The soundtrack to ‘The Bodyguard’, starring Whitney Houston, topped the charts in 1993. Getty
The soundtrack to ‘The Bodyguard’, starring Whitney Houston, topped the charts in 1993. Getty
The soundtrack to ‘The Bodyguard’, starring Whitney Houston, topped the charts in 1993. Getty
The soundtrack to ‘The Bodyguard’, starring Whitney Houston, topped the charts in 1993. Getty

Why 1993 was the year that changed music forever


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As we approach the final third of the musical year, it feels safe to say that few observers would describe this as a vintage era: at last count, the UK's best-selling albums of 2018 were the soundtrack to a critically mauled movie, The Greatest Showman, and an LP released more than a year earlier, Ed Sheeran's Divide – hardly the sign of a vibrant wave of new-ness.

Complaining about the sorry stagnation of modern music has been the armchair critics’ preferred pastime for decades, but today we no longer need to recall the halcyon 1960s or 1970s to get all misty eyed – a mere quarter century will do. A look back to 1993 serves as a bracing, cold-water slap around the face – a reminder of how much has been lost, and how things have changed.

A year of highs and lows

Indeed, 1993 might be sent up in popular memory as the last truly exciting year in music – or perhaps the moment when it all went wrong. It certainly seems that no 12-month period has made more of a mark, nor embraced more historic highs and titillating headlines, since.

All the ingredients were there – an optimistic surge of creativity, coupled with fresh technologies, fuelling new strands of sound – and more than a dash of media-fuelled melodrama.

Beneath the hits and headlines, the whole infrastructure of mass entertainment was imperceptibly shifting, changing the way we consume music for decades to come.

Television was still ascendant: In 1993 MTV’s Unplugged concept reached its apogee, the Superbowl half-time spectacle was all but invented for the modern age, while the inauguration of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame signalled the death knell of the genre it was celebrating,

For the existing musical order, the year 1993 sat at a crucial temporal fold – grunge was still relevant, Britpop was brewing, and hip-hop was still dangerous. Meanwhile the emerging electronic undercurrents began to command widespread audiences and serious appraisal.

Most memorably, Björk brought electronica out of the clubs and on to the airwaves with her peerless Debut – its dismissive two-star review from Rolling Stone a fitting badge of just how revolutionary it was at the time – while David Bowie came out of the cold channelling house and hip-hop on chart topper Black Tie White Noise, his first LP in six years.

Click to watch the music video for David Bowie's Black Tie White Noise: 

From stars to superstars 

The music then known as rap was enjoying a critical blend of exposure and inspiration – a recent Vibe magazine headline declared "1993: The Year Hip-Hop and R&B Conquered the World". The evidence is all there: Legend Tupac Shakur broke out with Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z ...  while Wu-Tang Clan made their historic debut with Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

Released at the end of 1992, Dr Dre's seminal debut The Chronic, was declared triple platinum the following November – the same month the album's breakout star Snoop Dogg unleashed generation-defining debut Doggystyle, a pair of pivotal LPs that came to define the new West Coast hip-hop style. The year also gave birth to mature classics Midnight Marauders from A Tribe Called Quest and Black Sunday from Cypress Hill.

At the top of the charts, 1993's bestselling album was also a soundtrack – but this was a different calibre of cast recording. The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album went on to become the fifth best-selling LP ever and elevated Whitney Houston to uber-stardom, spawning at the time the longest-running Billboard No 1, I Will Always Love You.

Click to watch the music video to Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You:

But then fame was something different in 1993: It was the year that Prince confounded DJs the world over by changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol. His only competitor for dumbfounding media spectators was Michael Jackson, who made headlines for all the right, and wrong, reasons.

