Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s
by Error Finn

Conceptual Extension - Part 5, 1990s: "Sampling to the Head"

Conceptual Extension, I mean that My lists are logical, but surprising sequels to previous. "The logical choice," easily creates objectivity. Objectivity arises in connection with the acquisition of music.
In the 1990s, I had already "learned the music consumer." I no longer bought albums by chance, but through a consideration. During this decade, my listening to music reached its peak.
In the 1990s the music happened more interesting things than in the 1980s. This is, of course, opinion. Grunge gave to rock music a common denominator (Nirvana). There was a band whose albums are expected as the Beatles in the 1960s (Radiohead). Within a decade, developed into an interesting modern pop music, which combined with distinctive intelligence, emotional and danceable (Bjork, Massive, Portishead, DJ Shadow ...). The above mentioned represent me - conceptual extension!
My lists is not a normal cross-section of the 1990s. My list has lot of options for alternatives.The previous lists a very successful guitarists, are also now important and visible presence (Scofield, Frisell, Ford, Trucks, Walli ...). I couldn't leave them out! There's also some great live albums (Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd) and beautiful film music (Preisner).
The old music facilities were heavily used, but it could have been edited very well.

"When I am king, you will be first against the wall
With your opinion which is of no consequence at all
What's that?
What's that?"

• Chart updated: 09/11/2022 08:15
• (Created: 06/16/2012 17:42).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

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1. (=)

OK Computer 

 Radiohead

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What's new, we can tell this album, which can be found in the list of more than thousand, and which has reached the NUMBER ONE place on this site? There are several explanations for sure. OK Computer was released 15 years ago (July 1, 1997). It is the current music a long time, and a sufficiently long period of time preached classic.In fact I started to listen to this album until May 2005. Content and format of the album, made me re-evaluate the laws of music. I hear that Ok Computer gives, a lot of sense, and also a tied intellect.Album made me a "space" that Ok Computer is a summary of all that had until then been heard of.I have found from the album, new wave, beatlepop, p.floyd, mod Culture, introverted hymns, re-edited progressive rock, Krzysztof Penderecki, Miles Davis' electronic jazz ...Album operates as a drama radio play (53:21). Every riff, breathing, tone, word, vocal, background are set up to work towards a common goal a reality. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1997

Appears in:

4,421 charts

Rank Score:

63,649

Rank in 1997:

1

Rank in 1990s:

1

Overall Rank:

1

Average Rating:

 92 (5,636 votes)

Comments:

855

2. (=)

Automatic For The People 

 R.E.M.

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The fall of 1992 I was quite sure that REM is the world's best band. The reason for this was, that year the album release entitled: "Automatic For The People". I borrowed this album to my friend (who in turn lent me Dylan's albums) and also he was convinced (he recorded it to tape!), the band's successful album.We talked with a friend from an album, and we noted: R.E.M. have never been as emotionally direct as they are on "Automatic for the People"."Nightswimming," "Everybody Hurts," "Sweetness Follows","Find the River"..ok, I should write every song! AFTP is a timeless album. If it now (2012) would be published, it would become - album of the year. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1992

Appears in:

1,830 charts

Rank Score:

19,149

Rank in 1992:

1

Rank in 1990s:

6

Overall Rank:

48

Average Rating:

 84 (2,217 votes)

Comments:

177

3. (=)

Mezzanine 

 Massive Attack

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The closer to the year 2000 approached, it became the closer (to me) Massive Attack's music. Massive Attack is one of those bands, of which I had read the music magazines much before I listened to the album.I remember reading that someone claimed to Massive Attack's "Blue Lines" to be the first 1990s-sounding album. "Mezzanine" on the overall mood was anxious, in some way disturbed, and it sounds much more brutal than its predecessors and effect closer to the rock with guitars than ever before."Teardrop" is many people's favourite track, "Black Milk" is the album's most danceable track and "Dissolved Girl" (my favorite) featuring Sara Jay who whispers and purrs where others might full-bloodedly sing. "Mezzanine" is like the "Sgt. Pepper's" of trip-hop. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1998

