Ep 1. 1999

A Year In Music season 5 kicks off with a flashback to the year 1999. From boy bands to rock bands, this episode takes a deep dive into the hits and misses of the year that brought us the turn of the century. The show starts with a homage to the beloved Whitney Houston, who lost her battle to addiction and passed away that year. The host highlights how Houston's music impacted the industry and how her untimely death exposed the dark side of the entertainment industry. From there, the episode shifts into a celebration of the music that made 1999 one of the best years in music for many people.

The episode then jumps into the pop music scene, highlighting some of the biggest boy bands of the era. The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and 98 Degrees are just a few of the bands that made a significant impact on the charts that year. Each of the boy bands had their signature style, but all had similar appeals to the teenage girl demographic. The episode dives into the boy band's rise, what their audiences saw in them, and how their music reflected the cultural landscape of that era.

The host then transitions into the rock scene. The late 1990s were when the rock scene saw a change. This change introduced new bands and artists that brought fresh takes to the genre. Bands like Blink-182, who infused pop-punk and catchy hooks with their own snarky humor, dominated the airwaves. The show then dives into the iconic moment when Rage Against The Machine played their show in front of the New York Stock Exchange. It was a protest against Wall Street's dominance, and the host explains how the band used their platform to create stronger awareness about socio-political issues.

The 1999 episode did not focus only on the chart-topping music, but it also highlighted how African American and Latinx artists contributed to the music industry. The host covers how Jennifer Lopez made her debut with the release of "If You Had My Love." The episode also fawns over Jay-Z's releases that year, including "Hard Knock Life." The episode celebrates the diversity of the music scene in 1999 and its impact on popular music in general.

As the episode progresses, so does the music. 1999 was the year of the rise of electronic music that led to the birth of several sub-genres of music. From dance to house to techno, the host covers the rise of dance music and the impact it had on popular culture. The episode dives into the impact of artists such as Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers, who brought electronic music to the forefront of the industry.

The episode concludes with the host summarising what the year 1999 brought forth in music. It was the ending of an era and the beginning of a new one. The rise of electronic music was prominent, and artists began exploring sounds that went beyond the usual confines of music. The music of 1999 had a sense of urgency, a sense of pushing the limits, and a sense of rebelliousness. The energy of 1999 was reflected in the music that was made, and people still look back at the year as an iconic period for the music industry.