The 100 greatest alternative rock albums of the 90s were, for the most part, great hits. No longer was inventive, often bizarre, guitar-heavy music reduced to being sold exclusively in stores that handled independent records exclusively.
These albums were of global interest, however, not simply because of trends. These bands weren’t popular just because flannel was in fashion. There was incredible inventiveness to be found, and wonderful songs were written.
Typically more aggressive than indie-rock albums of the same time, the alternative rock albums of the 90s felt similar to the Punk Revolution of the 70s. Things were changing and they were changing fast.
I’m looking back today at the 150 greatest alternative rock albums of the 1990s. And, because this will surely force me to forget some excellent records, I am adding another 70 honourable mentions of great albums of the decade besides.
The Very Best Alternative Rock Albums of the 90s
1.” Nevermind” (1991) – Nirvana
“Nevermind” by Nirvana didn’t just change pop music overnight. Just as important was the way that Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl had done it. This was no alien technology. This was garage rock inspired by Pixies and The Stooges. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a song that anyone who could play a bit of guitar and who’d heard Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” could play. This made Kurt Cobain seem both like an average guy and an enlightened guru.
Still, “Nevermind” was no accident. While not a commercial sellout, the album was built for arena-rock audiences. From “Come as You Are” to “Lithium” or the recycled “In Bloom,” this is catchy punk rock. Cobain could sing, even when he was hollering.
How impactful was “Nevermind?” More than we can know for sure. Just like the French Revolution its impact is still being felt. It’s a perfect album. More 2 billion have streamed “Teen Spirit” on Spotify. It inspired thousands of bands who couldn’t help themselves. The album made Cobain into a global star and likely ruined his life in the process. And, yes, “Nevermind” is the greatest alternative rock album of the 90s.
2. “OK Computer” (1997) – Radiohead
“OK Computer” by Radiohead felt like a revolutionary alternative-rock album at the time of its release and feels the same way today. Most bands that retreat to a lonely room to create music for months or years usually end up with nothing but the group’s demise. Radiohead came back with an epic poem about modern anxiety. The playing was excellent, the songwriting was surprising, and Radiohead had seemed to access something that their peers, for the life of them, could not. “Ok Computer” is one of the greatest alternative rock albums.
3. “Slanted & Enchanted” (1992) – Pavement
“Slanted & Enchanted” by Pavement was, as Stephen Malkmus has always assured audiences, a happy accident. The fact that the band doesn’t really know what it’s doing and the lack of ambition only adds to the charm of this slacker-rock masterpiece. Every song here feels inspired and slightly wrongly assembled. Pavement signalled the start of a new kind of alt-rock cool. It didn’t lead to multi-platinum success, but it did create numerous imitators. And, that, was kinda the point.
4. “What’s the Story (Morning Glory)” (1995) – Oasis
“What’s the Story (Morning Glory)” confirmed the immeasurable hype that surrounded the early days of Oasis. The band that had told the world they were The Next Beatles had the songs to wrestle the Fab Four. For a while, at least you couldn’t find a negative Oasis review in the whole of the United Kingdom. Indie guitar music was suddenly mainstream.
Many of the songs here are overplayed. You’ve heard “Wonderwall”, “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, or even “Champagne Supernova” millions of times. And you’ll listen to them even more. But that just drives the point home. For a while, Oasis and Nirvana made alternative rock into the most popular genre on the planet. “What’s the Story (Morning Glory)” is one of the greatest and most commercially successful albums of all time.
5. “Definitely Maybe” (1994) – Oasis
“Definitely Maybe” by Oasis was the work of an arrogant group of Mancunians who loved The Beatles, football and drinking to excess. The group, led by songwriter Noel Gallagher, also possessed the best songs of any band in England. In Liam Gallagher they had a charismatic singer. “Definitely Maybe” is one the greatest debut releases ever made and the closest that Oasis ever got to sounding like Sex Pistols. The 90s, in the U.K. was a decade that belonged to the Gallaghers.