Appears in:

1,042 charts

Rank Score:

9,637

Rank in 1998:

2

Rank in 1990s:

31

Overall Rank:

145

Average Rating:

 83 (1,283 votes)

Comments:

62

4. (8) 4

Grace 

 Jeff Buckley

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The Buckleys are the only father / son pair, who have chosen for decades lists: father Tim (1960s) and son Jeff in this list.They have a lot of similarities (more than looks),in music, career with tragic events. This fits an old saying: "the apple doesn't drop far from the tree"."Grace" is almost impossible to directly connect to any genre. The sound is delicate between the more sensitive, at others aggressive rocking.The title track (Grace) presents Buckley's virtuosic guitar work of progressive rhythms of a sneer. Incredibly beautiful singing voice has huge pain and defiance.I have never liked Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah", but Buckley's version re-creates it. Furthermore, the words has changed.Album is ended with creeping hypnotic "Dream Brother".
"Lilac Wine"discovered in the grunge era, thanx to Nina Simone. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1994

Appears in:

1,734 charts

Rank Score:

17,877

Rank in 1994:

1

Rank in 1990s:

8

Overall Rank:

54

Average Rating:

 84 (1,969 votes)

Comments:

172

5. (4) 1

Achtung Baby 

 U2

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In the early 1990s, I was wondering, Where are band called U2. Would the band breaking up? Such rumors were circulating. Fortunately, U2 didn't broken. The waiting was rewarded, as the band released in November 1991, an excellent album called (crazy name) "Achtung Baby!"
Band's sound had changed. It had become relaxed. Album, had grown the hips. This album is for me, nostalgic. It's like a indicator, the social era in which it was this album, walked part of the action.
-Even Better Than the Real Thing- [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1991

Appears in:

1,318 charts

Rank Score:

11,834

Rank in 1991:

5

Rank in 1990s:

21

Overall Rank:

109

Average Rating:

 80 (1,833 votes)

Comments:

145

6. (12) 6

Ágætis Byrjun 

 Sigur Rós

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"Sigur Ros is not a band, Sigur Ros is music" (Members of the band). Genuine love of honest music-making Sigur Ros, brings comfort to worn out album for commercial and market forces to enslave bored with the music culture to outsiders. Does not give trade-offs, and will not be requested. "Agaetis Byrjun"'s nocturnal symphony takes toward a lost city, from which a return is not ...sleep and wakefulness borderline. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1999

Appears in:

1,410 charts

Rank Score:

15,041

Rank in 1999:

1

Rank in 1990s:

14

Overall Rank:

80

Average Rating:

 86 (1,718 votes)

Comments:

139

7. (5) 2

Debut 

 Björk

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Björk's record label estimated that "Debut" would sell a total of 40,000 copies worldwide; however, within three months of "Debut"'s release, over 600,000 copies had been sold worldwide.In November 1993, the album was re-issued in the United Kingdom with the bonus track "Play Dead".This re-issueded "Debut" I heard while I was driving a car. The song was "Human Behaviour", a bass line grabbed my ears! I knew the Sugarcubes, and the band's high singing angel of a girl.Externally, "Debut" is like a technobeat album. But when listen to in more detail the background, the album finds a source of a lot of different music styles. Music of the album is uncompromising and they are arranged cleverly.The album visit interesting musicians such as Talvin Singh, Oliver Lake and harpist Corky Hale (who has worked with Billie Holliday).The obvious sign of conceptually an extension... [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

769 charts

Rank Score:

5,267

Rank in 1993:

5

Rank in 1990s:

61

Overall Rank:

323

Average Rating:

 80 (1,055 votes)

Comments:

