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.
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.
a few more...in no special order:
Nirvana - Nevermind
Pearl Jam - Ten
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Metallica - Metallica (black album)
Queensryche - Empire
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
I'll agree with you on most of that list are good but I would have to put Ten, Vitalogy, and Yield in there. All 3 of them in the top 10. I'd also maybe add August and Everything After. I've seen the Gin Blossoms several times in concert. For a few years, I think my Discman consisted entirely of a rotation of Ten, Dookie, August, and New Miserable Experience.
The Worst of the Jefferson Airplane.
(Currently listening to DSOTM)