The phrase “out with the old and in with the new” really meant something in 1992. In the previous years of the new decade, the public was still obsessed with 1980s megastars Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna. In 1992, the love affair with these artists ended, even though some of them would regain their commercial or critical success in the future.
The fall of Bruce Springsteen
In late March of 1992, Bruce Springsteen, tried to copy the success of Guns N’ Roses' Lose Your Illusion I and II by releasing two albums: Human Touch and Lucky Town. Both albums generally received good reviews but were largely ignored by the general public. Even though both albums debuted in the top five on Billboard’s charts, they instantly slipped off and soon could be found in bargain bins all over the country.
Many said that Bruce Springsteen would have experienced much better luck had he just released one album instead of two. Others said that abandoning the E Street Band (temporarily) didn’t fare well with his fans. In any case, Bruce would score a hit two years later with the song “Streets of Philadelphia.”
The fall of 80s Pop Stars
Michael Jackson, who told radio stations and MTV that he must be referred to as the “King of Pop,” was taking his first step into becoming an international joke in 1992. His Dangerous album was certainly a hit, but didn’t live up to expectations. People began to speak more about his weirdness than his music.
Prince released his Love Symbol album to mixed reception. Even though the first single, “7,” hit the top ten, the other singles were virtually ignored.
Out of all the megastars of the 1980s, it was Madonna who proved to be the biggest loser of 1992. During the summer, she released one of the most acclaimed singles of her career, “This Used to Be My Playground,” from the hit movie in which she gave what is believed to be her performance yet, A League of Their Own. For the first time in her career, however, her ego completely overshadowed her musical output.
Madonna’s album Erotica was released in October of 1992 and iintially showed promised. However, the album's potential was torn apart by her book of sexual fantasies, Sex, which was released the same week. Even though the book sold well, it created one of the biggest celebrity backlashes in history and the music from Erotica was largely ignored.
U2 Continues Success
U2 did not suffer the same fate as other 1980s acts. Their latest album, Achtung Baby, was released in late 1991 to the sound of people yawning, especially since the first single, "The Fly,” bombed on the music charts. But in 1992, U2 started their acclaimed Zoo TV Tour and the album started producing hit after hit. “Mysterious Ways” was one of the most acclaimed singles of 1992 and proved the band wasn’t going away for a long time, at least until 1997 when they would release their failed Pop album.
Grunge, Hip-Hop and Rap Go Mainstream
1992 will mostly be remembered as the year when the musical styles of hip hop, rap, and grunge officially found a mainstream audience. These genres were definitely brewing in previous years, but exploded this year.
Nirvana’s Nevermind took off in 1991 with the release of the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The album hit number one on Billboard’s Top 200 in January of 1992. Pearl Jam’s Ten album also broke through this year and turned the band into a stadium act.
Even though the Red Hot Chili Peppers aren’t directly considered grunge, the newfound success of this genre certainly influenced their mainstream breakthrough in the summer of 1992, when their single “Under the Bridge” charted at number two.
The most pivotal album released this year was Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, which - for better or worse - mainstreamed gangsta rap. Ever since the release of this album, songs about “putting caps in yo ass” and “million dolla hos” have been released to widespread success. The album contained such notable titles as “The Day The Niggaz Took Over,” “Lil Ghetto Boy,” “A Nigga Wit A Gun,” and “Stranded on Death Row.” “Dre Day,” the first release from The Chronic, hit the top 10 in 1992.
1992 was the year that marked the debut of TLC, one of the most successful R&B/hip-hop groups to ever emerge on the scene. Their album, Oooooooh…On The TLC Tip, didn’t have the critical acclaim of the group’s future albums, but spawned out such enjoyable bubble gum hits as “Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg,” “What About Your Friends,” and “Baby-Baby-Baby.”
Country Music Gets Recognized
Because of Billboard’s new Soundscan system that was able to track actual sales of singles, country music broke through to the mainstream. Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Achy Breaky Heart” spawned a cheesy dance routine and an addictive melody that people couldn’t stop humming during the summer of 1992.
Garth Brooks' third album, Ropin’ the Wind, continued its mainstream success after being released in 1991. Country music had always been a popular genre, but with Billboard’s ability to now track actual record sales, the popularity became more noticed.
An influential Year
1992 was one of the most diverse years ever for music. Whether you are into classic rock, grunge, dance, hip-hop, or country music, you will most likely be able to find many classics of your choice of genre from this year.
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