Best Alternative Album of Each Year of the 1990s
What’s the best alternative album of each year of the 1990s?
The 1990s were the decade in which alt-rock music truly came into its own. During the ’80s, many of alt-rock’s heroes were mostly relegated to college rock radio save from the occasional breakout song. But early in the ’90s, radio stations flipped to the point to where alternative music was now a more mainstream radio format.
For many acts, it was their first time receiving airplay to a worldwide audience. There no longer seemed to be a barrier to broad commercial success.
As we prepare to dig into this list, we should make some clarifications here…
“Alternative rock,” back in the day, often considered acts that weren’t getting airplay on pop or rock radio. That covered a wide spectrum of music and some alternative subgenres quickly moved to the forefront, including more electronic and new wave leaning acts.
READ MORE: 5 1990s Alternative Rock Bands That Should Have Been Bigger
As grunge, pop-punk and nu-metal all had their moments of dominating radio during the decade, we’ll leave those acts for their own respective lists and focus on the acts that truly lived solely under the alternative umbrella.
That could range from the darkly danceable Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails to the now universally acceptable college rock graduates such as U2 or R.E.M.
Join us as we see how alt-rock evolved throughout the ’90s as we take a deeper dive into the best alternative album of each year of the 1990s.
Best Alternative Album of Each Year of the 1990s
Alt-rock finally got a mainstream spotlight in the ’90s and these are the albums that made the most of having that broader platform.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
The Most Played Songs Live of 35 Big Alternative Rock Bands
From the ’80s through present day, see what some of alt-rock’s biggest bands played the most live.
* Stats were compiled as of March 4, 2024.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire