1992 in music
From Free net encyclopedia
See also: 1991 in music, other events of 1992, 1993 in music, 1990s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Contents |
Events
1992 was a pivotal year in the development of music. The most pivotal moment in musical development in 1992 was Nirvana's Nevermind going to #1 on the CD charts. This marked the point where Grunge began to overtake the Glam metal style of the 1980s.
Another notable event was the release of The Chronic by Dr. Dre. Though other artists (including Dr. Dre as a member of N.W.A., and Public Enemy, LL Cool J and Kurtis Blow) had achieved some mainstream success, The Chronic was perhaps the first real blockbuster hip hop album. It presaged the future mainstream dominance of hip hop, as well as the beginning of G funk-West Coast rap's rule as the most popular and influential type of hip hop.
Also, techno and house music began to move from the underground rave scene of Los Angeles and other large cities into the mainstream American subculture.
Thrash metal saw Megadeth moving in a more commercial direction with Countdown to Extinction, while Pantera laid the groundwork for aggro-metal with Vulgar Display of Power.
The Spin Doctors' Pocket Full of Kryptonite spawned three huge hits this year. Though the band was never able to recreate this success, it foreshadowed the future rise of popular jam bands like Phish and Dave Matthews Band.
Garth Brooks continued to be a major force in the music business, having already enjoyed the feat of being the first country music superstar to debut at #1 in the albums charts the previous year with "Ropin' The Wind," his follow up set, "The Chase," also made its first appearance on both the pop and country charts at #1.
Contemporary Christian music singer Amy Grant, who had recently scored major mainstream success in 1991, saw her success continue as the last two singles from her enormously successful Heart In Motion album ("Good For Me" and "I Will Remember You") reach the Top Twenty of the US pop charts.
1992 was also the year that the ABBA revival began. With the release of the ABBA Gold compilation, ABBA began to be remembered all over the world. The album soon topped the German, Swedish, and British charts, making them more than a success confined to the 1970s.
- January 11 - Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1, kicking off the Grunge movement of the 1990s
- January 11 - Paul Simon is the first major artist to tour South Africa after the end of the cultural boycott.
- January 16 - Mick Jagger attends the Hollywood premiere of his new movie, Freejack, at Mann's Chinese Theatre
- February 18 - Vince Neil leaves Mötley Crüe, after 11 years as the band's lead singer, to spend more time on his career as a race car driver.
- February 24 - Nirvana's Kurt Cobain marries Hole's Courtney Love
- February 24 - The U.S. Postal Service unveils 2 potential designs of its proposed Elvis Presley stamp for fans to vote on. One design is of a "young" 1950s Elvis, and the other is of a much "older" 1970s Elvis. The "young" Elvis wins the vote, and is issued the following January.
- March 10 - Prince wins the lifetime achievement award during the Soul Train Awards
- March 14 - Farm Aid Five takes place in Irving, Texas, hosted by Willie Nelson. Artists performing at the event include John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Paul Simon. Approximately 40,000 people attend the event.
- March 24 - A Chicago, Illinois judge approves cash rebates of up to $3 to anyone proving they bought Milli-Vanilli prior to when the lip synching scandal began on November 27, 1990
- April 1 - Billy Idol, on trial for punching a woman in the face, pleads no contest. Idol is fined and ordered to make public service announcements against alcohol and drug use.
- April 24 - David Bowie marries fashion model Iman
- April 30 - In Los Angeles, California, Madonna's bustier is stolen from a display in Fredrick's Of Hollywood. A $1,000 reward is offered for its return.
- May - The 1st EJCF was held in Basel. It is a great success and will be held every 3 years (the next time was in 1995).
- June - "November Rain" by Guns N' Roses becomes the longest single to reach the Top 20, clocking in at 8 minutes, 57 seconds. The single's video has a budget of over $1 million, becoming the costliest at the time.
- July - Launch of the "Budafest" Summer Opera & Ballet Festival in Budapest.