6. “Ten” (1991) – Pearl Jam
“Ten” by Pearl Jam is the underrated, best-selling grunge album of all time. That’s a strange statement, but it makes perfect sense when dissected. Pearl Jam wrote tortured songs, blended grunge with classic rock appeal and had a singer, Eddie Vedder, who possessed a highly convincing baritone. At the time of its release, Nirvana or Alice in Chains seemed to eclipse Pearl Jam. But, decades later, every song on “Ten” is a classic. It deserves tobe on this list.
7. “Dookie” (1994) – Green Day
“Dookie” by Green Day, in many ways, had the same impact as Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” On the strength of a collection of power-chord-powered songs, Green Day changed the musical landscape overnight. The music press called in pop-punk. But Green Day didn’t sound all that dissimilar to regular alternative rock bands of the ’90s. The band was just more fun, could write hooky songs and had a level of ambition that seemed like a sin in the music scene from which they originated.
8. “Superunknown” (1994) – Soundgarden
“Superunknown” by Soundgarden was the 90s equivalent to “Led Zeppelin IV” or “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” The Seattle group wasn’t trying to ape the past. They’d simply reached a level where Zeppelin or Sabbath had been at their peak. Soundgarden never made a more focused album, and Chris Cornell’s singing acrobatics were never more impressive than on songs like “Spoonman,” “Limo Wreck,” or the MTV hit “Black Hole Sun.”
9. “Automatic For the People” (1992) – R.E.M.
“Automatic for the People” is the album where R.E.M. best married the band’s alt-rock ethics with catchy, inventive pop hooks. The album was also a necessity. The success of “Losing my Religion” put the group in a strange position. “Automatic for the People” showed that, indeed, R.E.M. could continue to be one of the biggest bands in the world and dominate radio. They had no intentions of compromising their style either. R.E.M. became part of the mainstream while stubbornly following their own muse.
10. “Grace” (1994) – Jeff Buckley
“Grace” by Jeff Buckley captures a feeling of aching melancholy. The fact that this was to be Buckley’s only finished studio album has made the ache ever more powerful in the years that followed. Of course, Buckley possessed incredible vocal skills matched by outrageous confidence. Of course, he was beloved by nearly every critic who ever penned a review of the album. But the quality of the songs recorded for “Grace” also help in making this one of the most important album releases of the 90s.
11. “Dirt” (1992) – Alice in Chains
“Dirt” by Alice in Chains is another 90s rock album filled with tremendous darkness and a foreshadowing of tragedy to come. Alice in Chains may have started as a pure heavy metal band and had loved the rockstar ways. But by 1992, they were one of the best examples of the angry sounds of Seattle grunge. The fact that something like this could become a mainstream hit is indicative of the times. It’s not a comfortable listen.
“Dirt” is an excellent collection of songs and a marvellous example of the interaction between guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell and singer Layne Staley. Many of the tracks here are among the best grunge ever had to offer.
12. “The Mollusk” (1997) – Ween
“The Mollusk” was the crowning achievement by Ween, one of the best, zaniest and most inventive bands of all time. Unfortunately, at the time, the zany humour often eclipsed the musical achievements in the eyes of the public. There was no radio hit at the time or a gigantic worldwide tour. Fortunately, future audiences would be more prepared to give Ween the love that the band deserved. In time, “The Mollusk” has rightfully come to be viewed as one of the greatest alternative rock albums of the 1990s. And, in this case, I couldn’t agree more with the internet.
13. “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” (1995) – The Smashing Pumpkins
“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by The Smashing Pumpkins was the album that the band’s leader, Billy Corgan, always wanted to make. It didn’t just signify what the band was capable of; it showed what they were capable of in comparison to their grunge peers. The album is filled with memorable, catchy singles and deep-cut tracks. But its sheer size and The Smashing Pumpkins’ arrogance make this a great representation of the times. 1995 was a great year for ambitious alternative rock.
