Throughout history, there has been the recurring trope that men can’t or at least won’t show their emotions. And while there is some truth to that stereotype in some corners of the world, when it comes to classic rock music from the 1990s, it is most certainly untrue. Not only were there male singers in the decade who could get you to shed a tear, they weren’t afraid of shedding one themselves.
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That’s what we wanted to explore here. We wanted to highlight three male singers from the eclectic, influential decade of the 1990s and show that sometimes boys do cry. Indeed, these are three classic rock frontmen from the 90s who can get you to shed a tear along with them.
Michael Stipe
When you write a song about everybody knowing pain, then you’re a pretty easy add to a list like this. But Michael Stipe and R.E.M. certainly know how to get you to feel the feels. They aren’t afraid of going into an emotive space, whether on their tune “Everybody Hurts” or on their reflective, deep offering, “Losing My Religion”. Stipe’s voice is that of a friend’s as he shares his honest thoughts on what it’s like to be a human being. Not always easy subject matter.
Kurt Cobain
Perhaps more than any artist in the 1990s, Kurt Cobain was willing to investigate an idea. If that meant contradicting himself, if that meant sounding strange, if that meant shedding a tear or pushing you to shed one, it was alright. Cobain was in the service of music, of the pointed and profound lyrics. Perhaps the greatest songwriter since the boys from The Beatles, Cobain penned lyrics like wounds.
Tom Yorke
Tom Yorke’s British-born cerebral rock band Radiohead can feel like everything from a concert to a homework assignment. Their music can stir your soul, and it can also push your brain to get sharper. But some of their songs can mosey into your heart like a cat. The music can summon up deep emotions and even get you to think about those moments in your life where regret or sorrow live. Be careful, soon you may even be shedding a tear.
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