- July 4 - Mark Heard suffers a heart attack while performing at the Cornerstone Festival in Illinois. Heard went to the hospital immediately after finishing his set and was released two weeks later.
- July 28 - Mary J. Blige releases her debut album What's the 411?. It is a pivotal album in the world of R&B.
- August - Rozalla becomes the first artist from Zimbabwe to chart on Billboard.
- August - Mark Heard suffers a cardiac arrest and dies.
- Former Beatle George Harrison tells Billboard magazine that he recently discovered that he was born on February 24, and not February 25 as he had thought for most of his life.
- August 27 - John Lennon's original handwritten lyrics to "A Day in the Life" are auctioned off, eventually selling for $87,000.
- October 3 - Sinéad O'Connor stirs up controversy when she rips up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live
- October 31 and November 7 - "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men posted its 12th and 13th consecutive weeks at #1, ending a 36-year record previously held by Elvis Presley. This record was ended on March 6 the next year by Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You"
- November 15 - Megan Jasper of Sub Pop creates the grunge speak hoax, tricking The New York Times into printing an article on a supposed slang used in the Seattle grunge scene
- The Jerky Boys' career begins
- Beginning of musical career of Snoop Doggy Dogg
- Weezer forms
- Elastica forms
- KoЯn forms
- Oasis forms
- P.O.D. forms
- Blink-182 forms
- The Feelies disbands
- N.W.A. disbands
- Soophie Nun Squad forms
Albums released
- Gold: Greatest Hits - ABBA
- Live - AC/DC
- Kerplunk! - Green Day
- Dirt - Alice In Chains
- Sap (album) - Alice In Chains
- Everytime You Say Goodbye - Alison Krauss & Union Station
- al-Farah al-Muhajir - Hanan an-Nil
- Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin
- Arrogant Worms - Arrogant Worms
- Generator - Bad Religion
- Junkanoo (album) - Baha Men (debut)
- Gordon - Barenaked Ladies
- Check Your Head - Beastie Boys
- Olho d'Água - Maria Bethânia
- Relentless - Bill Hicks
- The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion - The Black Crowes
- Dehumanizer - Black Sabbath
- What's The 411? - Mary J. Blige
- Blind Melon - Blind Melon (debut)
- The IVth Crusade - Bolt Thrower
- Keep the Faith - Bon Jovi
- The Chase - Garth Brooks
- Let Me Come Over - Buffalo Tom
- Tomb of the Mutilated - Cannibal Corpse
- Necroticism - Descanting The Insalubrious - Carcass
- Priest = Aura - The Church
- Mad Mad World - Tom Cochrane
- The Future - Leonard Cohen
- Wish - The Cure
- Yellow Children - Dadawa
- Peel Sessions: No AIDS, No Salmonella, and No Gulf War Respectively - Datblygu
- Light Speed Collision - Def Fx
- Adrenalize - Def Leppard
- Legion - Deicide
- Dream On Fire - Dion DiMucci
- Céline Dion - Céline Dion
- Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury - The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
- Troubadour The Definitive Collection 1964-1976 - Donovan
- The Chronic - Dr. Dre
- Images and Words - Dream Theater
- Black Moon - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- Funky Divas - En Vogue
- Pop! The First 20 Hits - Erasure
- Unplugged - Eric Clapton
- Angel Dust - Faith No More
- Us - Peter Gabriel
- The Singer - Diamanda Galas
- Daily Operation - Gang Starr
- We Can't Dance - Genesis
- Home For Christmas - Amy Grant
- Fuck - The Hafler Trio
