Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 11/01/2025 02:45
- (Created: 12/04/2011 20:30).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 22 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 45 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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Overall chart rating: #2. Produced by Jim Scott. Strangers Almanac is the crowning achievement of Whiskeytoen. Ryan Adams gets pushed aside as a country artist by a lot of people, but he is a really brilliant songwriter, and his music is, in many cases, moe alt than country. Whiskeytown didn't last long, but it yielded this masterpiece. "Inn Town" and "Dancing With The Women At The Bar" are beautiful, but "Losering" is one of the greatest songs ever. Yes, I have a lot of Ryan Adams high on my chart. For good reason.
[First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
537
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
7
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Produced by Stephan Jenkins and Eric Valentine. Third Eye Blind doesn't get a whole lot of love, but tell me...what would the 90's have been without this gem of a record? "Semi-Charmed Life", "Jumper", and "How's It Gonna Be" surrounded by a cast of great rock songs. People often wonder why they like this, then they hear it again and remember all of the good tunes and great sounds. That's why. Because it's simply a well made, well written collection of great songs.
[First added to this chart: 03/05/2013]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,006
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Produced by The Verve, Chris Potter and Youth. The legal proceedings that netted the crooks who used to manage The Rolling Stones all of the royalties from "Bittersweet Symphony" should not take away from the fact that The Verve actually made a really great album. Urban Hymns is anchored by "Symphony", but there's so much more to it. The story of the song will always make the band a footnote in rock history, but Urban Hymns is some infectious stuff. A terrific and under appreciated album.
[First added to this chart: 05/14/2012]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,620
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Produced by Radiohead and Nigel Godrich. OK Computer is a great album, but to say it's the greatest of all time...that's just not in me. It really is amazing, and every listen is satisfying. It's loaded with great songs and great instrumental moments, and it really is Radiohead discovering what they are really capable of. But there are so many incredible albums worthy of that number one spot...I just don't see OK Computer as THAT excellent. But I still could not imagine my collection without it.
[First added to this chart: 12/16/2011]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
64,927
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1997-ROSWELL
Produced By GIL NORTON
1. Doll
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Hey, Johnny Park!
4. My Poor Brain
5. Wind Up
6. Up In Arms
7. My Hero
8. See You
9. Enough Space
10. February Stars
11. Everlong
12. Walking After You
13. New Way Home
Bonus
14. Requiem
15. Drive Me Wild
16. Down In The Park
17. Baker Street
18. Dear Lover
19. The Colour And The Shape
The first Foo Fighters album was really a Dave Grohl solo album on which he wrote and played almost everything. The Colour And The Shape is the beginning of Foo Fighters as a band. Even the songwriting becomes a shared effort, as Grohl wrote only three of the songs by himself: the rest are band efforts. Guitarist Pat Smear left at the end of the tour for the album, replaced by Franz Stahl, and Taylor Hawkins, who played on Jagged Little Pill, became the drummer as the album was being finished (Grohl plays most of the drums here).The sound of The Colour And The Shape is much more developed than on the debut: the expectation for the album was that it would be grunge, but that is put to rest early on. The album is inspired mainly by Grohl’s divorce a couple of years earlier.
“My Hero” is the most memorable song here, but “Monkey Wrench”, “Everlong” and “Walking After You” are excellent as well. The real highlight, though, is Grohl himself. This is the hardest rocking Foo Fighters album, thanks in large part to Grohl’s insistent drumming, and maybe the most consistent songwriting of any of their albums. Although the band was still in transition, this is the Foo album, alongside the debut, to have. You’ll wish Grohl could go back to doing it all…the truth is, the more he’s all over it, the better they are. The bonus tracks featured here are mostly covers (Killing Joke, Vanity 6, Gary Numan) and a couple of non-album tracks, and none are remarkable, except for the Gerry Rafferty cover, “Baker Street”, which replaces the classic sax solo with screeching guitar. Nonsense. Skip the bonus tracks. Enjoy the rest. [First added to this chart: 01/20/2019]
Produced By GIL NORTON
1. Doll
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Hey, Johnny Park!
