Best to Worst years in the 1990's (2023)

As I have spotted a "Best to Worst years in the 1980's" thread here recently and have no real memories of the decade since I was born in the mid part of this decade I thought I would feature the main decade of my childhood, the 1990's

Mildness was unfortunately a common theme of the winters in this decade and as a snow loving child it wasn't the best decade to grow up in. The summers were generally a mix and provided at least more variety than the winters did.

Overall ranking for me would put 1995 at the top due to the decent summer and the cold December and I'd probably put 1993 at the bottom with 1998 2nd to bottom due to poor summers in both years and little if any wintry weather in 1998 or early 1993.

Ranking the years by winters and summers

Winters

If I take the same years and rank them by the winters, meaning 1989/90 through to 1998/99 so encompassing the bigger part of both winters 1989/90 and 1998/99 in the correct decade for simplification sees the order chance somewhat compared with the overall rating.

1st 1995/96 1995 and 1996 still rank highly here and this is thanks to the best winter of the 1990's for cold and snow with winter 1995/96. The only let down was January 1996 with that 3 weeks of mild dull dross, otherwise the best winter of the decade.

2nd 1996/97 A close call between 1996/97 and 1990/91 but as I have better memories of the cold and snowy period at the end of December 1996 into January 1997 it squeezed into 2nd position.

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3rd 1990/91 Similar level to 1996/97 really but as the cold was mostly focused on a few days in February 1991 then 1996/97 just edged it for me over this year that I have less memories of anyway.

4th 1993/94 Probably after the 3 winters above 1993/94 was probably the most snowy of the remaining winters and just edges it over 1998/99 due to less mild winter overall compared with 1998/99

5th 1998/99 Unusual for me to rank one of the mildest winters of the 1990's so high up the list but this is due to the fact that it had several colder snaps that pretty much delivered snow for me on every single one of them. The longer mild dross periods between the cold snaps were what dragged this winter down to 5th position however.

6th 1994/95 Another mild dross winter that ranks a bit higher than expected for a cold snow lover and this is due to the frosty weather in December 1994 as well as the 25th January 1995 snow event.

7th 1991/92 Just a total bore fest of a winter really but still ranked higher than 1992/93, 1989/90 and 1997/98 due to less mild weather overall compared with the other 3.

8th 1992/93 The least bad of the remaining winters was 1992/93 and this is because it was the least mild of these 3 poor mild wet winters.

9th 1989/90 Didn't know whether to put 1989/90 here or 1997/98 but as my memories of 1997/98 winter were so bad it meant 1989/90 ranked above it even though this was equally as horrific for cold lovers.

10th 1997/98 That super Nino and the dreaded mild winter to me was the worst winter I can remember of the 1990's. Even the brief cold snap in December and the even more brief one in January couldn't save this one from bottom spot.

Although I didn't include winter 1999/00 as the bulk of it was in the 2000's so therefore a 2000's winter for me it would have ranked low down the list too as the only "good" bit of that winter to me was between 13th and 21st December 1999, the rest of it was poor with mild dross the main theme.

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Summers

Much easier to rank the summers by specific years as they don't span 2 years.

1st 1995 Hands down the best summer of the decade for that warm/hot and dry weather that dominated. The lack of thunderstorms was the main let down but wasn't enough to drag this summer down from top spot.

2nd 1994 A classic heat, thunderstorms and reload summer this one was. Remember several episodes like this with a plume, followed by storms then a cooldown before it began again. Miss summers like this now.

3rd 1996 I remember this summer being half decent too with a few thundery episodes but a little less good than 1994 was so ranked below it as a result.

4th 1997 This summer would have ranked higher than 4th if it were not for that shocking wet June. July's dry weather and August 1997's humid thundery weather helped to pull this summer back up to 4th.

5th 1990 The decent August heat as well as generally good weather saw this summer come 5th overall but ranked below the others due to less memory of this summer as well as less thundery activity than 3 of the above.

6th 1999 Overall a mixed summer with cool wet weather, dry weather and a couple of thundery episodes as well. Very much a bog standard summer and nothing particularly stood out so a mid rating of 6th was all it deserved really.

