Home > 1991 in music
See also: 1990 in music,
other events of 1991,
1992 in music, 1990s in music and the list of 'years in music'
1 Events
1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single " Smells Like Teen Spirit", became the most popular U.S. album of the year. Followed immediately by other grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, grunge dominated the U.S. charts for the next few years. Its success effectively ended pop-oriented hair metal groups like Guns n' Roses, Poison and Def LeppardDef Leppard is a band from Sheffield, England, that emerged in the late 1970s as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Rick Savage and Pete Willis formed the band in 1977 in Sheffield (see 1977 in music). Joe Elliott joined as the vocalist, and bro, whose sales and critical viability had been declining for years.
A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an influential alternative rap group of the 1990s, originally formed in Queens, New York City in 1988. The group is comprised of Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Phife. Q-Tip and Phife had grown up together in Queens, and met Muhamm's Low End Theory was released this year; it would go on to be considered one of the best hip hopHip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban , African American & Puerto Rican youth in New York and has since spread around the world. The four main elements of hip-hop are MCing, DJing, graffiti art, and breakdancing. Some consider beatboxing albums of the 1990sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s Years: Events and trends Computers, technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other techn. A Tribe Called Quest, along with De La SoulDe La Soul is a massively influential alternative hip hop group, best known for innovating the jazz rap style. Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove and Pasemaster Mase formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape, Dream WarriorsThe Dream Warriors are King Lou and Capital Q, a pair of Toronto-based alternative rappers. They formed in 1988 (see 1988 in music) and released the jazz rap LP And Now, the Legacy Begins in 1991 (see 1991 in music), which was critically acclaimed and sol, Gang StarrGang Starr is an American hip hop duo (hailing from Brooklyn, New York City), composed of Guru and DJ Premier. Though both have gone on to greater fame as a solo rapper and record producer, respectively, Gang Starr's albums, especially Step in the Arena ( and the Poor Righteous Teachers, helped define what came to be known as alternative rap with important releases this year.
The massive success of Garth Brooks in this year sets the stage for the mid- 1990s influx of pop-oriented country musicians. In addition, several soon-to-be pivotal bands form or release debuts, including future pioneers in riot grrl punk ( Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Huggy Bear), jam bands ( moe., Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Spin Doctors) and stoner metal ( Kyuss, Sleep, Obsessed). Massive Attack's Blue Lines, while unique at the time, invented the sound that would eventually become known as trip hop. Entombed's Clandestine and Dismember's Like an Ever Flowing Stream are early releases from the Scandinavian metal scene. U2 release their seventh album Achtung Baby, considered by many of their fans to be their best album.
- January 18 - Three people are crushed to death during an AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City, Utah when audience members rushed the stage.
- February 27 - James Brown is granted an early parole and released from jail. Brown had been arrested after leading Police on a high speed chase through two states in 1989. Pop Will Eat Itself documented the affair with their song, "Not Now James, We're Busy".
- February 28 - Hollywood, California's The Record Plant recording studio closes its doors. Among the albums recorded at the Record Plant were The Eagles' Hotel California, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life
- March 11 - Janet Jackson signs a $30 million (US) contract with Virgin Records.
- March 16 - Seven members of country music singer Reba McEntire's band and her road manager are killed when their private plane crashes in California, near the Mexican border. McEntire travels on a separate plane.
- March 20 - Michael Jackson signs a $1 billion contract with Sony.
- March 20 - Eric Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, dies after falling 53 stories from a New York City apartment window. (The death of his son would inspire Clapton to write "Tears in Heaven".)
- March 24 - The Black Crowes are dropped as the opening act of ZZ Top's tour for repeatedly insulting the tour's sponsor, Miller Beer .
- March 27 - New Kids on the Block's Donnie Wahlberg is arrested in Louisville, Kentucky for allegedly setting his hotel room on fire.
- March 28 - George Harrison, Phil Collins and others attend funeral services for Eric Clapton's late son, Conor
- April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael Noonan O'Keefe in New York
- May 7 - In Macon, Georgia, a judge dismisses a wrongful death lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne. The suit was filed by a local couple that believed their son was inspired to attempt suicide by Osbourne's music
- August 27 - Dr. Dre pleads no contest to charges that he beat up a woman at a West Hollywood nightclub. Dr. Dre is sentenced to 24 months probation.
- September 24 - Nirvana releases Nevermind, debuting at #144 on the Billboard 200.
- Whitney Houston sings " The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Superbowl. The recording is then released and becomes a hit single.
- Britney Spears appears on Star Search
- Love Battery 's career begins
- Sublime's career begins
- Tool's career begins
- Cradle of Filth forms
- Dave Matthews Band forms
- Perry Farrell organizes the first Lollapalooza tour as a farewell for his just-dissolved band, Jane's Addiction
- moe. forms
- Bratmobile forms
- Candlebox forms
- Cracker forms
- Digable Planets forms
- Huggy Bear forms in Brighton, England
- Local H forms
- Stabbing Westward forms in Chicago
- Unwritten Law forms
- Nas joins Main Source
- The Pharcyde signs to Delicious Vinyl , their first label
- Jermaine Dupri discovers Kris Kross performing at a mall in Atlanta
- Rancid forms in Berkeley, California
- Vertical Horizon forms
- Leftfield, an electronica duo forms in London, England
- The Talking Heads disbands
- Rage Against The Machine forms
