By Daniel Deza
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified music industry professor Leon Janikian as Leon Kanikian.
Since the start of the new millennium, many ’90s bands have turned into ’90s has-beens, coasting on a wave of nostalgia, while others have re-invented themselves, becoming favorites among the Y2K generation.
From grunge, boy bands and girl power, artists have reemerged into a society driven by reality television and the Internet, either re-igniting their careers or smashing future hopes of reestablishing themselves.
With bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, REM and Green Day packing shows at some of Boston’s largest venues, ’90s bands have both maintained a fan base and kept them asking for more. Some have done so by reinventing themselves, while others have tenaciously hung on to that one hit; that song that seems to follow us wherever we go, even more than a decade after its release.
According to the Billboard charts for top rock albums, Seattle-based ’90s rock band The Foo Fighters have stayed on the top 10 charts for the past 14 weeks, reaching the No. 1 spot with its latest album Echoes, Silence, Patience ‘ Grace.
David Grohl, former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman, has come a long way from his grunge band days. He has been revamping his sound and image to keep a prominent role in today’s mainstream music scene.
Northeastern Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association President Clara Rice agreed that reinvention is sometimes necessary for ’90s bands who want to re-enter the music scene, but said the Internet is a major outlet keeping ’90s music alive.
“[The Internet] opens the door for a lot more bands to be heard,” Rice said. “It becomes a huge boost for not only the indie culture but [for] all genres, including ’90s music.”
Many students, including Rice, said that with the introduction of file sharing in the past seven years, people have the option of downloading just a ’90s band’s single rather then having to buy the whole album. While many would not purchase an entire album by their favorite one hit wonder, that one hit can live on in their music collections.
“I think downloading singles does help people acquire music that they didn’t want from ’90s albums,” Rice said. “They can just get a song online and it helps it stay on people’s playlists.”
While some artists have continued to develop their sound, others choose to stick to what made them famous from the get-go. Bands like Matchbox 20 and Collective Soul have held on to their traditional sound and continue to tour country-wide.
Edwin McCain, a ’90s rock singer, survived the decade with his hits “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More” from his 1997 album Misguided Roses and 1999’s Messenger.
Despite McCain’s disappointing debut in 2004 at the 183 spot on the rock Billboard charts with the release of Scream and Whispers, McCain continues to hold onto a strong audience and is playing Jan. 10 at the Paradise Rock Club.
Music Industry professor Leon Janikian believes that continuing to tour years after releasing a hit is an example of an “echo” effect that many of these bands create after releasing a strong single.
“Bands will always have their fanbase and it can be aggressive. You can have a good ’90s band and the echoes can live on,” Janikian said. “Touring for a smaller and dedicated cash paying audience is what is keeping these bands alive. All it would take is one use of these hits in a movie and their careers will be rekindled.”
The Roxy has hosted acts like the Goo Goo Dolls and Bon Jovi. Each, said the Roxy’s concert and special events coordinator Rachael Gross, has drawn a diverse group of people.
“Nineties bands draw a huge crowd and have really brought a lot of people to the Roxy,” Gross said. “A lot of our crowds seem to be older college students who are diehard ’90s fans and just can’t seem to get enough.”
For some long-time fans, though, the reinvention that frequently goes hand-in-hand with staying on top can be disappointing. For junior communication studies major Jean Brodian, her love for Weezer’s ’90s hits has been tainted by their most recent albums releases. She said their attempt at reinvention has placed them in the mainstream and that this has cost them their true fan base.
“I think that in some situations people should stick to what they know,” Brodian said. “A perfect example is what happened to Jewel. … She completely sold out and it backfired. I think when reinventions are done for executive reasons, then it can leave room for failure.”
