Best Albums of 1990

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Explore the best albums of 1990, based on over 2 million album rankings across 59,000 charts.
Last updated: 3 hours ago.

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1990 year summaryThe best artists of 1990 were Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, Ride, Megadeth, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Jane's Addiction, Fugazi, Public Enemy and The La's.

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Violator

Depeche Mode

"This album will blow your mind! This is the definition of a timeless masterpiece. WOW." Reply

mayonaise93 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

1,217 charts

Rank Score:

12,135

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"This album is PERFECTION. There is not a weak track, and at 10 songs/38 minutes, it never overstays its welcome. It's hard to categorize or even describe this album, it's just so unique thanks to Elizabeth Fraziers' beautiful voice, some creative vocal overdubs, Robin Guthrie's soaring and spacio..." [+] Reply

- Relayer71 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

857 charts

Rank Score:

9,452

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

142

Average Rating:

84 (878 votes)

Comments:

Nowhere

Ride

"After careful listening and consideration, I think this is my favorite shoegaze album. Loveless is great, but it just doesn't have that energy. Where Loveless is a brilliant wall of sound, Nowhere feels more like a warm mid-spring day with the wind blowing in my hair. For me, that means more in m..." [+] Reply

- tonagamu | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (6 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

580 charts

Rank Score:

4,478

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"Oh Marty Friedman... why did you have to leave the world of metal? Tornado of Souls has one of my favorite guitar solos ever. This is technically speaking, Megadeth's best album. Holy Wars and Hanger 18 are immortal tracks." Reply

Jasonconfused | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

503 charts

Rank Score:

4,003

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

413

Average Rating:

81 (775 votes)

Comments:

Bossanova

Pixies

"There's something special about this album. I like it almost as much as Doolittle and Surfer Rosa. The surf sound works for me, and I like that the songs are a little less aggressive. Gets overlooked for obvious reasons, but don't forget about this one, it's classic Pixies." Reply

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

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

608 charts

Rank Score:

3,861

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

433

Average Rating:

79 (956 votes)

Comments:

Goo

Sonic Youth

"Goo is almost always overshadowed by "Daydream Nation" That is great record too.I was in love with "Daydream Nation" when "Goo" finally clicked in me, I was just feeling strange it was so much noise, Yeah there was a lot of noise in "Daydream Nation", but this noise made me go to the bathroom and...""Goo is almost always overshadowed by "Daydream Nation" That is great record too.I was in love with "Daydream Nation" when "Goo" finally clicked in me, I was just feeling strange it was so much noise, Yeah there was a lot of noise in "Daydream Nation", but this noise made me go to the bathroom and clean my ears to be certain that I wasn't with a listening problem and this shit really sound like that feeling of clawed Board, Damm this hurts. some influences are really visible in this album like their noise sound, (probably from the velvet Underground) their punk and rock sound (Sometimes like 70s punk or 80s like dead Kennedys) But in this album they don't want to be influenced they want to be the influence. After 10 years in indie labels this was the first Sonic Youth's album to a big label, some may think that they were bought or that they were regretted to write and compose something, But I guess that they waited for this to prove what they were and show it to the world, a lot of person thought that they sold themselves, but I think that they're wrong, If they went to a different road that was "Daydream..." yes, but I feel like... their soul are in that songs. Beginning with "Dirty Boots" the song slowly gains force until the exploding chorus, "Goo" starts to develop in your mind while the rest of your body screams for inside (Maybe for help). After The chorus Of "Dirty Boots" the song forgets the most angry part, and turns something more intelligent and calm (not so calm, But comparing with the rest of the song) And we have some time for some solos, and for the real appreciation of the sound of the song. "Tunic" comes, The guitar intro, shows that is not something happy that is coming, and we begin our story. The song continue Kim's voice brings the sadness of a Real person who would care with the next one and now suffers in her lonely room, The Guitar part coordinated by Thurston, can make this sades of kim's voice so deep, that every little piece of lyrics Open your eyes, and proves that the worl is not that wonderful place that you thought that it would be. "Tunic" develops in a Classic death's story, but it not let the album sad, it lets the album more deep and real. "Kool Thing" is the highest peak of this album. Sonic Youth rarely was so amazing like this song, fast, real and using all their weapons. With guitar solos and drums exterminating any hope of calm. Basically This is not an amazing song, but in the album it is something that they really need more, It is like that abstinence for something to talk about (even that it is something stupid), or just something to make noise. The album continues in this moment. They get crazy for a minute "Scooter+Jinx" and destroy (or transform) every classic song, shaping them on a new pain for years and ears. "Mildred Pierce" is a proof, shaped by a classic beat and old progression, it destroys the ears of the listener in the first listen. Finishing with "Titanium Expose" I begins very quickly, seems more like a big band solo than a song, It is great because they have the freedom to create something on that space of time. but then they begin shred it slowly, with intelligence, and the song goes to another atmosphere in the end, It seems tired in the end, but it's not it is just giving to you the rest that you need after all that noise, and in the last part of "Titanium Expose" when they back again to that all speed, you know that yu will miss that noises in your head." [+] Reply

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

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

593 charts

Rank Score:

3,481

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

488

Average Rating:

80 (794 votes)

Comments:

Safe Mode: On

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

"One of the great 'alternative' albums of the nineties. Ritual de lo habitual, is a brilliant follow up to the equally superb, nothing's shocking. The first half of the LP gives over to the more upbeat tracks such as, stop, ain't no right, and the unforgettable, been caught stealing. The second ha..." [+] Reply

- garycottier | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

432 charts

Rank Score:

2,717

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

Fugazi

"Turnover begins with a nice n’ slow ambient start that lurches into an unforgettable timeless riff. Repeater is funkily dapper, the theme song of a white-collar professional who spitefully steals office supplies is building his own studio (to be cont.)" Reply

- Elston | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

411 charts

Rank Score:

2,558

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

111

Overall Rank:

668

Average Rating:

80 (502 votes)

Comments:

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

"It hasn't aged well, sounding a little dated today. However, at the time, PE dragged hip-hop kicking and screaming forward into a more relevant age. What cutting lyrics and what thunderous sounds. Modern hip-hop has improved upon this, but PE is to hip-hop what Buddy Holly is to rock and roll. Of..." [+] Reply

junodog4 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1990

Appears in:

459 charts

Rank Score:

2,495

Rank in 1990:

Rank in 1990s:

117

Overall Rank:

691

Average Rating:

78 (513 votes)

Comments:

10.

The La's

"During most of my four years of college, I worked in a record store. (In truth, by that time we were selling mostly CDs and cassettes, though we did carry some vinyl.) This album, perhaps more than any other, got constant attention from us employees--it's just so immediately likeable, so filled w..." [+] Reply