Why do people blame Nirvana for killing Hair Metal?

RoxyRollah · 10-01-2014, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulflower

Hey Music banter I am feenin for some music knowledge. As you guys know Rock is not really my forte so I wanted to get some info. I commonly hear Nirvana is the blame for the decline in Hair Metal in the late 80's and I wanted to know your opinion on it. I always thought Hair Metal was a fad that had already declined by the time Nirvana really became popular which was in the early 90's. Did Nirvana's popularity influence generic rock bands like Nickleback, All American Rejects, Panic at the Disco, Foo Fighters or Creed?

How would you define grunge music and was it something that really impacted rock music for the better?

I have always been confused with why Nirvana are so highly regarded (not that they don't necessarily deserve it but just want more clarification as to why)

I notice a lot of the rock bands have really faded out commercially.

Who said this!? I have never ever heard this Jen.

**Janszoon** · 10-01-2014, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

I can remember stuff like Janes Addiction, Faith No More, RHCP, Pixies, Soundgarden, Fishbone, Sonic Youth, Monster Magnet & Nine Inch Nails, hell even Neil Young edging out hair metal on rock shows on TV & radio long before I ever heard of Nirvana around 1989/90.
If Nirvana were the death blow those bands did the damage first.

Yes and no. Over here those were bands that the hip kids were into but were just kind of curiosities in the mainstream youth market. I'm a little confused by your inclusion of Monster Magnet though. Maybe they got big over there early, but I had never even heard of Monster Magnet until about 1997.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-01-2014, 09:11 AM

Monster Magnet's debut was released in Europe a year earlier than it was in the States.
I just remember them getting a lot of attention in late 90/early 91.

They still played Hair Metal on radio & TV here at that time, just a lot less than in say 86/87

**Janszoon** · 10-01-2014, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

Monster Magnet's debut was released in Europe a year earlier than it was in the States.
I just remember them getting a lot of attention in late 90/early 91.

I don't remember them making so much as a ripple over here at that time honestly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

They still played Hair Metal on radio & TV here at that time, just a lot less than in say 86/87

I agree that 1987 or so was probably the high watermark but over here what seemed like it was taking over part of the public consciousness was stuff like Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J and MC Hammer.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-01-2014, 09:30 AM

The only hair metal bands I can think of who made any kind of splash in Europe after Guns n Roses were Skid Row & surprisingly Love/Hate who I don't think did anything in the States.
Stuff like Winger, Warrant, Kix and all those kinds of bands that came after barely made a splash here.

**Janszoon** · 10-01-2014, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

The only hair metal bands I can think of who made any kind of splash in Europe after Guns n Roses were Skid Row & surprisingly Love/Hate who I don't think did anything in the States.
Stuff like Winger, Warrant, Kix and all those kinds of bands that came after barely made a splash here.

Well you guys really missed out on the whole "hair bands get serious" era where they all started writing "serious" songs played on acoustic guitars and/or pianos in black and white videos. Lucky you.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-01-2014, 10:20 AM

We had our fair share of that too.
I remember Richard Marx & Extreme having huge hits.
Every so often you'd get some hair metal band release a ballad that would do well, but it was more that the song was popular rather than the band itself.

RoxyRollah · 10-01-2014, 11:01 AM

Two old men fighting over Monster Magnet. ...I love it...

Plankton · 10-01-2014, 11:17 AM

If Nirvana killed Slaughter and Firehouse, then they deserve everything they've gotten.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-01-2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoxyRollah

Two old men fighting over Monster Magnet. ...I love it...

Shush
The men are talking.

10-01-2014, 09:11 AM	#13 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Monster Magnet's debut was released in Europe a year earlier than it was in the States. I just remember them getting a lot of attention in late 90/early 91. They still played Hair Metal on radio & TV here at that time, just a lot less than in say 86/87 __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

10-01-2014, 09:30 AM	#15 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	The only hair metal bands I can think of who made any kind of splash in Europe after Guns n Roses were Skid Row & surprisingly Love/Hate who I don't think did anything in the States. Stuff like Winger, Warrant, Kix and all those kinds of bands that came after barely made a splash here. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

10-01-2014, 10:20 AM	#17 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	We had our fair share of that too. I remember Richard Marx & Extreme having huge hits. Every so often you'd get some hair metal band release a ballad that would do well, but it was more that the song was popular rather than the band itself. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

10-01-2014, 11:17 AM	#19 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	If Nirvana killed Slaughter and Firehouse, then they deserve everything they've gotten. __________________ See location...