like a piece of cake. But what we truly respect is their honest what-you-see-is-what-you-get persona. Gwen gave young women of all kinds nationwide a reason to shout “Girl Power!” She made it cool to be a rocker chick. Heck, she made it cool to be a girl. For all millennial tomgirls/tomboys with more guy friends than girls she represented us with grace and attitude. Moreover, she provided us with some interesting ideas clothing-wise. Thank you No Doubt, from all of us Millennials for giving us a good excuse to blast our stereos and experiment with our choice of fashion and friends.
Some light listening from the No Doubt Archives: “Just A Girl”, “Spiderwebs”, “Bathwater”, “Dark Blue”, “Ex-Girlfriend”, “Hey Baby”, “Running” It’s My Life”, Platinum Blonde Life”, “Hella Good”, and “Underneath It All”
2.) The Black Eyed Peas got their start in the mid 90′s but really gained momentum when “Monkey Business” hit the air waves. With voices that harmonize perfectly and wicked rhymes they are true masters of music. Fusing reggae, hip hop, rap, dance, and pop The Peas carved a niche for themselves in the industry using their unique sound as the hook. Everyone danced to them at homecoming and sung along to “My Humps” and “The Boogie That Be” while driving down the boulevard in their parents car. And don’t you try to deny it. Whether it be then or now The Black Eyed Peas have retained their funky fresh factor for which I must tip my hat to them. Additionally, when the group disbanded we saw the rise of Will. I. Am. and Fergie, two now very successful artists.
Some light listening from the Black Eyed Peas Archives: “The Boogie That Be”, “The Alp Song”, “Pump It”, “One Tribe”, “Boom Boom Pow”, “Imma Be”, “Don’t Lie”, “Dum Diddly”, and “Union”
3.) System of a Down or “SOAD” is the top performing band of their genre to make it out of the 90′s alive. And when I say genre I use the term loosely. Caught somewhere inbetween rock, metal, math metal, and punk these hardcore head bangers popularized political tongue and cheek music for an entire generation. Where Green Day was the banner wavers for Generation X, the chosen rabble-rousers for Generation Y aka Millennials was the honorable System of a Down. Yes, Rage Against The Machine definitely fits the bill for politically peeved musicians with one heck of a sound at that. However their lyrics were often too straight forward and, at times, harsh that it was off-putting to some. SOAD blended legislative activism with entrancing melodies and creative lyrics to successfully deliver the point without the audience having to think too hard. That and their music is just too interesting not to listen too. No lie, they’re beast people.
Some “light” listening from the System Of A Down Archives: “Violent Pornography”, “Toxicity”, “Chop Suey!”, “Cigaro”, “A.D.D.”, and “Hypnotize”
4.) Missy Elliott, also known as “Misdemeanor”, was the female hip-hop wonder that got all the girls grooving and with a purpose. A woman of many hats she was a mentor to musicians and dancers everywhere; one notable prodigy of hers being Ciara who trumped music charts with her hit “1-2 Step.” Her unique sound and funky rhymes have been featured in numerous movies.Tomb Raider and Moulin Rouge are only two of the films for which she provided music. Moreover, not only was she one of the singularly most successful women in hip-hop but she also paved the way for women of color and women with curves who were aspiring to break into the field. She is a true power player with her own record label, The Goldmind Inc., to boot Missy Elliott shows no intention of slowing down. In fact, it would appear as though she is just getting started.
Some light listening from the Missy Elliott Archives: “Lose Control”, “Get Ur Freak On”, “One Minute Man”, “Take Away”, “4 My People”, and “Gossip Folks”
5.) My Chemical Romance or “MCR”, if you would, were the grand-marshals that ushered in the era of “Scene/Emo Rock”. With hair dyed black, cruel and honest lyrics, and no shortage of drama they gave the bored and dejected children of the 1990′s something new to shout about. MCR showed us that not only was it okay to be the outcast, but that it was a better that way. Wearing our oddities on our sleeves like badges of honor we marched in step behind Gerard Way and sang “I’m unashamed. I’m gonna show my scars. Give a cheer, for all the broken. Listen here, because it’s who we are!” It was thanks to MCR’s ascension to the top of music hit lists everywhere that millennial freaks and geeks became the coolest kids on the block. Suddenly it was the “in thing” to wear black nail polish, Doc Martins, fishnet undershirts, and shredded jeans with more studded belts than necessary. This music revolution also gave way to boys in skinny jeans, teenage lip piercings, girls wearing thick black raccoon style eyeliner, a rise in kids sneaking packs of cigarettes inbetween classes, and chicks in non-functional corsets. It was a good chaos that provided us an outlet to vent what we had been too afraid to say or think. My Chemical Romance ruled their scene for 12 solid years before disbanding in 2013. But in the words of Gerard Way “And though you’re dead and gone believe me your memory will carry on.”
Some light listening from the My Chemical Romance Archives: “Desolation Row”, “Teenagers”, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”, “Helena”, “Mama”, “Ghost of You”, “Disenchanted”, “Sleep”, “Cancer”, “Sing”, “Scarecrow”, “Cemetery Drive”, “Hang ‘Em High”, “Na, Na, Na”, “Welcome To The Black Parade”, and “Famous Last Words”
6.) Muse can only be described with one word (in my own opinion)…EPIC. They were the millennial’s equivalent to Queen with a dash of space-age moodiness. With Matthew Bellamy leading the charge the way Freddie Mercury did decades ago Muse erupted onto the music scene causing a stir almost immediately. Maverick, the American record label that once signed with, claimed Bellamy’s voice was not “radio-friendly” and demanded that he change numerous songs on their Origins of Symmetry album. True to their rebellious rocker roots they denied to change a thing and took their music elsewhere. In 2003 the band released their most recognizable album to date, Absolution. Purposefully composed to be dark, pointed, political, furious, and melancholy it gave all us millennials something to digest as we consumed our music. It stirred our thoughts and dared–no, taunted us to ask ourselves “are we truly making a difference? Do we want to blindly follow our leaders or are we going to take matter into our own hands?” These questions were of course masterfully woven into a textile of wild melodies, dramatic vocals, and sporadic synthesizers. As the years passed and their albums rolled it became abundantly clear that the men of Muse were on a mission. Singing in an age of musical activism with their international hit Black Holes and Revelations we, as an audience, were given a crash course in rabble rousing (for those of us that missed the SOAD train). It created an image, sound, and purpose we could stand behind and support with pride. And so their legacy continues, even now as the band adapts once more to accommodate the changing market. Their message will always ring clear whether it be millennials singing along to “Apocalypse Please” circa 2003 or Gen. Z kids cranking up the volume when “Madness” (2012) plays .
Some light listening from the Muse Archives: “Apocalypse Please”, “Sunburn”, “Spiral Static”, “Plug In Baby”, “Sing For Absolution”, “Stockholm Syndrome”, “Hysteria”, “Time Is Running Out”, Ruled By Secrecy”, “Bliss”, Showbiz”, “Knights of Cydonia”, “Supermassive Black Hole”, “Exo-Politics”, “Uprising”, “United States of Eurasia”, and “Madness”