7th 1991 Don't remember anything specific about summers 1991 or 1992 but I had to put them somewhere and as they appeared on the record to be less bad than both 1998 and 1993 they simply occupied 7th and 8th positions. Not much to choose between them but 1991 looked to be marginally better so took 7th ahead of 1992

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8th 1992 See 7th placed summer 1991's description.

9th 1998 A toss up between 1993 and 1998 here as both were shockingly bad summers and easily the two worst ones of the 1990's. As 1998 had a better August than 1993 and overall summer 1998 was less cold than 1993 then it squeezed ahead of it.

10th 1993 What a stinker of a summer this one was, cold and wet was the main theme and there were very few warm and dry spells within it. To me this was the worst summer of the 1990's

Overall ranking of years

I have used a points system here based on where I ranked the summer as well as the previous and following winter to rank the years overall. Summers take double points to remove the bias of using the winters either side of the year. The summers are ranked from 1st taking 20 points down to 10th taking just 2 points. The previous and following winters use the same system except 1st takes 10 points down to 10th taking just 1 point. The following is the result I came up with.

Position YEAR OVERALL SCORE Summer (Score x2) Winter (Previous) Winter (Following)

1st 1995 35 20 5 10

2nd 1996 35 16 10 9

3rd 1994 30 18 7 5

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4th 1997 24 14 9 1

5th 1990 22 12 2 8

6th 1991 20 8 8 4

7th 1999 18 10 6 2

8th 1992 13 6 4 3

9th 1993 12 2 3 7

10th 1998 11 4 1 6

Looking at my ranking system it does roughly tie in with my thoughts that 1995 and 1996 were overall the best years of the 1990's for me weather wise with 1994 getting a decent 3rd position overall.

1997 could have ranked higher if there wasn't to be a shocker of a winter to end the year, similar with 1990 with that shocker 1989/90 winter that started it off that dragged 1990 down a bit.

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1991 ranked a bit higher than I thought it might, maybe due to the quite good 1990/91 winter that started the year and this same winter also pulled 1990 up a little bit too.

No real surprise to see 1993 and 1998 at the bottom of the list however as overall the worst years of the 1990's. 1993 only got above 1998 as 1993 actually had not that bad a winter at the end of the year whilst 1998 was bookended by milder winters with that poor summer too so no surprise 1998 came out last.

Edited by SqueakheartLW

FAQs

What is the best year in the 1990s? ›

The Top Ten BEST Years in the 1990s!
  • 8) 1997. ...
  • 7) FRIENDS. ...
  • 6) 1998. ...
  • 5) 1991. ...
  • 4) 1999. ...
  • 3) 1993. ...
  • 2) 1992, 1994, and 1996. ...
  • 1) 2015. That's right! 2015 is the number one best year of the 90s.
Oct 15, 2015

What were the worst things that happened in the 1990s? ›

However, the decade was not without violence and tragedy, including the Bosnian genocide, the Rodney King beating and subsequent L.A. Riots, and the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Did the 90s end in 2000? ›

The 1990s (pronounced "nineteen-nineties", shortened to "the '90s" and often referred to as simply "the Nineties") was a decade that began on January 1, 1990, and ended on December 31, 1999.

Why were the 90s so dark? ›

The 90s was a time of prosperity, and so society seemed more eager to look for turmoil and darkness, because it's not like they were overwhelmed with it in the form of current events. Add to that, the 80s had been a decade where culture was often bright and upbeat, especially in America.

Why 90s is the best decade? ›

In a nutshell, the 90's were perfectly sandwiched between a time when toys could literally kill you, and later when the internet took over our brains. It was the last decade when people had to rely somewhat on their analog skills to survive, but could also find a decent arcade nearby.

What was popular in the 90s? ›

Slip dresses, bomber jackets, scrunchies and plaid flannel shirts were all the rage during the '90s — and many of these fashion trends are working their way back into vogue (although some of these pieces may have never left your closet).

What happened in 1990 and 1991? ›

1990 — Hubble Space Telescope launches during STS-31, a Space Shuttle Discovery mission. 1991 — The Gulf War is waged in the Middle East, by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from thirty-four nations, led by the U.S. and United Kingdom, against Iraq. 1991 — The World Wide Web publicly debuts as an Internet service.