4. My Poor Brain
5. Wind Up
6. Up In Arms
7. My Hero
8. See You
9. Enough Space
10. February Stars
11. Everlong
12. Walking After You
13. New Way Home
Bonus
14. Requiem
15. Drive Me Wild
16. Down In The Park
17. Baker Street
18. Dear Lover
19. The Colour And The Shape
The first Foo Fighters album was really a Dave Grohl solo album on which he wrote and played almost everything. The Colour And The Shape is the beginning of Foo Fighters as a band. Even the songwriting becomes a shared effort, as Grohl wrote only three of the songs by himself: the rest are band efforts. Guitarist Pat Smear left at the end of the tour for the album, replaced by Franz Stahl, and Taylor Hawkins, who played on Jagged Little Pill, became the drummer as the album was being finished (Grohl plays most of the drums here).The sound of The Colour And The Shape is much more developed than on the debut: the expectation for the album was that it would be grunge, but that is put to rest early on. The album is inspired mainly by Grohl’s divorce a couple of years earlier.
“My Hero” is the most memorable song here, but “Monkey Wrench”, “Everlong” and “Walking After You” are excellent as well. The real highlight, though, is Grohl himself. This is the hardest rocking Foo Fighters album, thanks in large part to Grohl’s insistent drumming, and maybe the most consistent songwriting of any of their albums. Although the band was still in transition, this is the Foo album, alongside the debut, to have. You’ll wish Grohl could go back to doing it all…the truth is, the more he’s all over it, the better they are. The bonus tracks featured here are mostly covers (Killing Joke, Vanity 6, Gary Numan) and a couple of non-album tracks, and none are remarkable, except for the Gerry Rafferty cover, “Baker Street”, which replaces the classic sax solo with screeching guitar. Nonsense. Skip the bonus tracks. Enjoy the rest. [First added to this chart: 01/20/2019]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,684
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 12/11/2011]
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[First added to this chart: 10/09/2024]
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1997 – MATADOR
Produced By ROGER MOUTENOT
1. Return To Hot Chicken
2. Moby Octopad
3. Sugarcube
4. Damage
5. Deeper Into Movies
6. Shadows
7. Stockholm Syndrome
8. Autumn Sweater
9. Little Honda
10. Green Arrow
11. One PM Again
12. The Lie And How We Told It
13. Center Of Gravity
14. Spec Bebop
15. We’re An American Band
16. My Little Corner Of The World
Yo La Tengo has successfully flown under the radar of stardom for a long time. A very long time. Formed in 1984 by the couple Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, almost everything about this band is interesting. They are named for a humorous story involving the 1962 New York Mets. They have had 14 bass players in their history, but only one since 1992. They are loved by critics, and have a small but fiercely loyal fan base. They played the Velvet Underground in a film, and they played a Night Ranger tribute band on Parks And Recreation. Their taste in cover songs is impeccable. And they have made mostly pretty great albums. I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One is maybe their finest…if not, it’s one of their very best. Kaplan and Hubley trade lead vocals, all of them low key and deep down in the mix almost as far as the guitars. And the result is that they sound undeniably cool. Undeniably.
