4 Songs From 1989 That Forever Changed Rock History

The end of a decade always feels like a crucial time in music history. It’s leaving one thing behind while entering a new chapter. Of course, it doesn’t always happen so neatly, but 1989 had its share of cultural endings and new beginnings. Popular music was in for a transformation in 1990, but before we got there, these four songs from 1989 arrived and forever changed rock history.

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“Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty

On Tom Petty’s debut solo album, Full Moon Fever, the singer leaned into his British influences from the 1960s, something he shared with producer and fellow Traveling Wilbury, Jeff Lynne. Petty said the album “was the most enjoyable record I’ve ever worked on.” You can hear the joy as well as a sense of ease and letting go on “Free Fallin’”. It’s a feel-good anthem, and anytime I hear someone layering 12-string guitars like this, I wonder if they’re referencing Petty or Petty’s hero, Roger McGuinn.

“Higher Ground” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

How, you might ask, did a Stevie Wonder cover by the Red Hot Chili Peppers change rock history? For starters, it introduced the band, including its legendary bassist Flea, to mainstream audiences. But it also introduced a young guitar virtuoso named John Frusciante. Two years later, Frusciante helped the Los Angeles band record its first masterpiece, Blood Sugar Sex Magik—a release that partly defined the 1990s. Moreover, Mother’s Milk began the RHCP’s move toward melody-oriented songwriting. It also assisted a zeitgeist shift toward alternative rock.

“Crossfire” by Stevie Ray Vaughan

I cannot stress enough how easy it is to play the blues. And how utterly difficult it is to play the blues well. Many guitarists know the notes, the licks, the 12-bar chord progressions. But few are capable of the mind-blowing skill and raw emotion of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He could summon Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, and Freddie King all at the same time. In Step was only SRV’s fourth studio album, and it marked a new chapter for the guitarist after quitting drugs and alcohol. The next year, Vaughan died in a helicopter crash. He was only 35 and one of the greatest guitarists the world had seen. I doubt we know John Mayer’s name without SRV.

“Down In It” by Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor’s industrial rock had similarities to other bands within the genre. However, calling Nine Inch Nails’ industrial rock feels lazy. Reznor’s broader musical range as a composer is immediately evident on his debut, Pretty Hate Machine. You can hear the influence of hip-hop, as well as the R&B and funk music of Prince. “Head Like A Hole” is the album’s best-known track. But “Down In It” reveals Reznor’s instinct for pop melodies. Although the lyrics are dark, the tune’s an earworm. And you can dance to it. It foreshadows NIN’s X-rated smash hit, “Closer”. That song appears on The Downward Spiral, which also features “Hurt”, the song Johnny Cash later turned into a hymn.

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