My Top 10 Favorite Albums from the 1990s (No Nirvana or Pearl Jam)

myself | 10/22/2006 | Pyro7480

[Pyro7480]

Smash... by the Offspring

"You stupid dumb s**t g***mn mother f***er!" LOL! There are some good albums I forgot about that people are mentioning.

[Pyro7480]

"Ill Communication", Beastie Boys

Never owned the album, but the video to "Sabotage" has to be one of my favorites from the decade.

"Siamese Dream", Smashing Pumpkins

Also never owned that one, but "Rocket" and "Today" were great.

[Pyro7480]

"Buddy Holly" was the GREATEST video of the 90s as well.

Love that video. :)

My favorite single of the 90s: "Never Met a Girl Like You Before." I can't remember the name of the artist, however.

That was Edwyn Collins. It was in a few movies from the 90s.

[Pyro7480]

Tori Amos Little Earthquakes

"Silent All These Years" is a great track and video.

Live Throwing Copper

That would have been #11. :)

[Pyro7480]

Why no Pearl Jam; at least Ten should be included.

I never got really into them. I have one live album by them. I decided that I should list albums outside of the stereotypes for rock during the 1990s.

[Clemenza]

Thanks. Edwyn Collins was one of the great one hit wonders, and an essential part of the soundtrack to my sophomore year in college (along with "I Will" by Live and STP).

[Pyro7480]

I’ve seen DMB twice on concert. Will go see them again

I've seen them twice as well, the last time in 1999. I tried to see them this past summer with my sister (who is a huge fan), but it sold out.

[Mr. Mojo]

A few more....

Bone Machine, Tom Waits

The Black Rider, Tom Waits

American Recordings, Johnny Cash

The Good Son, Nick Cave

[lesser_satan]

...Evanescence – The Open Door (Amy Lee – probably one of the best female rock voices ever)...

That's definitley on my "buy" list. I bought Fallen the day I first saw the Going Under video on Fuse. Her voice is incredible. I love their whole metal/ goth/ classical music blend, they're incredibly talented.

[lesser_satan]

I love that song. It reminds me of myself driving in rush-hour every day.

Hey man you know I'm really okay
The gun in my hand will tell you the same
But when I'm in my car
Don't give me no crap
Cause the slightest thing and I just might snap

When I go driving I stay in my lane
But getting cut off it makes me insane
I open the glove box
Reach inside
I'm gonna wreck this f#$ker's ride

[Chorus:]
I guess I got a bad habit
Of blowin' away (Yeah, Yeah)
I got a bad habit (Yeah, Yeah)
And it ain't goin' away (Yeah, Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah, Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah, Yeah)

Well they say the road is a dangerous place
If you flip me off I'll get in your face
If you drive on my ass
Your foot's on the gas
And your next breath is your last

[Chorus]

Drivers are rude
Such attitudes
But when I show my piece
Complaints cease
Something's odd
I feel like I'm god
You stupid dumbs$!t go$%^mn motherf%^$er!

I open the glove box
Reach inside
I'm gonna wreck this f#$%er's ride

[Chorus]

[Pyro7480]

bought Fallen the day I first saw the Going Under video on Fuse

Though it's outside the "1990s" criteria, Fallen is one of the best albums of the past 5 years, in my opinion. I remember hearing "Bring Me to Life" for the first time (it was the "original" version, without the unnecessary rapping; I have that version on mp3). I got to see them perform not long afterwards while Ben Moody was still with them. It was a great show.

The Open Door is probably an album that will need to grow on me. I got to preview it online, and after a first listen, I wasn't that impressed overall. "Lacrymosa" is a neat track though, with the excerpt from Mozart's Requiem. I think I'll end up getting it with the expected gift cards to Borders that I usually get for Christmas.

[SamAdams76]

You say no Nirvana but Foo Fighters come pretty close! That Foo Fighters album is one of my alltime favorites as well. They never really matched it since.

Gin Blossoms "New Miserable Experience" is great as well, never gets tired after all these years.

