Best Album of the ‘90s — Winner Takes All

[ClemmonsDevil]

In my dating life, I have always asked what is your desert island album. The one you would NEVER tire of listening to.

And also who is the band/artist that you loathe. As an aside, my gf lists Gershwin as the artist she despises. Which was impressive and troubling.

 

[luvdahops]

Since this is your bracket and idea, perhaps we need a little more guidance as to what would constitute the best. I was reading it as some combination of successful sales, originality and influence. Which is why to my thinking, Nirvana or Pearl Jam from the grunge/rock genre, Garth Brooks and Dr Dre would be the leaders in my mind. Other people can put those differently (Public Enemy or the Beastie Boys, Shania Twain and Metallica spring to mind) but that's how I would read the central conceit of this project. Which would mean that incredibly great bands who lack commercial success (and there have been a lot of those listed here) probably wouldn't even make the tournament. People on here love John Prine and wilco, but there's no way they have had the success commercially to even make a 32 team tournament I wouldn't think. But Define parameters as you see them. This is, after all, your show.

I would argue that Green Day has been more influential, in terms of both sound and attitude, than either Nirvana or Pearl Jam.

 

[fidel]

In my dating life, I have always asked what is your desert island album. The one you would NEVER tire of listening to.

And also who is the band/artist that you loathe. As an aside, my gf lists Gershwin as the artist she despises. Which was impressive and troubling.

I don’t know how many times I have listened to Aja, but obviously never tired of it.

Despise Gershwin? You don’t hear that a lot.

 

[ClemmonsDevil]

I don’t know how many times I have listened to Aja, but obviously never tired of it.

Despise Gershwin? You don’t hear that a lot.

I know! For me it's Journey (I DEFINITELY stopped believing). But she is incredibly classy, despite her taste in men.

 

[wilson]

In my dating life, I have always asked what is your desert island album. The one you would NEVER tire of listening to.

...and why is it Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots?

 

[CrazyNotCrazie]

In my dating life, I have always asked what is your desert island album. The one you would NEVER tire of listening to.

And also who is the band/artist that you loathe. As an aside, my gf lists Gershwin as the artist she despises. Which was impressive and troubling.

Wow. How can you hate Gershwin? Unless United Airlines consistently lost your bags (since they used to use Gershwin in their commercials a lot). I don't listen to Gershwin regularly but I'm a big fan.

 

[HoKogan]

I would argue that Green Day has been more influential, in terms of both sound and attitude, than either Nirvana or Pearl Jam.

And I'd disagree. Green Day never makes mainstream radio if not for Nirvana.

 

[ClemmonsDevil]

...and why is it Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots?

George Strait! Even though Mtn and I met to watch a game and grab a beer and this incredibly attractive bar tender said: "No one listens to country." when I asked if they ever played it.

 

[ClemmonsDevil]

...and why is it Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots?

Also I had to look up the album. Then look up the Flaming Lips. They do have some absolute bangers.

 

[luvdahops]

And I'd disagree. Green Day never makes mainstream radio if not for Nirvana.

Huh? In what parallel universe would that be true? The one in which “alternative music” only makes it into mainstream radio with the advent of Nirvana, rather than the Clash, Ramones and Elvis Costello? Or even, say, REM and the Cure?

In reality, while music fans who came of age in the 90s may argue otherwise, grunge was more of a short-term detour along a longer term alternative music arc than any sort of fundamental watershed. The pop/punk/ska and Brit pop movements had little if any relation to grunge, and quickly supplanted it in terms of alternative and mainstream impact. And Green Day was the leading force of the former.

 

[Kdogg]

I would argue that Green Day has been more influential, in terms of both sound and attitude, than either Nirvana or Pearl Jam.

Green Day was bigger in the 00s than the 90s though. It's in that cross generational group that links X and Millennials. They are bigger now than any other band from the 90s except the Foos and PJ. That's partly because of all the drug over doses of front men of that time (Chris Cornell, Layne Stanley, Scott Weiland, etc). Way back in 1994 I was a rising senior in high school. That year at Lollapalooza at Walnut Creek Green Day was the noon opener. The Smashing Pumpkins and Beasties were the headliners. Thirty years later I'm watching the Pumpkins opening for Green Day.

 

[acdevil]

Green Day was bigger in the 00s than the 90s though. It's in that cross generational group that links X and Millennials. They are bigger now than any other band from the 90s except the Foos and PJ. That's partly because of all the drug over doses of front men of that time (Chris Cornell, Layne Stanley, Scott Weiland, etc). Way back in 1994 I was a rising senior in high school. That year at Lollapalooza at Walnut Creek Green Day was the noon opener. The Smashing Pumpkins and Beasties were the headliners. Thirty years later I'm watching the Pumpkins opening for Green Day.

I saw that Lollapalooza in the rain in Philadelphia. The Beastie Boys brought a group of monks to do some chanting before their set.

