Back in 1998, we compiled an entire issue that revolved around the 90 greatest albums of the ’90s. The inclusions were diverse, reflecting the different facets of culture that dominated the decade — from trip-hop (Portishead’s Dummy) and second-wave emo (Sunny Day Real Estate’s How It Feels to Be Something On) to grunge (Nirvana’s Nevermind). With this in mind, we asked our readers to tell us the best ’90s albums, and their answers didn’t disappoint. In fact, many of their votes aligned with ours from nearly 30 years ago. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
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5. Radiohead – OK Computer
Radiohead’s OK Computer marked a turning point in the ’90s. Inspired by Pet Sounds, Bitches Brew, and Endtroducing…, the band reached new depths on their third album, finding a way to push the boundaries of their sound into something greater, denser, and ultimately more alluring. The result spawned paranoid anthems, capitalist critique, and a long partnership with producer Nigel Godrich, who’s had his fingerprints on every album since. Even if you’re tired of hearing “Karma Police,” it isn’t hyperbolic to say that OK Computer is one of the era’s most innovative records.
4. Weezer – Weezer (The Blue Album)
Needless to say, Weezer’s 1994 debut album was a welcome shift in alternative rock. Though Rivers Cuomo was a metalhead as a teenager, he gradually became more at home with the Beach Boys, the Velvet Underground, and Pixies. It makes total sense, then, that he created nerdy power-pop songs that reflected that sound, affixed with lyrics about social awkwardness, pop-culture references, and general outsiderism. It was a breath of fresh air at the time, going on to dominate MTV and becoming part of a neverending (sometimes contentious) debate. It’s a feat that the band celebrated on a huge 20th anniversary tour last year.
3. blink-182 – Enema of the State
For so many teenagers living through the ’90s, blink-182’s Enema of the State was a gateway into pop punk. Mixing crass humor, attitude, and serious hooks, the songs captured a Californian mentality while reflecting their love for Descendents, NOFX, and Ramones. Aside from the chemistry between Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge, the inclusion of Travis Barker was monumental, creating the band’s most classic lineup. Plus, their ability to shift tones between the crude “What’s My Age Again?” and introspective “Adam’s Song” proved that they had more depth beyond the surface. Put simply, Enema of the State was a bright spot of the ’90s.
2. Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral
Of their 11 studio albums, The Downward Spiral is Nine Inch Nails’ most groundbreaking and commercially successful, so it’s no surprise that it made this list. We don’t use this word lightly, but it’s a masterpiece, creating instantly memorable songs (“Closer,” “March of the Pigs,” “Hurt”) while broadening what electronic music could be. Beyond inspiring Johnny Cash to reimagine “Hurt,” the album spurred hundreds of imitators who never came close to the menacing industrial-rock greatness that the band achieved on their 1994 release.
1. Green Day – Dookie
Green Day released a number of great albums throughout the ’90s, but Dookie tops this list for a reason. The album shot them into the mainstream and altered the trajectory of their lives for good. Beyond the Highlights-inspired cover artwork, the Dookie featured snotty punk blasts about apathy, masturbation, and anxiety. While purists wrote the band off, branding them “sellouts” and baring them from 924 Gilman Street, others saw themselves in those raucous songs. Dookie isn’t just one of the best albums of the ’90s — it continues the punk lineage of Marquee Moon, Ramones’ self-titled, and Zen Arcade.