The Radiohead albums creep me out. When "OK Computer" came out, I was listening to it as I drove by a fatal car wreck near my house minutes after it happened. Turned out to be a teenager that lived down the street from me. That kind of ruined the album for me and everytime I hear it, especially "Airbag", I'm reminded of that car wreck.

[Mr. Blonde]

I actually like Down on the Upsidebetter.

Others on my list would be

Beck Odelay
Oasis Definitely Maybe
The Black Crowes The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Presidents of the United States of America Self Titled (its dumb I know but it is fun)
RATM RATM
And Temple of the Dog would make it but I think it is 1989.

[Pyro7480]

BTTT

[Mr. Blonde]

I was amazed by how great Jeff Buckley's voice was when I first heard it. Hallalujah is incredible. It still blows me away.

[Starter]

I'll add a couple that others haven't mentioned:

No Doubt "Tragic Kingdom"
Yeah, yeah. I know. Gwen Stephani's gone kinda goofy in recent years, but this CD shows that they did have some musical chops behind them.

They Might Be Giants - "Flood"
Yeah, yeah. TMBG isn't for everyone. But this is still a heck of a CD. At the very least, it reintroduced "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" to the listening public. An honorable mention to "Apollo 18" as well.

Barenaked Ladies "Gordon"
While they didn't hit it big in the US until 2000's "Maroon", BNL's debut CD was filled with songs that are still catchy a decade later.

The Refreshments "Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big and Buzzy"
Okay, I might be the only person who even remembers these guys, but I'll mention them anyway. The Refreshments were an Arizona band with a southwestern college rock type twang. Only one song of theirs ("Banditos") ever got much nationwide airplay (Although I heard a good chunk of the CD played on Denver radio) but the band seemed poised to explode... and then they vanished. (Okay, technically they released a second CD, broke up, and the lead singer formed a new band which is still around, but that's close enough for jazz.) Right now, the band is best known for the theme song to "King of the Hill". (And if you listen to the commentary on the pilot episode you can also hear Mike Judge talk about how the staff thought these guys would be huge.) But if you listen to the CD, you can hear a bunch of songs that'll make you say "Why didn't they ever play this on the radio?"


I'll give some "not classic, but still darn good" nods to INXS' "Welcome to Wherever You Are", "Empire Records", "Everyone Else is Doing It so Why Can't We?" by the Cranberries, and "Garbage" or "Version 2.0" by Garbage.

[Pyro7480]

Garbage" or "Version 2.0" by Garbage.

There are definitely classic tracks on both albums.

[Pyro7480]

I was amazed by how great Jeff Buckley's voice was when I first heard it.

It really was amazing.

[NoAction]

Drat! I always miss the fun discussions. Anyway, here are some of my favorite oddball selections for the 90's:

Cocteau Twins "Heaven or Las Vegas" - dreamy, hazy guitars + some woman singing gibberish lyrics!

Pixies "Trompe le Monde" - Bizarro World Nirvana? Songs about aliens, brine shrimp and Alec Eiffel.

Curve "Doppelganger" - Redefines "Wall of Sound". Dream pop with all amps turned to 11.

Laika "Silver Apples of the Moon" - Electronica + marimba/flute/etc. + whispered vocals?

Broadcast "Work and Non-Work" - More electronic stuff, lots of analog synths + cool airy female vocals.

Pram "North Pole Radio Station" - Even weirder electronic stuff, lots of theremin/chimes/horns/whatever added.

Stereolab "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" - Electronic French Pop etc.

Flaming Lips "Clouds Taste Metallic" - Off-kilter alt rock from crazy Oklahomans.

Nick Cave "Henry's Dream" - More of Nick's tales from the dark side of humanity.

There is plenty of good music, you just have to search it out.

[Pyro7480]

That's some selection there! You must like "shoegazing" type music, between the Cocteau Twins and the first Curve release. Ever hear of Lush? Their first EP and single came out in 1990, so they could be considered to be "1990s." Within the past year, I saw an old video of Lush on the VH1 Classic channel, and ended up getting their first compilation album, Gala from a used CD site.