# Your top fifteen 1990s albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899 "2014-10-29T13:40:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/21 "2014-10-29T16:42:31Z")
There are probably about 40 albums from the 90s I love top-to-bottom. Here’s what I would pick if I only had a 15-CD case and was going on a road trip with my Discman. In no particular order: Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral Pearl Jam - Ten Nirvana - Nevermind Radiohead - OK Computer Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot Metallica - Metallica Barenaked Ladies - Rock Spectacle Sublime - 40 Oz to Freedom Weezer - Weezer Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk Blind Melon - Blind Melon Counting Crows - August and Everything After Various - Ska The Third Wave Vol 1 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/22 "2014-10-29T16:53:17Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > There were a ton of great hip hop albums in the 90s. > > …Goodie Mob - Soul Food > Mobb Deep - The Infamous > Pete Rock and CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother… > > I could probably list another 20-30 before I started reaching. Chino XL, Us 3, Boo-Yaa Tribe, De La Soul… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/23 "2014-10-29T17:25:03Z")
My favorites. Except for #1, these are not in any order. The numbering is just decorative. I’m also keeping it to one album per artist, just because. 1. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine 2. Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins 3. Dig Me Out - Sleater-Kinney 4. Exile In Guyville - Liz Phair 5. Fear of a Black Planet - Public Enemy 6. Mezzanine - Massive Attack 7. Dirty - Sonic Youth 8. Doolittle - The Pixies 9. Emperor Tomato Ketchup - Stereolab 10. In Utero - Nirvana 11. OK Computer - Radiohead 12. 69 Love Songs - Magnetic Fields 13. Check Your Head - Beastie Boys 14. Screamadelica - Primal Scream 15. At Action Park - Shellac ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/24 "2014-10-29T17:33:45Z")
TMBG, Flood Urge Overkill, Saturation Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral Depeche Mode, Violator Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes Grosse Point Blank soundtrack Beck, Midnite Vultures Radiohead, The Bends Radiohead, OK Computer Ani DiFranco, Dilate Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville Beastie Boys, Ill Communication REM, Automatic for the People Oasis, What’s the Story Morning Glory U2, Achtung Baby ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/25 "2014-10-29T17:37:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > My favorites. Except for #1, these are not in any order. The numbering is just decorative. I’m also keeping it to one album per artist, just because. > > 1. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine > > 2. Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins > > 3. Dig Me Out - Sleater-Kinney > > 4. Exile In Guyville - Liz Phair > > 5. Fear of a Black Planet - Public Enemy > > 6. Mezzanine - Massive Attack > > 7. Dirty - Sonic Youth > > 8. Doolittle - The Pixies > > 9. Emperor Tomato Ketchup - Stereolab > > 10. In Utero - Nirvana > > 11. OK Computer - Radiohead > > 12. 69 Love Songs - Magnetic Fields > > 13. Check Your Head - Beastie Boys > > 14. Screamadelica - Primal Scream > > 15. At Action Park - Shellac Nitpick: _Doolittle_ was '89. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/26 "2014-10-29T17:44:59Z")
Well, I’m pleased to see that my musical tastes overlap with no one. But here’s my list: Richard Thompson – Rumor and Sigh (1952 Vincent Black Lightning, anyone?) Dar Williams – The Honesty Room Stones in the Road – Mary Chapin Carpenter Freedom and Rain – The Oysterband and June Tabor Solace – Sarah McLachlan Patty Griffin – Living With Ghosts Loreena McKennitt – The Visit October Project – October Project Waterboys – Room to Roam (because Fisherman’s Blues was an 80’s album) Deserters – Oysterband Retrospective – Jack Hardy (yes, you’ve never heard of him, but he was the center of the Greenwich Village folk scene for many years) Salamander Crossing – Bottleneck Dreams Bill Morrissey – Standing Eight (or maybe Inside, it’s a tough call) Dream Cafe – Greg Brown Steve Forbert – The American in Me A few honorable mentions: Whatever – Aimee Mann (knocked down in the the honorable mentions mostly for lack of room, but partly because the ever present whiff of gothy self pity grates after a while.) Little Earthquakes – Tori Amos Never Enough – Melissa Etheridge Cowboy Junkies Pale Sun/Crescent Moon ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/27 "2014-10-29T17:45:03Z")
