Albums of 1995
The records from 1995 that made our lists.
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1Me Against the World2Pac
Me Against the World
His most introspective and acclaimed record, reflective and wounded beneath the bravado. Deeply personal. Many fans' favourite.
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2...I Care Because You DoAphex Twin
...I Care Because You Do
A textured, melodic peak balancing ambient and acid. Inventive and beloved. A high point.
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3Slaughter of the SoulAt the Gates
Slaughter of the Soul
The album that codified melodic death metal and inspired a generation of metalcore. Sharp and relentless. A genre cornerstone.
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4Tri RepetaeAutechre
Tri Repetae
A cold, intricate IDM landmark of machine rhythm and texture. Challenging and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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5Lifestylez ov da Poor & DangerousBig L
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
A sharp, punchline-heavy Harlem debut. Tough and beloved. A cult classic.
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6PostBjörk
Post
An eclectic, adventurous record swinging from techno to big-band. Inventive and acclaimed. A creative peak.
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7The 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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8E. 1999 EternalBone Thugs-n-Harmony
E. 1999 Eternal
A melodic, rapid-fire peak of harmonised rap. Distinctive and huge. A genre landmark.
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9'Til ShilohBuju Banton
'Til Shiloh
A landmark shift from dancehall to roots-conscious reggae. Deep and acclaimed. His masterpiece.
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10Brown SugarD'Angelo
Brown Sugar
A warm, classicist neo-soul debut that helped launch the genre. Smooth and assured. An influential record.
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11The GalleryDark Tranquillity
The Gallery
A melodic death-metal landmark of Gothenburg craft. Sharp and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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12SymbolicDeath
Symbolic
A melodic, progressive death-metal peak of craft. Sharp and acclaimed. A genre high point.
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13AdrenalineDeftones
Adrenaline
A raw, heavy debut of early alt-metal intensity. Powerful and beloved. A strong start.
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14Storm of the Light's BaneDissection
Storm of the Light's Bane
A melodic black-death landmark of icy beauty. Sharp and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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15Wrecking BallEmmylou Harris
Wrecking Ball
A lush, Daniel Lanois-produced reinvention of atmospheric Americana. Bold and acclaimed. A creative peak.
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16King for a Day... Fool for a LifetimeFaith No More
King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
A wildly eclectic peak of genre-hopping invention. Bold and beloved. A creative high.
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17DemanufactureFear Factory
Demanufacture
A pioneering industrial-metal landmark of mechanical precision. Heavy and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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18Liquid SwordsGZA
Liquid Swords
The most coherent Wu-Tang solo album, GZA's dense lyricism over RZA's cinematic, chess-themed production. Dark and brilliant. A 90s essential.
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19TimelessGoldie
Timeless
An ambitious drum-and-bass landmark of orchestral scope. Bold and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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20Soul FoodGoodie Mob
Soul Food
A foundational Southern hip-hop landmark of soulful depth. Warm and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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21Alien LanesGuided by Voices
Alien Lanes
A scrappy, prolific lo-fi pop peak. Charming and beloved. A high point.
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22LeftismLeftfield
Leftism
A landmark of progressive house and dub-techno fusion. Deep and influential. A defining 90s dance record.
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23DaydreamMariah Carey
Daydream
A peak of 90s pop-R&B vocal craft, home to 'Fantasy' and 'One Sweet Day'. Polished and huge. Her commercial high.
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24Destroy Erase ImproveMeshuggah
Destroy Erase Improve
A pioneering, polyrhythmic landmark that helped birth djent. Crushing and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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25The InfamousMobb Deep
The Infamous
Bleak, brilliant Queensbridge rap, all paranoia and hard-boiled detail over dusty beats. Definitive East Coast gloom. A 90s cornerstone.
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26Tragic KingdomNo Doubt
Tragic Kingdom
A ska-pop blockbuster of hooks and attitude, home to 'Don't Speak'. Bright and huge. A 90s staple.
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27(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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28Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty VersionOl' Dirty Bastard
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
A wild, unhinged Wu-Tang solo debut of pure charisma. Chaotic and beloved. A cult classic.
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29To 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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30Different 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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31The 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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32Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Raekwon
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
The 'purple tape', vivid Mafioso storytelling over RZA's grimy beats, with Ghostface as co-star. Cinematic and influential. A Wu-Tang high point.
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33TraceSon Volt
Trace
A weathered alt-country debut of road-worn beauty. Raw and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.
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34Exit Planet DustThe Chemical Brothers
Exit Planet Dust
A grimy, funky big-beat debut. Loud and beloved. A genre landmark.
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35Mellon 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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36MaxinquayeTricky
Maxinquaye
A murky, paranoid trip-hop landmark of blurred vocals and dread. Atmospheric and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.
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37BergtattUlver
Bergtatt
An atmospheric, folk-tinged black-metal landmark. Bold and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.