14. “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” (1998) – Neutral Milk Hotel
The existence of “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” is a bit of a miracle, just as its success is. Just as Franz Kafka’s writings didn’t get destroyed, and Vincent van Gogh’s paintings didn’t get burned, Neutral Milk Hotel’s masterpiece was eventually uncovered by internet audiences. It’s the freak-folk equivalent of The Velvet Underground for the 1990s. It’s a bizarre, beautiful record and, yes, the source of many memes that, in years, will be rendered meaningless. It showed a side of alternative rock that is great yet unexpected. The fact that they’re unlikely to ever make The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or anything similar makes their music all the more worthy of being celebrated.
15. “Loveless” (1991) – My Bloody Valentine
“Loveless” by My Bloody Valentine proved that there was more that could be done with an electric guitar than just use it for blues riffs or as a prop to strut on stage. “Loveless” seemed to come out of a dream. It was built on beautifully harmonious guitar cacophony. It had nothing it could be compared with and no equal. “Loveless” is one of the best alternative rock records of the 1990s.
16. “Urban Hymns” (1997) – The Verve
“Urban Hymns” by The Verve made the English band, for a very brief moment, the biggest alternative rock band in the world. But success had its price. “Bittersweet Symphony” was a song for the ages. However, Richard Ashcroft lost the copyright to The Rolling Stones for many years. Introducing strings and a second guitarist made songs like “Sonnet,” “Lucky Man,” or “The Drugs Don’t Work” take shape, but it created tension within the group. In the year 1997, The Verve finally got what they deserved. They were on the winning side of the Battle of Britpop, even if the band wasn’t nearly as famous as Oasis or Blur. “Urban Hymns” is a monumental rock record, and the sound of a band coming apart, as The Verve often did.
17. “The Downward Spiral” (1994) – Nine Inch Nails
“The Downward Spiral” may be advertised as “The Most Depressing Album of All-Time.” And while this is not untrue, Trent Reznor did more than just create his version of Lou Reed’s “Berlin.” Nine Inch Nails brought a level of creativity to their nihilist, Ministry-inspired industrial-metal sound that no other band of the era possessed. “The Downward Spiral” was a journey through a personal hell, and audiences were hypnotized by every second of it. This is one of the most important rock records ever made.
18. “Screamadelica” (1991) – Primal Scream
“Screamadelica” is one of the best psychedelic album experiences and an album that was waiting to be made. The question was who would get to make it first. The Stone Roses? The Happy Mondays? As it turns out, the unlikeliest of the lot, Primal Scream, was ready to dazzle and innovate. These boys from Scotland were ready to take on their English peers. “Screamadelica” brought rave culture into a rock context more seamlessly than ever before. It seemed to usher in a new era. But, really, nobody has truly managed to capture its magic ever again.
19. “Violator” (1990) – Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode created a new kind of darkly, ambient heavy electronic music with “Violator.” Yes, this was the album that the English band had been working to make ever since their days of filling out stadiums on the back of electro-pop hits. That early success put the band under review by the alternative community. They were going to get a pass, however.
What “Violator” had more of was great singles and hints at sinister yet sexy concepts. It elevated Depeche Mode to a status among electro-alternative-rock groups that nobody has truly matched. “Violator” needs to be included on a list of the top alternative albums ever made.
20. “Achtung Baby” (1991) – U2
“Achtung Baby” allowed U2 to pivot from the righteous arena rock that had made them very popular during the 1980s to cool, Madchester-inspired alternative rock during the 1990s. All a plan to get in the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Perhaps.
Bono may have been playing David Bowie, with the help of Brian Eno, and relocating to Berlin just as the wall was falling. But, audiences believed it and were on board with the songs and the humour. U2’s ZOO TV Tour was huge. Yes, and most importantly, “Achtung Baby” features “One,” the band’s third most streamed song on Spotify, by a huge margin, which is U2’s very best song.
21. “If You’re Feeling Sinister” (1996) – Belle & Sebastian
22. “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” (1994) – Pavement
23. “Siamese Dream” (1993) – Smashing Pumpkins
24. “Rage Against the Machine” (1992) – Rage Against The Machine
25. “The Bends” (1995) – Radiohead
26. “Pinkerton” (1996) – Weezer
27. “Spiderland” (1991) – Slint
28. “Parklife” (1994) – Blur
29. “Ritual de lo Habitual” (1990) – Jane’s Addiction
30. “Either/Or” (1997) – Elliott Smith
31. “Vs.” (1993) – Pearl Jam
32. “Odelay” (1996) – Beck
33. “Different Class” (1995) – Pulp
34. “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” (1991) – Red Hot Chili Peppers
35. “The La’s” (1990) – The La’s
36. “Bossanova” (1990) – Pixies
37. “Where You Been” (1993) – Dinosaur Jr.
