Which 3 years had the best albums in the 90s?

[Takes Two To Tango]

Criteria: These Albums were chosen for their immediate and lasting popularity, impact, influence, originality, and acclaim from critics and musicians.

Top Ten Rock Albums of Each Year - 1990-1999

List of Top Ten Rock Albums of Each Year 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 as compiled by digitaldreamdoor.com

digitaldreamdoor.com

 

[moreorless87]

Probably 1991 as the best year....

Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
Primal Scream - Screamadelica
Mercury Rev - Yerself Is Steam
Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Slint - Spiderland
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
De A Soul - De A Soul is Dead
Spacemen 3 - Recurring
Gang Star - Step In The Arena
Guns and Roses - Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
etc

​

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

1991
1999
1996

 

[Long Dark Blues]

1.) 1992
2.) 1996
3.) 1999

 

[Brom Bones]

91, 92, 93

94 was pretty close, but no cigar. Those three years were the pinnacle. The end of the decade was by far the worst.

 

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Probably the early 90s. 91-94 were amazing for music. Once it got into the late 90s, things seriously began to fizzle out.

 

[Dobymick]

I don't care much for 90's music. It was a great decade for movies but the music I find it bland. Anyway, it was probably 91

 

[Darkavius]

1991-This isn't debatable in my mind. It has one of Tribe's best albums and was the showcase for Busta Rhymes, RHCP's probably second or third best album imo, not to mention the rest of the list.

1992-One of the best hip hop albums ever in The Chronic, two of the best albums of the 90's (RATM and Dirt) along with the underrated Check Your Head album (4th best Beastie Boys album. Paul's Boutique is #1.)

1994-That year has 5 classic albums. It has TLC's best album, Oasis' best album, arguably Soundgarden's best album, Illmatic, one of the top 5 best rappers ever and Dookie (which is still one of the best Pop-Punk albums ever).


Looking back the worst year looks to be 1998.

 

[RoastBeast]

My version of rock and their version of rock is quite different.

 

[Natural Order]

91, 92, 93

 

[Gene Tunney]

The 1990's music scene saw the rise of:

Depression Rock
Gangsta Rap
Modern Prog
Hip Hop

We even saw a marketing genius merge Depression Rock with Gangsta Rap. Was it called Nu metal or something?

There was extensive experimentation, chill tones, and angsty vibes. Nevertheless, the deeper esoteric meanings of the 70's and 80's were lost.

 

[TribalDrumz]

It’s 91 and 92

 

[Osculater]

91
92
94
I changed my vote from 93 to 94. 94 had more bangers

 

[Spounman]

Early to mid 90s
I still feel like this album is underrated

 

[RoastBeast]

Early to mid 90s
I still feel like this album is underrated

TRT is not necessary if you listen to this album regularly.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Thank you for your input and your votes guys.

 

[Darkavius]

The 1990's music scene saw the rise of:

Depression Rock
Gangsta Rap
Modern Prog
Hip Hop

We even saw a marketing genius merge Depression Rock with Gangsta Rap. Was it called Nu metal or something?

There was extensive experimentation, chill tones, and angsty vibes. Nevertheless, the deeper esoteric meanings of the 70's and 80's were lost.

It was all a sign of the times. For the younger people the late 80's and early 90's saw more drugs especially in the urban communities so the music reflected the hard times that drugs has on a community that was already poor and underfunded. Hell, a good number of grunge artists died because of drugs and many late 80's and early 90's rappers grew up around drugs.

As far as Nu Metal goes I think of bands like Limp Bizkit, Korn, etc. and I always consider that music an extension of music that hated but needed capitalism. Woodstock '99 (I think) was a good example of that where corporate was so greedy selling water and things like that at crazy prices that the event ended up being pretty bad.

The 90's was not all bad though imo. I think women artists really started coming into their own in the 90's. Concerts like Lilith Fair and it is not complete to talk about the 90's without women artists like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Alanis Morrissette, Britney Spears, Sarah McLachlan, etc.

The 90's was also the last big decade for boy bands and more of an influx of international artists more than ever along with the niche acts too such as Hootie and The Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Dave Matthews Band, etc.

 

[Gene Tunney]

It was all a sign of the times. For the younger people the late 80's and early 90's saw more drugs especially in the urban communities so the music reflected the hard times that drugs has on a community that was already poor and underfunded. Hell, a good number of grunge artists died because of drugs and many late 80's and early 90's rappers grew up around drugs.

As far as Nu Metal goes I think of bands like Limp Bizkit, Korn, etc. and I always consider that music an extension of music that hated but needed capitalism. Woodstock '99 (I think) was a good example of that where corporate was so greedy selling water and things like that at crazy prices that the event ended up being pretty bad.

The 90's was not all bad though imo. I think women artists really started coming into their own in the 90's. Concerts like Lilith Fair and it is not complete to talk about the 90's without women artists like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Alanis Morrissette, Britney Spears, Sarah McLachlan, etc.

The 90's was also the last big decade for boy bands and more of an influx of international artists more than ever along with the niche acts too such as Hootie and The Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Dave Matthews Band, etc.

Perhaps the types of drugs do influence creativity. Alcohol in the 50's, lsd in the 60's, pot in the 70's, cocaine in the 80's, heroin in the 90's, extasy in the early 2000's. Trickling down into the social psyche.

I realize that people don't like capitalism or corporatism. Regardless, we would be living in huts without it. I know, it obscures our deeper meaning. But there is meaning in everything we do. It's more of a matter of installing diplomatic leaders and cultivating balanced moral permutations.

I do like women artists of the 90's. And there was music abounding. But the 90's is not the decade if you are looking for sensual passion, or deep romance, or universal reflection. Which admittedly, most people are probably not looking for.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

For me it's 1994

Drive Like Jehu - Yank crime
Disco Inferno - DI go pop
Gravediggaz - 6 feet deep
Weezer - Blue album
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary
Burzum - Hvis lyset tar oss
Global Communication - 76:14
Green Day - Dookie
Low - I could live in hope
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Unwound - New plastic ideas
Portishead - Dummy
Aphex Twin - Selected ambient works 2
Nas - Illmatic

Quite the lineup.

 

[Madmick]

I'm not doing more research than what was presented in those top 10's, too much work, not into that atm, but going of just those lists, I voted.