- At the Ryman - Emmylou Harris
- Carnival Of Carnage - Insane Clown Posse
- Fear of the Dark - Iron Maiden
- In Search Of Manny - Luscious Jackson
- Hollywood Town Hall - The Jayhawks
- Liar - The Jesus Lizard
- A Little Light Music - Jethro Tull
- Main Offender - Keith Richards
- Khaled - Khaled
- The Great Deceiver - Live 1973-1974 - King Crimson
- King's X - King's X
- Money - KMFDM
- Blues For The Red Sun - Kyuss
- Bricks Are Heavy - L7
- Ingenue - K.D. Lang
- It's a Shame About Ray - Lemonheads
- Kiko - Los Lobos
- Lynch Mob - Lynch Mob
- Erotica - Madonna
- Rap is Francis M. - Francis Magalona
- Generation Terrorists - Manic Street Preachers
- Triumph of Steel - Manowar
- MTV Unplugged (EP) - Mariah Carey
- Baby I'm Yours - Maureen McGovern
- Countdown To Extinction - Megadeth
- Tubular Bells II - Mike Oldfield
- Psalm 69 - Ministry
- Your Arsenal - Morrissey
- March or Die - Motörhead
- Piece of Cake - Mudhoney
- Camera, Camera - Nazia and Zoheb
- Are You Normal? - Ned's Atomic Dustbin
- Henry's Dream - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Bleach - Nirvana
- Hormoaning - Nirvana (EP, released in Australia and Japan)
- Incesticide - Nirvana (compilation album)
- The End Complete - Obituary
- Ignition - The Offspring
- Tubular Bells II - Mike Oldfield
- Onobox - Yoko Ono
- King of Hearts - Roy Orbison
- Vulgar Display of Power - Pantera
- Slanted and Enchanted - Pavement
- Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde - The Pharcyde
- A Picture Of Nectar - Phish
- Shine On - Pink Floyd (9 CD boxed set)
- Dry - PJ Harvey
- Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
- Automatic for the People - R.E.M.
- Whut? Thee Album - Redman
- Amused to Death - Roger Waters
- Hormonally Yours - Shakespear's Sister
- Humroot - Shelleyan Orphan
- This Is My Life - Carly Simon
- Last Rights - Skinny Puppy
- Peppermint EP - Sloan
- Grave Dancer's Union - Soul Asylum
- Hotwired - The Soup Dragons
- Homebelly Groove - Spin Doctors (live)
- Pocket Full of Kryptonite - Spin Doctors
- Lazer Guided Melodies - Spiritualized
- Human Touch - Bruce Springsteen
- Lucky Town - Bruce Springsteen
- Peng! - Stereolab
- Core - Stone Temple Pilots
- Twilight Time - Stratovarius
- 40 Oz. to Freedom - Sublime (debut studio album)
- Copper Blue - Sublime
- The Return of Diva - Elvy Sukaesih
- Reflecter - Sun Dial
- Fazer - Sun Dial
- It's About Time - SWV
- The Ritual - Testament
- Nurse - Therapy?
- Pleasure Death - Therapy?
- I'm Never Gonna Die Again - These Immortal Souls
- Apollo 18 - They Might Be Giants
- Fear - Toad the Wet Sprocket
- Opiate - Tool
- Fully Completely - The Tragically Hip
- More Than A Mood - Stanley Turrentine
- America's Least Wanted - Ugly Kid Joe
- The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History - The Vaselines
- There and Back Again - Vertical Horizon
- Bone Machine - Tom Waits
- The Crimson Idol - W.A.S.P.
- Pure Guava - Ween
- La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 - White Zombie
- The Bodyguard - Whitney Houston
- You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 - Frank Zappa
- You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 - Frank Zappa
Top hits on record
- "Alive" - Pearl Jam
- "All 4 Love" - Color Me Badd
- "All I Want" - Toad the Wet Sprocket
- "Be My Baby" - Vanessa Paradis
- "Come As You Are" - Nirvana
- "Connected" - Stereo MCs
- "Digging In The Dirt" - Peter Gabriel
- "Dixie-Narco (EP)" - Primal Scream
- "Drive" - R.E.M.
- "End Of The Road" - Boyz II Men
- "Erotica" - Madonna
- "Even Better Than The Real Thing" - U2
- "Friday I'm In Love" - The Cure
- "God Gave Rock And Roll To You II" - Kiss
- "Heaven Sent" - INXS
- "I Can't Dance" - Genesis
- "I Love Your Smile" - Shanice
- "I'll Be There" - Mariah Carey
- "It's Only Natural" - Crowded House
- "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" - Spin Doctors
- "Jump" - Kris Kross
- "Jump Around" - House of Pain
- "Just Another Day" - Jon Secada
- "Keep The Faith" - Bon Jovi
- "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" - Guns N' Roses
- "Layla" - Eric Clapton
- "Let's Get Rocked" - Def Leppard
- "Lithium" - Nirvana
- "Man On The Moon" - R.E.M.
- "Motorcycle Emptiness" - Manic Street Preachers
- "Mrs. Robinson" - Lemonheads
- "My Lovin' (Never Gonna Get It)" - En Vogue
- "No Ordinary Love" - Sade
- "Nothing Else Matters" - Metallica
- "November Rain" - Guns N' Roses
- "One" - U2
- "Passing Me By" - The Pharcyde
- "Real Love" - Mary J. Blige
- "Remedy" - The Black Crowes
- "Remember The Time" - Michael Jackson
- "Save The Best For Last" - Vanessa Williams
- "Stay" - Shakespeare's Sister
- "Step It Up" - Stereo MCs
- "Tears in Heaven" - Eric Clapton
- "To Be With You" - Mr. Big
- "Two Princes" - Spin Doctors
- "Under The Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Walking On Broken Glass" - Annie Lennox
- "Weather With You" - Crowded House
- "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" - U2
- "Why" - Annie Lennox
See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1992
Classical music
- Leonardo Balada - Symphony No. 4 'Lausanne'
- Leonardo Balada - Celebracio for Orchestra
- Chan Ka Nin - Saxophone Quartet
- Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 10 for guitar and electronic sounds
- Percy Grainger - Bridal Lullaby transcribed for orchestra by John Pickard
- Andreas Kunstein - String quartet No. 1
- Andreas Kunstein - 10 Epigrams for toy piano
- William Mathias - Flute Concerto
- Krzysztof Penderecki - Symphony No. 5 Korean
- Joan Tower - Violin Concerto
- Iannis Xenakis - La Déesse Athéna (Oresteïa III) (1992), for baritone solo and mixed ensemble of 11 instruments
Opera
- Jukka Linkola - Elina
- Daron Hagen - Shining Brow
Musical theater
- Crazy For You Broadway production
- Falsettoes Broadway production
- Guys and Dolls Broadway revival
- Jelly's Last Jam Broadway production
- The Most Happy Fella Broadway revival
- Scrooge: The Musical Birmingham production
Musical films
- Aladdin animated feature
Births
Deaths
- January 15 - Dee Murray, bassist for Elton John, cancer
- January 27 - Allan Jones, singer and actor
- February 21 - Jane Pickens Langley Hoving, the Pickens Sisters
- March 4 - Mary Osborne (70), Jazz Guitarist, liver cancer
- March 27 - Harald Sæverud, composer
- April 4 - Arthur Russell, cellist
- April 20 - Johnny Shines, guitarist
- April 27 - Olivier Messiaen, composer
- May 7 - Tiny Timbrell, guitarist
- May 17 - Lawrence Welk, accordion player and bandleader
- June 20 - Sir Charles Groves, conductor
- July 4 - Astor Piazzolla, tango musician and composer
- July 25 - Alfred Drake, US singer and actor
- July 26 - Mary Wells, singer
- August 12 - John Cage, U.S. composer
- August - Mark Heard, U.S. singer
- September 19 - Sir Geraint Evans, opera singer
- October 5 - Eddie Kendricks, singer
- October 25 - Roger Miller, singer
- November 14 - Teddy Riley, New Orleans jazz trumpeter
- November 21 - Severino Gazzelloni, flautist
- November 27 - Daniel Santos, singer and composer
- November 29 - Paul Ryan, singer
- December 21 - Philip Farkas, horn player
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Bobby Blue Bland, Booker T. and the M.G.s, Johnny Cash, The Isley Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sam & Dave and The Yardbirds
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
Eurovision Song Contest
Mercury Music Prize
- Screamadelica - Primal Scream wins.