38. “Goo” (1990) – Sonic Youth
39. “Badmotorfinger” (1991) – Soundgarden
40. “Last Splash” (1993) – The Breeders
41. “The Holy Bible” (1994) – Manic Street Preachers
42. “Vitalogy” (1994) – Pearl Jam
43. “Live Through This” (1994) – Hole
44. “Little Earthquakes” (1992) – Tori Amos
45. “Dog Man Star” (1994) – Suede
46. “Californication” (1999) – Red Hot Chili Peppers
47. “Repeater” (1990) – Fugazi
48. “Everything Must Go” (1996) – Manic Street Preachers
49. “13” (1999) – Blur
50. “To Bring You My Love” (1995) – PJ Harvey
51. “Homogenic” (1997) – Björk
52. “In Utero” (1993) – Nirvana
53. “Weezer (Blue Album)” (1994) – Weezer
54. “Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches” (1990) – Happy Mondays
55. “Flood” (1990) – They Might Be Giants
56. “Henry’s Dream” (1992) – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
57. “I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One” (1997) – Yo La Tengo
58. “XO” (1998) – Elliott Smith
59. “Exile in Guyville” (1993) – Liz Phair
60. “Bone Machine” (1992) – Tom Waits
61. “Antichrist Superstar” (1996) – Marilyn Manson
62. “Let Love In” (1994) – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
63. “I Should Coco” (1995) – Supergrass
64. “Out of Time” (1991) – R.E.M.
65. “Elliott Smith (1995)” – Elliott Smith
66. “American Football” (1999) – American Football
67. “Down on the Upside” (1996) – Soundgarden
68. “Purple” (1994) – Stone Temple Pilots
69. “Bee Thousand” (1994) – Guided By Voices
70. “Bakesale” (1994) – Sebadoh
71. “No Code” (1996) – Pearl Jam
72. “The Lonesome Crowded West” (1997) – Modest Mouse
73. “Mule Variations” (1999) – Tom Waits
74. “Rid of Me” (1993) – PJ Harvey
75. “Your Arsenal” (1992) – Morrissey
76. “Tiny Music…from the Vatican Gift Shop” (1996) – Stone Temple Pilots
77. “The Colour and the Shape” (1997) – Foo Fighters
78. “Sailing the Seas of Cheese” (1991) – Primus
79. “The Soft Bulletin” (1999) – The Flaming Lips
80. “A Northern Soul” (1995) – The Verve
81. “American Water” (1998) – Silver Jews
82. “Angel Dust” (1992) – Faith No More
83. “Elastica” (1995) – Elastica
84. “Modern Life is Rubbish” (1993) – Blur
85. “69 Love Songs” (1999) – The Magnetic Fields
86. “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” (1996) – R.E.M.
87. “Temple of the Dog” (1991) – Temple of the Dog
88. “Facelift” (1990) – Alice in Chains
89. “Call The Doctor” (1996) – Sleater-Kinney
90. “Disco Volante” (1995) – Mr. Bungle
91. “Keep It Like a Secret” (1999) – Built to Spill
92. “Wowee Zowee” (1995) – Pavement
93. “Heaven or Las Vegas” (1990) – Cocteau Twins
94. “Murder Ballads” (1996) – Nick Cave
95. “Vauxhall and I” (1994) – Morrissey
96. “This is Hardcore” (1998) – Pulp
97. “Dirty” (1992) – Sonic Youth
98. “Good Morning Spider” (1998) – Sparklehorse
99. “Summerteeth” (1999) – Wilco
100. “Under the Pink” (1994) – Tori Amos
For an auditory taste of the 100 greatest alternative records of the 90s, make sure to check out Alt77’s dedicated Spotify playlist below.