The appeal of this album over their other great efforts is that this one branches out and tries the most different sounds. And almost everything works like a charm. The heaviest track is a surprise cover of The Beach Boy’s “Little Honda”. It sounds nothing like the original. Which makes it so cool. This album changes sound almost track by track, showing a stunning versatility. It also shows how good their songwriting is, and how unafraid they are to step out of their comfort zone. This album stands alongside the best of the longtime indie bands like Sonic Youth, and shows that even after so many years together, they were nowhere close to running out of ideas. This is a band and an album that gets lost in the shuffle way too often. They deserve to be heard, and this album, along with a few others by them, should be essential parts of a good rock collection. Take a listen, if you haven’t already. You’ll be happy you did. [First added to this chart: 05/06/2025]
Produced By ROGER MOUTENOT
1. Return To Hot Chicken
2. Moby Octopad
3. Sugarcube
4. Damage
5. Deeper Into Movies
6. Shadows
7. Stockholm Syndrome
8. Autumn Sweater
9. Little Honda
10. Green Arrow
11. One PM Again
12. The Lie And How We Told It
13. Center Of Gravity
14. Spec Bebop
15. We’re An American Band
16. My Little Corner Of The World
Yo La Tengo has successfully flown under the radar of stardom for a long time. A very long time. Formed in 1984 by the couple Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, almost everything about this band is interesting. They are named for a humorous story involving the 1962 New York Mets. They have had 14 bass players in their history, but only one since 1992. They are loved by critics, and have a small but fiercely loyal fan base. They played the Velvet Underground in a film, and they played a Night Ranger tribute band on Parks And Recreation. Their taste in cover songs is impeccable. And they have made mostly pretty great albums. I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One is maybe their finest…if not, it’s one of their very best. Kaplan and Hubley trade lead vocals, all of them low key and deep down in the mix almost as far as the guitars. And the result is that they sound undeniably cool. Undeniably.
The appeal of this album over their other great efforts is that this one branches out and tries the most different sounds. And almost everything works like a charm. The heaviest track is a surprise cover of The Beach Boy’s “Little Honda”. It sounds nothing like the original. Which makes it so cool. This album changes sound almost track by track, showing a stunning versatility. It also shows how good their songwriting is, and how unafraid they are to step out of their comfort zone. This album stands alongside the best of the longtime indie bands like Sonic Youth, and shows that even after so many years together, they were nowhere close to running out of ideas. This is a band and an album that gets lost in the shuffle way too often. They deserve to be heard, and this album, along with a few others by them, should be essential parts of a good rock collection. Take a listen, if you haven’t already. You’ll be happy you did. [First added to this chart: 05/06/2025]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,601
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1997-WORK
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Save Tonight
2. Indecision
3. Comatose (In The Arms Of Slumber)
4. Worried Eyes
5. Rainbow Wings
6. Falling In Love Again
7. Conversation
8. When Mermaids Cry
9. Shooting Up In Vain
10. Permanent Tears
11. Death Defied By Will
12. Desireless
Jazz trumpeter Don Cherry is a pretty forgotten musician, to be sure. Even more forgotten, though, is his stepdaughter, Neneh Cherry, who had a brief run of success with "Buffalo Stance". But the family title actually goes to Neneh's brother, Eagle Eye and his one hit "Save Tonight" from Desireless. And it's a shame that Eagle Eye never was heard much beyond that song, because this really is a pretty good record.
His sound will remind you of John Butler, his singing cool and clear, and his songs at the top of his game. Cherry not only makes "Save Tonight" sound great, but also "Shooting Up In Vain", "Death Defied By Will", and "Indecision". Eagle Eye certainly did deserve better than the lack of following he got and the shortness of his career. But you can still find Desireless and discover his gem of an album for yourself. Nicely done! [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Save Tonight
2. Indecision
3. Comatose (In The Arms Of Slumber)
4. Worried Eyes
5. Rainbow Wings
6. Falling In Love Again
7. Conversation
8. When Mermaids Cry
9. Shooting Up In Vain
10. Permanent Tears
11. Death Defied By Will
12. Desireless
Jazz trumpeter Don Cherry is a pretty forgotten musician, to be sure. Even more forgotten, though, is his stepdaughter, Neneh Cherry, who had a brief run of success with "Buffalo Stance". But the family title actually goes to Neneh's brother, Eagle Eye and his one hit "Save Tonight" from Desireless. And it's a shame that Eagle Eye never was heard much beyond that song, because this really is a pretty good record.
