The Ultimate 1992 in music - American History Information Guide and Reference

Contents

1 Events

9.1 Grammy Awards
9.2 Country Music Association Awards
9.3 Eurovision Song Contest
9.4 Mercury Music Prize

Events

1992 was a pivotal year in the development of music. Perhaps the most 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.

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 it's first appearance on both the pop and country charts at #1.

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 - 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's a great success and will be held every 3 years (the next time was in 1995).
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
Elastica forms
Korn forms
Oasis forms
P.O.D. forms
The Feelies disbands
N.W.A. disbands