Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s
by PeterSmith 
The 1990's saw me largely switch off from new bands and albums. I got new albums from old favourites like Bowie and Floyd and U2. I let in R.E.M., Travis and Oasis at the time.
I did like some singles I was hearing from bands like Eels, Suede, Blur, Pulp, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Moby, The Verve, Primal Scream, Portishead, Air, Garbage, Beck amongst others - but wasn't inclined to get their albums and really let them into my life.
I totally missed Radiohead, Muse, Pixies, Modest Mouse, Smashing Pumpkins, Flaming Lips, Sigur Ros, Grandaddy, Mogwai, Belle & Sebastion, Elliot Smith amongst others.
My views on the 90's would have been so different if I had let them in at the time.
Still it is great to look back and discover the material now and to hear it for the first time and judge it without any hype or influences around at the time.
I have included the year I got round to getting the album and giving it a proper listen.
As at end of June 2019 this chart has:
18 big classics - appear in >1000 charts
20 mid level classics - appear in >500 - 1000 charts
26 low level classics - appear in >250 - 500 charts
18 minor - appear in >100 - 250 charts
12 rare - appear >10 - 100 charts
2 super rare - appear in <10 charts
Just thought I'd share that
- Chart updated: 10/03/2021 11:15
- (Created: 06/29/2019 20:12).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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First heard 1992.
Grew up with U2 and loved this more mature sound - starting to sound like the international mega band that they became [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Grew up with U2 and loved this more mature sound - starting to sound like the international mega band that they became [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,588
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
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First heard 2005
Took almost a decade of badgering from my brothers to finally listen to this. Finally relented when it started showing up as the best ever album all over the place. How good can it be? Very Good - excellent. Exit Music - his voice and delivery at "we hope your wisdom chokes you" - wow.
Caught them live on the In Rainbows tour [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Took almost a decade of badgering from my brothers to finally listen to this. Finally relented when it started showing up as the best ever album all over the place. How good can it be? Very Good - excellent. Exit Music - his voice and delivery at "we hope your wisdom chokes you" - wow.
Caught them live on the In Rainbows tour [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
61,481
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
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Average Rating:
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First heard 2016.
Drawn to the album cause it featured in a chart. Intrigued by the band name - never heard anything about them. First listens were a bit disorientating - his voice isn't a classical beauty and tuneful, but over a few listens you get the emotion. His lyrics and delivery are amazing throughout - why use one word to describe something when 100 words can do it lol [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Drawn to the album cause it featured in a chart. Intrigued by the band name - never heard anything about them. First listens were a bit disorientating - his voice isn't a classical beauty and tuneful, but over a few listens you get the emotion. His lyrics and delivery are amazing throughout - why use one word to describe something when 100 words can do it lol [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,930
Rank in 1998:
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Average Rating:
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First heard 1999
Loved this Scottish Band at the time with their singles and interesting videos. One of the few "new" bands I let in at the time. Nice poppy tunes.
Caught them live on the 20 year anniversary tour of this album. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Loved this Scottish Band at the time with their singles and interesting videos. One of the few "new" bands I let in at the time. Nice poppy tunes.
Caught them live on the 20 year anniversary tour of this album. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,744
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First heard 2019.
There were only 2 things I knew about them before listening to this album.
1. They stopped an X Factor winner getting to number 1 following a social media campaign - yahoo.
2. They were loud and noisy.
It wasn't my cup of tea back then, but in recent times I have been open to new genre and styles. This album grabbed me straight away and I loved the beats, delivery and lyrics. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
There were only 2 things I knew about them before listening to this album.
1. They stopped an X Factor winner getting to number 1 following a social media campaign - yahoo.
2. They were loud and noisy.
It wasn't my cup of tea back then, but in recent times I have been open to new genre and styles. This album grabbed me straight away and I loved the beats, delivery and lyrics. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1992
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,377
Rank in 1992:
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First heard 2017.
My brothers had been telling me to get into them for years but took till 2009 when I finally got Daisies of the Galaxy. I really liked them and over the years caught up their back catalogue. Not sure why but seemed to not get this until recently despite actually having heard their singles and really liking them at the time from this album. Anyway got it now and it's pushed to my favourite Eels album.
Caught them live quite a few times. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
My brothers had been telling me to get into them for years but took till 2009 when I finally got Daisies of the Galaxy. I really liked them and over the years caught up their back catalogue. Not sure why but seemed to not get this until recently despite actually having heard their singles and really liking them at the time from this album. Anyway got it now and it's pushed to my favourite Eels album.
Caught them live quite a few times. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,998
Rank in 1996:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
First heard 2019.
Only recently heard them - saw positive reviews about them and thought I'd give them a bash. First song first listen reminded me a bit of Pixies.
Took a couple of listens to really start to get them - currently loving them and working through their back catalogue. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Only recently heard them - saw positive reviews about them and thought I'd give them a bash. First song first listen reminded me a bit of Pixies.
Took a couple of listens to really start to get them - currently loving them and working through their back catalogue. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,544
Rank in 1997:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
First heard 2018.
Had started with their Surfer Rosa album which took a wee while to penetrate - this album is much more accessible and would have been an easier start. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Had started with their Surfer Rosa album which took a wee while to penetrate - this album is much more accessible and would have been an easier start. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,887
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
First heard 2018.
In saying that I did recognise the singles here. Think I recall finding the singles interesting at the time but not where I was in my musical taste at that time (which was fairly narrow). This album did entrance me after only a few listens. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
In saying that I did recognise the singles here. Think I recall finding the singles interesting at the time but not where I was in my musical taste at that time (which was fairly narrow). This album did entrance me after only a few listens. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16,303
Rank in 1994:
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Average Rating:
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First heard 2018.
Picked this band up from this site. Immediately loved the atmospheric and spacious songs - straight away it was my cup of tea. The Icelandic lyrics (and made up language he uses - but I couldn't obviously tell what was legit) adds another level of intrigue and other worldliness for me. Beautiful chill album. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Picked this band up from this site. Immediately loved the atmospheric and spacious songs - straight away it was my cup of tea. The Icelandic lyrics (and made up language he uses - but I couldn't obviously tell what was legit) adds another level of intrigue and other worldliness for me. Beautiful chill album. [First added to this chart: 06/30/2019]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
14,646
Rank in 1999:
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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 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1991 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1992 | 4 | 4% | |
| 1993 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1994 | 15 | 15% | |
| 1995 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1996 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1997 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1998 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1999 | 12 | 12% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Radiohead | 5 | 5% | |
| Blur | 4 | 4% | |
| David Bowie | 4 | 4% | |
| Elliott Smith | 3 | 3% | |
| Oasis | 3 | 3% | |
| Belle And Sebastian | 3 | 3% | |
| Pulp | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s chart changes
| New entries |
|---|
| Camelot Poems by U2 |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Born Again by The Notorious B.I.G. |
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Other decade charts by PeterSmith
PeterSmith has shared 6 more decade charts with the community. Browse them all here.
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
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| Top 88 Music Albums of the 2010s | PeterSmith | 2010s decade chart | 2022 | |
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 4 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/17/2023 20:03 | chavaloricardin | 16 | 83/100 | |
| 07/24/2022 09:36 |  Bach | 963 | 78/100 | |
| 12/30/2021 04:50 |  Rhyner | 1,452 | 99/100 | |
| 11/13/2019 15:04 | TheSmiths82-87 | 1,828 | 83/100 |
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s comments
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From chavaloricardin 05/17/2023 20:03 | #297045
Great Picks. "The Man Who" as number 4 is Insane... i loved.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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