Category Archives: Top 100 Albums of the 1990’s

Best Albums of the 90’s: Intro

Here are my top 100 albums of the 90’s.  This was a tough list to make and MANY great albums got cut.  The 90’s was a time when myself and likely many of you reading this blog were in college and in our post-collegiate & possibly pre-marriage/kids twenty-something haze.  Now that we are over a decade removed from the 90’s I think a 90’s revival is just around the corner.  Normally a decade’s music is reviled until people become enough removed from it- then the nostalgia factor kicks in for those who were old enough to remember the decade and revisionist interpretation happens with the first generation of people who were too young to appreciate it the first time.  We just witnessed/are witnessing a decades-long 80’s revival in the oughts.


It will be interesting to see what kind of twists are put on the music of the 90’s- the decade of grunge, brit-pop/shoegaze, the golden era to commercial dominance of rap, boy bands, teen pop, electronica and all of its sub genres including trip-hop, jungle, *IDM (Intelligent dance music), drum n’ bass & big beat.  These are my faves.  What are yours.


* this has to be the most condescending genre name ever penned.

Best Albums of the 90’s: 91 – 100

100. DE LA SOUL- DE LA SOUL IS DEAD (1991)

de la soul_de la soul is dead

Buy AmazonDe La Soul Is Dead

The Long Island Trio figured that killing “The D.A.I.S.Y. Age”- the tag line for their brilliant debut “3 Feet High and Rising” (one of the best Rap releases ever IMO) was the only way they could follow it up. “De La Soul Is Dead” is just as sprawling as “3 Feet High” and certainly has its humorous moments but it’s a much darker album focusing on issues such as incest & drug addiction. Howeve, should be wedding staple (and a contender for happiest song ever written) “A Roller Skating Jam Called ‘Saturdays’” lightens the mood.




 

“A Roller Skating Jam Called ‘Saturdays’”*Not Available on iTunes
 

“Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” *Not Available on iTunes




99. THE BEASTIE BOYS- ILL COMMUNICATION (1994)

beastie boys_ill communication

BuyBeastie Boys - Ill Communication

Buy AmazonIll Communication

This was the first Beastie Boys album that didn’t necessarily change the game- after the white rappers meets Led Zeppelin debut, Paul’s Boutique’s brilliant sample collages and “Check Your Head’s” mix of rap, hardcore & lone stoner jazz jams seemed to influence nearly everything in their wake.. “Ill Communication” is still filled with lots of great moments- funk stoner jams, native-tongues style rap and even great rap-rock (which would increasingly become oxymoronic in the ensuing years). Also one of the best videos of all time with “Sabotage”




Buy “Get It Together (Feat. Q-Tip)”
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - Get It Together

Buy “Sure Shot”
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - Sure Shot



98. UNCLE TUPELO- ANODYNE (1993)

uncle tupelo_anodyne

BuyUncle Tupelo - Anodyne

Buy AmazonAnodyne

“Anodyne is the fourth and final release of one of the progenitors of the alternative country movement. Jay Farrar, the prime song writer in Uncle Tupelo, would go on to later form Son Volt, while Jeff Tweedy would start the seminal Wilco. I love every Tupelo album but this is their most hard hitting.






Buy “Chickamauga”
Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne - Chickamauga

Buy “The Long Cut”
Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne - The Long Cut

 



97. THE BREEDERS- LAST SPLASH (1993)

the breeders_last splash

Buy AmazonLast Splash

The second release for Kim Deal’s (of Pixies fame) other band. Where Kim was the only woman in the Pixies the drummer, Jim McPherson, is the only man in The Breeders. While this album can be a bit of a mess- many of the songs sound unfinished- it is loads of fun. Kim obviously had a treasure trove of songs that weren’t seeing enough light with her other legendary band and outs them to good use here.. Includes huge pop hit (and best song on the album) “Cannonball”






Buy “Cannonball”
The Breeders - Rhino Hi-Five: Modern Rock Blender - EP - Cannonball

“Divine Hammer” *Not available on iTunes

 




96. BJORK- DEBUT (1993)

bjork_debut

BuyBjörk - Debut

Buy AmazonDebut

”Debut” is the aptly named album from the former co-lead vocalist of Iceland’s stellar late 80’s group “The Sugarcubes”. With her one of a kind voice Bjork combines avant- pop with club music to create her first of many wonderfully weird albums.






Buy “Human Behavior”

Björk - Debut - Human Behaviour

Buy “Big Time Sensuality”
Björk - Debut - Big Time Sensuality

 




95. RAEKWON- ONLY BUILT 4 CUBAN LINX (1995)

raekwon_only built for cuban linx

BuyRaekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Buy AmazonOnly Built 4 Cuban Linx

One of the very best Wu releases (solo or otherwise) from the year they ruled the rap world. The Raekwon the Chef brings a cinematic approach to gangsta rap taking cues from many mafia movies of the past- ala The Godfather, Goodfellas and especially Scarface. Would prove incredibly influential on virtually every gangsta rap release of the 00’s both for better and for worse as rappers would base the content of entire albums and even careers on drug selling.





Buy “Ice Cream”
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Ice Cream

Buy “Incarcerated Scarfaces”
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Incarcerated Scarfaces




94. PRIMAL SCREAM- SCREAMADELICA (1991)

primal scream_screamdelica

BuyPrimal Scream - Screamadelica

Buy AmazonScreamadelica

Game changing album in Great Britain, which combined house music and rave culture with rock n’ roll & modern psychedelia (its precursor was the first Stone Roses album in ’89 but “Screamadelica” took it much further). “Screamadelica” hold up extremely well for an album that soundtracked and is so tied to an era.





 

Buy “Movin’ On Up”
Primal Scream - Screamadelica - Movin' On Up

 Buy “Loaded”
Primal Scream - Screamadelica - Loaded




93. PJ HARVEY- DRY (1992)

pj harvey_dry

BuyPJ Harvey - Dry

Buy AmazonDry

Brilliant debut from the eccentric Brit. PJ would change up her style with each successive album. “Dry” is furious, stark, sexy & lo-fi with heavy guitars. Not for the faint of heart or for those who like their music made for radio





 

Buy “Sheela-Na-Gig”
PJ Harvey - Dry - Sheela-Na-Gig

 Buy “Dress”
PJ Harvey - Dry - Dress

 

 




92. DAFT PUNK- HOMEWORK (1997)

daft punk_da funk

BuyDaft Punk - Homework

Buy AmazonHomework

French duo define techno for the next ten years and counting by moving away from the Big Beat moves of Chem Bros, Fatboy Slim & The Prodigy and taking it back to the dance floor.






 

Buy “Da Funk”
Daft Punk - Homework - Da Funk

 Buy “Around the World”
Daft Punk - Homework - Around the World




91. PEARL JAM- VS. (1993)

pearl jam_vs.

BuyPearl Jam - Vs.

Buy AmazonVs.

Superstars after the worldwide success of “Ten”, The Seattle grunge five-some release a follow up almost as good as the first one- stretching by going both in more of a punk direction (W.M.A) and acoustic directions (Daughter, Elderly Woman). “Vs.” was released at the height of Pearl Jam-mania which would last through their next album “Vitalogy” and would decrease with each successive release.




Buy “Rearview Mirror”

Pearl Jam - Vs. - Rearviewmirror

 Buy “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town”
Pearl Jam - Vs. - Elderly Woman Behind the Counter In a Small Town

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 81 – 90

90. ELASTICA- ELASTICA (1995)

elastica_elastica

BuyElastica - Elastica

Buy AmazonElastica

Fast moving album filled with post-punk pop songs sung by the sexy-voiced Brit Justine Frischmann.  Many riffs are copped (mainly from late 70’s post punk minimalists Wire) but Elastica makes them sound fresh anyway by delivering them with strut and attitude as well as hooks.




Buy “Stutter”
Elastica - Elastica - Stutter

 Buy “Connection”
Elastica - Elastica - Connection



89. YO LA TENGO- PAINFUL (1993)

yo la tengo_painful

BuyYo La Tengo - Painful

Buy AmazonPainful

Yo La Tengo’s breakthrough album- does what they do best; combining beautiful stripped down ballads (ala Velvet Underground’s self titled album) with lengthy songs filled with feedback. They may have made one better album later in their career but “Painful” is their most concise.




Buy “Sudden Organ”
Yo La Tengo - Painful - Sudden Organ

 Buy “From a Motel 6”
Yo La Tengo - Painful - From a Motel 6

 




88. GZA (GENIUS)-LIQUID SWORDS (1995)

gza_liquid swords

BuyGZA the Genius - Liquid Swords

Buy AmazonLiquid Swords

The Wu’s headiest MC releases his best album- filled with elaborate story raps and including every Wu-Tang member- though GZA remains the focal point.






Buy “Gold”
GZA the Genius - Liquid Swords - Gold

 Buy “Shadowboxin’”
GZA the Genius - Liquid Swords - Shadowboxin'

 

 

87. THE JAYHAWKS- TOMORROW THE GREEN GRASS (1995)

jayhawks_tomorrow the green grass

BuyThe Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass

Buy AmazonTomorrow the Green Grass

Last album featuring the beautiful harmonies of Gary Louris and Mark Olson before Olson split the band. A striking piece of alt country by this criminally underappreciated band from Minnesota.





Buy “Blue”
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass - Blue

 Buy “I’d Run Away”
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass - I'd Run Away

 

86. BUILT TO SPILL- PERFECT FROM NOW ON (1997)

built to spill_pefect from now on

BuyBuilt To Spill - Perfect from Now On

Buy AmazonPerfect from Now On

Northwestern band goes from releasing two minute songs on a small indie label to releasing eight monster Neil Young & Crazy Horse style jams on “Perfect From Now On”- their major label debut. No cries of sell out here. Shortest track is 4:52 and Doug Martsch is the latest indie guitar God!




Buy “I Would Hurt A Fly”
Built To Spill - Perfect from Now On - I Would Hurt a Fly

 Buy “Stop the Show”
Built To Spill - Perfect from Now On - Stop the Show

 

 


85. YO LA TENGO- I CAN HEAR THE HEART BEATING AS ONE (1997)

yo la tengo_i can hear the heart beating as one

BuyYo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One

Buy AmazonI Can Hear the Heart Beating as One

This is arguably the Hoboken, NJ band’s best album- it gives the listener the feeling of a good old fashioned double album from the 70’s- and would have been if not for the 80 minute album length of cd’s. Yo La Tengo embraces every one of their diverse influences on this album and comes up many of their best songs in the process.




Buy “Autumn Sweater”

Yo La Tengo - I Can åHear the Heart Beating As One - Autumn Sweater

 Buy “Sugarcube”
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One - Sugarcube

 

 

 

 84. JANE’S ADDICTION- RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL (1990)

jane's addiction_ritual de la habitual

BuyJane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual

Buy AmazonRitual de lo Habitual

A precursor of Nirvana and the Seattle grunge movement which would dominate the rock landscape for the ensuing three years, this was Jane’s breakthrough into the mainstream after the underground success of the brilliant “Nothing’s Shocking”. While “Ritual” is more self-indulgent then the former album, it also contains some of their best songs including the sprawling, beautiful (and also self-indulgent) epic “Three Days”.



Buy “Stop”
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual - Stop

 Buy “Ain’t No Right”
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual - Ain't No Right

 




83. THE ROOTS- THINGS FALL APART (1999)

the roots_things fall apart

BuyThe Roots - Things Fall Apart

Buy AmazonThings Fall Apart

Philadelphia’s greatest rap-jam band truly come into their own on “Things Fall Apart”, paving the way (along with Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jurassic 5) for conscious rap’s 2nd wave- taking the mantle from the Native Tongues (Tribe, De La, Jungle Bros, Black Sheep) of the early-mid 90’s. This is one of the few long rap albums that truly deserve its length. The Roots have the diversity and the dexterity to keep things interesting the whole time.



Buy “You Got Me (Feat. Erykah Badu)”
The Roots & Erykah Badu - Things Fall Apart - You Got Me

 Buy “Dynamite!”
The Roots - Things Fall Apart - Dynamite!

 

 


82. SLEATER-KINNEY- CALL THE DOCTOR (1996)

sleater-kinney_call the doctor

BuySleater-Kinney - Call the Doctor

Buy AmazonCall the Doctor

The girls from Olympia, WA release their first great one, along the way to establishing themselves as one of the most consistently great band (along with Radiohead and Wilco) on the late 90’s/early 00’s. The vocal & guitar interplay between Carrie Brownstein and Corinne Tucker is pure magic. You won’t find any bass here!




Buy “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone”
Sleater-Kinney - Call the Doctor - I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

 Buy “Call the Doctor”
Sleater-Kinney - Call the Doctor - Call the Doctor

 

 

 

81. STEREOLAB- EMPEROR TOMATO KETCHUP (1996)

stereolab_emperor tomato ketchup

BuyStereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Buy AmazonEmperor Tomato Ketchup

The French/British self claimed space-age bachelor music playing band delivers both their best and most mainstream album to date- if you can possibly make a claim that a band combining exotica, avant-garde, kraut rock, space-rock, bossa-nova & lounge music with socialist lyrics could be anywhere near the mainstream.




Buy “The Noise of Carpet”
Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup - The Noise of Carpet

 Buy “Cybele’s Reverie”
Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup - Cybele's Reverie

 

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 71 – 80

80. BONNIE “PRINCE” BILLY- I SEE A DARKNESS (1999)

BONNIE "PRINCE" BILLY_I SEE A DARKNESS

BuyBonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness

Buy AmazonI See a Darkness

BPB is one of Will Oldham’s many aliases and “I See a Darkness” might just be the best album he’s ever done. Good enough for Johnny Cash to later cover (I See a Darkness), the Louisville, KY bred singer takes his classic Appalachian/old weird America sound to new heights with this stark but beautiful album.




Buy “I See A Darkness”
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness - I See a Darkness

 Buy “Another Day Full of Dread”
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness - Another Day Full of Dread



 

79. THE LEMONHEADS- IT’S A SHAME ABOUT RAY (1992)

LEMONHEADS_IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY

BuyThe Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray (Expanded Edition)

Buy AmazonIt’s a Shame About Ray

Evan Dando & co. make crafting hooky alternative pop look so easy. After three punk albums in the 80’s, The Lemonheads make their 2nd album for Atlantic Records & standout album of their career. This album has one wonderful sub-three minute anthem after another. Juliana Hatfield adds her vocals to many of the tracks as well and in excellent fashion.




Buy “Rudderless”
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray (Expanded Edition) - Rudderless (Remastered)

 Buy “It’s A Shame About Ray”
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray (Expanded Edition) - It's a Shame About Ray (Remastered)

 



78. SOUNDGARDEN- BADMOTORFINGER (1991)

SOUNDGARDEN_BADMOTORFINGER

BuySoundgarden - Badmotorfinger

Buy AmazonBadmotorfinger

This veteran Seattle band perhaps captured the grunge sound (early Metal like Black Sabbath mixed with modern day garage indie-punk) more than any other band save maybe Mudhoney. This, their 3rd album, catapulted them into the mainstream and hit just as Nirvana-mania was ascending. Badmotorfinger was their last album filled with 6+ minute screamers before they would move into tighter, more pop influenced directions with subsequent releases.



Buy “Outshined”
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger - Outshined

 Buy “Searching With My Good Eye Closed”
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger - Searching With My Good Eye Closed

 

 

 


77. MOTHER LOVE BONE- APPLE (1990)

MOTHER LOVE BONE_APPLE

BuyMother Love Bone - Mother Love Bone

Buy AmazonApple

Criminally unknown and underappreciated pre-grunge band, featuring pre-Pearl Jam members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard as well as Seattle legend and recently deceased charismatic lead vocalist Andrew Wood. MLB was by far the sexiest and most glam (thanks to Wood) of the grunge bands. Wood’s death later inspired tribute band & album Temple of the Dog featuring members of Soundgarden & Pearl Jam.



Buy “Crown of Thorns”
Mother Love Bone - Mother Love Bone - Crown of Thorns

 Buy “Stardog Champion”
Mother Love Bone - Mother Love Bone - Stardog Champion

 

 

76. SUPERGRASS- I SHOULD COCO (1995)

SUPERGRASS_I SHOULD COCO

BuySupergrass - I Should Coco

Buy AmazonI Should Coco

Young, energetic pop punkers unleash their debut album in route to creating one of the better run of releases in Britpop. They take their cues from The Kinks, The Jam & The Buzzcocks & certainly know their way around a hook. Their music is pure fun & I imagine envelopes the sound of British adolescence at the time. Supergrass never really made any headway in the U.S. but listen for one of their best tracks “Alright” in the brilliant movie “Clueless”.



Buy “Alright”
Supergrass - I Should Coco - Alright

 Buy “Caught By the Fuzz”
Supergrass - I Should Coco - Caught By the Fuzz

 

 

 

75. SUGAR- COPPER BLUE (1992)

SUGAR_COPPER BLUE

BuySugar - Copper Blue

Buy AmazonCopper Blue

Sugar is the great Bob Mould’s 3rd act- after the mass-influential post-hardcore band Husker Du & his two much more melancholy solo albums. Taking its cues from The Pixies & Nirvana- Mould & Sugar takes the songcraft of his catchiest Husker & solo tracks and amps up both the guitars and the production values. “Copper Blue” is jam packed with tight alternative rock songs and would be the biggest selling album of Mould’s career.



Buy “A Good Idea”
Sugar - Copper Blue - A Good Idea

 Buy “Helpless”
Sugar - Copper Blue - Helpless

 



74. UNCLE TUPELO- MARCH 16-20, 1992 (1992)

UNCLE TUPELO_MARCH 16-20, 1992

BuyUncle Tupelo - March 16-20, 1992 Buy <strong>Amazon</strong><a href=

Buy AmazonMarch 16-20, 1992

The alt country godfather’s most actual country release. Tupelo turn down the punk almost completely and focus on acoustic folk odes to the workingman. Produced by Peter Buck of R.E.M.





Buy “Fatal Wound”
Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20, 1992 - Fatal Wound

 Buy “Moonshiner”
Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20, 1992 - Moonshiner

 

 

73. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST- PEOPLE’S INSTINCTIVE TRAVELS AND THE PATHS OF RHYTHM (1990)

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST_PEOPLE'S INSTINCTIVE TRAVELS

BuyA Tribe Called Quest - Peoples' Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm

Buy AmazonPeople’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

This would be the first release in Tribe’s brilliant trilogy of classic albums. Tribe, to me the best of The Native Tongue’s collective who dominated Hip Hop’s first wave of conscious rap, were always playful even when delivering serious messages. They were also one of the first group’s (along with Gang Starr) to often use jazz samples. The vocal interplay of Tip and Phife would only improve with their even beter follow up releases .



Buy “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo”
A Tribe Called Quest - Peoples' Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm - I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

 Buy “Bonita Applebaum”
A Tribe Called Quest - Peoples' Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm - Bonita Applebum

 

 

 

 

 72. ELLIOTT SMITH- XO (1998)

ELLIOTT SMITH_XO

BuyElliott Smith - XO

Buy AmazonXO

“XO” is Smith’s major label debut after scoring an Oscar nomination with the track “Miss Misery” from Good Will Hunting soundtrack. The prolific Smith delivers a well produced, inward looking set up Beatlesque tunes seeming putting the major label money to good use. “XO” is probably his loveliest album.




Buy “Amity”
Elliott Smith - XO - Amity

 Buy “Waltz, #2 (XO)”
Elliott Smith - XO - Waltz, No. 2 (XO)

 

 

71. BELLE & SEBASTIAN- TIGERMILK (1996)

Belle & Sebastian_Tigermilk

BuyBelle and Sebastian - Tigermilk

Buy AmazonTigermilk

Tigermilk, this Glascow, Scotland band’s debut album was made as lead singer Stuart Murdoch’s final project to complete his business school requirements. The album’s original pressing was only 1,000 pieces of vinyl. After Belle & Sebastian hit with the more successful “If You’re Feeling Sinister”, “Tigermilk” became a collector’s item until its reissue in 1999 and helped to establish B&S as a cult sensation. B&S takes its cues from the twee pop of the Sarah Records releases of the mid to late 80’s and ushers in the era of chamber pop music in Britain of the late 90’s.


Buy “The State I’m In”
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk - The State I'm In

 Buy “Expectations”

Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk - Expectations

 

 

 

 

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 61 – 70

70. MASSIVE ATTACK- MEZZANINE (1998)

MASSIVE ATTACK_MEZZANINE

BuyMassive Attack - Mezzanine

Buy AmazonMezzanine

The pioneering trip hop group from Bristol’s last album that mattered- perfect for the feeling of paranoia just before the new millennium. “Mezzanine” features great guest vocal performances from Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins as well as Reggae star Horace Andy.





Buy “Teardrop”
Massive Attack - Mezzanine - Teardrop

Buy “Inertia Creeps”
Massive Attack - Mezzanine - Inertia Creeps

 



69. OASIS- DEFINITELY MAYBE (1994)

OASIS_DEFINITELY MAYBE

BuyOasis - Definitely Maybe

Buy AmazonDefinitely Maybe

Snotty, snarling & brash debut from the Gallagher brothers and company. The Brits tend to overrate this album as it often lands in the top ten albums of all time on many of their best of lists. That said “Definitely Maybe” is full of mighty anthems, including first hold-up–your-lighter Brit Pop power ballad “Live Forever”. Oasis would follow this debut with the even better American breakthrough only a year later. Oasis mania was under way!



Buy “Supersonic”
Oasis - Definitely Maybe - Supersonic

Buy “Rock N’ Roll Star”
Oasis - Definitely Maybe - Rock 'N' Roll Star

 

 

 68. MERCURY REV- DESERTER’S SONGS (1998)

MERCURY REV_DESERTER'S SONGS

Buy AmazonDeserter’s Songs

The only band in the world to sound remotely like the Flaming Lips- the veteran Mercury Rev followed a similar path as the Lips: They formed in the mid 80’s, releasing a series of albums combining noise-rock with psychedelic pop and even befriended the Lips in 1990 when the Rev’s guitarist worked as their guitar technician. They moved on to release the beautiful “Deserter’s Songs” one year before the Lips bettered them with “The Soft Bulletin”- indie rock’s own version of The Beatles and The Beach Boys.





“Goddess On A Hiway” (Album & tracks not available on iTunes)

“Holes”

 

 67. R.E.M.- NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI (1996)

R.E.M._NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI

BuyR.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi

Buy AmazonNew Adventures in Hi-Fi

To my ears R.E.M.’s last great album and also their longest and most experimental. Quite a leftfield turn after the more stripped down and grunge influenced “Monster”. This would be R.E.M.’s last album with drummer Bill Berry. Also contains a beautiful duet with Michael Stipe’s hero Patti Smith in “E-Bow the Letter”





Buy “E-Bow the Letter”
R.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi - E-Bow the Letter

Buy “Leave”
R.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi - Leave

 

 66. THE SMASHING PUMPKINS- GISH (1991)

SMASHING PUMPKINS_GISH

BuySmashing Pumpkins - Gish

Buy AmazonGish

The debut album from one of Chicago’s finest. This arrived a few months before Nirvana’s Nevermind and was only a moderate alternative rock hit. Few could have predicted that the Pumpkins would become one of the biggest bands in the world in a few years time. “Gish” was psychedelic, dreamy & raw compared to their follow up releases which would unveil the Pumpkins biggest influence- 70’s arena rock.



Buy “Snail”
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish - Snail

Buy “Bury Me”
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish - Bury Me


 

 65. BLUR- MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH (1993)

BLUR_MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH

Buyblur - Modern Life Is Rubbish

Buy AmazonModern Life Is Rubbish

The album, along with Suede’s debut, said to be the impetus of 90’s Brit Pop, is Blur’s big leap forward after their debut “Leisure”. It was as big a leap forward as Radiohead took with “The Bends” after “Pablo Honey”. Although “Leisure” contains some great singles, it is ultimately beholden to the shoegaze scene of the late 80’s perfected by Stone Roses and Happy Mondays and beaten to death by Jesus Jones, EMF etc… “Modern Life” showed main man Damon Albarn to be a serious writer of social commentary and Blur a band destined to go places.


