Top 86 Music Albums of 1990 by Romanelli

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Produced by George Drakoulias. In 1990, southern rock was dead. The Black Criowes changed all of that with their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker. They would go on to make more complex music with Marc Ford on guitar, but on their debut, there's an energy and hunger that is palpable more than it would ever be again. "Stare It Cold", "Twice As Hard", "Seeing Things" are highly ignored parts of their discography, but this album stands as a great beginning for a band that would later be hung with a revolving door of musicians and questionable musical directions. But here, they just rock. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,303
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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1990-MUTE
Produced By DEPECHE MODE & FLOOD

1. World In My Eyes
2. Sweetest Perfection
3. Personal Jesus
4. Halo
5. Waiting For The Night
6. Enjoy The Silence
7. Policy Of Truth
8. Blue Dress
9. Clean

During the 1980’s, I never quite got Depeche Mode. After all, it was cheesy synth dance music, and the younger me was all about guitars, dammit. Then, at the dawn of the 90’s, came Violator, and a whole new understanding of what Depeche Mode was really all about. There was nothing soft or cheesy about what was happening on this album, and it was immediately apparent that this band had grown a lot from the days of lite pop songs like “Just Can’t Get Enough” that had ruled the waves of KROQ. THIS Depeche Mode was serious, could really play, was growing fast, and more than anything else, had real and powerful songwriting at their disposal. A band that had featured very little to no guitars during the 80’s now had guitarist Martin Gore as their principal songwriter, adding a depth to their music that had been sorely missed in their early days. For me, Violator changed the way I saw Depeche Mode forever…both for future and for past releases. From afterthought to a seriously great band in one album for me. Sometimes things just work out for the best.

Not to say that Violator isn’t a dance record. And the fact is, it was the album that put them on the charts in the United States. It’s a pop record. It’s a pop gem. From the opening synth of “World In My Eyes”, you get right away that it’s also a pretty dark record. Before you know it, you’re rocking to the exceptional “Personal Jesus”, and basking in the glory of great songs like “Enjoy The Silence”, “Halo”, and “Policy Of Truth”. Together with Black Celebration and Music For The Masses, Violator marks the end of a great trilogy of albums that was the peak of Depeche Mode. And despite the critical mixed bag of reviews it got (some dismissed it as a straight pop album, which is absurd), this is the one album by this band you should definitely end up with. Violator is as close to perfection as they ever got, and it’s one that you should definitely own. Dismiss this as pop if you must…but I say it would be a much better world if all pop aspired to be like Violator.
[First added to this chart: 10/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,406
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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1990-ISLAND
Produced By GEOFF WORKMAN

1. Around The Block Again
2. Chain Reaction
3. Fly Me Courageous
4. Look What You've Done To Your Brother
5. For You
6. Let's Go Dancing
7. The Innocent
8. Together
9. Lost In The Shuffle
10. Build A Fire
11. Rush Hour

This is what the lower echelon of bands from Georgia sounded like. Drivin-N-Cryin even had a minor pedigree (drummer Jeff Sullivan played with the Robinson brothers before they were the Black Crowes), but although they survived a long time, they never really amounted to much. In fact, guitarist and singer Kevn Kinney's solo albums are all much better than anything he recorded with this band. And while Fly Me Courageous is by no means its worst album, there really isn't much to recommend it. The title track was a semi-hit because of the timing with the Gulf War, but not much else stuck.

Although still a band, they have recorded only one full length album since 1997. Not that many have noticed. The country pop-metal-rock whatever it is that they play has not endured well. Look for Kinney's solo albums instead.
[First added to this chart: 06/10/2025]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
92
Rank in 1990:
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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Produced by Paul Q. Kolderie & Sean Slade. Maybe the single most important alt-country album ever made. The title later became the name of the musical movement it represented, and the music has been an endless inspiration to every alt-country band since. Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy sound like amateurs, their brand of country is puzzling, and nothing sounds like it should work...but every bit of it does. A brilliant, rough as sandpaper and perfect debut album. An absolutely must have. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
399
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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1990-EPIC
Produced By TIM PALMER

