(Finished September 12th, 2023) Part 5 of Was 1989 and 1990 Really The Diet Slice Era of Music? Part 2 of the Best Songs of 1990

Hello,

Esquire Digital has a feature about 1989 and 1990 being the two weirdest years of music. Esquire author, Dave Holmes, calls it the Diet Slice era. Holmes says about the drink and the music of those two years:

“The Diet Slice gets its name from the low-calorie version of Slice, a popular soft drink of the time which set itself apart from its shelf-mates by claiming to be somewhat natural; its can crowed “with 10% real juice,” later downgraded to “contains real juice,” and although I eventually stopped paying attention, I bet toward the end it was more like “is technically a liquid.” As a beverage, it was refreshing and indistinct. Like the music of the time, you would consume it if it were there, but you are never thirsty for it.”

Holmes is certainly entitled to his opinion. I have to agree there were some unusual songs in those two years. However there was also a lot of great music those two years.

Not only do I not think that 1989-1990 is the Diet Slice era, I don’t think there has ever been a Diet Slice era. These are some of the albums that arrived in 1989 (in no particular order): 1) Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” 2) Tom Petty’s “Full Moon Fever” 3) Motley Crue’s “Dr. Feelgood”, 4) Aerosmith’s “Pump”: 5) XTC “Oranges and Lemons” 6) Nine Inch Nails “Pretty Hate Machine” 7) Skid Row’s self-titled debut 8) The Cult “Sonic Temple” 9) Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” 10) Neneh Cherry’s and Prince’s funky “Batman” Soundtrack. The Danny Elfman score is also pretty good.

69) Aerosmith “Janie’s Got A Gun”:

70) Alice in Chains “Bleed The Freak”:

71) Bell Biv Devoe “Poison”:

72) Depeche Mode “Enjoy The Silence”:

73) Enigma “Sadeness”:

74) Faster Pussycat “You’re So Vain”:

75) Billy Idol “L.A. Woman”:

76) Billy Joel “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’:

77) Public Enemy “Fight The Power”:

Holmes had specific animus for this song, but I quite like it. Thanks Dave for me being able to rediscover this song. 78) Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown “She Ain’t Worth It”: