During my time at Harmonix, music culture was something so core to the studio, and something that I absolutely loved. And combined with working on FUSER and Rock Band, I got so much exposure to music I never thought I'd normally listen to. These things combined together really motivated to expand my music horizons, specifically with different kinds of rock. So earlier this year, I started a cool exploration:
Pick a Decade
Choose 10 rock albums that I've perceived as the best of that decade
Listen to all the ones on the list that I haven't yet
Rank all 10 of them
Just making these lists was fun enough, but I've had such a great time exploring new music that I wanted to start sharing my verdicts (also, it's been a little while since I did a music blog, and I wanted to scratch that itch). And what better decade to start with than the 90s; a decade that, while I was only alive for a quarter of, has shaped so much of my music tastes and given me such a deep appreciation for striped down and dirty rock. As usual, these are just my personal opinions, and I'm sure others will have their thoughts as well.
Ranking System
For this ranking, I really wanted to do this in an unbiased way, which is why I wanted to set out a system for how I rank the albums besides my personal opinion (but I will include some of that to an extent).
Commercial Performance: How well the album sold, charted, and certifications
Critical Reception: The impression of the overall quality of the album from critics
Legacy: How iconic the album is beyond music enthusiasts, including its album cover
Personal Opinion: What I thought of the album
And some of these categories will be carrying more weight than others, like I'm always gonna value Legacy as the most important of these, and Critical Reception will likely be more towards the bottom.
Honorable Mentions
With every decade that I've done, there are just so many albums to choose from, so while I haven't listened to all of these yet, here a few that almost made the cut for the 90s:
The Black Album by Metallica
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
Pussy Whipped by Bikini Kill
The Colour & The Shape by Foo Fighters
10. The Bends by Radiohead
So starting this list off is a band that has truly perplexed me for a long time. If there's one thing music critics love to do, it's call Radiohead music titans... and personally, I'm note sure I really understood it. This isn't me trying to criticize this band, but rather comes from a place of recognizability outside music enthusiasts. Personally, I can't really think of many instances in my life where Radiohead was on the radio or talked about in pop culture outside of the Scott Tenorman episode of South Park. I don't even think I heard "Creep" for the first time until I was well into my 20s, and O.K. Computer was basically non-existent for me until about a year ago.
But I felt like I had to take in the critical reception for this list and give them a Radiohead album. So I went with The Bends for 2 reasons; whenever I think of this band, this is the album cover I instantly think of, and the one Radiohead song I actually have really old memories of as a kid was "High & Dry." These created strong enough memories for this band, so I felt like it was the best choice. And the album has some pretty impressive accolades behind it to; strong commercial performance and absolutely glowing reviews as it's gotten older. As far as my opinion of it goes, I feel like I don't return to it very often, but there are definitely some standout tracks, like "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Bones." Overall, it's a pretty solid Alt-Rock album that helped pave the way for modern alternative, so I have to give it props there.
9. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis
I came into this list not really knowing much about Oasis other than "Wonderwall," which I think speaks a lot to this album's legacy. Like I honestly can't think of many artists that have talked about Oasis over the years, but in my search for albums, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? kept popping up on rankings, and pretty high from what I could tell.
It also had the commercial and critical performances to back it up; the album went platinum in 13 countries, with one of those being 16x platinum in the UK alone. And the reviews for this album are absolutely glowing. Though it was just mixed to positive upon its initial release, the album later attracted critical acclaim. And from what I could tell, most of these later reviews called it a really groundbreaking album for the Britpop genre. This was all good enough for me, so the album made the cut.
What I was greeted with was an album that felt both stripped down, and uniquely complex. The beautiful piano and string arrangements created some great contrast between the rougher and raw guitars, which for me, helped make even the longer songs feel more enjoyable. "Some Might Say" was a song that really stood out to me; I just loved the upbeat energy that it had, and Liam Gallagher's vocal melodies were so catchy. I definitely have to look beyond the reputation of the Gallagher brothers when I listen to this album, but you can't deny that they made good music. But with that said, my earlier point on the album's legacy unfortunately puts this one close to the bottom.