R.E.M. - Out of Time Alice in Chains - Dirt Paul Simon - The Rhythm of the Saints Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes Duran Duran - The Wedding Album Enya - The Memory of Trees Trainspotting OST Rammstein - Sehnsucht Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the GIrl Lola Rennt OST Sneaker Pimps - Becoming RemiXed VNV Nation - Praise the Fallen Faithless - Reverence Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea And my number one 1990s album: Smashing Pumpkins - Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/28 "2014-10-29T17:51:24Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Nitpick: _Doolittle_ was '89. Whoops. I actually did know that, since I mentioned it in the 1989 thread, but somehow my brain farted here. I might be tempted to put “Trompe Le Monde” on this list. It was the first Pixies album I heard and, though not the popular choice, it still is one of my favorite albums, period. So substitute “Trompe Le Monde” in there. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/29 "2014-10-29T17:53:11Z")
Can no longer edit: My #1 would be Saturation by Urge Overkill. I finally saw them in concert as the opening act for the Pixies in Chicago during my 2nd year of law school. It was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/30 "2014-10-29T18:08:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Whoops. I actually did know that, since I mentioned it in the 1989 thread, but somehow my brain farted here. I might be tempted to put “Trompe Le Monde” on this list. It was the first Pixies album I heard and, though not the popular choice, it still is one of my favorite albums, period. So substitute “Trompe Le Monde” in there. “Trompe Le Monde” is great (and hugely underrated). ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/31 "2014-10-29T18:18:39Z")
In no particular order, my faves that I can still listen to over and over 20 ish years later… U2 - Achtung, Baby U2 - Zooropa Pearl Jam - Ten Tom Petty - Wildflowers Jeff Buckley - Grace The Refreshments - Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big and Buzzy The Refreshments - The Bottle and Fresh Horses R.E.M. - Automatic for the People R.E.M. - Monster Eric Clapton - Unplugged Eric Clapton - From the Cradle Nirvana - Unplugged Nirvana - Nevermind Cracker - Cracker Cracker - Kerosene Hat ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/32 "2014-10-29T18:20:34Z")
Fine, I’ll bite. Alphabetical order, based on personal favorites and not critical acclaim. _Adiemus_ - Adiemus _Americana_ - Offspring _Automatic for the People_ - R.E.M. _Californication_ - Red Hot Chili Peppers _Deserter’s Songs_ - Mercury Rev _Dixie_ - Avail _Hack_ - Information Society _Hope is Important_ - Idlewild _Jagged Little Pill_ - Alanis Morissette _Nevermind_ - Nirvana _Out of Time_ - R.E.M. _Recipe for Hate_ - Bad Religion _The Score_ - Fugees _The Sign_ - Ace of Base _Third Eye Blind_ - Third Eye Blind ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/33 "2014-10-29T18:25:06Z")
I think I could exchange music collections with quite a few people here and not notice the difference. In no particular order 1. REM - Automatic for the People 2. U2 - Achtung Baby 3. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (could have gone with Mezzanine, protection was a one song album for me) 4. Spiritualized - Pure Phase (could have gone for any of the three) 5. Nirvana - Nevermind 6. Jesus and Mary Chain - Honey’s Dead ( I say Coldplay ripped of the guitar riff on Yellow from this album) 7. Primal Scream - Screamadelica 8. The Stone Roses - Second Coming 9. Smashing Pumpkins - Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ( I once started a full on air drum solo on an aircraft to Bullet with butterfly wings, you get odd looks when in a suit in business class on intercontinental flights when you start waving your arms around) , fortunately my neighbor knew who SP were 10. Radiohead - The Bends the rest of their stuff is a bit meh, this album is sublime. 11. Blind Melon - Blind Melon - this and RHCP are on my skiing playlist 12. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik - perfect for skiing moguls and powder to 13. The Beautiful South - Blue is the Colour 14. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless - could have gone with Ride - Nowhere 15. The Black Crows - Shake your Money Maker - for singing along out loud in the car with no one else. great acoustic version of She talks to Angels Oh and thanks for reminding me of Sugar - Copper Blue, had forgotten about that album , just dug it out and putting it on. Probably would have had Alanis Morrisette in there, t just got overplayed I think. Damn now I need to get Mazzy Star and Tindersticks in , 15 is too few. