Why was Jimi Hendrix so big in the 90s?

If you’ve watched Wayne’s World, you can remember it in an instant – Dana Carvey’s Garth, lip syncing and dancing in a diner to “Foxey Lady” in an effort to woo a pretty blonde girl.

Or maybe you were watching the Cameron Crowe classic “Singles” as Matt Dillon’s “Cliff” – lead singer of the fictional band Citizen Dick – talks about his woes while hanging out at the flower-strewn grave of Jimi Hendrix.

Or maybe you’ve heard Dave Matthews Band covering Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” live – heavily influenced by Hendrix’ iconic version.

But why did this guitar legend, twenty years gone by the time the 90s rolled around, suddenly start showing up everywhere?

The 80s were largely influenced by the Beatles, the Stones, Motown and Disco. Hip Hop was on the rise, and titans like Prince, Madonna, and Michael Jackson ruled the airwaves. And while oldies stations still played Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, the underground scene grew out of the distorted guitars of punk and the blues.

90s Grunge – Where Punk Meets Blues

Stevie Ray Vaughn introduced a new generation to blues guitar virtuoso music, but it was Hendrix that reminded the Seattle music scene that feedback and distortion could be melodic, emotive, and cool. Think about his most familiar songs – the dark tale of “Hey Joe,” the blistering speed of “Fire,” the smooth wistfulness of “The Wind Cries Mary.” Hendrix wove stories in his songs, signaling a way forward in rock that lived in a genre far away from the boy bands and their catalog of love songs.

Hendrix may have sported the colors of the 60s but his style and his music was something else. It felt right, but it didn’t fit in.

When MTV and guitar rock radio went looking for something that wasn’t aging hair metal songs living glam rock excess, they looked to Seattle. The huge drum flam and dark chords of Smells Like Teen Spirit, the distorted guitars, the loud/quiet/loud dynamism of the sound of grunge brought back the music behind the noise. The songs were filled with activism, telling tales of the fringes of society. They wore their Hendrix influences on their sleeves.

In 1993, a tribute to Jimi Hendrix was released titled “Stone Free” with acts ranging from legacy acts like The Cure, Buddy Guy, The Pretenders, and Pat Metheny, to emerging acts on the verge of taking over pop, like Living Colour, Belly, PM Dawn, and The Spin Doctors.

The Electric Lady Lives

Hendrix influence crossed genres in the 90s, as bands recorded seminal albums in his Electric Lady Studios in New York City. To date, more than 280 albums had one or more tracks recorded at this iconic space, featured in the movie Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist and a 2024 documentary. Hendrix’s dream studio remains a popular recording spot for top acts to this day. In the 2000s alone, Electric Lady studios hosted Taylor Swift, U2, Jay-Z, Interpol, Lana Del Rey, Daft Punk, Bleachers, and dozens more bands and artists with household names.

Hendrix remains a staple on radio stations because his music is timeless and his influence is only growing.  Today in Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, Hendrix’s guitars, lyric sheets and photos line the walls of a permanent exhibit – his lyrics woven like wallpaper through the tapestry of pop culture.

Keep tuning into The Fizz and you might hear one of my favorite Hendrix tunes pop up from time to time. Which songs that we play do you think are most heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix? Let me know in the comments.