Entertainment Weeklys The 90s Issue

Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, August 14th 2025 at 12:52 GMT by Entertainment Weekly
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Entertainment Weekly celebrates its 35th anniversary with a look back at pop culture in the 1990s.

The '90s Issue: A Nostalgic Dive into the Decade That Defined Pop Culture

The 1990s stand as a vibrant, transformative era in entertainment, a time when grunge rock collided with glossy pop, blockbuster films redefined spectacle, and television became a communal obsession. This special retrospective explores the decade's indelible mark on movies, music, TV, fashion, and beyond, capturing the essence of a period marked by technological leaps, cultural shifts, and unforgettable icons. From the rise of the internet to the fall of the Berlin Wall's lingering echoes, the '90s were a bridge between analog innocence and digital dawn, where flannel shirts met dial-up modems, and everyone seemed to be quoting "As if!" from *Clueless*.

In cinema, the '90s were the golden age of the blockbuster, with directors like Steven Spielberg and James Cameron pushing boundaries. *Jurassic Park* (1993) revolutionized special effects with its lifelike dinosaurs, blending cutting-edge CGI with primal thrills, grossing over $1 billion worldwide and spawning a franchise that endures. Cameron's *Titanic* (1997) became a cultural phenomenon, not just for its epic romance between Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack and Kate Winslet's Rose, but for its record-breaking box office and 11 Academy Awards. The film encapsulated the decade's love for sweeping narratives, heartfelt ballads (cue Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"), and teen heartthrobs. Independent cinema also flourished, with Quentin Tarantino's *Pulp Fiction* (1994) redefining cool through nonlinear storytelling, sharp dialogue, and a killer soundtrack featuring surf rock and soul. Films like *The Shawshank Redemption* (1994) and *Forrest Gump* (1994) offered poignant tales of redemption and Americana, while horror saw a revival with *Scream* (1996), which cleverly deconstructed slasher tropes amid the teen scream queen era.

Television in the '90s was appointment viewing at its peak, fostering watercooler conversations before social media existed. *Friends* (1994-2004) epitomized the decade's sitcom renaissance, following six twentysomethings navigating life, love, and coffee in New York City. Rachel's haircut became a global trend, and lines like "We were on a break!" entered the lexicon. *Seinfeld* (1989-1998), the "show about nothing," satirized everyday absurdities with characters like Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer, culminating in a controversial finale watched by millions. Animated series pushed envelopes too: *The Simpsons* (1989-present) skewered suburbia and pop culture, while *South Park* (1997-present) debuted with crude humor that shocked and amused. Dramatic fare included *The X-Files* (1993-2002), blending sci-fi paranoia with FBI agents Mulder and Scully's "I want to believe" ethos, reflecting Y2K anxieties. *ER* (1994-2009) brought medical drama to primetime, launching George Clooney's stardom, and *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990-2000) defined teen soap operas, tackling issues like drug use and relationships amid West Coast glamour.

Music was the '90s soundtrack of rebellion and reinvention. Grunge exploded from Seattle with Nirvana's *Nevermind* (1991), Kurt Cobain's raw angst in "Smells Like Teen Spirit" capturing Gen X disillusionment. Bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains followed, trading hair metal's excess for flannel and feedback. Hip-hop rose to mainstream dominance, with artists like Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. delivering poetic tales of street life, their East-West rivalry tragically ending in their deaths. Female empowerment shone through with TLC's *CrazySexyCool* (1994), promoting safe sex and self-respect, while Mariah Carey's whistle-register hits dominated charts. Boy bands and pop princesses closed the decade: *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys synchronized dances and harmonies, fueling teen mania, while Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" (1998) signaled the bubblegum pop explosion. Alternative rock diversified with acts like Radiohead's experimental *OK Computer* (1997), warning of technological alienation, and the Spice Girls' "Girl Power" mantra inspiring a generation.

Fashion and style in the '90s were eclectic, blending minimalism with excess. Supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Claudia Schiffer ruled runways, embodying the era's glamour. Streetwear surged with influences from hip-hop (baggy jeans, Timberlands) and grunge (Doc Martens, plaid shirts). Iconic looks included the *Clueless* plaid skirts, *Friends*-inspired layered outfits, and the ubiquitous scrunchies. Tech gadgets began infiltrating daily life: Tamagotchis demanded virtual pet care, pagers buzzed with "143" codes for "I love you," and the first PlayStation (1994) revolutionized gaming with titles like *Final Fantasy VII* and *Tomb Raider*, introducing Lara Croft as a feminist icon in pixels.

Culturally, the '90s grappled with social changes. The AIDS crisis lingered, influencing art like *Rent* (1996), a Broadway musical celebrating bohemian life amid tragedy. Girl power extended to sports with the U.S. women's soccer team's 1999 World Cup win, Brandi Chastain's shirt-ripping celebration symbolizing triumph. Scandals captivated: the O.J. Simpson trial (1995) turned courtrooms into reality TV, while Monica Lewinsky's affair with President Clinton dominated headlines, blending politics with tabloid fodder. The decade's optimism peaked with the dot-com boom, but undercurrents of anxiety foreshadowed the millennium—think Y2K fears and the Columbine tragedy (1999), which sparked debates on youth violence and media influence.

Icons of the era remain timeless: Will Smith's transition from *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* to blockbuster stardom in *Independence Day* (1996); Julia Roberts' rom-com reign in *Pretty Woman* (1990) and *My Best Friend's Wedding* (1997); and Michael Jordan's basketball dominance, inspiring *Space Jam* (1996). The '90s also birthed enduring franchises: *Star Wars* prequels began with *The Phantom Menace* (1999), and Pokémon arrived in 1996, blending anime with collectible cards.

This decade's legacy is its unfiltered joy and chaos—a time when MTV still played videos, dial-up internet screeched into homes, and cultural touchstones fostered shared experiences. Revisiting the '90s reminds us of a pre-social media world where trends spread through magazines, mix tapes, and word-of-mouth, creating a nostalgia that's as comforting as rewatching *The Matrix* (1999) and pondering its red pill philosophy. Whether it's the thrill of a *Jurassic Park* T-Rex roar or the heartache of Cobain's lyrics, the '90s continue to resonate, proving that some eras never truly fade.

Read the Full Entertainment Weekly Article at:
[ https://ew.com/the-90s-issue-11779205 ]

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Entertainment Weeklys The 90s Issue

The '90s Issue: A Nostalgic Dive into the Decade That Defined Pop Culture