List of 1990s albums considered the best

This is a list of 1990s albums that multiple music journalists, music magazine, and professional music review websites have considered to be among the best of the 1990s and of all time, separated into the years of each album's release. The albums listed here are included on at least four separate "best/greatest of the 1990s/all time" lists from different professional publications (inclusive of all genres and nationalities) as chosen by their editorial staffs or by a sample size of an entire publication's audience, and/or hall of fame awards and historical preservation measures.

List

1990 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccolades15 January 1990Reading, Writing and ArithmeticThe Sundays Dream pop indie pop Rough Trade DGC NMEs "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 277 Uncuts "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 134 Melody Makers "All Time Top 100 Albums": No. 60 Ned Raggett's Top Albums of the 90s: No. 32January 1990FloodThey Might Be GiantsAlternative rockElektra Pitchfork's "The 100 Best Albums of the 1990s" (1999): No. 25 Strange Currencies' Top 100 Albums of the 1990s: No. 80 Treble's "Top 150 Albums of the 90s" No. 95 33 1/3 #88 ()5 February 1990Chill OutThe KLF Ambient ambient house sound collageKLF CommunicationsAmbient-styled concept album featuring an extensive selection of samples, portraying a mythical night-time journey throughout the U.S. Gulf Coast states, beginning in Texas and ending in Louisiana. Paste's "The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time": No. 286 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 206 Pitchfork's "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s": No. 76 Laut's List of Milestone Albums Groove Magazine's Best Electronic Albums 1988–2013: No. 35ViolatorDepeche Mode Synth-pop electropop alternative rock dance gothic rockMuteIt is considered one of the darkest albums.Reception10 April 1990People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of RhythmA Tribe Called Quest East Coast hip hop alternative hip hop progressive rap jazz rapJiveAccolades10 April 1990Fear of a Black PlanetPublic Enemy East Coast hip hop hardcore hip hop political rap progressive rap sampledelia Def Jam ColumbiaContributed significantly to the popularity of Afrocentric and political subject matter in hip hop, and the genre's mainstream resurgence at the time.Reeves, Marcus (2009). Somebody Scream!: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power. Macmillan. .AppraisalRepeaterFugaziPost-hardcoreDischordAccolades18 May 1990AmeriKKKa's Most WantedIce Cube West Coast hip hop gangsta rap political hip hop hardcore hip hopPriorityAccolades26 June 1990GooSonic Youth Alternative rock noise rockDGC NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 426 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 257"The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s". Uncut: The Archive Collection. No. 7. 2024. Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)": No. 148 Pitchfork's "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s": No. 8827 July 1990BellybuttonJellyfishPower popCharisma Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 72 Classic Rock's Greatest Albums of the 90's: No. 36 Pause & Play's "The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums" Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 557Ragged GloryNeil Young & Crazy Horse Garage rock grungeReprise Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 34 Rolling Stone's "100 Best Albums of the '90s": No. 77 Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die.14 September 1990Mama Said Knock You OutLL Cool J Hip hop East Coast hip-hop Def Jam Columbia Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time": No. 246 Rolling Stone's "100 Best Albums of the '90s": No. 56 The Source's "The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time"17 September 1990Heaven or Las VegasCocteau Twins Dream pop ambient pop4ADCritical reception and legacyRust in PeaceMegadethThrash metalCapitolRegarded as one of the best thrash metal records of all time.Legacy and influence1 October 1990The La'sThe La's Alternative rock jangle pop skiffle Polydor Go! LondonWidely considered to be a precursor to the Britpop phenomenon of the mid-1990s. NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 153 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 41 Treble's "Top 100 Albums of the 90s" Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die15 October 1990NowhereRide Shoegaze neo-psychedelia noise popCreationAcclaimed as one of the greatest albums of the shoegaze genre.Critical reception17 September 1990Canción AnimalSoda StereoAlternative rock Sony Music ColumbiaConsidered one of the best and most influential albums in the history of Latin American rock music, with many calling it the best album to ever come out of South America.Un viaje por los 250 discos del rock Iberoamericano Revista AlBorde Al Borde's Top 250 albums of Ibero-American Rock: #2 Rolling Stone Argentina's "The 100 Greatest Albums of National Rock": No. 9 Indiehoy's 50 Best Albums of the 90s: No. 28 Billboard's "The 50 Greatest Latin Albums of the Past 50 Years"BehaviourPet Shop Boys Synth-pop dance-popParlophoneCritical reception NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 2345 November 1990Pills 'n' Thrills and BellyachesHappy Mondays Madchester baggy dance-rockFactory NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 413 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 54"The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s". Uncut: The Archive Collection. No. 7. 2024. Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Q's "90 Best Albums of the 1990s"

