Best Year For Music- Round 1-Part 4: The 1990's

[AAL2014]

We've reached my decade of birth, and another decade featuring amazing landmark albums, and years enriched with musical splendor. Which one is your favorite?

Our last poll found probably the most intriguing battle yet. 1984 came from 3 or 4 votes behind to land sole possession of 1st place. The voting also resulted in a 3 way tie for second place between 1980, 1988, and 1989. Being that only three move on from each of these polls, in the case of a tie I've stated that the year with more overall points on the website will move on. So our top 3 from the 1980's poll are: 1984, 1980, and 1989.

Now for the 90's (with BEA's current top 10 for each year)


1990

-Violater- Depeche Mode, Heaven or Las Vegas- Cocteau Twins, Nowhere- Ride, Bossanova- Pixies, Rust In Peace- Megadeth, Goo- Sonic Youth, Ritual De Lo Habitual- Jane's Addiction, Fear of a Black Planet- Public Enemy, The La's (s/t), Repeater-Fugazi

1991

-Nevermind- Nirvana, Loveless- My Bloody Valentine, Ten- Pearl Jam, Achtung Baby- U2, Blood Sugar Sex Magik- Red Hot Chili Peppers, Spiderland- Slint, Metallica (s/t), The Low End Theory- A Tribe Called Quest, Laughing Stock- Talk Talk, Screamadelica- Primal Scream

1992

-Automatic For The People- REM, Rage Against The Machine (s/t), Slanted and Enchanted- Pavement, Dirt- Alice In Chains, Selected Ambient Works 85-92- Aphex Twin, Angel Dust- Faith No More, The Chronic- Dr. Dre, Little Earthquakes- Tori Amos, Images & Words- Dream Theater, Dirty- Sonic Youth

1993

-In Utero- Nirvana, Siamese Dream- Smashing Pumpkins, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)- Wu-Tang Clan, Souvlaki- Slowdive, Vs.- Pearl Jam, August And Everything After- Counting Crows, Debut- Bjork, Midnight Marauders- A Tribe Called Quest, Modern Life Is Rubbish- Blur, Suede (s/t)

1994

- Grace- Jeff Buckley, Weezer (The Blue Album), Definitely Maybe- Oasis, Dummy- Portishead, Illmatic- Nas, MTV Unplugged- Nirvana, Dookie- Green Day, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain- Pavement, Parklife- Blur, The Downward Spiral- Nine Inch Nails

1995

- The Bends- Radiohead, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?- Oasis, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness- Smashing Pumpkins, Different Class- Pulp, Jagged Little Pill- Alanis Morisette, Post- Bjork, Liquid Swords- GZA, Elliot Smith (s/t), To Bring You My Love- P.J. Harvey, Wowee Zowee- Pavement

1996

- Pinkerton- Weezer, If You're Feeling Sinister- Belle and Sebastian, Endtroducing...- DJ Shadow, Odelay- Beck, Ænima- Tool, Sublime (s/t), Everything Must Go- Manic Street Preachers, Reasonable Doubt- Jay Z, Tigermilk- Belle and Sebastian, Soundtracks for the Blind- Swans

1997

- OK Computer- Radiohead, Homogenic- Bjork, Either/Or- Elliot Smith, The Lonesome Crowded West- Modest Mouse, Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space- Spiritualized, Urban Hymns- The Verve, The Colour and the Shape- Foo Fighters, F#A#∞- Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Perfect From Now On- Built To Spill, The Boatman's Call- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

1998

-In the Aeroplane Over The Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel, Mezzanine- Massive Attack, Moon Safari- Air, Music Has The Right To Children- Boards of Canada, Aquemini- OutKast, XO- Elliot Smith, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Ray of Light- Madonna, Electro-Shock Blues, Deserter's Songs- Mercury Rev

1999

-Ágætis Byrjun- Sigur Ros, The Soft Bulletin- Flaming Lips, Californication- Red Hot Chili Peppers, 13- Blur, 69 Love Songs- The Magnetic Fields, Emergency & I- The Dismemberment Plan, Play- Moby, Summerteeth- Wilco, The Battle of Los Angeles- Rage Against The Machine, Keep it Like a Secret- Built to Spill
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Attention all planets of the solar federation: We have assumed control.

[CA Dreamin]

Again I'm referencing the thread from March:

https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/v...hp?t=15635

[glynspsa]

1994

Ready To Die by The Notorious B.I.G.

[Mercury]

Very tough. I mean at first it was a no brained, I thought, for 94. But then the same stuff that made me love 94 (east coast and west coast hip hop, great Lo fi indie, etc), is as present in 93 and 95. Then 96 was the front runner because it just has a different, more approachable and warm association than 93-95. But then I was like, man 99 is awesome too.

In the end I voted 99. On impulse and whim to some degree. But also because of ...I see a darkness, black on both sides, enema of the state, summerteeth, mule variations, soft bulletin, internal affairs-Pharaoh Monch, and lots of other great stuff. I just love 99. So that.