Buy “Pop Scene” *(included in American version only)
blur - Midlife: a Beginner's Guide to Blur

 Buy “Chemical World”
blur - Midlife: a Beginner's Guide to Blur - Chemical World

 

 64. THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS- BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAJIK (1991)

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS_BLOOD SUGAR

BuyRed Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (Bonus Track Version)

Buy AmazonBlood Sugar Sex Magik

Overly long and perhaps at least partially responsible for ushering in the annoying area of meat-head rap rock of the late 90’s, time has not been very kind to this album. Back in ’91 & ’92 it was everywhere and was one of the dominating sounds on college campuses. Contains hit after hit- many of which still have recurrent airplay today. Some of the best songs are non-hit album cuts like “I Could Have Lied”, “If You Have to Ask” and “My Lovely Man”. “Blood Sugar” is the Chili’s best album by a long shot. I just wish it wasn’t quite so long.


Buy “Under the Bridge”
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (Bonus Track Version) - Under the Bridge

 Buy “Suck My Kiss”
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Suck My Kiss


 

63. SPIRITUALIZED- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE ARE FLOATING IN SPACE (1997)

SPIRITUALIZED_LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

BuySpiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Deluxe Version)

Buy AmazonLadies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

“Ladies and Gentlemen” is a totally album by a totally unique band which combines psychedelic and gospel….drugs and God! The result is predictably both f**ked up and beautiful. Jason Pierce (AKA Jason Spaceman) unapologetically seeks redemption and transcendence through chemicals to overcome his experiences of love and loss. The album art itself is designed like a pharmaceutical package!




Buy “Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space”
Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Deluxe Version) - Ladies and Gentlemen

 Buy “Come Together”
Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space - Come Together


 

 

62. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE- RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (1992)

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

BuyRage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine

Buy AmazonRage Against the Machine

Rage is another band who unfortunately has much to apologize for only because of all of the inferior bands who came in their wake (including Audioslave by the way which contained ¾ of the band). Rage was the first band to successfully combine rap and metal for a whole full length album. Vocalist Zach de la Rocha ferociously spat his socialist anti- Emperial (American) lyrics while guitarist Tom Morello played every effect under the sun and the rhythm section bashed away behind them. Nothing sounded like Rage when they debuted in ’92. One of the great mosh albums of all time and includes perhaps their signature song “Killing in the Name”.

Buy “Freedom”
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine - Freedom

 Buy “Bullet in the Head”
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine - Bullet In the Head


 

 

61. MISSY ELLIOTT- SUPA DUPA FLY (1997)

MISSY ELLIOTT_SUPA DUPA FLY

BuyMissy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly

Buy AmazonSupa Dupa Fly

Straight outta Virginia Beach, Va, perhaps the best album by the most important female rapper of all time. “Supa Dupa Fly” is also the debut album of producer Timbaland, one of the two most influential producers in hip hop of the last decade and a half. Missy co-wrote, sung & rapped over every track inviting guest like Busta Rhymes, Da Brat & Lil’ Kim appear alongside her. Missy & Tim, along with fellow Va. Beach producers The Neptunes and Atlanta’s Outkast would be THE most influential artists on Rap/R&B/Pop music in the next decade.


Buy “Sock It 2 Me” (Feat. Da Brat)
Missy Elliott & Da Brat - Supa Dupa Fly - Sock It 2 Me

 Buy “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”
Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)


 

 

 



Best Albums of the 90’s: 51 – 60

60. GREEN DAY- DOOKIE (1994)

Green Day_Dookie

BuyGreen Day - Dookie

Buy AmazonDookie

“Dookie” was the album that catapulted punk music into the American mainstream. What Green Day lacked in originality they made up for in attitude and great pop punk songwriting by lead singer Billie Joe. “Dookie” would have many imitators and would eventually lead to the further mainstreaming of punk where it would begin to take up much of the top forty by the beginning of the next century with bands like Blink 182 & Simple Plan.



Buy “Chump”
Green Day - Dookie - Chump

 Buy “Longview”
Green Day - Dookie - Longview



59. LL COOL J- MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT (1990)

LL Cool J_Mama Said Knock You Out

BuyLL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out

Buy AmazonMama Said Knock You Out

LL’s answer record to the unfair calls of sellout from his critics regarding his last not- really-bad at all album “Walking With A Panther”. “Mama Said” runs the gamut between hard old school rap (i.e. the title cut- one of rap’s all time great singles), sexy funk jams (i.e. Jingling Baby, Around the Way Girl) and slow jams for the ladies (i.e. 6 Minutes of Pleasure). LL’s most fully formed and best album.



Buy “Mama Said Knock You Out”

LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out - Mama Said Knock You Out

 Buy “Around the Way Girl”
LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out - Around the Way Girl


 


58. PULP- DIFFERENT CLASS (1995)

Pulp_Different Class

BuyPulp - Different Class

Buy AmazonDifferent Class

One of the highlights and true classics of Brit-pop, this album and band are still underappreciated in America. Like The Kinks and The Jam before them, Pulp (namely lead singer Jarvis Cocker) focuses on issues and narratives that are specific to Britain- however his 2 main themes of sex & class are much more universal. Huge British hit single “Common People” is one of the best singles of the 90’s- an absolutely biting satire about a rich girl dating and hanging out with people below her status.


Buy “Common People”
Pulp - Different Class - Common People (Full Length Version)

 Buy “Mis-Shapes”
Pulp - Different Class - Mis-Shapes


 

57. U2- ACHTUNG BABY! (1991)

U2_Achting Baby

BuyU2 - Achtung Baby

Buy AmazonAchtung Baby

U2’s most radical musical and stylistic reinvention of themselves- they had earlier moved from post punk inspired progressive rockers to earnest roots (American) rockers. With “Achtung Baby” they take their cues from the last 80’s Manchester club scene- incorporating dance beats and psychedelic guitars (ala Primal Scream and Stone Roses). This was U2’s last fully successful reinvention so far- the songs were unique & challenging while being wildly commercially viable as well. “Even Better Than the Real Thing”, “Mysterious Ways”, “The Fly”, “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” & their biggest ballad to date “One” were all huge hits around the world.

Buy “Until the End of the World”
U2 - Achtung Baby - Until the End of the World

 Buy “The Fly”
U2 - Achtung Baby - The Fly


 

 

 56. ALICE IN CHAINS- DIRT (1992)

Alice in Chains_Dirt

BuyAlice In Chains - Dirt

Buy AmazonDirt

Alice’s brilliant second album about drug addiction, self loathing & despair is as gloomy as a Black Sabbath album and rocks about as hard as well. This was the Seattle grunge band’s masterpiece with a far reaching influence for better for worse on the gloomy rock of the late 90’s/early 21st century of band’s like Staind, Puddle Of Mudd etc… Contains alt rock hits like “The Rooster”, “Them Bones” & “Would”- originally found on the great Singles soundtrack.

Buy “Hate to Feel”
Alice In Chains - Dirt - Hate to Feel

 Buy “Angry Chair”
Alice In Chains - Dirt - Angry Chair


 

 

 55. MAGNETIC FIELDS- 69 LOVE SONGS (1999)

Magnetic Fields_69 Love Songs

BuyThe Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

Buy Amazon69 Love Songs

Stephen Merritt’s 3 disc concept album dedicated to songs about love. Some songs are admittedly tossed off and Merritt seems to explore every possible genre in the musical spectrum but many of the tracks are brilliantly crafted pop gems. You have to admire his sheer audacity to create such an opus!




Buy “The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side”
The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs - The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side

 Buy “Washington, D.C.”
The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs - Washington, D.C.