1. Burning Tree
2. Wigs, Blues And High Heeled Shoes
3. Fly On
4. Mistreated Lover
5. Masquerade
6. Playing In The Wind
7. Last Laugh
8. Crush
9. Same Old Story
10. Baker's Song
11. Baby Blue
12. Turtle

The more I listen to this, the more I like it. Burning Tree’s debut (and only) album was released at the height of hair glam, which may be why it didn’t sell much. This album is more late 60’s rock than it is Motley Crue and Poison. The album became lost in the shuffle and they split before making another one. Guitarist Marc Ford shows his brilliance throughout, and the songs grow on you, particularly “Masquerade”, “Fly On”, and “Same Old Story”. Unfortunately, not a hit in the bunch, but it all sounds pretty good. A good, cohesive energy is here, and who knows what they could have done with another chance. The critics loved it…the public never heard it. There are some lyrical question marks…”She’s got a crush on one of us/But she don’t know which one it is” on “Crush” is just silly, and maybe I’m not cool, but I have no idea what “She makes me do the turtle” (from “Turtle”) means.

Ford joined the Black Crowes in 1992. The other members, Doni Gray and Mark Dutton, went on to play on side projects with members of Guns ‘N Roses.
[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
32
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 11/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,980
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Produced by Ed Stasium. Hard to find now in the US...you might have to buy it as an import. This is the follow up to their breakthrough album, Vivid. It does not contain "Cult Of Personality", which may explain why it's not well known. But this is just as good, if not better than, Vivid. Particularly the rollicking "Love Rears Its Ugly Head", the excellent "Elvis Is Dead", and the just as good "Type". Living Colour deserves to be known for much more than "Cult", and a great place to hear just how good they were is right here on Time's Up. A meaningful purchase. [First added to this chart: 05/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
313
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
272
Rank in 1990:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 07/27/2012]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
130
Rank in 1990:
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Overall Rank:
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 01/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
652
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 86. Page 1 of 9

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Top 86 Music Albums of 1990 composition

Country Albums %


United States 48 56%
United Kingdom 24 28%
Ireland 3 3%
Australia 3 3%
Mixed Nationality 3 3%
Germany 2 2%
Canada 1 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 68 79%
Yes 18 21%
Live? Albums %
No 82 95%
Yes 4 5%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 85 99%
Yes 1 1%

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(from the 1990s)
TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
Top 60 Music Albums of 1999 Romanelli1999 year chart2025
Top 70 Music Albums of 1998 Romanelli1998 year chart2025
Top 82 Music Albums of 1997 Romanelli1997 year chart2025
Top 71 Music Albums of 1996 Romanelli1996 year chart2025
Top 70 Music Albums of 1995 Romanelli1995 year chart2025
Top 95 Music Albums of 1994 Romanelli1994 year chart2025
Top 91 Music Albums of 1993 Romanelli1993 year chart2025
Top 77 Music Albums of 1992 Romanelli1992 year chart2025
Top 93 Music Albums of 1991 Romanelli1991 year chart2025
Top 86 Music Albums of 1990 Romanelli1990 year chart2025

Top 86 Music Albums of 1990 ratings

Average Rating: 
88/100 (from 10 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
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05/29/2025 22:48 Repo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 519100/100
  
95/100
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10/11/2022 05:34 leniad  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 67985/100
  
85/100
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08/09/2020 01:40 zwiebel  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 18886/100
  
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03/10/2020 01:08 DJENNY  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4,365100/100
  
90/100
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09/13/2019 07:28 desh79  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,27893/100

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).
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This chart is rated in the top 10% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 87.9/100, a mean average of 90.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.0/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.2.

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Rating:  
95/100
From 10/11/2022 05:34
great effort
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 05/13/2021 17:27
Interesting chart! I can't rate as I've only heard maybe 3-5% of the albums on it - amazing how much music there is out there!
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Rating:  
70/100
From 01/05/2013 23:14
Nice chart.
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Rating:  
80/100
From 04/27/2012 12:27
Nice chart. Especially like the inclsion of Ludlow Garage. Great live album.
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