Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s

[Jeb Banner]

I have to say I agree with much of their list. I haven't had time to pick it apart but thought it would be fun to post on this site to see what people thought, what they would have changed or find ridiculous.

I enjoyed the little side observation on the death of the album on the Radiohead review.
"The end of the 90s will be seen as the end of the album."
I'm not sure I agree but there is no doubt that digital music has transformed how bands think of releases.


Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s

First 10

001: Radiohead
OK Computer
[Capitol; 1997]

002: My Bloody Valentine
Loveless
[Creation; 1991]

003: The Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin
[Warner Bros; 1999]

004: Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
[Merge; 1998]

005: Pavement
Slanted & Enchanted
[Matador; 1992]

006: Nirvana
Nevermind
[DGC; 1991]

007: DJ Shadow
...Endtroducing
[Mo'Wax; 1996]

008: Pavement
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
[Matador; 1994]

009: Bonnie "Prince" Billy
I See a Darkness
[Palace; 1999]

010: Guided by Voices
Bee Thousand
[Scat; 1994]

[Jimmy]

My friend Brad is convinced that BTS is the most boring, most over-rated, most uninspiring band ever. We get into arguments about them all the time. No BTS allowed for road trips. I took him to see them once and he fell asleep. Literally. Maybe you just have to get them…

I saw them in Chicago awhile ago (at The Metro), and there was a ton of people outside without tickets. So Doug went out and played some songs for them in the streets. Nice guy!

I like You In Reverse too. “Liar” and “Wherever You Go” are up there for me

[Jeb Banner]

BTS- Nothing Wrong With Love is their best imo

[John P. Strohm]

I never got built to spill. Tried and tried. I'm usually up for guitar wankery too - I [heart] dinosaur and Neil Young. BTS just isn't interesting to me. But Palomine - that's a great record. We Did some shows with them in Germany in their prime. Really nice people, as is the tendency with the Dutch.

[Jeff Sherman]

I thought I was the only person who thinks "Keep It Like a Secret" is far superior to "Perfect From Now On." I've never understood the adulation accorded "Perfect.." BTS are on tour now performing that whole album.

Glad to see someone else out there agrees.

[Jimmy]

“Perfect From Now On” is probably my least favorite BTS record. I’d replace it with “Keep It Like A Secret,” even if it were from ’99.

Agreed with “Tomorrow The Green Grass…”

I’d switch “Pod” & “Last Splash.”

I’d switch “XO” and “Either/Or.”

Missing:

Ocean Beach – Red House Painters
Dig Me Out – Sleater-Kinney
Star – Belly
The Real Ramona – Throwing Muses
Cerulean – The Ocean Blue

[Jeff Sherman]

Palomine is one of my faves, too. Fantastic record.

[thesociety (lowercase, no space)]

One of my all-time faves of any decade, "Palomine" by Bettie Serveert, didn't chart at all. -- Jeff

[Bill Zink]

My wife is all about some Elephant 6 (Neutral Milk Hotel) stuff, but it's not my cup of tea. I have seen Robert Schneider and The Apples In Stereo a few times live, and they are fantastic. Any power pop freaks pooh-poohing the Pitchfork list owe it to themselves to see this band if at all possible. I can take or leave the records, but I will go out of my way to see them live. Not that I have a choice, given my wife's adoration of the band.

[mike whybark]

I blame Hornby, that limey fuck.

(kidding, I pretty much eat the guy's stuff like candy)

[Gabe Saavedra]

I feel compelled to share my grumpy old man thought about 90's music, and that is the main problem with it is all those goddamn lists. Who started this annoying trend? Cobain? Hornby? Keep it liquid, friends, your top ten should change at will!

That being said, I think the 90's were pretty disappointing guitar wise, I found myself drifting towards Jazz & even Electronica(bit ashamed to admit it). Listen to more rock now than I did on my thirties but it's often more about nostalgia than vitality.