Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s
by Purplepash

My favourite decade of music especially the first half of the decade.
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Buy album United States
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"When I was an alien
Cultures weren't opinions"

Best album ever! Too good for anything I can say about it. I am just so appreciative I was there at the time (Bleach was already a favourite), and seeing the rest of the world catch on.

Favourite song: whichever one I am listening to at the time - they are all that good to me.
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
37,760
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (87/100 - 4338 votes)  87 (4,338 votes)
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"I'm gonna live the life I love
I'm gonna love the life I live"

Such a trippy album that you don't need the drugs - this album is the drug! When it first came out I thought this was a decent album but after a few listens, halfway through Higher Than The Sun, came a moment I'll never forget when something just clicked and I totally got this album. I became totally absorbed and lost in the music. After over 25 years this album never fails to transport me to another world, where the music is everything. The vocal performance in Damaged is the best singing Bobby Gillespie has ever done and the way he sounds so sad as he sings the line "I've never felt so happy" is something special that moves me every time.
I once had the privilege of seeing them perform this album live and it was mind blowing unlike anything I've ever experienced. One of my favourite live music experiences ever.

Too many 10/10 songs to mention but my favourites are Damaged, Higher Than The Sun, and Loaded.
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,246
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
217
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
4. (=)
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,141
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
"My big brother held on to my hands
Then he made me slap my own face
I looked up to him then, and still do
He was trying to teach me something
Now I know what it was!
Now I know what he meant!
Now I know how it is!"

A favourite at the time that I never really stopped listening to throughout the 90's. Another shared favourite of my wife and I. I love listening to her singalong to every word of Of Course. When the song you like the least on an album is of the quality of Been Caught Stealing, you know it's an amazing album.

1010 songs: Classic Girl, Of Course, Stop, Three Days.
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,832
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1992
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,203
Rank in 1992:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
63,665
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (92/100 - 5647 votes)  92 (5,647 votes)
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,034
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
"Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky"

So they never ended up living up to the standard of their first two albums, but how could anyone that starts with two albums this great? Just watch the footage of the crowd singalong of Don't Look Back In Anger after the Manchester bomb attack as an example of the power of music. Nearly moved me to tears.

10/10 songs: Champagne Supernova, Morning Glory, Don't Look Back In Anger, Wonderwall
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,462
Rank in 1995:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2017]
Year of Release:
1992
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,032
Rank in 1992:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s composition

Year Albums %


1990 14 14%
1991 14 14%
1992 13 13%
1993 13 13%
1994 17 17%
1995 6 6%
1996 7 7%
1997 11 11%
1998 5 5%
1999 0 0%
Country Albums %


United States 54 54%
United Kingdom 25 25%
Australia 12 12%
Mixed Nationality 6 6%
Iceland 2 2%
Japan 1 1%
Compilation? Albums %
No 91 91%
Yes 9 9%
Live? Albums %
No 97 97%
Yes 3 3%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 98 98%
Yes 2 2%

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 1 from 53rd to 52ndCrooked Rain, Crooked Rain
by Pavement
Climber Up 1 from 52nd to 51stHormoaning
by Nirvana
Climber Up 1 from 51st to 50thLive Seeds
by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Biggest fallers
Faller Down 17 from 36th to 53rdThis Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About
by Modest Mouse
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990smatterhornrider1990s decade chart2025Unknown
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s dazatoth1990s decade chart2013

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Purplepash has shared 6 more 1990s decade charts with the community. Browse them all here.
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s ratings

Average Rating: 
90/100 (from 16 votes)
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90/100
 !
03/28/2025 17:04 Johnnyo   2,56680/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
95/100
 !
12/12/2024 02:11 KineticEchoes02   11188/100
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100/100
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09/14/2024 00:55 mrmcrook   76992/100
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95/100
 !
07/04/2024 23:20 matterhornrider   9793/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
90/100
 !
10/12/2023 08:22 Moondance   47785/100

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This chart is rated in the top 3% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.8/100, a mean average of 92.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 5.9.

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s comments

Showing all 6 comments |
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Rating:  
90/100
From 03/28/2025 17:04 | #308235
Another great decades chart. Great stuff
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/12/2024 02:16 | #306459
Really cool chart - great stuff! I grew up in the 90s so a lot of this stuff was frequently in my 5 CD stacker, very nostalgic. Loved seeing the Aussie acts in there, especially Grinspoon - agree they are an awesome live band.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 09/14/2024 00:57 | #305269
Love the notes. They can be good guidelines on what to check out for me as to what's within my own tastes.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 10/12/2023 08:25 | #299457
Love this chart - including the Aussie selections.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 07/30/2022 23:16 | #287973
like it
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 03/16/2020 14:11 | #248783
Well, classics are classic ! Cool list!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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