51

8. (6) 2

Time Out Of Mind 

 Bob Dylan

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Having seen Bob Dylan live in 1996, I wouldn't have thought that he doing in the following year so great album. Well, was it a surprise? Just life experience and charisma are the instument that are needed, the implementation of Bob Dylan's music. He was no longer invited the Messiah. If this album would have done 1967, it should be evaluated quite differently, but it also sounded different. Fortunately, Dylan did this in the 1990s!Dylan returned in 1997 with "Time Out of Mind", his first collection of new material in seven years. Producer Daniel Lanois deserves to be mentioned. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1997

Appears in:

432 charts

Rank Score:

2,345

Rank in 1997:

16

Rank in 1990s:

126

Overall Rank:

737

Average Rating:

 79 (621 votes)

Comments:

28

9. (7) 2

The Downward Spiral 

 Nine Inch Nails

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"Closer" is the album's most popular song (drum sample from the Iggy Pop song "Nightclubbing" from his album "The Idiot")on the album thanks to the chorus that says "I want to fu** you like an animal."
"A Warm Place" is beautiful instrumental that's the first ballad on the album."Hurt"(to which Johnny Cash sang the face) tells the things the character lost ever since his suicide and that his family members will always die alone. [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1994

Appears in:

980 charts

Rank Score:

9,453

Rank in 1994:

6

Rank in 1990s:

32

Overall Rank:

148

Average Rating:

 82 (1,246 votes)

Comments:

85

10. (9) 1

II 

 Kingston Wall

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All of the above albums are like "business cards" of the 1990s music.But Kingston Wall's second album, doesn't deal directly fit the music to 1993. Kingston Wall was a psychedelic/progressive rock group from Helsinki, Finland. When I have chosen, the previous for decades lists, 'sophisticated rock music', now I took to the chart, the natural successor. When the band was alive, it was known to only a small group. Band could be called "eternal promise". KW's albums were released again in 1998 and also I found this band.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtBcWl-O5b4 Pink Floyd would be proud of this! Petri? Walli 1969-1995 R.I.P [First added to this chart: 06/16/2012]

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

184

Rank in 1993:

116

Rank in 1990s:

1,119

Overall Rank:

6,916

Average Rating:

 76 (31 votes)

Comments:

2

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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s composition

Country	Albums	%
	34	34%
	34	34%
	7	7%
	7	7%
	4	4%
	3	3%
	3	3%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s chart changes

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s ratings

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
85/100  !	09/02/2023 21:06	Moondance	476	85/100
90/100  !	09/02/2023 17:53	Johnnyo	2,557	80/100
85/100  !	05/15/2023 10:49	RevolverCB72	81	83/100
95/100  !	02/29/2020 01:28	Tamthebam	645	85/100
95/100  !	07/21/2016 00:17	buzzdainer	669	90/100

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 is rated in the top 17% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 87.2/100, a mean average of 88.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.3/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 4.7.

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s comments

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Rating:  

85/100

From Moondance 09/02/2023 21:10 | #298951

Loving the Scandinavian mix in this 90's chart.

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Rating:  

90/100

From Johnnyo 09/02/2023 17:56 | #298948

Pretty brilliant chart. Encapsulates the ‘90’s for me. Great job

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Rating:  

95/100

From buzzdainer 07/21/2016 00:20 | #171589

This is an excellent nineties chart--I especially appreciate your introduction, as well as the notes you include with your selections. OK Computer, Grace, Automatic for the People, and The Bends are all fantastic choices. To Bring You My Love is a great surprise top ten pick, as well. Terrific work on this chart!

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Rating:  

85/100

From ecwashere 11/05/2012 18:05 | #54295

Very good!

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From Error Finn 06/16/2012 22:29 | #44567

Billboard Top 10 (June 1992 - 20 years ago)

1.Some Gave All - Billy Ray Cyrus
2.Totally Krossed Out - Kris Kross
3.Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers
4.Shadows And Light - Wilson Phillips
5.The Southern Harmony And Mus...- The Black Crowes
6.Adrenalize - Def Leppard
7.Ten - Pearl Jam
8.MTV Unplugged EP - Mariah Carey
9.Ropin The Wind - Garth Brooks
10.Mack Daddy - Sir Mix-A-Lot

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