Welcome to 80's City

The 80′s was a tough decade to follow, by any measure. And the 90′s did little to help itself.

The 1990′s saw the loss of many beloved musicians, actors, and celebrities, including more than a few 80′s icons. Notable deaths in the 1990s were Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on May 19, 1994, Princess Diana on August 31, 1997, Stevie Ray Vaughn on August 27, 1990, Phil Hartman on May 28, 1998, River Phoenix on October 31, 1993, Kurt Cobain on April 5, 1994, Herv Villechaize on September 4, 1993, Chris Farley on December 18, 1997, and Phil Hartman on May 28, 1998.

Further troubling for the 90′s were its big news stories, which included the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman by football star and actor O.J. Simpson and the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

But not all was doom and gloom for the 1990′s. It had several lighter, yet equally disappointing moments, such as an onslaught of fad toys. And the fashion (remember flannel shirts, denim overalls, parachute pants, high-waisted acid-washed jeans, sandals (with socks), and baggy clothes in neon colors. Oh, and fanny packs, those outside pockets strapped to every tourist visiting your local theme park.

MTV killed the video star. With the popularity of the music channel increasing, MTV jumped on the opportunity to go beyond just music videos, that beloved art-form that made so many 80′s bands what they were. As production quality increased on music videos, often times the creative quality was not up to the infamous standards of the 80′s. MTV also pioneered the reality TV show, with the introduction of the Real World and Road Rules. All of this contributed to fewer music videos and more alternative (and unwanted) programming.

The decade had the potential to be awesome. But the 90′s dropped the ball.