Everybody claims their generation is the greatest. Generations from the '70s embody a time when peace, love, self awareness, and exploration was most important. Generations that lived their youth in the '80s brag about E.T., Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and, of course, the Golden Girls -- I mean Betty White. Who doesn't love her? However, there is not quite a generation like the '90s.
The magnificent decade of the '90s was a great time to be alive, but an even greater time to be born. The '90s was a time when MTV played music videos, and getting slimed on Nickelodeon's Slime Time Live was your childhood dream. The '90s were a time of fashion-forward fun, and grooving to all sorts of beats. So what exactly makes the '90s so superior to all the rest? Let's first look at music.
'90s music
Although much of the 90's is known for a variety of one-hit wonders, like Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-lot, this generation produced so many talented artists that, to this day, are still producing music or tackling other ventures.
Rock. Nirvana, Blink 182, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Third Eye Blind, Weezer, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, and Bon Jovi -- just to name a few.
Pop. Spice Girls, Brittany Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, and 98 Degrees.
R&B. TLC, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carrey, Mary J. Blidge, and Usher
Hip hop. Missy Elliot, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Lil Kim, Ludacris, Queen Latifa, Outkast, and Three Six Mafia.
These are just a few of the amazing artists that either thrived or debuted during this extremely talented decade. So what else besides music was peaking during this time? Let's take a look at TV shows.
'90s television
'90s TV was golden.
I mean for starters -- Friends. There is no denying that these were some quality TV filled years. In case you forgot, here are just a few shows that were released in the '90s.
'90s Sitcoms. Boy Meets World, Seinfeld, Friends, Full House, Saved By the Bell, Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Belair, Frasier, Sister Sister, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Step By Step, Kenan & Kel, Growing Pains, and Home Improvement.
Sketch comedy. The Amanda Show, All That, and MAD TV.
Cartoons. Doug, Rugrats, Rocket Power, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pinky and the Brain, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory, Hey Arnold!, Arthur, Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and of course, SpongeBob SquarePants, which is still running.
Adult cartoons. Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill, South Park, Family Guy, and Futurama.
We all know how amazing music and television was in the 90's, but let's look at some other aspects that made growing up in this generation so special.
'90s food
Okay, I know America is on this health craze, which I am all for, but during the '90s, there were some pretty solid junk foods that came out, and still remain a vital part of my diet. Some of these delectable snacks include: Dunkeroos, Fruit by the Foot, Go-Gurt, Gushers, McFlurry, Red Bull, Ring Pops, Bubble Tape, and string cheese.
'90s entertainment and games
When you were growing up, Toys 'R' Us was your sanctuary and your life primarily revolved around playing outside with all of your cool toys, rather than playing dodge ball via an iPad. There were some toys from the '90s that revolutionized the toy industry, and that are still sold today. Here are a few toys that were released during the '90s that had a significant impact on the generation today: Barbie, Easy-Bake Oven, Hula Hoop, Nintendo 64, Gameboy Color, Tamagotchi, and Power Rangers and Pokemon, which were both successful '90s shows and toys. Of course, we cannot forget Beanie Babies. We all saved every last one of them in hopes that they would be worth a lot more by the time we grew up.
This is only a small glimpse into why the '90s have been such a positive and memorable time period. So thanks, '90s, for being an awesome time period to grow up in, and an even better time to look back on.
