3 Classic Rock AMA Winners From 1993 We Still Return to Today

Back in 1993, there were many Venn diagrams of rock coming together. Lingering vibes from the 1980s still permeated the airwaves, and they mixed with new sounds, genres, bands, and artists that excited fans everywhere. With a new decade came new possibilities.

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Here below, we wanted to highlight that time period that felt like such a sumptuous cornucopia of music. Indeed, these are three classic rock American Music Award winners from 1993 we still return to today as often as anything else.

Pearl Jam

By the early 1990s, everyone in America knew the term grunge. The sludgy, heavy rock music from the Pacific Northwest had permeated popular culture and bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and Pearl Jam were household names. Not only that, but they were award winners. In 1993, Pearl Jam took home two American Music Awards at the annual pageant, including Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist and Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist. The accolades marked a significant moment in time when the garage bands in Seattle had officially become mainstream.

Metallica

While the upstart Pearl Jam won the trophy for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist, it was the already established Los Angeles-born rock band Metallica that received the trophy for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist, beating out the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Def Leppard. The heavy metal group won the award thanks to the release of their 1991 LP, Metallica, which included tracks like “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters”. Of course, today Metallica is a well-known band, but back then, the group was still rounding into shape.

Genesis

The British-born rock band Genesis rose to popularity in the 1970s. The group is one of those projects that has since seemed to live dozens of lives, from changing lead singers midstream to spanning four decades in time. And in 1993, Genesis was honored by the AMAs for their 1991 release, We Can’t Dance, which included praise-worthy tracks “No Son of Mine” and “I Can’t Dance”. The record garnered the group Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group, beating out U2 and Kris Kross. Today, those who don’t know the group well would benefit from a deep dive!

Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns