10 favorite albums of the 90s

[Robotsatemygrandma]

Jeez I was just a wee school kid in the 90's but music surrounded my ass. All the neighbor kids were rocking out introducing me to random shit. I still think the 90's was the best era for rock, aside from the 60's/70's, 80's was kinda lame but the new wave and pop stuff was pretty bopping.

1: Around the Fur - Deftones.
Duh. This changed my musical landscape, making me realize, yea you can be "bROOtAlzzz" yet sincere and melodic.

2: MTV Unplugged in New York - Nirvana
Being a huge Nirvana fan before I got into Deftones, this has to be the best recording Nirvana did, IMO. Extremely personal yet entertaining. Don't get me wrong I still hold In Utero and Nevermind (gasp!) in high regards, but this was so different, yet similar, to everything they achieved. An inside look of their influences aside from punk/hardcore.

3: Calculating Infinity - the Dillinger Escape Plan
Even though I got into hardcore and mathcore in the 2000's, this was still released in '99. Holy shit. This aside from Deftones and Nirvana, rocked my world. Totally shook every perception I had of music yet it had that similar abrasive approach I loved.

4: Wu-Tang Forever - Wu-tang Clan
Fuckin Wu Tang! What's not to like? Original rhymes, original beats, with an air of dirt. You can hear the passion, and fun, they had making this. The Dog Shit still is my favorite song off this.

5: Pinkerton - Weezer
Hands down my favorite Weezer album of all time. El Scorcho, No Other One, Why Bother? Classics! It has that poppy appeal that made the Green Album so lovable, yet is a little dark in it's own right.

6: Super Unknown - Soundgarden
Woof. This album is just powerful. Experimental with Indian melodies, song structure, meter, yet has that thick groove only Soundgarden can create. I remember, as a kid, the Black Hole Sun video really disturbed me with the seedy Americana imagery.

7: OK Computer - Radiohead
This is a given. The textures and spirit put into this album is timeless. I always refer back to this album due to it's approach in experimenting, it takes me on a journey with the moods and aura it puts out. The whole hey, we're gonna do whatever it takes to get this message across is breath taking. It contains a beauty way too many try to copy.

8: Life is Peachy - Korn
Oh boy, I got into Korn with this album, and they introduced me to the whole droptuned fury of emotion. It is a disgusting, guilty, frantic, intoxicated honest creature. Almost too honest. Emo really. Nothing they have done can compare to the aggressive truthfulness this album has. IMO, even the 1st one doesn't compare. Many will argue this but meh, I don't care. This, to me, is their definative moment as a band.

9: Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters
I'm not a fan of anything past the Colour and the Shape, but this album is gold. It has that punk attitude with the whole grunge tone, metaphors, and meager honesty alternative has. I honestly think this was the best thing Grohl could of done after Kurt's death, it pays tribute to the spirit Nirvana had but still identifies itself as being individual. Not to mention Grohl played every instrument on the album is just awe inspiring.

10: An Audio Guide to Everyday Atrocity - Nothingface
Wow. Just simply wow. This was one album I could not put down when I got it. It took everything I liked about metal and hardcore and made it more extreme. Holt's vocals are just monstrous and intense.

[theis]

My head's gonna explode if I'm gonna attempt to pick only 10 albums from my favorite musical decade, so here's a top 20!

(This was still tough as fuck...especially to only pick one album by each band/artist). 

Faith No More - Angel Dust
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion
Tom Waits - Bone Machine
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood
Down - NOLA
Mr. Bungle - Mr. Bungle
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse
Melvins - Houdini
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Type O Negative - October Rust
Social Distortion - White Light, White Heat, White Trash
Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
Pearl Jam - Vs
Death - Human
Blind Melon - Blind Melon
Failure - Fantastic Planet

[only pieces remain]

alice in chains - dirt
acid bath - when the kite string pops
nine inch nails - the fragile
radiohead - ok computer
pantera - the great southern trendkill
tool - aenima
marilyn manson - antichrist superstar
life of agony - river runs red
tom waits - mule variations
soundgarden - badmotorfinger

along with about 546867386 other albums from the 90's. Absolutely impossible to pick 10 from the best decade in music.

others:

deftones - around the fur
cryptopsy - none so vile
suffocation - pierced from within
morbid angel - covenant
weezer - blue album
silerchair - frogstomp
smashing pumpkins - MCIS
stone temple Pilots - Core
my bloody valentine - loveless
jeff buckley - grace
portishead - dummy
far - tin cans with strings
vision of disorder - imprint
down - nola
fear factory - obsolete
white zombie - la sexorcisto
meshuggah - chaosphere
faith no more - angel dust
handsome - handsome
kyuss - sky valley
eyehategod - take as needed for pain
clutch - clutch
crowbar - odd fellows rest
neurosis - enemy of the sun

[theis]

alice in chains - dirt
acid bath - when the kite string pops
nine inch nails - the fragile
radiohead - ok computer
pantera - the great southern trendkill
tool - aenima
marilyn manson - antichrist superstar
life of agony - river runs red
tom waits - mule variations
soundgarden - badmotorfinger

along with about 546867386 other albums from the 90's. Absolutely impossible to pick 10 from the best decade in music.

others:

deftones - around the fur
cryptopsy - none so vile
suffocation - pierced from within
morbid angel - covenant
weezer - blue album
silerchair - frogstomp
smashing pumpkins - MCIS
stone temple Pilots - Core
my bloody valentine - loveless
jeff buckley - grace
portishead - dummy
far - tin cans with strings
vision of disorder - imprint
down - nola
fear factory - obsolete
white zombie - la sexorcisto
meshuggah - chaosphere
faith no more - angel dust
handsome - handsome
kyuss - sky valley
eyehategod - take as needed for pain
clutch - clutch
crowbar - odd fellows rest
neurosis - enemy of the sun

I like your style, dude.

[sing blue silver]

Off the top of my head

Tool - Aenima
Weezer - Pinkerton
Deftones - Around the Fur
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Elliott Smith - Either/Or
Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
Radiohead - OK Computer
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged
Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters

There's so many being neglected but those are the 10 that instantly spring to mind.

[deftones47]

My 10 90's albums (in no particular order):

Deftones - Around the Fur
Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
Radiohead - OK Computer
Nirvana - Nevermind
The Offspring - Smash
System of a Down - System of a Down
Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age
Nine Inch Nails - Broken
The Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
AFI - Black Sails In the Sunset

[only pieces remain]

alice in chains - dirt
acid bath - when the kite string pops
nine inch nails - the fragile
radiohead - ok computer
pantera - the great southern trendkill
tool - aenima
marilyn manson - antichrist superstar
life of agony - river runs red
tom waits - mule variations
soundgarden - badmotorfinger

along with about 546867386 other albums from the 90's. Absolutely impossible to pick 10 from the best decade in music.

others:

deftones - around the fur
cryptopsy - none so vile
suffocation - pierced from within
morbid angel - covenant
weezer - blue album
silerchair - frogstomp
smashing pumpkins - MCIS
stone temple Pilots - Core
my bloody valentine - loveless
jeff buckley - grace
portishead - dummy
far - tin cans with strings
vision of disorder - imprint
down - nola
fear factory - obsolete
white zombie - la sexorcisto
meshuggah - chaosphere
faith no more - angel dust
handsome - handsome
kyuss - sky valley
eyehategod - take as needed for pain
clutch - clutch
crowbar - odd fellows rest
neurosis - enemy of the sun

I like your style, dude.

[ZackND]

Good thread. tough decisions

1. deftones - around the fur
2. soundgarden- superunknown
3.bush- sixteen stone
4. offspring- smash
5.deftones- adrenaline
6.bush- razorblade suitcase
7. soundgarden- down on the upside
8. depeche mode- ultra
9.weezer- blue album
10. weezer- pinkerton

[nineteen]

Deftones - Around The Fur
RATM - Evil Empire
Sepultura - Roots
Korn - Life Is Peachy
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill
Handsome - Handsome
Alice In Chains - S/T
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary
Far - Water & Solutions

Obviously more to add but these are some that come to mind. Much of what Only Pieces Remain mentioned could fit into my list too.

The 90s was insane for good music.

[Caín]

Faith no more - King for a day, fool for a Lifetime
Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
blur - 13
Fredrik Thordendals Special Defects - Sol Niger within
Guns n' Roses - Use your Illusion II
Radiohead - OK Computer
Life of Agony - Soul Searching Sun
Machine Head - Burn my Eyes
Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
trieb. - -unsterblich-

[DJR]

Struggled with 10, had do 13 :/


NIN-Fragile
Janes Addiction-Ritual De Lo Habitual
Incubus-Make Yourself
Pearl Jam-Vitalogy
Porcupine Tree-In Absentia
Porno For Pyros-Porno For Pyros
Primus-Brown Album
Deftones-Around The Fur
Alice In Chains-Dirt
Stone Temple Pilots-No.4
Tool-Aenima
Filter-Title Of Record
Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream

[decapod]

Death - Symbolic

Meshuggah - Chaosphere

Tool - Aenima

Swans - White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

Today Is the Day - Temple of the Morning Star

Godflesh - Selfless

King Crimson - THRAK

Catherine Wheel - Ferment

Killing Joke - Pandemonium


Honorable mentions: The Future Sound of London - "Lifeforms", Sugar - "Copper Blue", Cynic - "Focus".

[x Rx King x]

I can't get all my favorites from this decade off the top of my head, but here goes nothin (this is in absolutely no order except for the first 2):

1.Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
2.Hum - You'd Prefer An Astronaut (definition of underrated.)
3.Alice in Chains - S/T
4.Deftones - ATF
5.Soundagarden - Badmotorfinger
6.Nirvana - Incesticide
7.Green Day - Insomniac
8.Primus - Brown Album
9.Faith No More - Angel Dust
10.Radiohead - OK Computer (hard to decide between this and The Bends...)

[only pieces remain]

Struggled with 10, had do 13 :/


NIN-Fragile
Janes Addiction-Ritual De Lo Habitual
Incubus-Make Yourself
Pearl Jam-Vitalogy
Porcupine Tree-In Absentia
Porno For Pyros-Porno For Pyros
Primus-Brown Album
Deftones-Around The Fur
Alice In Chains-Dirt
Stone Temple Pilots-No.4
Tool-Aenima
Filter-Title Of Record
Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream

in absentia was 2002