The '90s (Albums)

As I end my reflection of the 1990s with my list of favorite albums from the decade it becomes increasingly apparent just how important records were and how much the music industry really changed in that time. It was MTV's first and last full decade of influence. By the end of the '90s the channel had drastically decreased the amount of videos played and reality television was beginning to dominate their programming. Print publications were about to lose their game to online zines and the CD itself was soon to become a thing of the past. 1999 saw the launch of Napster and music would never be the same again. Major labels would soon be crashing as would the idea of an album. In the decade that followed, physical releases were of no importance, release dates turned into leaks, and soon people would only obtain select songs by their favorite artists, something they were previously only able to do with singles. Once again this is a list of how I remember the music from the decade, but unlike the songs I listed earlier, there is an importance to each of these records. I vividly remember the day my parents bought a CD player and countless CDs in the early half of the decade just as clearly as the day my dad helped me download Napster. So not only is this list important because these albums can each hold their own against any other best list from any other decade, but these albums also matter because they were the last of a soon to be dying breed.

100.  TEMPLE OF THE DOG | Temple of the Dog
099.  SUGAR | Copper Blue
098.  THE OFFSPRING | Americana
097.  RANCID | ...And Out Come the Wolves
096.  THE JESUS LIZARD | Goat
095.  EARTH | Earth 2
094.  FUGAZI | Repeater
093.  BEDHEAD | Beheaded
092.  THE CLEAN ] Vehicle
091.  CODEINE | Frigid Stars

090.  THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN | Emergency and I
089.  THE CRANBERRIES | Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
088.  SWERVEDRIVER | Mezcal Head
087.  PALE SAINTS | Comforts of Madness
086.  SEBADOH | Bakesale
085.  THE BETA BAND | The Three EPs
084.  LUCINDA WILLIAMS | Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
083.  GUNS N ROSES | Use Your Illusions I & II
082.  JANE'S ADDICTION | Ritual de la Habitual
081.  NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE | Ragged Glory

080.  NO DOUBT | Tragic Kingdom
079.  DEPECHE MODE | Violator
078.  THE CURE | Wish
077.  SHELLAC | At Action Park
076.  SAVES THE DAY | Through Being Cool
075.  DINOSAUR JR. | Green Mind
074.  GALAXIE 500 | This Is Our Music
073.  THE BREEDERS | Last Splash
072.  JAY-Z | Reasonable Doubt
071.  RIDE | Nowhere

070.  RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS | Blood Sugar Sex Magic
069.  AMERICAN FOOTBALL | American Football
068.  PUBLIC ENEMY | Fear of a Black Planet
067.  RAEKWON | Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
066.  MADONNA | Ray of Light
065.  OASIS | What's the Story Morning Glory?
064.  THE FLAMING LIPS | The Soft Bulletin
063.  THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. | Ready to Die
062.  THE AFGHAN WHIGS | Gentleman
061.  HOLE | Live Through This

060.  WILCO | Summerteeth
059.  SLEATER-KINNEY | Call the Doctor
058.  MAZZY STAR | So That Tonight I May See
057.  SQUAREPUSHER| Music Is Rotted One Note
056.  AIR | Moon Safari
055.  BUILT TO SPILL | Keep it Like a Secret
054.  TORTOISE | TNT
053.  PULP | Different Class
052.  GZA/GENIUS | Liquid Swords
051.  THE GET-UP KIDS | Something to Write Home About

050.  MOGWAI | Young Team
049.  RODAN | Rusty
048.  TALK TALK | Laughing Stock
047.  SPIRITUALIZED | Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Now Floating in Space
046.  DAFT PUNK | Homework
045.  TLC | CrazySexyCool
044.  THE FUGEES | The Score
043.  JANET JACKSON | The Velvet Rope
042.  CORNELIUS | Fantasma
041.  NAS | Illmatic

040.  BELLE AND SEBASTIAN | If You're Feeling Sinister
039.  ALANIS MORISSETTE | Jagged Little Pill
038.  SOUNDGARDEN | Superunknown

037.  PIXIES | Bossanova
036.  FOO FIGHTERS | The Colour and the Shape
035.  MASSIVE ATTACK | Mezzanine
034.  SMOG | Knock Knock
033.  SMASHING PUMPKINS | Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
032.  YO LA TENGO | I Can Feel the Heart Beating as One
031.  SLOWDIVE | Souvlaki
 

030.  STEREOLAB | Emperor Tomato Ketchup
029.  SONIC YOUTH | Goo
028.  LAURYN HILL | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
027.  REFUSED | The Shape of Punk to Come
026.  GOSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR | F#A#∞
025.  FIONA APPLE | When the Pawn...
024.  THE COCTEAU TWINS | Heaven or Las Vegas
023.  RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE | Rage Against the Machine
022.  WU-TANG CLAN | Enter the Wu-Tang [36 chambers]
021.  R.E.M. | Automatic for the People

020.  PEARL JAM | Ten
019.  NINE INCH NAILS | The Downward Spiral
018.  BOARDS OF CANADA | Music Has the Rights to Children
017.  PAVEMENT | Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
016.  MODEST MOUSE | The Lonesome Crowded West
015.  BECK | Odelay
014.  A TRIBE CALLED QUEST | The Low End Theory
013.  SILVER JEWS | American Water
012.  DIGABLE PLANETS | Blowout Comb
011.  GREEN DAY | Dookie

010.  ELLIOTT SMITH | Either/Or
009.  WEEZER | Weezer
008.  BJÖRK | Post
007.  OUTKAST | Aquemini
006.  SLINT | Spiderland
005.  NIRVANA | In Utero
004.  PORTISHEAD | Dummy    
003.  NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL | In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
002.  MY BLOODY VALENTINE | Loveless
001.  RADIOHEAD | OK Computer