The Best Alternative & Indie Albums of the 1990s
Our pick of the essential alternative & indie records released in the 1990s, ranked.
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1NevermindNirvana
Nevermind
The record that dragged underground rock into the mainstream overnight, marrying punk energy to pop hooks and Butch Vig's clean production. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is the calling card, but the album runs deep. Its impact on the 1990s is impossible to overstate.
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2OK ComputerRadiohead
OK Computer
A prescient album about alienation in a wired, accelerating world, expanding rock with electronics, odd time signatures and dread. 'Paranoid Android' and 'No Surprises' anchor a record that still sounds like the future arriving. Frequently named among the greatest ever made.
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3(What's the Story) Morning Glory?Oasis
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
The Britpop blockbuster that made Oasis a generational band, packed with singalong anthems from 'Wonderwall' to 'Champagne Supernova'. Huge and confident. A defining 90s UK record.
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4Definitely MaybeOasis
Definitely Maybe
A swaggering debut of rock'n'roll dreams and wall-of-sound guitars, instantly iconic in Britain. Raw and euphoric. The sound of a band announcing itself.
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5Different ClassPulp
Different Class
Sharp, witty Britpop with class politics and kitchen-sink drama, peaking on 'Common People'. Clever and danceable. Jarvis Cocker's finest hour.
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6ParklifeBlur
Parklife
The album that defined Britpop's wry, observational English pop, bursting with hooks and character sketches. Playful and sharp. A 90s landmark.
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7Automatic for the PeopleR.E.M.
Automatic for the People
A hushed, autumnal masterpiece of strings and reflection, home to 'Everybody Hurts' and 'Nightswimming'. Their most emotionally resonant record. Beautiful and enduring.
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8LovelessMy Bloody Valentine
Loveless
The defining shoegaze album, a wall of bent, gliding guitars and buried melody that took years and a fortune to make. Immersive and singular, it has never really been matched. Best played loud on headphones.
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9Slanted and EnchantedPavement
Slanted and Enchanted
A scrappy, brilliant lo-fi debut that defined 90s indie cool. Loose and tuneful. Hugely influential.
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10The BendsRadiohead
The Bends
The album where Radiohead became great, full of soaring, emotional guitar songs like 'Fake Plastic Trees' and 'Street Spirit'. More immediate than what followed, it is the warmest entry in their catalogue. An ideal starting point.
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11In UteroNirvana
In Utero
Raw, abrasive and uncompromising, the band's response to sudden fame, recorded with Steve Albini for maximum bite. Beneath the noise are some of Cobain's strongest melodies. A harrowing, honest record.
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12MTV Unplugged in New YorkNirvana
MTV Unplugged in New York
A hushed, haunting acoustic set that revealed the band's tenderness, recorded months before Cobain's death. Intimate and poignant. A beloved farewell.
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13Modern Life Is RubbishBlur
Modern Life Is Rubbish
The album where Blur found their English voice, a witty riposte to grunge. Tuneful and sharp. The blueprint for Britpop.
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14The Great EscapeBlur
The Great Escape
A lavish, satirical peak of character-driven Britpop. Clever and tuneful. A snapshot of mid-90s Britain.
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15BlurBlur
Blur
A lo-fi, American-indie-inspired reinvention, home to 'Song 2'. Looser and rawer. A bold pivot away from Britpop.
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16This Is HardcorePulp
This Is Hardcore
A dark, cinematic comedown from Britpop fame, seedy and ambitious. Bold and acclaimed. A brave follow-up to Different Class.
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17Siamese DreamThe Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream
Layered, cathartic alt-rock balancing crushing guitars with fragile melody. Ambitious and emotional. A defining 90s record.
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18Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessThe Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
A sprawling double album of grandeur and angst, ranging from delicate to ferocious. Maximalist and beloved. Their most ambitious statement.
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19OdelayBeck
Odelay
A genre-blending collage of folk, hip-hop, blues and noise produced with the Dust Brothers. Restless, witty and fun. A defining 90s record.
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20ScreamadelicaPrimal Scream
Screamadelica
The album where indie rock dissolved into acid house and gospel euphoria, capturing the rave era. Joyful and pioneering. A genre-blurring classic.
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21The Boatman's CallNick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The Boatman's Call
A hushed, piano-led record of heartbreak and faith, a stark turn toward intimacy. Beautiful and acclaimed. His most personal.
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22Weezer (Blue Album)Weezer
Weezer (Blue Album)
A power-pop debut of crunchy guitars and geeky charm, hook after hook. Instantly likeable. A 90s alt-rock staple.
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23PinkertonWeezer
Pinkerton
Raw, confessional and abrasive, panned on release and later revered as a cult classic. Painfully honest. A grower that became beloved.
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24DookieGreen Day
Dookie
A snotty, hook-laden pop-punk blockbuster that took the genre mainstream. Fast and fun. A 90s landmark.
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2513Blur
13
A more experimental, emotional turn shaped by heartbreak and Eno-esque texture. Adventurous and raw. A favourite among devotees.
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26His 'n' HersPulp
His 'n' Hers
The album where Pulp's witty, sexual kitchen-sink pop crystallised. Sharp and tuneful. A breakthrough.
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27SuedeSuede
Suede
A glam-tinged debut that helped kick off Britpop. Dramatic and influential. A vital arrival.
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28Urban HymnsThe Verve
Urban Hymns
A lush, string-laden peak of 90s British rock, anchored by 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'. Anthemic and melancholic. Their defining record.