 

 

 

 

 54. GUIDED BY VOICES- ALIEN LANES (1995)

Guided By Voices_Alien Lanes

BuyGuided By Voices - Alien Lanes

Buy AmazonAlien Lanes

GBV’s first album since they became more than a blip on the cultural radar with the previous year’s “Bee Thousand”. “Alien Lanes” is almost “Bee Thousand” ‘s equal. It’s a tighter album in that the best songs may not equal the best of “Bee Thousand” but no songs drop to the sloppy lows of “Thousand” either. This scrappy band of thirty-somethings from Dayton, Ohio had finally come into their own and by the time they were done would amass one of the best discographies in indie rock.


Buy “Watch Me Jumpstart”
Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes - Watch Me Jumpstart

 Buy “Motor Away”
Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes - Motor Away


 

 

 

 53. WEEZER- WEEZER (BLUE ALBUM) (1994)

Weezer_Blue Album

BuyWeezer - Weezer

Buy AmazonWeezer (Blue Album)

Weezer’s debut married grunge, 80’s cheese metal & power pop with emotional nerd lyrics creating a gigantic hit album in the process. This was a hookier version of The Pixies or Nirvana which appealed to fans of both pop & alternative- an album that sensitive males and females could rock out to. Features the huge hits “Undone (Sweater Song) & “Buddy Holly”.




Buy “Say It Ain’t So”
Weezer - Weezer - Say It Ain't So

 Buy “In the Garage”
Weezer - Weezer - In The Garage


 

 

 

 52. BJORK- POST (1995)

Bjork_Post

BuyBjörk - Post

Buy AmazonPost

Bjork ups the ante with her second album- creating an even stranger, more unique, more varied and plain better album than “Debut”. She incorporates industrial and trip-hop beats into her oeuvre and takes her biggest left turn with Broadway influenced “It’s Oh So Quiet”- also one of the best videos ever made.





Buy “Army of Me”
Björk - Post - Army of Me

 Buy “Possibly Maybe”
Björk - Post - Possibly Maybe

 

 

 

 51. SUPERGRASS- IN IT FOR THE MONEY (1997)

Supergrass_In It for the Money

Buy AmazonIn It for the Money

Album #2 for Supergrass- better but less celebrated than their first. “Coco” went by in a punk rush, while “In It for the Money” focuses more on psychedelia & musicianship. Where they sacrifice in big hits they make up for in deep cuts as “Money” is solid from start to finish. Supergrass would prove to be one of the most consistently good British band of the mid 90’s and on.


*Album Not available on iTunes


Buy “Richard III”
Supergrass - Supergrass Is 10: Best of 94-04 - Richard III

 Buy “Late in the Day”
Supergrass - Supergrass Is 10: Best of 94-04 - Late In the Day


 

 

 

 

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 41 – 50

50. THE SMASHING PUMPKINS- MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS (1995)

SMASHING PUMPKINS_MELLON COLLIE

BuySmashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Buy AmazonMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Over long, overblown and self-indulgent? Without a doubt! But this album, the last great one of the Pumpkins’ career, also has a plethora of great moments. If you pared this down to a single disc it could even give “Siamese Dream” a run for its money. 5 singles strong with some awesome deep cuts as well. Over 2 hours and 28 songs. Wow!




Buy “1979”
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - 1979

 Buy “Thirty-Three”
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Thirty-Three



 

49. JEFF BUCKLEY- GRACE (1994)

jeff buckley_grace

BuyJeff Buckley - Grace

Buy AmazonGrace

“Grace” is the only full length release from this honey throated singer songwriter before his pre-mature death from drowning in the Mississippi River at age 30. The son of cult hero singer songwriter, Tim Buckley (also an early death casualty), Jeff Buckley’s voice simply defies logic. He was unafraid of bombast and grand gestures in a time when most of modern alternative rock frowned on both. His haunting cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has become a modern day classic- even sound tracking the final episode of the hit teen show “The O.C.’


Buy “Hallelujah”
Jeff Buckley - Grace - Hallelujah

 Buy “Last Goodbye”
Jeff Buckley - Grace - Last Goodbye

 



48. PEARL JAM- TEN (1991)

PEARL JAM_TEN

BuyPearl Jam - Ten

Buy AmazonTen

An even bigger record (sales-wise at least) than “Nevermind”, “Ten” was the album that truly took Seattle-based grunge music into the stratosphere in early 1992. This was Pearl Jam’s first and best record with alternative rock staples “Alive”, “Even Flow” and “Jeremy” and plenty of deep album cuts as well. Not a bad song on it really.




Buy “Black”
Pearl Jam - Ten - Black

 Buy “Alive”
Pearl Jam - Ten - Alive

 

 

 



47. GUIDED BY VOICES- BEE THOUSAND (1994)

GUIDED BY VOICES_BEE THOUSAND

BuyGuided By Voices - Bee Thousand

Buy AmazonBee Thousand

GBV seem to carry the spirit of the early Who & Kinks more than any other 90’s band. Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout and company deal out passion and hooks in equal measure-keeping all songs under 3 minutes and most of them under 2. There are many misses on this album but they are over and done with so quickly that you will pay them no mind. And the great songs do more than make up for them.




Buy “Tractor Rape Chain”
Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand - Tractor Rape Chain

 Buy “I Am A Scientist”
Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand - I Am a Scientist

 

 



46. PORTISHEAD- DUMMY (1994)

PORTISHEAD_DUMMY

BuyPortishead - Dummy

Buy AmazonDummy

Massive Attack created trip hop with 1991’s “Blue Lines”, but Bristol, England’s Portishead furthered the genre with this release by substituting MA’s dance oriented grooves with beats that seem to come from an imaginary film noir soundtrack. As experimental is this music is it was also an unexpected hit and catapulted the trip hop genre into the mainstream thereby creating a ton of imitators who would go on to soundtrack many a yuppie dinner party in the late 90’s and early 00’s.



Buy “Sour Times”
Portishead - Dummy - Sour Times

 Buy “Glory Box”
Portishead - Dummy - Glory Box



 

45. OUTKAST- AQUEMINI (1998)

OUTKAST_AQUEMINI

BuyOutKast - Aquemini

Buy AmazonAquemini

The bridge album between the crazy space funk of ”ATLiens” of 1996 and the world conquering “Stankonia” in the first year of the new century. “Aquemini” is a masterpiece in its own right. The album thrives on diversity as Outkast and production team Organized Noize bring in elements of hard rock, psychedelia, live orchestration and reggae into the hard hitting funky Atlanta rap beats.




Buy “Rosa Parks”
OutKast - Aquemini - Rosa Parks

 Buy “Aquemini”
OutKast - Aquemini - Aquemini

 




44. SLEATER-KINNEY- DIG ME OUT (1997)

SLEATER-KINNEY_DIG ME OUT

BuySleater-Kinney - Dig Me åOut

Buy AmazonDig Me Out

SK’s best album of the 90’s, “Dig Me Out” takes the hard charging feminist punk of the previous year’s “Call the Doctor” to greater levels- more consistency, better and more creative musicianship and more classic songs. All told more bounce per ounce.





Buy “Dig Me Out”
Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out - Dig Me Out

 Buy “Words and Guitar”
Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out - Words and Guitar

 




43. SOUNDGARDEN- SUPERUNKNOWN (1994)

SOUNDGARDEN_SUPERUNKNOWN

BuySoundgarden - Superunknown

Buy AmazonSuperunknown

“Superunkown” is probably the last great grunge album. Soundgarden moves further into the mainstream by writing tighter and more accessible songs than on previous albums. “Spoonman”, “Black Hole Sun” and “Fell on Black Days” were all over the radio airwaves and MTV throughout the whole year and into 1995. And those weren’t even the best songs. Soundgarden would have a few more great songs in them after this, but “Superunknown” was their last great statement. It’s a shame that Chris Cornell’s amazing yowl of a voice has been wasted on such sub-par bands since Soundgarden’s demise.

Buy “My Wave”
Soundgarden - Superunknown - My Wave

 Buy “The Day I Tried to Live”
Soundgarden - Superunknown - The Day I Tried to Live

 



42. PJ HARVEY- RID OF ME (1993)

PJ HARVEY_RID OF ME

BuyPJ Harvey - Rid of Me

Buy AmazonRid of Me

An album just as raw as her “Dry” debut a year earlier, but also better produced (you don’t have to strain your ears to hear the songs!) and all around better. PJ makes her mark here with her best album of one of the best musical legacies of the 90’s/00’s.