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/34 "2014-10-29T18:25:10Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Well, I’m pleased to see that my musical tastes overlap with no one. But here’s my list: > > … > > Stones in the Road – Mary Chapin Carpenter > > … Well, they barely overlap with my list – MCC has a song on the wonderful “Dead Man Walking” CD. As for Richard (and Linda) Thompson… \*Rumour and Sigh \*is certainly great, but my favorite is _First Light_ (1978). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/35 "2014-10-29T18:28:52Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > …Paul Simon - The Rhythm of the Saints > … My favorite 1990s Paul Simon album is the underrated _You’re the One._ It almost made my top-15 list. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/36 "2014-10-29T18:37:03Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > My favorite 1990s Paul Simon album is the underrated _You’re the One._ It almost made my top-15 list. I adore the intro drumming in “The Obvious Child.” I’ll listen to it xty times in a row just for that. > [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > 1. Smashing Pumpkins - Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ( I once started a full on air drum solo on an aircraft to Bullet with butterfly wings, you get odd looks when in a suit in business class on intercontinental flights when you start waving your arms around) , fortunately my neighbor knew who SP were The alt rock radio station in Charlotte used to do “The Top 9 at 9” where they’d play the most-requested songs of the day. “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” was the #1 song for about six months running. To this day I haven’t gotten tired of it and that’s saying a lot. I’ll still headbang whenever I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/37 "2014-10-29T18:51:24Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > TMBG, Flood > Urge Overkill, Saturation > Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes All three damn good choices. All three I forgot to put on my list. I really do hate my brain some days. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/38 "2014-10-29T18:53:12Z")
1. Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar 2. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head 3. Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger 4. Mr. Big - Mr. Big 5. Kid Rock - Devil Without A Cause 6. Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power 7. Public Enemy - Fear Of a Black Planet 8. Motley Crue - Generation Swine 9. Guns N Roses - Use Your Illusion I & II 10. Metallica - Metallica 11. Pearl Jam - Ten 12. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out 13. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication 14. Soundgarden - Superunknown 15. Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way Honorable Mention : Queensryche - Empire, Pearl Jam - Vs, Nirvana - Nevermind, Pantera - Far Beyond Driven, Lenny Kravitz - Mama Said, Alice In Chains - Facelift. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/39 "2014-10-29T19:22:56Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > I adore the intro drumming in “The Obvious Child.” I’ll listen to it xty times in a row just for that. You’ll love Jovanotti’s song [L’Ombelico del Mondo (Belly-button of the World).](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZY3bm93Wk4) Which reminds me – I totally should have included a [**Jovanotti**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jovanotti) album in my best-of-the-90s list! He is a fantastic Italian artist who does rap, pop, and more, with great rhythms, melodies, and (as far as I can tell!) lyrics. I would have a hard time choosing which disc – the one I played constantly was a “best of” cassette. [Lorenzo 1992](http://www.discogs.com/Jovanotti-Lorenzo-1992/release/1089999) includes the joyous [Regazzo Fortunato (Lucky Guy)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOpDfVjCA9Y), Lorenzo 1994 has the laid-back [Piove (Rain)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99vzGxdNgko), and 1999’s [Capo Horn](https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=jovanotti+capo&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS518US518&q=jovanotti+capo+horn&gs_l=hp..0.0i19l3j0i22i30i19l2j41.0.0.2.70527...........0.Lq-UYI8TIMY#q=lorenzo+1999:+capo+horn&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAx8HsxKXfq6-gWGOWW6F8aKGBO4-79BY4WCZ_jt9f8wWbUh5DQCQp_CeKwAAAA) goes to new places. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899/40 "2014-10-29T20:36:49Z")
Nirvana - In Utero Radiohead - OK Computer Beck - Odelay Sublime - 40 Oz to Freedom Dr. Dre - The Chronic Stone Roses - Second Coming REM - Monster Portishead - Dummy Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie TMBG - Flood Ben Folds Five Pearl Jam - Vitalogy Wilco - Being There Ween - The Mollusk Weezer - Pinkerton [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-fifteen-1990s-albums/702899.md?page=3)