Best Albums of the 1990s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1990s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
Decade:
Year:
1990s decade summary
YearAlbums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
19902,774133,332
19912,837256,344
19923,000168,521
19933,207189,684
19943,466284,232
19953,665216,844
19963,867185,538
19974,037260,122
19984,089193,785
19994,205181,567
Total35,1472,069,969

The best artists of the 1990s were Radiohead, Nirvana, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Weezer and Richard David James.
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Best Albums of the 1990s composition

Year Albums %


1990 86 9%
1991 81 8%
1992 103 10%
1993 106 11%
1994 125 13%
1995 111 11%
1996 109 11%
1997 96 10%
1998 98 10%
1999 85 9%
Artist Albums %


Blur 6 1%
The Flaming Lips 6 1%
Suede 5 1%
Alice In Chains 5 1%
R.E.M. 5 1%
Pearl Jam 5 1%
Aphex Twin 5 1%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 547 55%
United Kingdom 257 26%
Canada 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 27 3%
Australia 21 2%
Sweden 14 1%
Japan 13 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 982 98%
Yes 18 2%
Live? Albums %
No 983 98%
Yes 17 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 989 99%
Yes 11 1%
Popular  Charts
1. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
2. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
3. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
4. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
5. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
6. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
7. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
8. The Greatest Rock Albums by uDiscoverMusic (2015)
9. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
10. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
11. Die 100 besten Alben der Musikgeschichte by radioeins (2019)
12. Die 100 besten Platten des Jahrhunderts by Wiener (1999)
13. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
14. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
15. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
16. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
17. Mojo Readers: The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made by Mojo (1996)
18. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
19. Os 100 Melhores Discos de Todos Os Tempos by Sinewave (2012)
20. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Channel 4 (2005)
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