Did anything bad happen in 1999? ›

April 20 – Columbine High School massacre: Two Littleton, Colorado teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, open fire on their teachers and classmates, killing 12 students and one teacher, and then themselves. It would be the deadliest shooting at a high school in U.S. history at the time.

Why 90s kids were best? ›

They met people without the use of apps or social media. Kids of the '90s didn't introduce themselves to new people until it happened in person. They built new relationships through letters and phone calls, or they just spent time together in person.

What is life in the 90s? ›

The 1990s was a decade of extremes and contradictions. Americans built bigger and more elaborate homes and drove more expensive automobiles, then worked longer hours to pay for them. Americans spent more, borrowed more, and went more deeply into debt.

What was popular in the 90s in America? ›

Popular films: Beauty and the Beast, Clueless, Home Alone, The Big Lebowski, Titanic, Face/Off, Now and Then. Toys/Games: Tamagotchi Pets, Tickle Me Elmo, American Girl dolls, Super Mario World, Mortal Kombat. Popular music: Nirvana, “The Macarena,” Spice Girls, Selena, East vs. West Coast Rap.

What was invented in 90s? ›

Smartphones, the digital camera, targeted Internet searches and the World Wide Web itself, emojis, even SnapChat and Instagram are all built on the ideas that came about in the 1990's. Read on to discover some of the best technological advances of the '90s.

Is 2000 born a 90s kid? ›

There is a common misconception floating around as the '90s begin to make a comeback into everyday life. Children born in the '90s are not '90s children. Those who were born in the latter half of the '80s and early '90s hold the right to the title “'90s kid.” Children born 1995 or later are children of the 2000s.

Is the 90s coming back? ›

The 90s fashion trend was defined by elements that emboldened the look and gave a carefree outlook to the wearer. Elements like graphic tees, ripped jeans, bike shorts, leather jackets, and slip dresses and materials such as velvet are all set to make a comeback in 2023.

What is a 90s kid? ›

In reality, 90s kids are those born from 1981-1990, basically the Older Millennials. They entered the 90s as children and left that decade as tweens and teenagers.

What was the 90s look? ›

Fashion during the 1990s sparked a wave of minimalist looks, breaking away from the big hair and shoulder pads that dominated the '80s. Casual, chic outfits defined by baggy T-shirts, slip dresses, and sportswear significantly shaped 1990s fashion trends.

What was the worst style in the 90s? ›

The biggest 'ugly' '90s fashion trends were all about grunge. Footwear and accessories were chunkier, denim was slouchier, flannels were oversized, and hair was pulled back with a scrunchie. And while you may have thought those trends were nestled comfortably in the past, you couldn't be more wrong.

What is dark side of the decade 90s? ›

Dark Side of the 90s is a documentary television series created by Insight Productions and RailSplitter Pictures for Vice Studios that takes a look at popular culture of the 1990s. It is a spinoff of Vice's Dark Side of the Ring series. The first episode of Dark Side of the 90s aired on July 15, 2021.

Why 90s nostalgia is so powerful? ›

The '90s were the most 'advanced' pre-Web era in terms of culture, which is why it might seem so appealing to those who didn't experience it.” Revisiting favorite moments of the past can also offer opportunities for thoughtful reexamination.

Why is the year 1990 important? ›

Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South Africa, and the Baltic states declaring independence from the Soviet Union ...

What are kids from the 90's called? ›

90's kids or popularly known as generation X (Gen X) are fortunate enough to have an unofficially non- digitally influenced childhood.

What's cool about the 90s? ›

11 Trends That Made You Cool in the 90s
  • BOY BANDS. NSYNC and Backstreet Boys pretty much ruled the world. ...
  • NINTENDO. The late '90s marked an uprising in video gaming. ...
  • BEANIE BABIES. ...
  • THE 'RACHEL HAIRCUT' ...
  • “FROSTED TIPS” AND “SPIKED HAIR” ...
  • ROLLERBLADES. ...
  • FANNY PACKS. ...
  • SPIN THE BOTTLE, SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN, AND TRUTH OR DARE.

What did 90s kids grow up with? ›

You grew up with some of the most iconic movies and television series to date (The Lion King, Full House, Rugrats, oh my!) and downright bizarre toys that were the coolest things since sliced bread. And with no social media or high-speed internet, the '90s were the last decade of pure innocence.