In vintage Philly fashion, the monks got booed off the stage and had many water bottles thrown at them.

 

[OldPhiKap]

Wow. How can you hate Gershwin? Unless United Airlines consistently lost your bags (since they used to use Gershwin in their commercials a lot). I don't listen to Gershwin regularly but I'm a big fan.

I won’t say that I hate Gershwin. But a lot of that time period is so far below the romantic composers from the late nineteenth century to my ear that it really doesn’t do it for me. “Ooh, discordant eight notes and random blaring horns or screeching piccolos — we must be in a busy city.”

It’s sorta my same view of pop music, when there is so much great roots music to explore instead.

Give me Dvořák‘s New World Symphony or a cranking Liszt, Bartók or Brahms. Chopin or Debussy if you wanna chill

I realize that others may disagree.

 

[rsvman]

I have neither the time nor the inclination to read through every post. I just want to know whether anybody nominated Aenima by Tool.

If not, consider it nominated.

These guys are monsters, and this album is astonishing.

'I've been wallowing in my own chaotic, insecure delusions.' IYKYK. 46 and 2 may well be the best rock song ever written.

 

[brevity]

46 and 2 may well be the best rock song ever written.

Have you ever seen this all-kid cover of "46 and 2"?

The female vocalist has kind of a Flyleaf sound, and I don't mind. (I might consider nominating Flyleaf's debut album if there's a 2000s best album contest next year.)

 

[CameronBornAndBred]

That's partly because of all the drug over doses of front men of that time (Chris Cornell, Layne Stanley, Scott Weiland, etc).

He's dead, but suicide, not OD.

 

[rsvman]

Have you ever seen this all-kid cover of "46 and 2"?

The female vocalist has kind of a Flyleaf sound, and I don't mind. (I might consider nominating Flyleaf's debut album if there's a 2000s best album contest next year.)

Yes. I have watched it several times. It's amazing.

 

[lotusland]

Added the unmentioned ones from this page and fixed a few issues.

For your consideration: 188 Albums plus those four undefined points at the end.

10,000 Maniacs - Our Time in Eden​

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders​

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory​

Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill​

Alice in Chains - Dirt​

And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Madonna​

Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...​

Backstreet Boys - Backstreet's Back​

Barenaked Ladies - Gordon​

Beastie Boys - Check Your Head​

Beastie Boys - Ill Communication​

Beastie Boys- Hello Nasty​

Beck - Odelay​

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Flight of the Cosmic Hippo​

Belly - Star or King​

Ben Folds Five - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner​

Black Crowes - Shake Your Money Maker​

Blind Melon - Nico​

Blink 182 - Enema of the State​

Blues Traveler - Four​

Bonnie Prince Billy - I See a Darkness​

Bonnie Rait - Longing in their Hearts​

Bonnie Rait - Luck of the Draw​

Brooks and Dunn - Brand New Man​

Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch​

Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret​

Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On​

Built to Spill - There’s Nothing Wrong with Love​

Bush - Sixteen Stone​

Cake - Fashion Nugget​

Cake - Motorcade of Generosity​

Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting​

Counting Crows - August and Everything After​

Cracker - Cracker​

Cranberries - Everybody else is doing it, so why can't we​

Crowded House - Woodface and Together Alone​

Cypress Hill - Self Titled​

Daniel Lanois - For the Beauty of Wynona​

Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming​

Depeche Mode - Violator​

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing​

Dr. Dre - The Chronic​

Elliot Smith - Either/Or​

Eminem - Slim Shady LP​

Erykah Badu – Baduizm​

Failure - Fantastic Planet​

Fishbone - The Reality of My Surroundings​

Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin​

Fugees - The Score​

Garbage - Garbage​

Garbage - Version 2.0​

Garth Brooks - No Fences​

GBV - Bee Thousand​

Gov’t Mule - Gov’t Mule​

Green Day - Rookie​

Guns N’ Roses - Use Your Illusion I​

Guns N’ Roses - Use Your Illusion II​

Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View​

Ice Cube - The Predator​

Indigo Girls "Nomads Indians Saints"​

Iris Dement - Infamous Angel; My Life​

James - Gold Mother​

Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo habitual​

Jane's Addiction - Same with Nothing Shocking​

Jeff Beck - Who Else?​

Jeff Buckley - Grace​

Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers - American Babylon​

Joe Henry - Fuse​

Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros - Rock Art and the X-Ray Style​

