For Grunge Music Lovers: The Best Albums of the 90s
Contents
A list of the best grunge albums of the 1990s for fans of the genre.
Nirvana- Nevermind
Nirvana- Nevermind: Every song on this album is a classic. There is not a single song that I don’t like. The album cover is iconic. If you were a grunge music lover in the 90s, this was your favorite album.
Pearl Jam- Ten
Ten is the debut studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. The band’s first release, Ten was a massive commercial success, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and selling more than 13 million copies in the United States. Despite its success, the album was not without its fair share of controversy, due to its lyricism which many found to be dark and gloomy. Nevertheless, Ten remains one of Pearl Jam’s most popular and well-known albums, and is often considered one of the greatest albums of all time.
Alice in Chains- Dirt
Dirt is the second studio album by American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 1992, through Columbia Records. Peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200, the album was well received by music critics. It has since been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and gone on to sell five million copies worldwide. The singles “Would?” and “Them Bones” helped return the band to mainstream prominence. Dirt is considered one of the landmark albums of grunge music and is Alice in Chains’ most successful album.
Soundgarden- Badmotorfinger
Released in 1991, Badmotorfinger was Soundgarden’s third studio album. The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 and being nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Record. Badmotorfinger is often cited as one of the best rock albums of the 1990s, and it contains some of Soundgarden’s most well-known songs, including “Rusty Cage,” “Outshined,” and “Jesus Christ Pose.”
Stone Temple Pilots- Core
Their debut album, Core, was released in 1992 and immediately propelled the band to stardom. The album’s success was due in part to the popularity of the single “Sex Type Thing”, which was deemed controversial for its graphic depiction of sexual assault. “Sex Type Thing” peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album itself reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Core was certified 8x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1999, denoting shipments of over 8 million copies in the United States.
Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream
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Smashing Pumpkins’ second album, Siamese Dream, is a genre-defining classic. Released in 1993, it cemented the band’s place as one of the biggest rock groups of the decade. The album features some of the Pumpkins’ most iconic songs, including “Cherub Rock,” “Today,” and “Disarm.” Siamese Dream is a must-have for any fan of 90s alternative rock.
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magik
If you love grunge music, then the early 1990s was a golden era for you. It was a time when bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains were putting out some of the best music of their careers. And one band that was always worth paying attention to during this time was the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The Chili Peppers’ 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik is often considered to be their best work. It’s a sprawling, ambitious record that features some of the band’s most iconic songs, including “Give It Away” and “Under the Bridge.” But it’s also an album that cemented the Chili Peppers as one of the biggest bands in the world, and it remains an essential listen for any fan of 90s rock.
Nine Inch Nails- The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails’ second album, The Downward Spiral, was released on March 8, 1994. It is the band’s most successful album to date, having sold over 4 million copies in the US alone. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and remained in the top 10 for eight weeks. It was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in August 1996.
The Downward Spiral is a concept album that revolves around the themes of despair, self-destruction, and violence. The majority of the songs were written by Trent Reznor during a period of intense depression following the break-up of his marriage. The album’s graphic artwork, which features disturbing images of self-harm and suicide, reflects Reznor’s state of mind at the time.
The musical style of The Downward Spiral is a departure from Nine Inch Nails’ debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. Whereas Pretty Hate Machine was primarily synth-pop, The Downward Spiral is an industrial rock album that incorporates elements of metal, hip hop, and classical music. Reznor employed a number of different techniques to create the album’s unique soundscape, including sampling, layering, and manipulating sounds with effects pedals and synthesizers.
The first single from The Downward Spiral, “Mr. Self Destruct”, was released on November 9, 1993. The song peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received heavy airplay on alternative rock radio stations. The second single, “Closer”, was released on April 18, 1994. It reached #9 on the Hot 100 and became Nine Inch Nails’ biggest hit to date. “Closer” was accompanied by a controversial music video that featured explicit sexual imagery and religious symbols.
Nine Inch Nails toured extensively in support of The Downward Spiral throughout 1994 and 1995. The band’s live performances were notoriously intense and often featured Reznor onstage alone playing keyboards and samples while two bare-chested bodybuilders danced provocatively nearby.
Foo Fighters- Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is the self-titled debut album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on July 4, 1995 by Roswell and Capitol Records. Frontman Dave Grohl wrote and recorded the entire album himself, apart from a guest guitar spot by Greg Dulli, with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington.
Beck- Odelay
Odelay is the second official studio album and fifth overall by American musician Beck, originally released on June 18, 1996, by DGC Records. The album featured several of Beck’s most popular singles; where 1994’s Mellow Gold relied on slacker rock and hip hop elements, Odelay featured greater input from Beck’s dust band and collaborators the Dust Brothers. Complex arrangements with samples and recorded sound effects were also common on this album compared to prior releases.