1991 Release DateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccolades4 March 1991The White RoomThe KLF Electronica acid house raveKLF CommunicationsCritical reception"Slint Limited 30th Anniversary T-shirt". Touch and Go. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.SpiderlandSlint Post-rock post-hardcore math rockTouch and GoWidely regarded as foundational to the 1990s post-rock and math rock movements.Goldberg, Michael Alan (July 18, 2007). "The Last Time We Reunite (Except for That Next Time)". SF Weekly.Diver, Mike (April 24, 2008). "Math-Rock Family Tree: exploring the roots of Foals". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2021. It is considered one of the darkest albums. NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 314 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 19 Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)": No. 273 Pitchfork's "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s": No. 832 April 1991The Orb's Adventures Beyond the UltraworldThe Orb Electronic ambient house dance chill-out ambient dubCredited with popularizing the ambient house movement.Reception Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 254Blue LinesMassive Attack Trip hop British hip hop electropop Wild Bunch VirginGenerally regarded as the first "trip hop" album.Reception22 April 1991Peggy SuicideJulian Cope Art rock psychedelic rockIsland Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 50 Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Select's Best Albums of the 90s: No. 87 Ned Raggett's Top Albums of the 90s: No. 10014 May 1991Yerself Is SteamMercury Rev Neo-psychedelia psychedelic rock art pop art punk shoegaze Mint Films/Jungle Records Columbia Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 334 Ned Raggett's Top Albums of the 90s: No. 8 Select's Best Albums of the 90s: No. 62 Rockdelux's Best 150 Albums of the 90s: No. 2814 May 1991O.G. Original GangsterIce-TGangsta rapSire Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 318 Select's Best Albums of the 90s: No. 71 Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)": No. 27412 August 1991MetallicaMetallicaHeavy metalElektraAccoladesTenPearl Jam Grunge alternative rock EpicConsidered to have been instrumental in the rise and dominance of alternative rock throughout the decade.Pearlman, Nina. "Black Days". Guitar World. December 2002.Legacy16 September 1991Laughing StockTalk Talk Post-rock art rock ambient Verve PolydorCited as a watershed entry for the at-the-time budding post-rock genre.LegacyScreamadelicaPrimal Scream Alternative rock alternative dance neo-psychedelia Madchester dance-rock acid house Creation (UK) Sire/Warner Bros. (US)Critical reception and legacy23 September 1991Trompe Le MondePixiesAlternative rock4AD Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 383 Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s (2003): No. 83 Treble's Top 100 Albums of the ’90s Classic Rock and Metal Hammer's 200 Greatest Albums of the 90sNevermindNirvana Grunge alternative rockDGCBrought grunge and alternative rock to a mainstream audience, and is regarded as having initiated a resurgence of interest in punk culture among teenagers and young adults of Generation X.Olsen, Eric. "10 years later, Cobain lives on in his music" . MSNBC April 9, 2004. Retrieved on September 27, 2007.Legacy24 September 1991The Low End TheoryA Tribe Called Quest East Coast hip hop alternative hip hop jazz rapJiveGarnered recognition from music critics and writers as a milestone in alternative hip hop, and for Q-Tip's production, which advanced the development and exposure of jazz rap.Price, Emmett George (2006). Hip Hop Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 296. .Chinen, Nate (October 17, 2007). "CMJ Music Marathon: Q-Tip Catches the Fever". The New York Times. Accessed December 29, 2008.AccoladesBlood Sugar Sex MagikRed Hot Chili Peppers Funk rock alternative rock

rap rockWarner Bros.Accolades4 November 1991BandwagonesqueTeenage Fanclub Alternative rock power pop jangle pop noise pop Creation Records DGC NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 115 Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 386 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 13 Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014)": No. 187LovelessMy Bloody Valentine ShoegazeThe following sources have described Loveless as shoegaze:

noise pop dream popThe following sources have described Loveless as dream pop:

neo-psychedelia avant-rock noise rockCreationWidely praised by critics for its sonic innovations and session leader Kevin Shields' "virtual reinvention of the guitar".Aston, Martin (January 1992). "Warped". Q. No. 64. p. 71.AccoladesAchtung BabyU2Alternative rockIslandLegacy

1992 Release DateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccolades6 January 1992Little EarthquakesTori AmosSinger-songwriter Atlantic (US) East West (Europe)Regarded as having shaped the female singer-songwriter movement of the '90s.Legacy10 February 1992Generation TerroristsManic Street Preachers Glam rock hard rock punk rock glam punk glam metal alternative rockColumbia NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 461 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 64 Q's "In Our Lifetime: Qs 100 Best Albums 1986–94": #77 Classic Rock's Greatest Albums of the 90's: No. 36Vulgar Display of PowerPanteraGroove metalAtcoIt is considered one of the heaviest albums.Legacy and accolades9 March 1992Going Blank AgainRide Shoegaze psychedelic rockCreation/SireConsidered "predictive" of later genres of indie rock.Florida State University College of Music, thesis on |My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, by David R. Fisher, 2006. NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time": No. 407 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 147 Ned Raggett's Top Albums of the 90s: No. 108 Pitchfork's 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time24 March 19923 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...Arrested DevelopmentAlternative hip-hopChrysalis/EMI Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s": No. 314