Buy “Dry”
PJ Harvey - Rid of Me - Dry

 Buy “50ft Queenie”
PJ Harvey - Rid of Me - 50ft Queenie

 

 

 




41. OASIS- (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY (1995)

Oasis_What's the Story

BuyOasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory

Buy Amazon(What’s The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis’s celebratory album of itself! ‘What’s The Story’ explores what happens to a working class band after it becomes successful. Although this theme has certainly been done before in rock n’ roll, Oasis crafts their songs to sound like the best night of your life. And this album certainly did sound track many a night out in the mid 90’s in Britain, America and all over the world.



Buy “Wonderwall”
Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory - Wonderwall

 Buy “Don’t Look Back in Anger”
Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory - Don't Look Back In Anger

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 31 – 40

40. WEEZER- PINKERTON (1996)

WEEZER_PINKERTON

BuyWeezer - Pinkerton

Buy AmazonPinkerton

The highly anticipated follow up to their self-titled debut, “Pinkerton” was a poorly reviewed and commercial bomb upon its release. It is a much darker then their self titled debut and alienated much of the band’s younger and more pop oriented crowd. The flip side of that alienation brought a cult of admirers which seemed to grow with each passing year until the band became a parody of itself midway through the 2000’s. This album often gets mislabeled as one of the progenitors of the Emo sound. To me it doesn’t have much in common with the often insincere screaming of 21st century Emo. Time has been very kind to most of its tracks and it’s difficult to see why some of them didn’t even achieve radio airplay at the time.

Buy “The Good Life”
Weezer - Pinkerton - The Good Life

Buy “Pink Triangle”

Weezer - Pinkerton - Pink Triangle



39. WILCO- BEING THERE (1996)
WILCO_BEING THERE


BuyWilco - Being There

Buy AmazonBeing There

“Being There” is Wilco’s experimental, sprawling double album, after the straight forward alt-country rock of their debut “A.M.” a year earlier. Each side begins with a 6+ minute anthem (Misunderstood & Sunken Treasure respectively) and follows with beautiful ballads, rock n’ roll jams & splotches of psychedelia & experimental music- pointing the way toward the more experimental music of “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” six years later.


Buy “Sunken Treasure”

Wilco - Being There - Sunken Treasure

 Buy “Red-Eyed and Blue”
Wilco - Being There - Red-Eyed and Blue

 

 

 

 38. THE PIXIES- BOSSANOVA (1990)

THE PIXIES_BOSSANOVA

BuyPixies - Bossanova

Buy AmazonBossanova

“Bossanova” is the first Pixies album to feature zero songs written by Kim Deal. Frontman Frank Black dominates the album focusing on quirky Sci-Fi lyrics and surf rock guitar. “Bossanova” is probably my least favorite Pixies album since their initial EP “Come On Pilgrim” but it’s still full of great moments, and is delivered by one of the very best bands of the late 80’s/early 90’s era. Black Francis would continue to take more and more control of the band until their eventual breakup after the following year’s “Trompe Le Monde”.


Buy “Dig For Fire”
Pixies - Bossanova - Dig for Fire

 Buy “All Over the World”
Pixies - Bossanova - All Over the World

 

 


37. DR. DRE- THE CHRONIC (1992)

DR. DRE_THE CHRONIC

BuyDr. Dre - The Chronic

Buy AmazonThe Chronic

Dr. Dre & “The Chronic” almost single handedly took L.A. rap to the mainstream after the groundwork was laid by Ice T., Dr. Dre’s former band N.W.A. and a few others. Dre, a genius producer and an average rapper, also introduced the world to both his G-Funk sound (which took the basslines of Parliament as its template rather than the starker funk of James Brown) & the previously unknown rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. With “The Chronic” Dre & Snoop, through both their lyrics and Dre’s ridiculously phat beats, focused away from the political gangsta rap of N.W.A., Ice T etc…and toward the celebration of weed, women and the hedonistic lifestyle in general. Oakland’s Too Short was a precursor to this sound in the late 80’s but he never reached near the same commercial success or musical sophistication as Dre. “The Chronic” would influence nearly every gangsta rap, and rap album in general for years to come.

Buy “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang”
Dr. Dre - The Chronic - Nuthin' but a "G" Thang

 Buy “Let Me Ride”
Dr. Dre - The Chronic - Let Me Ride

 



36. THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.- READY TO DIE (1994)

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G._READY TO DIE

BuyThe Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die - The Remaster

Buy AmazonReady to Die

The East Coast’s answer to the newly dominate gangsta rap of Dr. Dre and the West Coast. B.I.G. (AKA Biggie Smalls) was one of the very best lyricists and rappers in hip hop history. While he celebrated hedonism and the gangsta lifestyle, much of his lyrics and the album’s beats brought forth a sense of doom and paranoia with the album’s narrator always looking over his shoulder ready for the metaphorical axe to fall. “Ready to Die” is a concept album about the rise and eventual fall of a gangsta ending with his death, which would eerily foreshadow Biggie’s tragic end in gun violence 3 year’s later


Buy “Juicy”

The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die - The Remaster - Juicy

 Buy “Big Poppa”
The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die - The Remaster - Big Poppa

 

 


35. MASSIVE ATTACK- BLUE LINES (1991)

MASSIVE ATTACK_BLUE LINES

BuyMassive Attack - Blue Lines

Buy AmazonBlue Lines

This album marked the beginning of trip hop, which is a combination of British club music and American hip hop & one of the most influential sounds of the 90’s. “Blue Lines” takes its cues from the earlier grooves of Soul II Soul and Brand New Heavies but puts a much bigger influence on Jamaican dub and features the vocal interplay of both male and female vocals with British rap. It’s a chill-out masterpiece and also the debut of the rapper Tricky who would
go on to produce the masterpiece “Maxinquaye” later in 1996.


Buy “Unfinished Sympathy”
Massive Attack - Blue Lines - Unfinished Sympathy

 Buy “Safe From Harm”
Massive Attack - Blue Lines - Safe from Harm

 



34. FUGAZI- REPEATER (1990)

FUGAZI_REPEATER

BuyFugazi - Repeater & 3 Songs

Buy AmazonRepeater + 3 Songs

“Repeater” was this D.C. post-hardcore band’s first album and a classic after the two brilliant EP’s “Fugazi” and “Margin Walker” which they put out the two previous years. Although Fugazi was known as much for their staunch anti-materialistic and P.C. lyrical stances, “Repeater” was a full on electric guitar force of nature as well. Fugazi was one of the best bands out there and would continue to put out fantastic releases into the next decade.




Buy “Sieve-Fisted Find”

Fugazi - Repeater & 3 Songs - Sieve-Fisted Find

 Buy “Merchandise”
Fugazi - Repeater & 3 Songs - Merchandise

 

 



33. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST- MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS (1993)A Tribe Called Quest_Midnight Marauders

BuyA Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

Buy AmazonMidnight Marauders

Tribe’s third and last classic album- they moved to a slightly more commercial and funky sound after “Low End Theory’s” jazzier and heavier vibe. Q-Tip and Phife were also operating at the height of their powers. This album doesn’t have a weak track on it.





Buy “Electric Relaxation”
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders - Electric Relaxation

 Buy “Sucka N**ga”
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders - Sucka Nigga

 

 

32. BUILT TO SPILL- KEEP IT LIKE A SECRET (1999)

BuyBuilt To Spill - Keep It Like a Secret

Buy AmazonKeep It Like a Secret

Doug Martsch and Built to Spill follow up the epic “Perfect From Now On” with the much poppier “Keep It Like a Secret”. Where “Perfect” was filled with lengthy Neil Young & Crazy Horse inspired jams, “Secret’s” songs are much shorter (except for the 8+ minute closer) and all together tighter. While “Perfect” gets most of the critical accolades in my opinion “Secret” is their best album to date.




