VMAS 20 years ago (1995 / 1996)

[Brian Ryan 1,468]

Just now, Swan Heart said:

Björk, Alanis, The Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Radiohead, Marilyn Manson, Garbage....

Now that would be one hell of a show.

 

There fanbase would not be interested in the VMAs...

[Red 98,108]

If VMAs want their relevance back, they should make it like an Oscar, not open for public votes. But that's not going to happen.

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

Just now, BrianxRyan said:

Just like then.... just like now they picked the people that were selling records. All of those artists were heavily popular. It may have went down in ratings. It's still virtually the most talked about thing on Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and other things. The night still was about the vmas and whatever else people were doing.

Totally.... BUT what I'm talking about is comparing the diversity of nominees & winners in the mid 90s to now. There's no real diversity now. Yes, Garbage & Beck & Stone Temple Pilots & Smashing Pumpkins were huge in the mid 90s and selling records. They were massively popular. They also were neck and neck with people like Madonna, Michael Jackson and even R&B artists like TLC & The Fugees.... 

I'm calling for MORE DIVERSITY in the current era, and a renunciation of pop princesses. 

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

3 minutes ago, Swan Heart said:

Björk, Alanis, The Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Radiohead, Marilyn Manson, Garbage....

Now that would be one hell of a show.

I know right?!!!!!!!!! That was the 90s for ya. So glad it was the era I grew up in. 

[Brian Ryan 1,468]

Just now, wahkeenasitka said:

Totally.... BUT what I'm talking about is comparing the diversity of nominees & winners in the mid 90s to now. There's no real diversity now. Yes, Garbage & Beck & Stone Temple Pilots & Smashing Pumpkins were huge in the mid 90s and selling records. They were massively popular. They also were neck and neck with people like Madonna, Michael Jackson and even R&B artists like TLC & The Fugees.... 

I'm calling for MORE DIVERSITY in the current era, and a renunciation of pop princesses. 

3

There was just as much as much diversity then as now... with people who are popular like those people were in pop culture.

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

1 minute ago, BrianxRyan said:

There was just as much as much diversity then as now... with people who are popular like those people were in pop culture.

don't kid yourself. the majority of the nominees & ALL of the performances was very mainstream pop music. 

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

I mean THIS. 

Smashing Pumpkins performing Tonight, Tonight at the VMAs in 1996...... With an Orchestra. 

I rest my case. 

 

[Brian Ryan 1,468]

Just now, wahkeenasitka said:

don't kid yourself. the majority of the nominees & ALL of the performances was very mainstream pop music. 

 

And so were those.... back 20 years ago.

[Morphine Prince 106,305]

This was probably the worst performance last night: 

Compare this to some of the ones you posted in this thread

 

[Bear 7,515]

21 minutes ago, BrianxRyan said:

Or people just not interested in award shows. All around the impact and audience of award shows is the not same 10 years, especially not 20 years ago.... no matter who is on the stage.

Absolutely I agree there is a decline in interest thanks to the age we live in; social media and YouTube have changed the way we watch and hear about things and we don't need to be watching full award shows to know about what is going on. That is something that can't be helped.

But just comparatively The Grammys/The Oscars/The Emmys etc all still pull in much greater numbers than the VMAs, and part of that I feel is because they focus on the craft of the trade rather than gimmicks. I know it's not as simple as that, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that while all these shows showcase some of most popular acts of the year the VMAs care way too much about the culture of fame (the feuds, the controversies, the gossip) whereas the other award shows actually care about the quality of the product and performances, something I think the VMAs once did. 

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

More performances from the VMAs in 1995 / 1996: 

 

 

 

[Zilla 13,411]

I miss that diversity. MTV always strived to be the trailblazers, bring up social issues to young people watching and educating them on things happening in their everyday lives, being THE place to get music news and the latest music premieres. Now if you turned MTV on you'd see mostly reality shows. It shows how culture has blossomed from just one stream to many different platforms. We didn't have instant access to things like we do now.

Now MTV is just lost within itself. Once a year it acts like it's the place for music, it will only show what's popular like it did back then but back in the 90's there was more acceptance of different musical styles. Like if you turned the radio on now, you only hear the same 5 songs it feels like. At least in top 40. Not sure if it was MTV that was the catalyst or the culture itself. They usually reflect each other.

I miss the 90's period. Everything now just seems so watered down and non-genuine. I think anything from like 2005 prior was where it was at, now everyone just seems lost. 

 

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

1 minute ago, Zilla said:

I miss that diversity. MTV always strived to be the trailblazers, bring up social issues to young people watching and educating them on things happening in their everyday lives, being THE place to get music news and the latest music premieres. Now if you turned MTV on you'd see mostly reality shows. It shows how culture has blossomed from just one stream to many different platforms.

Now MTV is just lost within itself. Once a year it acts like it's the place for music.

I miss the 90's period. Everything now just seems so watered down and non-genuine. 

 

Yup. Yup. Yup. 

[wahkeenasitka 1,995]

13 minutes ago, BrianxRyan said:

And so were those.... back 20 years ago.

yes, but 20 years ago, there was Alternative Music and Pop Music and Hard Rock and R&B... there was a diversity in the performers. On the same night, you have Michael Jackson & Alanis Morrissette performing. Two very different performers. Two very different tastes & genres. 

Now in 2016 it's all teeny bop pop princesses. 

[Brian Ryan 1,468]

Just now, wahkeenasitka said:

yes, but 20 years ago, there was Alternative Music and Pop Music and Hard Rock and R&B... there was a diversity in the performers. On the same night, you have Michael Jackson & Alanis Morrissette performing. Two very different performers. Two very different tastes & genres. 

Now in 2016 it's all teeny bop pop princesses. 

 

Yea and all that music that was nominated was played on the same stations POP music... it was virtually seen as POP then perhaps talk to people that lived around that time. They were all mainstream just like the people who there last night.