8. Ten by Pearl Jam
Now I went into Ten with REALLY high expectations, and I think it's easy to see why. This album constantly finds itself on other rankings of not just 90s albums, but greatest albums of all time, and critics often call it one of, if not the greatest debut album ever. Not to mention its commercial success, as the album saw pretty high numbers on the charts, went platinum in 8 countries, and diamond here in the US.
So why did I put this album in the lower half? Well it really comes down to how I feel about its legacy and just my personal opinions. Like I said, I went in with big expectations, which was also the impression that this is gonna be a really dirty Grunge album. What I was actually greeted with was an album that drew more heavily from Classic Rock, which I think was a bit of a letdown. I'm not saying Classic Rock is bad, but when going in with the hope of more dirt and aggression, it caught me off guard. And looking back on it now, I feel like I could give it another try and have a better time now that I know what I'm getting into. After all, there were still plenty of songs that are quite memorable, from the more aggressive "Even Flow" and "Why Go" to the more slowed down "Alive."
And as far as the legacy goes, I do recognize that Eddie Vedder's style of singing was heavily influential on 90s bands to come later on, but outside of that, I don't know how iconic the album has remained. It could just be me, but I've felt like outside of music enthusiasts, you might hear a song from Ten, but not instantly know who it is. That could kind of play with how much Eddie Vedder's singing is, but again, this could just be how I've felt about this album, and someone could easily prove me wrong.
7. The Blue Album by Weezer
If you were asking me what my favorite Weezer album is for this list, I think Pinkerton would just barely beat this one out. But looking at both albums from an unbiased view, I think The Blue Album is much more recognizable nowadays. Like if you turn on the radio today, you're gonna hear "Say It Ain't So" and "Buddy Holly" way before any of the songs on Pinkerton. And going beyond the rest of Weezer's catalogue, you'll just hear those songs before a lot of other songs from the 90s, and who can blame the radio for that.
While The Blue Album didn't see as much commercial success as some of the other albums on this list, it definitely has the critics to back it up. Not only do people love this album, but you can really see how it paved the way for Nerd Rock and Emo of the next generation. With songs like "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" and the previously mentioned "Say It Ain't So," Rivers Cuomo really brought a lot of emotion and heart to his lyrics, and layered it all on top of catchy guitars that just shred.
And I have to talk about "In The Garage." This song will likely resonate with anyone who's felt like an outcast for being a nerd. With references to DnD and the X-Men, it's a song tells the story of your safe place to hide away from a world that's done nothing but laugh at you. And let me tell you, as someone who got picked on in school for loving video games and cartoons, this hits hard. So yeah, The Blue Album gets a lot of points for its legacy and critical reception, but loses a bit for commercial performance. But as one of the albums I listened to before this ranking, I can tell that it will always have good points with me.
6. Californication by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
I anticipate there will be a lot of people that think I should've put Blood Sugar Sex Magik on here instead, but I chose Californication because I felt like it had more to say about The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Coming off 1995's One Hot Minute, they were a band that was on the brink of destruction. Dave Navarro had left following creative differences, while Anthony Kiedis and at-the-time former guitarist John Frusciante were both battling massive heroin addictions. Frusciante in particular was pretty close to his death bed at one point, but Flea convinced him to go to rehab, get clean, and ultimately come back to the band.
Following his return, The Chili Peppers recorded this masterpiece; a stripped down Alt-Funk album that tackles addiction, death, and sexual innuendos. It really felt like a band that got their act together and screamed "we're not done yet. In fact, we're only getting better." And when you have massive hits like the title track, these words really do hold up. While reviews for the album are lower than some of the previous entries on this list, they are by no means bad. And the commercial performance also helps Californication keep up, as the album went platinum in a whopping 19 countries.
And as far as my personal opinion goes, I always loved the album cover, but truth be told, I was quite surprised at how much I liked the songs. I really haven't listened to a lot of Funk, but there is so much more than that on this album. You have the more punk-inspired "Parallel Universe" and the acoustic ballad of "Road Trippin'" that make for such a fun time. So on the whole, Californication really delivers on every front; strong sales and reviews, songs that still get recognized easily today, and I just think it's a good album. Kind of a shame it's still in the bottom half of this list, but the top 5 are just too good to ignore.
5. Enema of The State by Blink-182
We have now come to my favorite album on this list! Whether you love them or hate them, you can't deny the impact that Blink-182 has had on music, and so much of that started with Enema of The State. The band's first album with Travis Barker behind the drumkit, Blink-182's best lineup crafted an album that brought everything that distinguished them from other Punk acts of the 90s; heavier pop melodies, excessive toilet humor, and a secret dark side that highlighted their desire to escape their broken family lives and just have some fun.
Enema of The State proved successful (despite ridiculous backlash from those who called them sellouts for doing what they love), as the album performed well on the charts and went platinum in 5 countries. But the legacy is where I think this album shines the most. Obviously you have all of its singles being super iconic still (especially "All The Small Things"), but this album literally defined the next generation of Pop Punk. The genre became a dominant force throughout most of the 2000s, and Blink-182 were basically the kings of that generation for the next 5 years. You also also have the countless number of Emo bands that took inspiration from them, and the 2020s Pop Punk resurgence that's been fueled by a love of bands like Blink-182, with all of this being traced back to Enema of The State.
And if you're familiar with my music blog, you know I've had plenty of good things to say about this album over the years. From the second you hear the opening riff in "Dumpweed" to the epic conclusion of "Anthem," it's a ride that I will always have a good time on. But in my unbiased ranking, I will take some of the critical reception and lower commercial performance (compared to the what's coming) into account, which is why it has to stay where it is.
4. Dookie by Green Day
Well you probably knew this one was coming. While Enema of The State was the album that brought about the next generation of punk bands in the 2000s, probably none of that would've happened if it weren't for the smash hit that was Dookie (after all, Blink-182's "What's My Age Again" was inspired by an outtake from this album, "J.A.R."). Prior to this album's release, Green Day had already made a big name for themselves in California's East Bay Punk Scene, but signing to a major label and writing this album basically blew them through the roof.
Lyrically addressing the band's fondness for weed, growing up, and just straight boredom, Dookie released to critical acclaim, performed very well on the charts, and went diamond in both the US and Canada. And as far as its legacy goes, it paved the way for Green Day to become the most successful punk band of all time. Like the number of artists, even beyond punk music, that cite Green Day as a major influence is crazy, and all of that started with Dookie.
Now of course I could talk about this album all day, but I'll stick with a few standouts. One of my favorite music stories ever is that Mike Dirnt wrote the bassline for "Longview" while he was on acid, and thank god he remembered it. That bassline is so iconic, and in my personal opinion, makes for a song that is WAY better than "Basket Case." But I'll also say that about all the other single (and most of the deep cuts) on Dookie. "She" is definitely a standout track for me, as I've always loved that upbeat sound it has. The only song that I might talk less about is "In The End," and not because it's bad, but rather I just forget that it's there. Okay, time to cut myself off; Dookie hits all the marks here, it is a groundbreaking album, and it is so deserving to be in the top 5.
3. Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
Now to be honest, I hadn't heard much of Alanis Morissette until we used "Ironic" in FUSER, but the more I looked into this album, the more I was like "Woah, this is a really successful album." Like Jagged Little Pill is actually one the best selling albums of all time, having sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and going over 10x platinum in the US, UK, and Australia, while also going platinum is a bunch of other countries. And while the reviews for this album aren't as high as some of the others on this list, they're by no means bad.
What's actually insane about this album is how well she was able to pull off a stylistic change. Prior to Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette was a Dance Pop singer that saw decent success in Canada with her first two albums. But combined with producer Glen Ballard, the two experimented with songwriting that helped craft the Alt-Rock sound that would blow her career through the roof. On top of that, they brought in members of bands like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jane's Addiction, and the previously mention Red Hot Chili Peppers to record with them; of course they were gonna have something great!
While I think this album resonated with me less than some of the others on this list, I had a really fun time with songs like "Head Over Feet" and "Hand In My Pocket," but then you have the instant recognizability of Flea's bass playing on "You Oughta Know." And then there's the legacy; "Ironic" is still super well-known today, plus you have the dozens of pop stars who cite Jagged Little Pill as a major influence. In this case, I really have to put my own experience aside, and recognize this album's impact.
2. Self-Titled Album by Sublime
Out of all the albums I listened to on this list, this one without a doubt, blew me away the most. I'm a firm believer that the best albums are the ones that break down the walls between genres in a way that keeps the songs feeling cohesive, and that's exactly what this album did. Sublime brought in elements of Punk, Reggae, Ska, Surf Rock, and Hip-Hop in a way that no one else had done, or really has been able to do following the release of their final album. And on top of all those genres, the late Bradley Nowell adds in his own lyrical blend of sexual innuendos ("Caress Me Down"), stories of crime ("April 29, 1992 (Miami)"), and love of weed ("Get Ready").
Despite Nowell's tragic death and inability for the band to tour as a result, the album proved quite successful in both the US and New Zealand, while also garnering critical acclaim. While these stats are probably a bit lower than some other albums on here, you can't deny the legacy of this album. "What I Got" and "Santeria" are still regular staples on the radio, and the album's success basically lead Sublime to become the face of Ska Punk, influencing many other acts to come after them.
And like I said at the beginning, I was genuinely blown away by this album; it let me get my punk rock licks in with "Same In The End," "Seed," and "Paddle Out," while also giving me more exposure to Hip-Hop with "April 29, 1992 (Miami)" and the Beastie Boys feature on "Doin' Time." If not for my number 1 pick, this album would've been more than deserving.
1. Nevermind by Nirvana
COME ON!!! What else did you think was gonna be at the top spot? I don't know how much I can say that's already been said about Nevermind, but this album literally changed the face of music as we know it. At a time when rock was ruled by Hair Metal, along comes Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl with not just the best rock album of the decade, but best of the decade hands down and one of the greatest music releases of all time! The trio crafted lyrics and instrumentals that were gritty, angry, and completely shattered the walls between alternative rock and the mainstream. I mean when you can dethrone Michael Jackson from the top of the Billboard 200, you're doing something right.
The reviews for Nevermind were nothing short of spectacular, and it also went platinum or diamond in over 20 countries. Not to mention its chart performance, which is STILL ACTIVE after 33 years. And the lasting power of this album is so undeniable; "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is literally one of the most iconic songs ever written, and the other singles and even the deep cuts continue to find their way into pop culture today (just look at The Batman basing Bruce Wayne on Kurt Cobain and using "Something In The Way" in its soundtrack).
And my personal opinion? I feel like it won't matter much, but I think this album is a masterpiece. It marries a love for so many different genres of rock into what would become Grunge; from the punk-centric bangers like "Breed" and "Territorial Pissings" to the soft rock hits like "Polly." I personally found myself skipping "Smells Like Teen Spirit" most of the time, but only because I've heard it so many times, so I'm not gonna knock it too much. But yeah, I genuinely think this is an album everyone should listen to at least once in their lives, cause it really did shape music forever.
And there you have it, my list of the top 10 greatest rock albums of the 90s. This was such a fun thing to do, and I feel like it exposed me to so much music that I never even considered listening to before coming to work at Harmonix. Thankfully, I'm planning to keep this up, as I've also made lists for other decades, and hope to write about them soon. Until then, hope you enjoyed the list, and hopefully I can write another music blog soon!