Buy “You Were Right”

Built To Spill - Keep It Like a Secret - You Were Right

 Buy “The Plan”
Built To Spill - Keep It Like a Secret - The Plan

 

 

31. NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL- IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA (1998)Neutral Milk Hotel_In the Aeroplane

BuyNeutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Buy AmazonIn the Aeroplane Over the Sea

An outgrowth of the southern based Elephant 6 collective (including Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo, Of Montreal), leader Jeff Mangum comes out of nowhere (after 1996’s little heard at the time “On Avery Island”) with this enigmatic concept album about childhood, sex & death- with multiple references to Anne Frank. After this release Mangum would retire the band and go off into seclusion. This album would eventually reign as one of the best and most influential indie-releases of the 90’s.


Buy “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

 Buy “Holland, 1945”
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Holland, 1945

 

 

Best Albums of the 90’s: 21 – 30

30. WILCO- SUMMERTEETH (1999)

Wilco_Summerteeth

BuyWilco - Summerteeth

Buy AmazonSummerteeth

Wilco at their most power pop- this was the Chicago band’s 2nd great album in route to their masterpiece in 2002. “Summer Teeth” was the perfect middle ground between the alt country of their earlier records and the experimental music to come. Their sunny melodies are sharply contrasted by their darkest, bleakest lyrics to date.




Buy “Via Chicago”
Wilco - Summerteeth - Via Chicago

Buy “A Shot in the Arm”
Wilco - Summerteeth - A Shot In the Arm

 

 

29. PAVEMENT- CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN (1994)


BuyPavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Buy AmazonCrooked Rain, Crooked Rain

“Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” was Pavement’s second masterpiece in as many albums. With “Crooked” Pavement cleaned up their sound, ditching the lo-fi tape hiss, firing their original drummer and going for a bigger and better mastering job all around. Left is their esoteric, yet intelligent lyrics and slacker vibe but with a decidedly more accessible sound. They even had a big college radio hit with “Cut My Hair”. There is hardly a miss on the whole album.


Buy “Cut Your Hair”

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Cut Your Hair

Buy “Range Life”
Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Range Life


 

 28. SONIC YOUTH- DIRTY (1992)

Sonic Youth_Dirty

BuySonic Youth - Dirty

Buy AmazonDirty

The closest the Youth ever got to mainstream success. “Dirty” came out right during the grunge/alternative rock explosion that the Youth helped implement. “Dirty” is unfairly maligned as a grab for mainstream bucks. It’s severely underrated and I believe, stands as one of their very best releases to date. “100%” and “Sugar Kane” are two of their biggest singles and anthems and they also hit hard at social issues with tracks like “Youth Against Facism” (Clarence Thomas & Anita Hill) and “Swimsuit Issue”.


Buy “Sugar Kane”

Sonic Youth - Dirty - Sugar Kane

Buy “100%”
Sonic Youth - Dirty - 100%


 

 27. NIRVANA- IN UTERO (1993)

Nirvana_In Utero

BuyNirvana - In Utero

Buy AmazonIn Utero

Nirvana followed up their Butch Vig produced, world changing, smash hit by tapping Chicago post hardcore indie-producer Steve Albini and making the least accessible album they possibly could. Despite that, Kurt & co. couldn’t help but write brilliant and catchy tunes and they ended up finding commercial success with “In Utero” anyway. It was, however, a much more abrasive album than “Nevermind” and cemented the band’s status as an uncompromising and challenging band. Sadly this would be their last studio album before Cobain’s death in 1994 which ended the band for good.

 

Buy “Serve the Servants”

Nirvana - In Utero - Serve the Servants

Buy “All Apologies”
Nirvana - In Utero - All Apologies


 

26. THE PIXIES- TROMPE LE MONDE (1991)

Pixies_Trompe Le Monde

BuyPixies - Trompe le Monde

Buy AmazonTrompe le Monde

The Pixies swan song, which was considered a de-facto Black Francis solo album as bassist Kim Deal did barely any singing and no song writing whatsoever. Francis takes the band out with a bang as this is one of The Pixies most hard hitting albums. He focuses his writing on subjects such as outer space, the ocean & mathematics. Though he would have some critical solo success in the coming years he would never better this album.



Buy “Palace of the Brine/Letter to Memphis”
Pixies - Trompe le Monde - Palace of the Brine
Pixies - Trompe le Monde - Letter to Memphis

Buy “U-Mass”
Pixies - Trompe le Monde - U-Mass


 

25. BLUR- PARKLIFE (1994)

Blue_Parklife

BuyBlur - Parklife

Buy AmazonParklife

“Parklife”, along with the Oasis debut “Definitely Maybe” ushered in the British Brit-pop era. “Parklife” was the far superior album- running through practically the entire history of British music since the late 60’s and launching Blur from a great to a classic band. “Parklife” the album was probably Blur’s greatest triumph and was also seen as the defining album in describing Tony Blair’s hopeful and forward-looking England in the mid 90’s before he was brought down at least in part for his ties with American president W. Bush.

 

 Buy “Parklife”

Blur - Parklife - Parklife

 Buy “Girls & Boys”
Blur - Parklife - Girls & Boys

 

 

24. JAY-Z- REASONABLE DOUBT (1996)

Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt

BuyJay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

Buy AmazonReasonable Doubt

The debut release for what would eventually become one of the longest and most successful careers in rap history. Jay creates the template that he would follow throughout the next decade and a half- he raps about growing up in the projects and finding his way out of the ghetto through street hustling and then rapping. Through his lyrics he is able to show the similarities between the two. Rather than focusing on the bleak and violent side of hustling, he celebrates leaving the projects and entering a life of superstardom. Jay-Z is a true ghetto capitalist with some of the best lyrics writing and rhyme flow in the rap game.

 Buy “Brooklyn’s Finest (with The Notorious B.I.G.)”
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt - Brooklyn's Finest (feat. The Notorious B.I.G.)

 Buy “D’Evils”
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt - D'evils


 

 23. LIZ PHAIR- EXILE IN GUYVILLE (1993)

Liz Phair_Exile in Guyville

BuyLiz Phair - Exile In Guyville

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The Chicago singer singwriter’s debut came out of nowhere to become one of the most influential and best female debuts (and album’s period) in the history of rock n’ roll. The songs that make up “Exile” were initially recorded on Phair’s home cassettes and Phair had been perfecting them over the course of several years. The music runs the gamut from stripped down acoustic folk, to experimental art rock to power pop, to harder hitting indie-rock. The lyrics are extremely sexually frank and from a feminist perspective- a rarity for a female musician- particularly in the male dominated landscape of indie rock. Phair would go on to make one really good and one pretty good record before failing miserably (critically more than commercially) at various stabs of mainstream pop success.

 Buy “F**k and Run”
Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville - Fuck and Run

 Buy “Divorce Song”
Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville - Divorce Song


 

22. HOLE- LIVE THROUGH THIS (1994)
Hole_Live Through This
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Hole’s second album was a gigantic leap forward after their anti-commercial debut “Pretty On the Inside” several years earlier. Many thought it was lead singer Courtney Love’s attempt to compete critically and commercially with her husband’s (Kurt Cobain) band Nirvana. “Live Through This” eerily came out exactly a week after Cobain’s suicide on April 5th. Love’s pained lyrics seem to predict Cobain’s death. The album’s hooks are undeniable and no matter how reviled Love is as a person, it’s tough not to recognize “Live Through This” as a grunge era classic.


Buy “Miss World”
Hole - Live Through This - Miss World

 Buy “Doll Parts”
Hole - Live Through This - Doll Parts


 

 21. PUBLIC ENEMY- FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET (1990)Public Enemy_Fear of a Black Planet

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PE’s 2nd straight out masterpiece in a row. The groundbreaking rap debuted several of rap’s all time great singles before the album release of “Planet” with “Fight the Power” the centerpiece of the brilliant and incendiary Spike Lee joint “Do the Right Thing” a year earlier. They almost matched it with lead single “Welcome to the Terrordome”. Though “Planet” may not match the peaks of 1988’s “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”- to my mind the greatest rap album ever recorded- it still was great in its own right and the Bomb Squad (PE’s production crew) soared to new heights with “Planet” being their most sonically innovative release to date. The beginning of the 90’s was the tail end of an era where music samples could be used at a producer’s leisure. Once clearing samples became big business rap would have trouble matching the era’s creative highs- at least musically.