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29Everything Must GoManic Street Preachers
Everything Must Go
A soaring, anthemic comeback after tragedy. Emotional and huge. Their commercial peak.
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30Mellow GoldBeck
Mellow Gold
A scrappy, genre-mashing breakthrough, home to 'Loser'. Quirky and fun. A 90s slacker landmark.
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31Agaetis byrjunSigur Rós
Agaetis byrjun
An ethereal, glacial breakthrough of bowed guitar and falsetto, otherworldly and beautiful. Immersive and singular. The album that made them famous.
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32I Can Hear the Heart Beating as OneYo La Tengo
I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
A warm, eclectic indie landmark of noise and tenderness. Beloved and acclaimed. A cornerstone.
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33In the Aeroplane Over the SeaNeutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
A raw, surreal folk-rock album of fuzzy horns and oblique imagery that became a cult phenomenon. Intense and beloved. Utterly singular.
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34Keep It Like a SecretBuilt to Spill
Keep It Like a Secret
A melodic, guitar-driven indie peak of expansive songcraft. Warm and beloved. Their finest.
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35Moon PixCat Power
Moon Pix
A haunted, intimate indie-folk peak of fragile beauty. Singular and acclaimed. Her finest.
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36Rid of MePJ Harvey
Rid of Me
A raw, abrasive Albini-recorded peak of fury and desire. Visceral and acclaimed. A landmark.
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37To Bring You My LovePJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love
A dramatic, bluesy art-rock peak. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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38SouvlakiSlowdive
Souvlaki
A gorgeous shoegaze landmark of drifting guitar and melody. Dreamy and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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39NowhereRide
Nowhere
A swirling shoegaze debut of melody and wall-of-sound guitar. Dreamy and acclaimed. A genre classic.
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40Heaven or Las VegasCocteau Twins
Heaven or Las Vegas
A luminous dream-pop peak of ethereal vocals and chiming guitar. Beautiful and beloved. Their masterpiece.
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41RepeaterFugazi
Repeater
A taut, principled post-hardcore landmark of tension and melody. Sharp and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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42BossanovaPixies
Bossanova
A surf-and-space-rock peak of sharp invention. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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43GooSonic Youth
Goo
A sharp, accessible major-label peak of melodic noise. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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44Pablo HoneyRadiohead
Pablo Honey
A raw debut best known for 'Creep'. Tuneful and earnest. A modest start before greatness.
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45Out of TimeR.E.M.
Out of Time
A lush, eclectic blockbuster, home to 'Losing My Religion'. Tuneful and enormous. Their commercial peak.
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46New Adventures in Hi-FiR.E.M.
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
A sprawling, road-recorded late peak. Bold and acclaimed. A fan favourite.
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47AdoreThe Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
A hushed, electronic-leaning turn after Mellon Collie. Reflective and underrated. A brave pivot.
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48DirtySonic Youth
Dirty
A loud, accessible peak of melodic noise-rock. Sharp and acclaimed. A strong major-label record.
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49Trompe le MondePixies
Trompe le Monde
A heavier, denser final album of the original run. Sharp and beloved. A strong close.
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50SpiderlandSlint
Spiderland
A quiet, eerie, hugely influential record that effectively invented post-rock. Tense and singular. A cult landmark.
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51Young TeamMogwai
Young Team
A dynamic post-rock debut of quiet-loud crescendos. Powerful and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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52Murder BalladsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Murder Ballads
A darkly funny collection of violent narratives, home to a famous Kylie duet. Bold and beloved. A cult favourite.
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53WishThe Cure
Wish
A lush, commercial peak, home to 'Friday I'm in Love'. Tuneful and huge. Their biggest record.
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54Second ComingThe Stone Roses
Second Coming
A long-delayed, blues-rock-leaning follow-up to a beloved debut. Heavier and divisive. A flawed but interesting record.
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55Pills 'n' Thrills and BellyachesHappy Mondays
Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
A baggy, dance-rock peak of Madchester hedonism. Loose and beloved. Their finest.
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56BandwagonesqueTeenage Fanclub
Bandwagonesque
A power-pop landmark of jangly Big Star worship. Tuneful and beloved. A 90s favourite.
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57Bee ThousandGuided by Voices
Bee Thousand
A lo-fi indie landmark of fragmentary pop brilliance. Scrappy and beloved. A cult masterpiece.
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58Alien LanesGuided by Voices
Alien Lanes
A scrappy, prolific lo-fi pop peak. Charming and beloved. A high point.
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59Terror TwilightPavement
Terror Twilight
A polished, Nigel Godrich-produced final album. Tuneful and acclaimed. A graceful close.
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60Perfect from Now OnBuilt to Spill
Perfect from Now On
A sprawling, ambitious indie peak of long guitar suites. Bold and acclaimed. Their masterpiece.
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61Deserter's SongsMercury Rev
Deserter's Songs
A lush, orchestral comeback of symphonic indie beauty. Bold and acclaimed. A revival record.
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62Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in SpaceSpiritualized
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
A vast, gospel-and-drone space-rock peak of heartbreak. Immersive and acclaimed. Their masterpiece.
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63If You're Feeling SinisterBelle and Sebastian
If You're Feeling Sinister
A witty, literate indie-pop landmark of twee charm. Beloved and acclaimed. A cult classic.
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64Emperor Tomato KetchupStereolab
Emperor Tomato Ketchup
A groovy, krautrock-pop peak of retro-futurist cool. Inventive and beloved. Their finest.