John Gorka - Out of the Valley​

John Hiatt - Perfectly Good Guitar​

John Prine - In Spite of Ourselves​

John Prine - Lost Dogs​

John Prine - Mixed Blessings​

John Prine - The Missing Years​

Johnny Cash - Unchained​

Kenny Chesney - Everywhere We Go​

King Crimson - Thrak​

Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun​

Lauren Hill - The Miseducation of Lauren Hill​

Living Colour - Time’s Up​

Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville​

Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road​

Lyle Lovett - I Love Everybody​

Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges​

Lyle Lovett - Ruth​

Lyle Lovett - Step Inside this House​

Lyle Lovett - The Road to Ensenada​

Mad Season – Mad Season​

Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey​

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Come On Come On​

Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Am A Town​

Megadeth - Rust in Peace​

Melvins - Stag​

Metallica - Metallica (Black Album)​

Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West​

Morphine - Cure for Pain​

My Bloody Valentine - Lovelace​

Nanci Griffih - Other Voices, Other Rooms​

Natalie Merchant – Tigerlily​

NIN - The Downward Spiral​

Nirvana - In Utero​

Nirvana - MTV Unplugged​

Nirvana - Nevermind​

No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom​

Notorious B.I.G - Ready to Die​

Notorious B.I.G – Life After Death​

Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory​

Palace Music (Will Oldham) - Viva Last Blues​

Patty Griffin - Flaming Red​

Patty Griffin - Living with Ghosts​

Paul Simon - Rhythm of the Saints​

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain​

Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted; Brighten the Corners​

Pavement - Wowee Zowee​

Pearl Jam - Ten​

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy -​

Pearl Jam - VS​

Peter Gabriel - Us​

Phish - A Picture of Nectar​

Pixies - Surfer Rosa​

Portishead - Dummy​

Posies - Frosting on the Beater​

Public Enemy - Apocalypse 91​

R.E.M - New Adventures in Hi Fi.​

Radiohead - OK Computer​

Radiohead - Pablo Honey​

Radiohead – The Bends​

Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire​

Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine​

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magic​

Reel Big Fish - Turn the Radio Off​

REM - Automatic for the People​

REM - Out of Time​

Ride - Going Blank Again​

Rush - Counterparts​

Rush - Test for Echo​

Rusted Root - When I Woke​

Sade - Love Deluxe​

Shania Twain - Come on Over​

Shawn Colvin - Fat City​

Sigur Ros - Agaetis byrjun​

Silver Jews - American Water​

Sinead O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got​

Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out​

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream​

Smog - Knock Knock​

Snoop - Doggstyle​

Soundgarden - Superunknown​

Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite​

Steve Earle - El Corazon​

Steve Earle - I Feel Alright​

Steve Earle - The Mountain​

Steve Earle - Train a Comin’​

Stone Temple Pilots - Core​

Sublime - Sublime​

Swervedriver- Ejector Seat Reservation​

Tears for Fears - Elemental​

Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog​

The Cardigans - Gran Turismo​

The Chicks - Wide Open Spaces​

Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind​

TLC - CrazySexyCool​

Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea​

Tom Petty - Wildflowers​

Tomorrow the Green Grass - The Jayhawks​

Tony Rice - River Suite for Two Guitars​

Tool - Ænima​

Tool – Undertow​

Tori Amos - Under the Pink​

Trailer Park - Beth Orton​

Truly - Fast Stories...From kid Coma​

U2 - Achtung Baby​

Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne​

Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20​

Uncle Tupelo - No Depression​

Uncle Tupelo - Still Feel Gone​

Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge​

Weezer - Blue Album​

Whiskey Town - Faithless Street​

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard​

Wilco - AM​

Wilco - Being There​

Wilco - Summer Teeth​

Will Oldham - Joya​

Wrecking Ball - Emmylou Harris​

Wu Tang Clanh - Enter the Wu Tang​

XTC - Nonsuch​

​

*Anything Tom Petty​

*Johnny Cash - and whichever else of the American Recordings were released in the 90's​

*Judgement Night Soundtrack​

*Three Tenors​

Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessing by John Prine is only one record, not two. Joshua Judges Ruth by Lyle is also one record. Incidentally, my wife being raised Baptist is the only reason I know that Joshua, Judges, Ruth are books in the Old Testament in the order in which they appear. But songs like “She’s Already Made Up Her Mind”, and “She’s Leaving Me Because She Really Wants to” hint at double meanings.

 

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I won’t say that I hate Gershwin. But a lot of that time period is so far below the romantic composers from the late nineteenth century to my ear that it really doesn’t do it for me. “Ooh, discordant eight notes and random blaring horns or screeching piccolos — we must be in a busy city.”

It’s sorta my same view of pop music, when there is so much great roots music to explore instead.

Give me Dvořák‘s New World Symphony or a cranking Liszt, Bartók or Brahms. Chopin or Debussy if you wanna chill

I realize that others may disagree.

Agreed that Gershwin has a very city (particularly New York City) feel to it (such as its role in the Woody Allen movie Manhattan, which I have mixed feelings about). Growing up in the NYC burbs, longing to live in the city, it was kind of aspirational for me, and portrayed a level of class and worldliness. Which I could see being kind of off-putting to others. I also like the Boston Pops, which often plays a similar type of music. And they were the home of John Williams - anyone who dislikes him is dead to me.

But back on topic...

 

[hibby91]

Is anyone going to volunteer to make a Spotify playlist?