His sound will remind you of John Butler, his singing cool and clear, and his songs at the top of his game. Cherry not only makes "Save Tonight" sound great, but also "Shooting Up In Vain", "Death Defied By Will", and "Indecision". Eagle Eye certainly did deserve better than the lack of following he got and the shortness of his career. But you can still find Desireless and discover his gem of an album for yourself. Nicely done! [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Total albums: 9. Page 1 of 1
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1990 | 9 | 9% | |
| 1991 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1992 | 15 | 15% | |
| 1993 | 17 | 17% | |
| 1994 | 13 | 13% | |
| 1995 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1996 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1997 | 9 | 9% | |
| 1998 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1999 | 2 | 2% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Uncle Tupelo | 4 | 4% | |
| Nirvana | 3 | 3% | |
| Pearl Jam | 3 | 3% | |
| The Lemonheads | 2 | 2% | |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 2% | |
| Yo La Tengo | 2 | 2% | |
| Radiohead | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
79 | 79% | |
 |
11 | 11% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 7 from 92nd to 85th I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One by Yo La Tengo |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 85th to 86th Come On Feel The Lemonheads by The Lemonheads |
| Down 1 from 86th to 87th Time's Up by Living Colour |
| Down 1 from 87th to 88th Ænima by Tool |
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| Top 83 Music Albums of the 1990s | maverick470 | 1990s decade chart | 2015 |  |
| Los 100 mejores discos de los años 90 | Diariocrítico | 1990s decade chart | 2016 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s | edubs | 1990s decade chart | 2016 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Romanelli | Overall chart | 2025 | |
| My Overall Chart: 201-300 | Romanelli | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s |  StefanR10 | 1990s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Rolling Stone 100 Best Albums Of The 1990s | WayneMC | Custom chart | 2019 | |
| 100 Best Albums of the Nineties | Rolling Stone | 1990s decade chart | 2010 | |
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s ratings
87/100 (from 45 votes)
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 45 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 50/100  | 02/09/2023 22:04 |  pedro1976 | | 85/100 |
| 65/100 | 02/06/2023 02:26 | jonatascv1990 | | 78/100 |
| 100/100 | 02/10/2022 00:40 |  Larcx13 | | 86/100 |
| 90/100 | 06/26/2021 23:01 |  zwiebel | | 86/100 |
| 100/100 | 05/03/2021 09:53 |  jnfbn | | 96/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 86.8/100, a mean average of 85.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 87.1/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 17.1.
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s comments
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65/100
From jonatascv1990 02/06/2023 02:27
Good chart!
#293622 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Larcx13 02/10/2022 00:44
Larcx13 02/10/2022 00:44
Good descriptions and a bunch of new records for me to check out. Favorited.
#281051 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From henrygreen0203 05/04/2021 18:49
This is an excellent list. Lots of "alt-country" here, which is much more Replacements-Meets-Bruce Springsteen than traditional folk or country.
#269358 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
seb7 05/03/2021 18:04
seb7 05/03/2021 18:04
I can't really give a good rating because I haven't listened to 96 of these albums, but I just want to say that I am convinced that Romanelli and AM are the same person
#269325 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Johnnyo 05/03/2021 09:28
Great chart
#269302 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
ExTeaSea 01/18/2020 16:05
ExTeaSea 01/18/2020 16:05
I really appreciate some of the more personal picks. This is a really good chart. 14 albums in common is pretty good. Perhaps one day I'll check out Uncle Tupelo.
#246969 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
ForegroundNoise 05/30/2019 07:36
ForegroundNoise 05/30/2019 07:36
Really love the detailed notes and careful selections!! I still feel it's a little too focused on American alt-rock for my liking however, would be nice to see some electronic releases/more hip hop besides Public Enemy at no.73!
#236903 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
RoundTheBend 05/30/2019 02:57
RoundTheBend 05/30/2019 02:57
23 albums in common. Solid other picks!
#236900 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From edubs 05/29/2019 20:20
awesome chart!
#236889 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
HoldenM 10/01/2017 05:52
HoldenM 10/01/2017 05:52
Ahhh... That's a great chart right there.
#198955 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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