Best Albums of the 1990s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1990s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 58,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 3 hours ago).

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1990s decade summaryThe best artists of the 1990s were Radiohead, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Neutral Milk Hotel, Oasis, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, My Bloody Valentine, Nick Cave and Björk.

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481.

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

"In my opinion, this is Underworlds best record. Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream Of Love is an epic opening track." Reply

- whiskyWiseman | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1996

Appears in:

153 charts

Rank Score:

552

Rank in 1996:

Rank in 1990s:

481

Overall Rank:

2,809

Average Rating:

76 (135 votes)

Comments:

482.

Twin Infinitives

Royal Trux

"Wow... Not sure I can get in to this one. I'm all for experimenting but very little of this album even resembles a song. Just noise." Reply

The Gollux | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (7 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

81 charts

Rank Score:

550

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

482

Overall Rank:

2,815

Average Rating:

69 (132 votes)

Comments:

483.

The Real Ramona

Throwing Muses

"I really like this album, my favorite is "Honeychain"...I remember taking a road trip from Las Vegas to San Francisco through the Mojave desert north to Yosemite, then left to the ocean...I had this cassette playing and "Honeychain" seemed to fit perfectly with the mood of thi..." [+] Reply

ffudnebbuh | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1991

Appears in:

113 charts

Rank Score:

549

Rank in 1991:

Rank in 1990s:

483

Overall Rank:

2,817

Average Rating:

78 (124 votes)

Comments:

484.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

"You'd never know it by hit "All I Wanna Do" that she struggled for a while to start her career off in her own way, not how a record company would want to present her. Regardless, the pop/rock on display here is pretty masterful for a debut album. Filtered through her version of Stevie Nicks, a lo..." [+] Reply

paladisiac | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

169 charts

Rank Score:

546

Rank in 1993:

Rank in 1990s:

484

Overall Rank:

2,828

Average Rating:

73 (176 votes)

Comments:

485.

Into The Labyrinth

Dead Can Dance

""The Wind That Shakes the Barley" (a newly arranged Irish ballad from the 18th century) is beautiful because of the self-assured but modest performance of Lisa Gerrard. It is particularly deserving that music that deviates strongly from contemporary time and culture, thereby losing its popularity..."""The Wind That Shakes the Barley" (a newly arranged Irish ballad from the 18th century) is beautiful because of the self-assured but modest performance of Lisa Gerrard. It is particularly deserving that music that deviates strongly from contemporary time and culture, thereby losing its popularity and threatening to disappear forever in the past, is brought to the attention again. But at the same time DCD also challenges its listeners. This song is again very fatalistic and seen from the complete album yet another story about saying goodbye and about the sour taste of sadness about what is irrevocably lost. It is hard to argue about the beauty and symbolic emotion of the text, but the a cappella performance does oblige the listener to empathize with a ballad that originated during the earliest history of the Irish struggle for independence, and with that much is demanded of the listener. "Yulunga" (Spirit Dance) reminds me a lot of the songs from "The Serpent’s Egg": the music is repetitive and pure, the framework for the vocal line minimal, but unfortunately here the track tends to be boring. The venous edge is no longer present. The mysterious and flawlessly performed vocals cannot save the song. The percussion that gives color to the second part of the track is rather corny. Fortunately that cannot be said of the fantastic “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove”. This song has lyrics that are about a conflict that can hardly be disentangled and an inevitable farewell, but the song is floating on a very catchy "groove" and a peculiar sound atmosphere. Of all the vocal parts on the album, that of "Mr. Lovegrove" is by far the most convincing. The narrator gives the listener a subjective insight into a relationship that has gone wrong. He places the blame on the counterparty and does not shy away from the harsh words and accusations. I have no idea if Perry refers to the broken relationship with Gerrard (or the quarrel with Peter Murphy?). There is a strong pop sensibility to the song (the track was released as a single by the way) but there is also a hard to define dark pulse to it. The choice of exotic instruments is particularly successful and ensures a wonderful, transparent balance. I think this is the song that saves the record. It abstains from sadness and fatalism and remains entertaining. "Tell Me About The Forest" unfortunately fails despite the good vocals of Perry. This song has neither the identity nor the charm that many other earlier DCD songs do have. The track “The Spider’s Stratagem” also doesn't appeal to me. The formula with repetitive percussion lines shows wear and the arrangements are skilled, but can no longer surprise. It's a shame to have to determine this, but the magic is gone and the song also lasts way too long. "Emmeleia" is a gem that strongly relies on multilayer vocals and bears witness to technical mastery, but the emotion and powerful rendition of the similar "Echolalia" on "The Serpent's Egg" are completely absent and only a cool, even uninterested kind of detachment remains. The unexpected and the sense of the experiment seem to be gone completely. "How Fortunate the Man With None" doesn't convince me either. Admittedly: the lyrics have a certain charm, but again the song falls prey to the success formula that made DCD such a wonderfully adventurous band. "The Carnival Is Over" doesn't interest me either. Perry has already composed several similar songs, but this track does not reach the high level of the previous albums. What intrigues me is the fact that Perry literally quotes Joy Division in his lyrics ("The procession moves on ..." from the song "The Eternal"). Is it a tribute or theft? No. Brendan Perry is a very honest musician and it is certainly not theft. But you never really know for sure, do you? "Saldek" is an excursion from Lisa Gerrard, but she too makes too much use of mannierist interventions that conceal a lack of originality. Again: for a fan it is painful to find out how this album only contains a few good songs. "Towards the Within" is good. Not that this track is full of inspiration and originality, because here too DCD falls back on a formula that has been used too often, but all components have a clear identity here and can convince this time. I dare not say for sure, but it is as if the record is suffering from the break between two lovers (Gerrard - Perry) who experience that it is difficult to keep everything professional and to work together as usual. However, the record company still believes in the band and although production is not really nagging, it seems that the momentum is gone." [+] Reply