A year of drama, gossip and titillation

Today, the Superbowl half-time show is officially the highest-profile musical engagement of the year, a 12-minute showcase that routinely reaches 100 million pairs of eyeballs. But before 1993 it was a forgettable blur of flag-spinning marching bands and patchy, themed tributes – before, that is, MJ's killer, hit-filled medley, which rehabilitated an ailing career and eclipsed the game itself. Soon after the King of Pop was hit with accusations of child abuse, which tainted his memory for ever.

Because 1993 was also a year of drama, gossip and titillation. Violence was in the air: Snoop faced a murder charge and Shakur was accused of shooting a police officer (both cases were dropped). The Housemartins’ drummer Hugh Whitaker was jailed after attacking an associate with an axe, Savatage guitarist Criss Oliva’s life was ended by a drunk driver, and Euronymous of Swedish death metallers Mayhem was stabbed to death by a bandmate.

Of less consequence, Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder was arrested after a bar brawl, while his Nirvana counterpart Kurt Cobain was jailed after a domestic incident with wife Courtney Love. That both events were headline news speaks volumes about grunge's meteoric ascent, and 1993 was the movement's commercial peak, with key releases including Nirvana's In Utero, Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream and Pearl Jam's Vs. – upon its October release the latter became America's fastest-selling album ever.

A few weeks later, Nirvana would enter New York's now-demolished Sony Music Studios and record their seminal, stripped-back Unplugged in New York – six months before Cobain would be found dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound. They were in good company; in 1993 an appearance on MTV's flagship acoustic series was an established rite of passage for any serious elder statesman, the year also welcoming entries from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Rod Stewart, while 1993's third best-selling album would prove to be Eric Clapton's Unplugged – later declared the bestselling live recordingto date. What this says about rock music's assimilation by corporate television is noteworthy.

Click to watch a performance of Eric Clapton Unplugged:

The start of a new era

While the term can be traced to the mid-1980s, "classic rock" as a genre arguably became institutionalised the day that Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry and, er, Billy Joel gathered in Cleveland to play the ground-breaking ceremony of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Once-rebel Townshend struck another death-knell precedent when, two months earlier, The Who's Tommy opened on Broadway, setting a template for lesser rock musicals that continue to plague stages the world over to this day.

But guitar music was to enjoy one more bite of the cultural zeitgeist, on the other side of the Atlantic – Britpop. And in 1993 the currents were starting to flow: Suede's self-titled debut was a surprise No 1 hit, Slowdive revealed their masterpiece Souvlaki, while a little band called Radiohead became overnight stars with sleeper single Creep. The rest was yet to come – in May 1993 a newly formed Oasis were signed after a short support set, overheard by Alan McGee in Glasgow. Future rivals Blur had already achieved maturity with second album Modern Life is Rubbish.

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Read more:

All of the symbolism in Pearl Jam's controversial Donald Trump-bashing poster explained

Doing it together: How women (finally) took over the music charts in 2018 

Why do some people stop embracing new music after the age of 28?

______________________

Ahead of the cultural curve was Depeche Mode, who in March 1993 became the first "alternative" UK act to top the Billboard charts with Songs of Faith and Devotion. Soon after, the band made what has gone down as the first online fan Q&A, via AOL – a telling forerunner of the internet-driven media world we know today. Music would never be the same again.

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday

Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)

Valencia v Levante (midnight)

Saturday

Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)

Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)

Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)

Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday

Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)

Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)

Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)

RACE CARD

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.

Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

SPECS
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While you're here
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE

TV: Match on BeIN Sports

TOP 5 DRIVERS 2019

1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 10 wins 387 points

2 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 4 wins, 314 points

3 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 3 wins, 260 points

4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2 wins, 249 points

5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points

What is a calorie?

A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.

One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.

A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.

Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.

Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram. 

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

CREW
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Teaching your child to save

Pre-school (three - five years)

You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.

Early childhood (six - eight years)

Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.

Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)

Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.

Young teens (12 - 14 years)

Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.

Teenage (15 - 18 years)

Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.

Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)

Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.

* JP Morgan Private Bank 

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
PRISCILLA
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'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets