Rock was a different beast in the 1990s, and those who were around to experience it often feel a sense of longing and nostalgia for it. Not only were new genres taking off during that decade, but a ton of bands were making music that set the stage for new generations of artists that followed. Let’s dive into five stellar 1990s rock albums that were way ahead of their time!
1. ‘Screamadelica’ by Primal Scream
This 1991 rock album is particularly underrated and overlooked in conversations about alternative rock and dance-rock from the 90s. We’d be bold enough to say it’s one of the best hidden gems in terms of 1990s rock albums.
Screamadelica has it all: incredible songwriting, perfect electronic production, and an overall vibe that no one else matched at the time. Primal Scream managed to pack an alt-rock album with everything from blues to soul to rave to psychedelic rock. Nobody else was doing it quite like them.
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2. ‘Goo’ by Sonic Youth
Goo is a fairly well-loved album, so we won’t say it’s underrated. It was significantly ahead of its time in 1990, though. Goo has all of the much-needed elements of an underground rock album with the pristine production that you’d expect from a major label. “Dirty Boots”, “Kool Thing”, and “Tunic (Song For Karen)” are all essential listening.
3. ‘OK Computer’ by Radiohead
In an age when technology, digitization, and the internet were gaining traction at an alarming pace, Radiohead saw an opportunity to write music about the feeling of isolation and fear that came along with it. OK Computer was ahead of its time in 1995, and it’s also hailed as one of the greatest rock albums of the 1990s. It’s moody, beautifully written, and explores the capitalist nightmare that we still struggle with today.
4. ‘In Utero’ by Nirvana
The third and final Nirvana album, In Utero, is a gorgeous piece of work to come out of the grunge scene in 1993. Nirvana had become mainstream darlings, but their third record managed to still sound unique in a sea of other huge grunge bands like Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. It’s a crusty, grungey, and dark exploration of pain, both mental and physical. No one balanced anger and humor quite as well as Kurt Cobain did.
5. ‘Rage Against The Machine’ by Rage Against The Machine
Protest and political music wasn’t a new venture in the 1990s by any means. However, much of the most well-known songs in that genre were reserved for the folk stylings of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, among others.
Rage Against The Machine changed the narrative and made music about revolution, racism, and political unrest. And they did it all with the relatively new cross-genre of rap-metal. Their 1992 self-titled album is the best example of what they were capable of, and so much of the music on that record is still relevant today.
Photo via ‘In Utero’ album cover
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