Albums of 1994
The records from 1994 that made our lists.
-
1AmberAutechre
Amber
A warm, melodic early IDM peak. Inventive and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
-
2Ill CommunicationBeastie Boys
Ill Communication
A funky, eclectic peak, home to 'Sabotage'. Fun and beloved. A high point.
-
3Mellow GoldBeck
Mellow Gold
A scrappy, genre-mashing breakthrough, home to 'Loser'. Quirky and fun. A 90s slacker landmark.
-
4ParklifeBlur
Parklife
The album that defined Britpop's wry, observational English pop, bursting with hooks and character sketches. Playful and sharp. A 90s landmark.
-
5Transilvanian HungerDarkthrone
Transilvanian Hunger
A raw, hypnotic black-metal landmark of lo-fi tremolo. Cold and influential. A genre cornerstone.
-
6In the Nightside EclipseEmperor
In the Nightside Eclipse
Symphonic black metal of grandeur and fury, layered with keyboards and blast beats. Majestic and influential. A landmark debut.
-
7Hard to EarnGang Starr
Hard to Earn
A gritty, peak boom-bap record of Premier's beats. Tough and beloved. A high point.
-
8DookieGreen Day
Dookie
A snotty, hook-laden pop-punk blockbuster that took the genre mainstream. Fast and fun. A 90s landmark.
-
9Bee ThousandGuided by Voices
Bee Thousand
A lo-fi indie landmark of fragmentary pop brilliance. Scrappy and beloved. A cult masterpiece.
-
10GraceJeff Buckley
Grace
A soaring, romantic debut of extraordinary vocal range, home to the definitive 'Hallelujah'. His only studio album, and a treasure. Singular and beautiful.
-
11The Sun Rises in the EastJeru the Damaja
The Sun Rises in the East
A lyrical, Premier-produced peak of dusty boom-bap. Tough and beloved. A cult classic.
-
12American RecordingsJohnny Cash
American Recordings
A stark, voice-and-guitar comeback produced by Rick Rubin. Raw and beloved. A late-career landmark.
-
13Keb' Mo'Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo'
A warm, modern country-blues debut. Smooth and acclaimed. A breakthrough.
-
14KornKorn
Korn
The debut that launched nu-metal, heavy and raw with detuned dread. Influential and huge. A genre origin point.
-
15Welcome to Sky ValleyKyuss
Welcome to Sky Valley
A heavy, hypnotic desert-rock peak. Fuzzy and beloved. A stoner-metal cornerstone.
-
16Burn My EyesMachine Head
Burn My Eyes
A crushing groove-metal debut. Heavy and acclaimed. A genre landmark.
-
17My LifeMary J. Blige
My Life
A raw, confessional hip-hop-soul landmark of pain and survival. Honest and beloved. Her masterpiece.
-
18De Mysteriis Dom SathanasMayhem
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
A foundational, notorious black-metal album of icy tremolo riffs and raw atmosphere. Historically pivotal. A genre touchstone.
-
19TicalMethod Man
Tical
A grimy, raw Wu-Tang solo debut. Tough and beloved. A genre highlight.
-
20IllmaticNas
Illmatic
Ten tracks, no filler, widely held to be the greatest rap album ever made. Nas's vivid Queensbridge storytelling sits over production from Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and Large Professor. The benchmark every lyricist measures against.
-
21The Downward SpiralNine Inch Nails
The Downward Spiral
A harrowing, abrasive industrial-rock masterpiece of self-destruction, home to 'Hurt' and 'Closer'. Bold and influential. A defining 90s record.
-
22MTV 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.
-
23Definitely 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.
-
24SnivilisationOrbital
Snivilisation
A politically tinged, intricate techno peak. Immersive and acclaimed. A high point.
-
25Far Beyond DrivenPantera
Far Beyond Driven
A brutal, chart-topping peak of groove-metal heaviness. Relentless and huge. A 90s landmark.
-
26VitalogyPearl Jam
Vitalogy
A raw, experimental peak of anti-fame defiance. Bold and beloved. A high point.
-
27DummyPortishead
Dummy
Smoky, cinematic trip-hop built from scratchy samples, spy-film guitar and Beth Gibbons's wounded vocals. Atmospheric and singular. A defining record of the Bristol sound.
-
28His 'n' HersPulp
His 'n' Hers
The album where Pulp's witty, sexual kitchen-sink pop crystallised. Sharp and tuneful. A breakthrough.
-
29The DiaryScarface
The Diary
A vivid, introspective Southern-rap peak. Sharp and acclaimed. A genre highlight.
-
30SuperunknownSoundgarden
Superunknown
A heavy, psychedelic grunge peak of dark melody, home to 'Black Hole Sun'. Ambitious and huge. Their masterpiece.
-
31CrazySexyCoolTLC
CrazySexyCool
A smooth, hugely successful R&B landmark, home to 'Waterfalls' and 'Creep'. Polished and beloved. A 90s staple.
-
32Ready to DieThe Notorious B.I.G.
Ready to Die
Biggie's debut pairs cinematic street narratives with effortless flow and undeniable hooks, balancing menace and humour. The storytelling and presence are extraordinary for a first album. A New York cornerstone.
-
33Music for the Jilted GenerationThe Prodigy
Music for the Jilted Generation
A dark, aggressive rave-to-rock pivot. Loud and acclaimed. A genre high point.
-
34Second 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.
-
35WildflowersTom Petty
Wildflowers
A warm, sprawling solo peak of mature songcraft. Tuneful and acclaimed. A fan favourite.
-
36DubnobasswithmyheadmanUnderworld
Dubnobasswithmyheadman
A landmark of intelligent dance music, hypnotic and emotional, stream-of-consciousness vocals over deep techno. Immersive and acclaimed. A 90s classic.
-
37Weezer (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.