Buy “Fight the Power”
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet - Fight the Power

 Buy “Welcome to the Terrordome”
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet - Welcome to the Terrordome


 

 

 

 





Best Albums of the 90’s: 11 – 20

20. THE BEASTIE BOYS- CHECK YOUR HEAD (1992)
Beastie Boys_Check Your head

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The Beastie’s took another left turn with their third album- a blend of rap, spaced out jazzy jams and the straight up hardcore of their early 80’s New York City roots. As a result “Check Your Head” sounded like nothing before it and foreshadowed the great blending of music in the new millennium to come. After the slept on, but later massively influential “Paul’s Boutique” in 1989, “Head” was the Beastie’s return to commercial success and solidified them as a cultural force for the entirety of the 90’s.


Buy “Gratitude”

Beastie Boys - Check Your Head - Gratitude

Buy “Pass the Mic”
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head - Pass the Mic



19. DIGABLE PLANETS- REACHIN’ (A NEW REFUTATION OF TIME AND SPACE) (1993)Digable Planets_A New Refutation

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My vote for the most underrated and underappreciated album of the 90’s. Digable is unfairly dismissed as a one hit wonder after “Cool Like Dat” rode the short lived jazz rap wave to the top 20 in 1993. It’s a great song, for sure, but not even one of the three or four best songs on the album. Digable (made up on Doodlebug, Ladybug & Butterfly) brought a unique image and sound to alternative rap. “Reachin’” is full of chilled out jazz samples, and a free flowing hipster jazz influenced delivery and socially conscious lyrics. Their description of a day in New York City in “Pacifics” (NEW YORK IS RED HOT!!) gets me excited to hang in NYC like no other song.

Buy “It’s Good to be Here”
Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time & Space) - It's Good to Be Here

 Buy “Pacifics”
Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time & Space) - Pacifics (From the Soundtrack to the Motion Picture 'N.Y. Is Red Hot')


 

18. R.E.M.- AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (1992)

R.E.M._Automatic for the People

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After its most commercially successful album to date (Out of Time) a year earlier R.E.M. moved in a darker, more acoustic direction with their music, creating their last full blown masterpiece to date. The majority of the songs on the album seem to be about death, loss & despair with only “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight” brightening the mood, but there is a deep beauty to the album and the songs flow together impeccably. The album ironically (for such a dark album) is 5 singles deep- including “Everybody Hurts”- one of the epic videos of all time & “Man on the Moon” which inspired the movie title for the biopic on Andy Kaufman, a hero of singer Michael Stipe.


Buy “Find a River”
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People - Find the River

 Buy “Nightswimming”
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People - Nightswimming

 



17. LUCINDA WILLIAMS- CAR WHEELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD (1998)Lucinda Williams_Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

BuyLucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

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“Car Wheels” is Lucinda’s breakthrough album in that no one outside of music critics and alt country nerds knew who she was before its release. She still may not be a platinum seller but “Car Wheels” grew her fan base substantially. She even landed a performance on Saturday Night Live which is precisely when I became a fan. “Car Wheels” is also likely her best album- six years in the making after the commercial failure, yet damn great “Sweet Old World” in 1992. She focuses her writing on her rootless upbringing & longing, lust & loss she has experienced in the Deep South throughout her life. She has such a brilliant eye for the smallest of details and you can hear the heartache in her voice in every syllable she utters.

Buy “Right in Time”
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Right in Time

 Buy “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road”
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road



16. THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN- EMERGENCY AND I (1999)Dismemberment Plan_Emergency and I

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This D.C. band’s third and best album. I slept on The Plan, even though they played basement parties at my college and included fellow MWC alumnus and brilliant bassist Eric Axelson- not seeing the light until I turned 30. The Plan combines “good!” emo- think Rites of Spring & Sunny Day Real Estate (not the later stuff) with post hardcore and a twitchy danceable beat influenced by the Talking Heads. The band blends their main influences with touches of New Wave, Soul & even Rap as well. “Emergency and I” though still only a cult classic, was a perfect signifier for the decade to come when an increasing number of bands would break out of their genres and allow for more freedom and variety in their overall sound.

 Buy “You Are Invited”
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I - You Are Invited

 Buy “What Do You Want Me to Say?”
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I - What Do You Want Me to Say?

 



15. LAURYN HILL- THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL (1998)Lauryn Hill_Miseducation

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Lauryn, 1/3 of the mega successful Newark, NJ rap group The Fugees is a quadruple threat- writer, singer, rapper & producer. With “Miseducation”, she proved to be THE most talented member of her former group by frankly bettering the 6X platinum “The Score” and all of her former members solo records in every way. Her rap flow is impeccable, the album’s beats are jammin’, her lyrics are intelligent and socially conscious & her singing is beautiful. If I have one complaint it’s that the album runs a bit too long but it is certainly one of the best rap releases and overall albums of the decade.


Buy “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)

 Buy “Lost Ones”
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lost Ones



 

14. TRICKY- MAXINQUAYE (1995)

TRICKY_MAXINQUAYE

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Tricky, a veteran of trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack, saved trip-hop from becoming nothing more than middle of the road cocktail music for yuppies with this stunning debut- an album of challenging, experimental noise along with lyrics filled with angst & paranoia. Tricky’s next album would even be titled “Pre-Millenium Tension”. He’s not joking around! “Maxinquaye” also features a cover of spiritual cousin’s Public Enemy’s “Black Steel” sung rapped by a female – Martine. It’s not to be missed.


Buy “Black Steel”
Tricky - Maxinquaye - Black Steel

 Buy “Brand New, You’re Retro”
Tricky - Maxinquaye - Brand New You're Retro


 

13. THE FLAMING LIPS- THE SOFT BULLETIN (1999)

The Flaming Lips_the Soft Bulletin

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“The Soft Bulletin” was a brilliant right turn by the Lips after a decade of wackiness from Okalahoma’s finest experimental psychedelic rock crazies. This was the Lips most accessible album to date and by a large margin. They dialed down the shriek & sprawl of their past released and created a symphonic pop masterpiece filled with beautiful melodies and harmonies and songs about humanity- focusing on life and death itself both from personal and from societal perspectives. Although their sound changed rather drastically “The Soft Bulletin” is still unmistakably the Lips.


Buy “Race for the Prize”

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin - Race for the Prize

 Buy “Waitin’ for A Superman”
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin - Waitin' for a Superman


 

12. MY BLOODY VALENTINE- LOVELESS (1991)

My Bloody Valentine_Loveless

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A groundbreaking noise-pop classic brought to you by notable perfectionist and recluse Kevin Shields. “Loveless” was the culmination of the shoegaze movement that MBV helped spawn with the1988’s album “Isn’t Anything”. “Loveless” is a game changing release that many bands tried to copy but none was ever able to replicate. The music seems to suggest a sex & drug haze with many layers of psychedelia and light airy and sometimes barely audible female vocals. The songs range from lush & ethereal to violent & noisy but always remain beautiful and completely unique. Shields has yet to record a follow up album as My Bloody Valentine justifiably feeling that he could never better it.

Buy “Only Shallow”
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless - Only Shallow

 Buy “To Here Knows When”
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless - To Here Knows When


 

11. DJ SHADOW- ENTRODUCING (1996)
DJ Shadow_Entroducing

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Josh Davis (AKA DJ Shadow) is a white crate-digging suburban California hipster who had made his name in the underground rap & techno scenes with a series of brilliant singles. His debut album, the aptly titled “Entroducing” is a mostly instrumental album made up entirely of samples, largely from old, forgotten vinyl only releases- most of which were never part of the public consciousness. Whereas earlier sample classics like “Paul’s Boutique” by The Beasties or “3 Feet High and Rising” by De La Soul used familiar samples from unlikely genres of music, don’t even bother trying to spot the samples on “Entroducing”. Often it is even hard to tell which genre he is sampling from. The overall album has a very chilled out, dream like vibe- the listener can get absolutely lost inside of it.

Buy “Midnight In A Perfect World”
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing... - Midnight In a Perfect World

 Buy “Building Steam With A Grain of Salt”
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing... - Building Steam With a Grain of Salt