What happened in 1994? ›

Tonya Harding and the Attack on Nancy Kerrigan. The Death of Kurt Cobain. Nelson Mandela Becomes the First Black President of South Africa.

What happened in 1995? ›

>What happened in 1995 Major News Stories include Windows 95 released, Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing, Nerve Gas attack Tokyo Subway, Barings Bank collapses, A Car Bomb devastates Oklahoma City Federal Building on 19th April , after a NATO bombing campaign against Serb artillery the Balkans War comes to an end ...

What was 1991 known for? ›

1991 was the year the first GSM call was made. 1991 was the year when the World Wide Web came to life. 1991 was also the year the Linux kernel was conceived and created by Finnish computer science student Linus Torvalds.

Did anything bad happen in 1993? ›

What happened in 1993 Major News Stories include Pentium microprocessor introduced, Islamic Fundamentalists bomb World Trade Center, US and Russia sign the Start II treaty, Beanie Babies go on sale, Federal Agents raid religious cult in Waco TX, Earthquake and Tsunami Japan, Brush Fires destroy world's second largest ...

Did anything bad happen in 1996? ›

July 17 – Paris and Rome-bound TWA Flight 800 (Boeing 747) explodes off the coast of Long Island, New York, killing all 230 on board. July 19 – The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta begin. July 27 – The Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics kills 2 and injures 111.

What big things happened in 1998? ›

What happened in 1998 Major News Stories include Search Engine Google is founded, FDA approves Viagra, Apple unveils the iMac, Maastricht Treaty comes into force, Yangtze River breaks it's banks more than 10 thousand, 66-day blackout in Auckland, Terrorist Bombing attacks on two US Embassies.

How old would a 90s kid be? ›

It's basically anyone born somewhere between 1977 and 1983. To be a “90's kid” implies you spent most of your teen years in the 1990's. Born in '77 and they were 13 in 1990 and spent all of their teen years in the 90's. Born in '83 and they'll have spent ages 7 to 17 in the 1990's.

What was school like in 1990s? ›

While test scores and improved achievement remained key educational goals, increasingly schools were forced to wrestle with violent students. Metal detectors, police presence, and routine locker searches became common in schools across the country.

Is 1993 a 90s kid? ›

No, 90's kids were born in the mid 80's to the early 90's. Someone born in 1999 would be a 90's baby though, yet would be a 00's kid.

How to pretend to live in the 90s? ›

7 Ways You Can Pretend To Still Be Living In The 90s Because Why Not?!
  1. Delete the Bieber and get the Backstreet Boys back.
  2. Refuse to hang out at Starbucks.
  3. Bring out the flared denims.
  4. Delete Candy Crush and download Super Mario.
  5. Its DDLJ all the way.
  6. Not to forget 90s television.
  7. Hang out at the mall ONLY.
May 18, 2017

Why do some people live to 90s? ›

Research in humans and animals indicates that being born into a family whose members regularly make it into their 90s and beyond can be a key factor for determining your lifespan. “Genes are for sure very important, particularly to get to extreme longevity,” says Valter D.

What did adults do for fun in the 90s? ›

In the 1990s, people had fun by swimming, skateboarding (although that was being seen as less and less cool until the late 90s), rollerblading (which enjoyed popularity that was basically the mirror opposite of skateboarding), played NES / SNES / Genesis games in the early part of the 90s, and if they were at least ...

What did girls wear in the 90s? ›

In the US, girls wore oversized tee shirts, mid calf dresses with leggings, oversized v-neck sweaters over a turtleneck, slouch socks, triple striped tube socks usually folded over at the top, black or white lace trimmed bike shorts with babydoll dresses, belts worn with dresses, skater dresses, dress shorts worn with ...

What do you wear on 90s day? ›

The 90s era was all about grunge-style outfits. Opt for edgy pieces like leather jackets, chokers, combat boots, and ripped jeans if you want to come across as a grunge goddess at the 90s party. These outfit ideas work great for all body types, too.

What was fun technology in the 90s? ›

These included portable cassette players (most notably Sony's "Walkman"), portable CD players (the also popular Sony's "Discman"), Minidisc players and MP3 players. Your device of choice likely depended on the size of your wallet or your parent's bank account but they were all awesome in their own ways.

