Best Albums of the 1990s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1990s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 54,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
Decade:
Year:
1990s decade summary
YearAlbums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
19902,928133,255
19912,978253,246
19923,132167,317
19933,329188,701
19943,575281,087
19953,839213,746
19964,005183,294
19974,176254,093
19984,224191,656
19994,398180,037
Total36,5842,046,432

The best artists of the 1990s were Radiohead, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Neutral Milk Hotel, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Weezer and Nick Cave.
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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
406
Rank in 1994:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
404
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
403
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
403
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
401
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
401
Rank in 1990:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
400
Rank in 1994:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
400
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
399
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
398
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 62 of 100

Best Albums of the 1990s composition

Year Albums %


1990 86 9%
1991 80 8%
1992 101 10%
1993 108 11%
1994 125 13%
1995 113 11%
1996 110 11%
1997 98 10%
1998 94 9%
1999 85 9%
Country Albums %


United States 548 55%
United Kingdom 259 26%
Canada 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 24 2%
Australia 22 2%
Sweden 16 2%
Japan 14 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 985 99%
Yes 15 2%
Live? Albums %
No 981 98%
Yes 19 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 989 99%
Yes 11 1%
Popular  Charts
1. 100 Best Albums - 2024 Edition by Apple Music (2024)
2. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
3. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
4. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
5. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
6. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
7. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
8. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
9. The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (1-100) by Paste (2024)
10. Die 100 besten Alben der Musikgeschichte by radioeins (2019)
11. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
12. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
13. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
14. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
15. The Greatest Rock Albums by uDiscoverMusic (2015)
16. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
17. Die 100 besten Platten des Jahrhunderts by Wiener (1999)
18. Los 48 mejores discos de la historia by Esquire España (2022)
19. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
20. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
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