You may also want to read up on The 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums of All-Time and Top 150 Greatest Alternative Albums of All-Time.
Honourable Mentions – The Really Good Alternative Rock Albums of the 90s
101. “August and Everything After” (1993) – Counting Crows
102. “Deserter’s Songs” (1998) – Mercury Rev
103. “Core” (1992) – Stone Temple Pilots
104. “Weight” (1994) – Rollins Band
105. “Gentlemen” (1993) – The Afghan Whigs
106. “La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1” (1992) – White Zombie
107. “Mellow Gold” (1994) – Beck
108. “Chocolate and Cheese” (1994) – Ween
109. “Cure for Pain” (1993) – Morphine
110. “Throwing Copper” (1994) – Live
111. “Aenima” (1996) – TOOL
112. “Fountains of Wayne” (1996) – Fountains of Wayne
113. “Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle” (1996) – The Olivia Tremor Control
114. “Magnified” (1994) – Failure
115. “Suede” (1993) – Suede
116. “Tigermilk” (1996) – Belle & Sebastian
117. “Jagged Little Pill” (1995) – Alanis Morissette
118. “Moon Pix” (1998) – Cat Power
119. “Mechanical Animals” (1998) – Marilyn Manson
120. “Dig Me Out” (1997) – Sleater-Kinney
121. “Emergency & I” (1999) – The Dismemberment Plan
122. “Copper Blue” (1992) – Sugar
123. “Dizzy Up the Girl” (1998) – Goo Goo Dolls
124. “The Great Escape” (1995) – Blur
125. “Queens of the Stone Age” (1998) – Queens of the Stone Age
126. “Pork Soda” (1993) – Primus
127. “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” (1991) – Mudhoney
128. “Grave Dancers Union” (1992) – Social Asylum
129. “Mermaid Avenue” (1998) – Wilco & Billy Bragg
130. “Zooropa” (1993) – U2
131. “Mr. Bungle” (1991) – Mr. Bungle
132. “The Battle of Los Angeles” (1999) – Rage Against The Machine
133. “Being There” (1996) – Wilco
134. “Make Yourself” (1999) – Incubus
135. “The End of Silence” (1992) – Rollins Band
136. “The Fragile” (1999) – Nine Inch Nails
137. “No. 4” (1999) – Stone Temple Pilots
138. “Pod” (1990) – The Breeders
139. “Perfect From Now On” (1997) – Built to Spill
140. “King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime” (1995) – Faith No More
141. “In on the Kill Taker” (1993) – Fugazi
142. “Laughing Stock” (1991) – Talk Talk
143. “Monster” (1994) – R.E.M.
144. “Pure Guava” (1992) – Ween
145. “Bubble & Scrape” (1993) – Sebadoh
146. “Alice in Chains” (1995) – Alice in Chains
147. “Welcome Interstate Managers” (2003) – Fountains of Wayne
148. “Dust” (1996) – Screaming Trees
149. “Dry” (1992) – PJ Harvey
150. “Souvlaki” (1993) – Slowdive
151. “Freak Show” (1997) – Silverchair
152. “X” (1990) – INXS
153. “Days of the New” (1997) – Days of the New
154. “So Tonight That I Might See” (1993) – Mazzy Star
155. “Antipop” (1999) – Primus
156. “Radiator” (1997) – Super Furry Animals
157. “Fakebook” (1990) – Yo La Tengo
158. “Undertow” (1993) – TOOL
159. “Long Season” (1996) – Fishmans
160. “Garbage” (1995) – Garbage
161. “Above” (1995) – Mad Season
162. “So Much for the Afterglow” (1997) – Everclear
163. “Yield” (1998) – Pearl Jam
164. “In It for the Money” (1997) – Supergrass
165. “Adore” (1998) – The Smashing Pumpkins
166. “Celebrity Skin” (1998) – Hole
167. “Independent Warm Saloon” (1993) – Butthole Surfers
168. “Mezcal Head” (1993) – Swervedriver
169. “Pop” (1997) – U2
170. “Houdini” (1993) – Melvins