What was the tech boom of the 90s? ›

The dot-com bubble (or dot-com boom) was a stock market bubble in the late 1990s. The period coincided with massive growth in Internet adoption, a proliferation of available venture capital, and the rapid growth of valuations in new dot-com startups.

What is 80s kid? ›

The 80s Kid is a swedish singer born in 1993, previously known as Michel Young. He has been in the industry for 4 years and the hit singles "Come Over" and "My Love" has been played in numer…

What years are Gen Z? ›

Gen Z: Gen Z is the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012. They are currently between 9 and 24 years old (nearly 68 million in the U.S.)

Is 2009 a Gen Z? ›

Generation Z came before Generation Alpha. Members of Generation Z were born between 1997 to 2012 according to the Pew Research Center. Generation Z follows members of Generation Y, more commonly known as millennials, who were born between 1981 and 1996.

What will be in style in 2023? ›

2023 Fashion Trend: Sheer Clothing

From a cellophane-like dress, worn over a boldly hued maxi skirt at Tory Burch's spring 2023 show, to a frothy frock revealing undergarments at Victoria Beckham, the previously risqué trend is coming not only for your weekend wardrobe but even everyday workwear.

Is tie dye 90s? ›

From the backwards cap to the oversized tee, tie dye came in countless varieties in the '90s. That's the beauty of it — everyone had their own way of playing the color game.

How did boys dress in the 90s? ›

Kids in the 1990s wore bright colors, printed shirts, bucket hats, scrunchies, and striped shirts.

What is the year 1990 famous for? ›

Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South Africa, and the Baltic states declaring independence from the Soviet Union ...

Who was number 1 1990? ›

The three longest running number-one singles of 1990 are "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor, "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey, and "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" by Stevie B, which each attained four weeks at the top of the chart.

What was most popular in the 90s? ›

Slip dresses, bomber jackets, scrunchies and plaid flannel shirts were all the rage during the '90s — and many of these fashion trends are working their way back into vogue (although some of these pieces may have never left your closet).

What was the most popular in 1990? ›

  • Hold On. En Vogue.
  • Make It Like It Was. Regina Belle.
  • Real Love. Skyy.
  • Feels Good. Tony! Toni! Tone!
  • Vision of Love. Mariah Carey.
  • All Around the World. Lisa Stansfield.
  • I'll Be Good to You Quincy. Jones featuring Ray Charles.
  • My, My, My. Johnny Gill.
Dec 28, 1990

What happened in 1993? ›

What happened in 1993 Major News Stories include Pentium microprocessor introduced, Islamic Fundamentalists bomb World Trade Center, US and Russia sign the Start II treaty, Beanie Babies go on sale, Federal Agents raid religious cult in Waco TX, Earthquake and Tsunami Japan, Brush Fires destroy world's second largest ...

What was the #1 song of the 90s? ›

The song "One Sweet Day", performed by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, spent 16 weeks on top of the chart and became the longest-running number-one song in history, until surpassed in 2019 by "Old Town Road". Janet Jackson earned six number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1990s.

Who had 8 number ones in the 90s? ›

Take That and the Spice Girls share the distinction of having achieved the most number-one hits in the 1990s, with eight each.

Who has the most #1 hits in the 90s? ›

By far, the artist with the most #1 hits from the 1990s is R&B-pop singer Mariah Carey.

Who was trending in the 90s? ›

Crop tops and belly shirts were staples of the era. Pop sensations like Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, and Christina Aguilera rocked them on stage and the red carpet, while the rest of us felt extremely cool wearing them to high school dances.

What are 90s kids called? ›

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines millennial as "a person born in the 1980s or 1990s."

What was a 1990s name for a girl? ›

This includes names like Hannah, Victoria, and Anna. If you look closely, you'll also spot two of today's hottest names: Olivia and Emma. Some of the 90s most popular girl names still feel “90s.” This includes the rhyming duo Kelsey and Chelsea who peaked in popularity during the decade.

What was the most popular girl name in 1990? ›

Top names of the 1990s
MalesFemales
RankNameName
1MichaelJessica
2ChristopherAshley
3MatthewEmily
87 more rows

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