It was the Year of the Rabbit, but 1999 was anything but fluffy. In fact, in the world of music, it was downright mean.
The unwarranted Woodstock '99 riot, the mega-label merger that vacuumed up A&M, Geffen, Interscope, Universal and MCA -- to name just a few -- and the popularity of Limp Bizkit were among the ugly things that happened in the music scene.However, all was not lost; some good things also happened during the past 12 months:
Nine Inch Nails resurfaced after a five-year hiatus. And, adding to founder Trent Reznor's integrity, the band broke all ties with glam poser Marilyn Manson.
The Latin trend was a cool tropical breeze that lifted the music-buying public from the dank and dirty world of substance-lacking rap-metal. Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and veteran Carlos Santana brought the grooves back and sparked young listeners' interest in pioneering Latin music acts like Buena Vista Social Club and Tito Puente.
As has been the trend during the past 10 years, there were a handful of band reunions. Members of groups like Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Blondie, Culture Club, Black Sabbath, the Eurythmics and the Cult found each other again and tried to take over the world of music . . . though not all were successful.
There were classic rockers who never really went away, putting out new music and heading out on tour. Although Tom Petty found the Heartbreakers again, he couldn't swing a Utah show. But the Rolling Stones did. And Journey, Styx, Foreigner, Doobie Brothers, Pat Benatar, the Scorpions, Ted Nugent, Eddie Money, ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd were among the brave new world of classic rockers who toured this year . . . though, again, not all were successful.
And the untouchable classic artists who managed to keep a toe in the music scene this year included Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, Chicago, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Dan Fogelberg.
Here are some of the best and worst trends, comebacks, jokes and other happenings that marked 1999:
BEST MAKEOVER: Metallica (symphonic metal at its best).
WORST PERSONALITY MAKEOVER: Marilyn Manson.
WORST FORCED PERSONALITY MAKEOVERS: Fiona Apple and Alanis Morrissette, with album covers portraying them as smiling, happy people.
WORST FORCED PERSONALITY MAKEOVERS, PART II: Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines (who's he trying to look like -- Chris Cornell? Trent Reznor?).
BEST DRESSED: Chris Isaak with his mirror suit at Deer Valley.
WORST DRESSED: Jewel, for her dimple-revealing Daisy Dukes at the E Center.
HERE SO OFTEN YOU'D SWEAR THEY WERE LOCALS: Primus.
MOST CAPABLE OF SHAKING HIS GROOVE THING: Beck.
MOST CAPABLE OF MAKING US SHAKE OURS: Lauryn Hill.
BIGGEST WASTE OF FEMALE FANS: Ricky Martin.
BIGGEST WASTE OF MALE FANS: Mandy Moore and Christine Aguilera.
WORST EXCUSE FOR REBELLING: Limp Bizkit . . . and Korn . . . and Marilyn Manson . . . and Kid Rock.
BEST EXCUSE FOR ROAD RAGE: Any Limp Bizkit, Korn, Marilyn Manson or Kid Rock song on the radio.
BEST MUSIC TREND: Latin.
BEST REASON FOR LATIN TREND: Jennifer Lopez music videos in heavy MTV rotation.
WORST MUSIC TREND: Boy bands.
BEST VALIDATED END-OF-CONCERT RIOT: The Cult at Kingsbury Hall.
WORST UNVALIDATED END-OF-CONCERT RIOT: Woodstock '99.
BEST CONCERT HIGH JUMP: Zak de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine at the E Center.
BEST CONCERT SLITHER: "Weird Al" Yankovic performing "Germs" at Kingsbury Hall.
BEST REUNIONS: Eurythmics, Blondie, E Street Band.
WORST NON-REUNIONS: Ramones, Clash.
BEST COMEBACKS: NIN, Santana.
HOW CAN WE MISS YOU IF YOU WON'T GO AWAY?: Poison, Warrant, Ratt.
WORST PLACE TO SEE A CONCERT: Saltair.
WORST CONCERT PARKING: Saltair.
BEST LARGE CONCERT VENUE: Deer Valley (with Delta Center a close second).
BEST MID-SIZED CONCERT VENUE: The E Center.
BEST SMALL CONCERT VENUE: Zephyr Club.
WORST VOGUING IN A CONCERT: Counting Crows' Adam Duritz and his sweaty, stumbling Saltair performance.
BEST BON BON SHAKER: Ricky Martin.
RECIPIENTS OF THE "WHERE ARE YOU NOW THAT WE NEED YOU?" AWARD: Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain.
BIGGEST LETDOWN: Tom Petty getting sick, then never rescheduling in Salt Lake City.
BEST CONCERTS THIS YEAR: Chicago (Iwasaki), Michel Camilo Trio (Moody).
MOST USED CONVERSATION STARTER: Britney Spears', ah, "maturing" into a young woman.
BEST THING ABOUT VH1: Everything but the "VH1 Fashion Awards."
BEST REASON FOR WATCHING MTV: (see "Best Reason For Latin Trend").
BEST OUTDOOR CONCERT: B.B. King Blues Festival in Deer Valley -- Three words: Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
WORST OUTDOOR CONCERT: The Cake set at X96's B.A.S.H., because of shoe and bottle throwing (bad audience!) and lead singer John McCrea stomping off before the set was over (bad performers!).
MOST IMPROVED SEX SYMBOL: Weird Al.
MOST DISTURBING SEX SYMBOL: Britney Spears.
MOST RIDICULOUS TREND: Year-end Millennium parties (since the actual end of the Millennium is Dec. 31, 2000).
WE WILL MISS YOU: Teresa Mooney, formerly of United Concerts.