9 Electronic Music Bands From the ’90s You Need to Know

In the ’90s, electronic music was booming and there were lots of great bands making amazing music. Here are 9 of the best that you need to know about!

The Prodigy

The Prodigy is an English electronic dance music band from Braintree, Essex, formed by Liam Howlett in 1990. The line-up of the band has included Keith Flint (1990–2019; his death), Maxim (1990–present), and Leeroy Thornhill (1991–2000). The Prodigy first emerged on the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and achieved prominence with their single “Charly”, which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. Their debut album Experience was released in October 1992 on XL Recordings and peaked at number twelve on the UK Albums Chart; it included the hit singles “Charly” and “Everybody in the Place”. Their second album Music for the Jilted Generation was released in July 1994 on Virgin Records; it reached number one in both the UK and United States. This was followed by their third album The Fat of the Land in June 1997, also topping the charts in several countries including Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and many European countries.

In February 2005, a documentary titled Everybody in the Place: The Story of The Prodigy was released by Virgin Films. In May 2008, Howlett announced that The Prodigy had returned to recording new material.

The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo composed of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, originating in Manchester in 1989. Along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and other acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of popular music in the mid-late 1990s. In the UK, they have had six number one albums and 13 top 20 singles, including two number ones.

Fatboy Slim

Fatboy Slim is a British electronic dance music DJ, big beat musician, and record producer who helped to popularize the big beat genre in the late 1990s. His breakthrough song “Praise You” was a worldwide hit in 1998. He has since released five studio albums and has won ten MTV Video Music Awards and two Brit Awards.

The Crystal Method

The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo formed in Las Vegas, Nevada by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The duo’s music has featured in numerous TV shows and films including the popular action series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. They have released five albums and have sold over three million records worldwide.

Leftfield

Leftfield is an English electronic music duo formed in 1989. The duo are considered pioneers of the techno, jungle and trip hop genres. They achieved mainstream success with their 1995 album Leftism, which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

Orbital

Orbital was a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, Kent, England, consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. The band’s name was taken from Greater London’s orbital motorway, the M25, which was central to the rave culture of the time. They had ten UK Top 40 singles between 1991 and 2002, and won two Brit Awards in 1995 and 1996. In 2000 they received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording for their single “Satan”.

Underworld

With their blend of techno, house, and trance, Underworld emerged from the UK rave scene in the early ’90s to become one of the most influential electronic bands of all time. Formed by Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, the duo debuted in 1993 with the album Dubnobasswithmyheadman, which featured the massive hit single “Rez.” Over the next few years, Underworld became a major force in dance music with a series of well-received albums and singles. In 1996, they collaborated with Icelandic singer Björk on the dancefloor favorite “Ive Seen It All,” which reached #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. In 1999, they scored a major hit with “Born Slippy (Nuxx),” which was featured in the film Trainspotting and its soundtrack. Underworld has continued to tour and release new music over the past two decades, cementing their place as one of electronic music’s most enduring and iconic acts.

Aphex Twin

If you were a fan of electronic music in the ’90s, then chances are you were a fan of Aphex Twin. The brainchild of Richard D. James, Aphex Twin was one of the most pioneering and innovative electronic music acts of the decade, and their influence is still felt today. With a unique blend of acid house, techno, and ambient music, Aphex Twin created a sound that was entirely their own, and their influence can be heard in the work of many contemporary electronic music artists.

The Prodigy

There are few electronic music bands that have had the lasting impact of The Prodigy. Formed in 1990 by Liam Howlett, the band released their debut album, Experience, in 1992. The album was a huge success, spawning the singles “Charly” and “Everybody in the Place,” which were both top ten hits in the UK. The band’s song “Firestarter” would go on to become one of their most iconic tracks, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart in 1996.

The Prodigy would go on to release four more studio albums, including the critically acclaimed The Fat of the Land (1997), which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. The band has sold over 30 million records worldwide and is widely considered to be one of the most influential electronic music bands of all time.