The 80s were a digital revolution for music, where electronic instruments and guitar pedal distortion changed the sound of music during these decades. The eighties were an era of party music, creative exploration of the electronic sound, and smooth R&B ballads; while the nineties were a continuation of these trends along with a counter reaction to digital pop music. Many artists 1990s were beginning to focus on more serious themes, and more honest confessions of personal passions and inner conflicts.