Edit: the 91 hype machine is going strong and will probably lead to a clear winner, or at the very least 94 will be challenged, where I don’t think it would have been had 91 not been the subject of some other threads round these parts recently. We shall see.
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-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[craola]

Bel Canto, Lush, Pale Saints, Sonic Youth, The Sundays, Noise Unit, Daisy Chainsaw, The Nightblooms
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[Fischman]

Easily the lowest decade of my collection and my appreciation, especially the latter half. Thank god for jazz, blues, and new age, or anything after '94 would be an utter wasteland for me.

That said, I do admit some (relative) lack of knowledge as my first child was born in '94 and my life changed in a way that seriously cut back on my listening, collecting, and concert going. But after my children grew, I tried very hard to get caught up, but could find little to love from the mid 90's through the mid 2000s.

I do have some strong showings in '90 - '92. It was real tight, and I really wanted to go with '92 because it has:
Images and Words - The first Dream Theater album with the classic lineup was an absolute musical revelation for me. Killer songwriting, soaring vocals, inspired melodies and jaw dropping virtuosity all combined to make what is my #2 album of all time, and very well could be #1.

But the end, I chose '91 because beyond the top spot, it has so much more to love. Here's what makes that year so great for me:

Parallels - This was a great time for Progressive Metal, and Fates Warning at their best was right up there with Dream Theater. This is their finest album, which blends progressive virtuosity with great songwriting and positively catchy melody and harmony in the most amazing way.

Roll the Bones - Rush's most underrated album, full of music both meaningful and fun.

Damn Right I Got the Blues - My favorite album by my favorite bluesman. Buddy Guy is astounding and he really shows it on this one, both in his axe slinging and his powerfully soulful vocals.

Turbulence - An unknown gem from Yes' axeman Steve How. Absolutely beautiful.

Southern Steel - One of the best if not THE best, from five time Guitarist of the Year, Steve Morse.

The Visit - The first album to truly demonstrate all that Loreena McKennit is as a singer, songwriter, music writer, multi instrumentalist, and musical scholar. An amazing achievement.

Psycho Acoustic Overture - A totally obscure release from an acoustic guitar shredder with heavy gothic overtones by German musician, Bernd Steidl. A great listen.

Standards - Don't let the rather "standard" title fool you. This is a wonderful set of cuts from the incredible Mike Stern, jazz and fusion guitarist extraordinaire.

Living in the Danger Zone - A marvelous, gritty Chicago blues release from Son Seals. Soulful and fun to listen to. A great companion to the Buddy Guy listed above.

Back on the Case - The best from jazz/new age fusion masters Acoustic Alchemy. Every last tune chock full of memorable melodies.

Badmotorfinger - IMO, Soundgarden's best, and the very best of the genre. Utterly compelling.

Somebody - You probably haven't heard of Connie Dover. She has one of the most glorious voices ever to emanate from a human being. She blends Celtic and Americana and delivers it with the voice of an absolute angel. Think of it as the best possible fusion of Loreena McKennitt and Karen Carpenter.

88 Elmira Street - If you've heard of master of the Telecaster, Danny Gatton, then you probably know this one. I don't know if it's his "best," but it certainly is his most fun.

Flight of the Cosmic Hiippo - Easily one of tne of the best from the highly regarded Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

Iceman - Classic Albert Collins right here. Full of his wry bluesy wit and his unique blues licks. Another great Master of the Telecaster!

Anthem - New Age/Jazz pianist Peter Kater releases a beautifully introspective, yet melodious piano solo.

Ceremony - A dreadfully underrated release from The Cult.

Let Me In - Another blues great from the year, this time from the awesome Johnny Winter.

Heart of the Bass - The great jazz bassist John Pattitucci cuts a jazz/classical fusion masterpiece

Metallica - Okay, so it's not Lightning or Puppets, but if you set aside expectations, this is still a great album in its own right.

The Sky is Crying - This posthumous release from Stevie Ray Vaughan was a welcome addition to his all to short catalog of original material.

[CharlieBarley]

1995 easily.
I was in my first year of Uni. There was so much good music floating round campus. Revolution was in the air and it felt good to be alive and still young.

[zdwyatt]

Tough one. I guess I have to go '94 since that is the largest of my 90s charts. Mighty Joe Moon, Grace, and Throwing Copper are all on my All Time Greatest list. The Division Bell, Under the Pink, Live Through This, and The Downward Spiral make the cut if the list gets long enough. Amazing year for music.

[Tap]

Warp records 1997 output alone has me considering throwing a vote there:

Autechre had Envane, Chiastic Slide, Cichlisuite. Squarepusher had Big Loada, Hard Normal Daddy, Vic Acid. And then if you're counting compilations there's Burningn'n Tree from Squarepusher and Broadcast - Work and Non-Work. Aphex had Come To Daddy, Plaid had Not For Threes, there's a solid Phoenecia release too. Like yeah they had some Jimi Tenor stuff too but this stuff right here is some of my absolute favorites from these artists. But yeah there's a lot of good years here to consider, I'll have to think about this one.

[Antonio-Pedro]

1999 is the best for two things

Eureka by Jim O'Rourke

and a new star was born (me ayy)

Can't deny now
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Top 100 Hits you must hear before the u... of beauty