Top 40 Albums of the 90s (and the Top 11(?) EPs)

Every time a list for the best albums of a certain decade or an end of the year “best of” list, I am always up in arms over the results. There is generally always something I agree with but the rest of the time I am picking things apart and thinking about how many other records, films, or sandwiches would be better on the list than the ones picked. I seem to think I have such discerning and discretionary taste that I could make a list that is Holier than Thou. That being said there is one thing I noticed is that it isn’t as broad as I thought it would be. The 90s, unlike other periods of music was dominated strongly by what was then called “Alternative” music. Under this banner bands like Collective Soul, Ween, Nirvana, and Better than Ezra are considered part of a singular movement in a general sense. Although I grew up and my interest in music was formed during this period , as well as the fact many of my favorite albums ever come from this time, I realized my list does lack, to a certain degree, a broad sense of diversity and may be fairly redundant in some of the choices. Is it perfect? Well, no. For me this is the best I could do as I learned that list are almost impossible for me to make as I feel such a wide range of things for so many different records.

One thing this list is not is unbiased. These are the albums I feel are the best to my listening ear over that 10 year period. Are these the most defining records? Some unequivocally are that. Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless, and Slint’s Spiderland each single handedly brought to fruition entire movements of music; Lo-Fi 4 track recordings, Shoegaze, and Post-Rock, respectively. Are these all the defining albums according to a broad spectrum of music? Absolutely not. Nirvana’s Nevermind, Radiohead’s OK Computer, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet among others are examples of albums that define this period but do I listen to them? Eh.

The 90s was the decade of Alternative Rock, and it’s respective genres, and Rap and its. It’s easy to tell what camp I am in but my bias comes from a stronger interest in music in it’s production as opposed to lyric based songwriting. There is an interesting drop of point in 97-98 most of the great bands of the time had died out, sans the ones that were just getting their bearings, and a new form musical abomination was taking over the airwaves and dumbing down an entire generation of youths. Rap-rock and Boy-Band style pop music became the dominant sound and with it came a new generation of a music that was a reaction to what was the dark ages of music. This list I hope is something that you can at least understand, I am sad about the collateral damage that occured in the act of making a list like this (Bjork, Aerial M, Beastie Boys, Beck, For Carnation, Sam Prekop, Weezer Blue Album, Giant Sand, Heavy Vegetable and Thingy, David Grubbs, Lovechild, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, John Zorn, Pixies, Talk Talk, Notwist, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Ween, Fly Ashtray, Don Caballero, etc) but it came down to what I really listen to and respond to as a whole album. Most of these choices are deeply personal, some in ways, especially with Gastr Del Sol and Tortoise, are where they are at because of new sense of enlightenment they brought me to musically. Some of these like Polvo’s Today’s Active Lifestyles or Jim O’Rourke’s solo work, are criminally overlooked and I feel as though time will finally catch up with these albums if it hasn’t already. Hopefully…

That being said I will be making other list for the 80s, 70s, 60s, and from 2000-06 as I get to them. For now I give you my Top 40 Albums of the 90s and as well as the Top 11(?) EPs of the 90s. Enjoy.


1. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
2. Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die
3. Boredoms - Super Are
4. Flaming Lips - Zaireeka
5. Gastr Del Sol - Upgrade & Afterlife
6. DJ Shadow - …Entroducing
7. Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand
8. Polvo - Today’s Active Lifestyles
9. Slint - Spiderland
10. Modest Mouse - This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About
11. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
12. Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun
13. Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
14. Built to Spill - Ultimate Alternative Wavers
15. Jim O’Rourke - Bad Timing
16. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
17. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - F# A# Infinity
18. Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics
19. The KLF - Chill Out
20. Sonic Youth - Goo
21. Squarepusher - Music is Rotted One Note
22. Grifters - Crappin’ You Negative
23. Neutral Milk Hotel - In an Aeroplane Over the Sea
24. Tortoise - TNT
25. Pavement - Wowee Zowee
26. Gastr Del Sol - Camofleur
27. Faust - You Know Faust
28. Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle
29. Chavez - Ride the Fader
30. Bugskull - Phantasies and Sensations
31. Mercury Rev - Yerself is Steam
32. Guided by Voices - Alien Lanes
33. Unrest - Imperial F.F.R.R.
34. Halo Benders - God Don’t Make No Junk
35. Silver Jews - American Water
36. Storm & Stress - S/T
37. Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West
38. Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On
39. Brainiac - Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
40. Barry Black - Tragic Animal Kingdom


EPs:

1. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
2. Gastr Del Sol - Mirror Repair
3. Jim O’Rourke - Halfway to a Threeway
4. Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 - Admonishing the Bishops
5. Polvo - Celebrate the New Dark Age
6. Brainiac - Electro-Shock for President
7. The Sweet Things - Deliver
8. Pavement - Watery, Domestic
9. Helium - Pirate Prude
10. Slint - S/T
11. Modest Mouse - The Fruit That Ate Itself