- leMonk | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

83 charts

Rank Score:

543

Rank in 1993:

Rank in 1990s:

485

Overall Rank:

2,839

Average Rating:

78 (118 votes)

Comments:

486.

94diskont.

Oval

"Like being delicately cocooned in fine silk by mechanical spiders." Reply

ButterThumbz | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1995

Appears in:

119 charts

Rank Score:

543

Rank in 1995:

Rank in 1990s:

486

Overall Rank:

2,842

Average Rating:

76 (121 votes)

Comments:

487.

Roots

Sepultura

"Their last really great album before becoming shadows of their former selves. Love the Brazilian tribal aspects, adds to the whole atmosphere while remaining brutally angry and pissed off throughout. Max Cavalera left some blood on the microphone making this one." Reply

- NecroBadger | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1996

Appears in:

149 charts

Rank Score:

542

Rank in 1996:

Rank in 1990s:

487

Overall Rank:

2,843

Average Rating:

76 (204 votes)

Comments:

488.

Love Symbol

Prince & The New Power Generation

"On 0(+> (unlike "diamonds and pearls"), it's like he invited the rest of his band into the creative mix for the whole album, and it not only shows, but elevates prince's game as well, giving the world prince's last great album. Too bad he went all weird in promotion of this album and too bad peop..." [+] Reply

paladisiac | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1992

Appears in:

133 charts

Rank Score:

541

Rank in 1992:

Rank in 1990s:

488

Overall Rank:

2,846

Average Rating:

74 (173 votes)

Comments:

489.

Experience

The Prodigy

"I love the music on this one! Wind It Up and Your Love on great songs for when on the move. Everybody in The Place is as fast as they come. The final tracks are excellent too if you can forgive the cheesy vocals in Fire. Plenty on other hear. All tracks sound so different yet so familiar at the s..." [+] Reply

- | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1992

Appears in:

106 charts

Rank Score:

540

Rank in 1992:

Rank in 1990s:

489

Overall Rank:

2,850

Average Rating:

75 (171 votes)

Comments:

490.

Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space)

Digable Planets

"If you like Tribe and De La, you should check this album out." Reply

junodog4 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

116 charts

Rank Score:

537

Rank in 1993:

Rank in 1990s:

490

Overall Rank:

2,858

Average Rating:

77 (106 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 49 of 100

Best Albums of the 1990s composition

Year	Albums	%

1990	84	8%
1991	85	9%
1992	102	10%
1993	108	11%
1994	127	13%
1995	104	10%
1996	108	11%
1997	99	10%
1998	99	10%
1999	84	8%

Artist	Albums	%

Blur	6	1%
The Flaming Lips	6	1%
Beck	5	1%
Autechre	5	1%
Tori Amos	5	1%
Suede	5	1%
Pavement	5	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	536	54%
	270	27%
	41	4%
	24	2%
	24	2%
	16	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	986	99%
Yes	14	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	981	98%
Yes	19	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	992	99%
Yes	8	1%

« View best albums of the 1980sView best albums of the 2000s »

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