Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream won 1993. Let's see who wins 1994. First year in a while (decades) where we've had more chart-topping albums than singles. Billboard chart-topping albums of 1994: Mariah Carey - Music Box (cont. from 1993) Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (cont. from 1993) Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies John Michael Montgomery - Kickin' it Up Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton (cont. from 1993) Soundgarden - Superunknown Ace of Base - The Sign (cont. from 1993) Pantera - Far Beyond Driven Bonnie Raitt - Longing in Their Hearts Pink Floyd - The Division Bell Tim McGraw - Not a Moment Too Soon Soundtrack - The Crow Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Stone Temple Pilots - Purple Elton John - The Lion King Boyz II Men - II Eric Clapton - From the Cradle R.E.M. - Monster Snoop Dogg - Murder Was the Case Nirvana - MTV Unplugged Eagles - Hell Freezes Over Kenny G - Miracles Pearl Jam - Vitalogy Billboard chart-topping singles of 1994: Mariah Carey - Hero (cont. from 1993) Bryan Adams - All For Love (cont. from 1993) Celine Dion - The Power of Love (cont. from 1993) Ace of Base - The Sign (cont. from 1993) R. Kelly - Bump n' Grind All 4 One - I Swear Lisa Loeb - Stay Boyz II Men - I'll Make Love to You Boyz II Men - On Bended Knee Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper What are your top three albums for 1994? We will keep a running tally and eventually have some sort of bracket. For me it would be: 1. Oasis - Definitely Maybe 2. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral 3. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime What are some of the forgotten gems from the year? What is overrated? What did you discover at a young age and what did you discover later? YEARS IN MUSIC • forum.chorus.fm
I uh... wasn't born until '95, but this year has a lot of stuff that I have listened to. Vitalogy was the first Pearl Jam album I purchased when I became a fan. It's not my favorite, but pretty undeniably their last "classic," imo. Stranger Than Fiction is also a great Bad Religion album. Again, not my favorite, but I wouldn't have learned about them if I didn't hear Infected as a kid. Smash is pretty handily The Offspring's best album. A couple parts of aged badly lyrically, but for the most part, it still sounds vital. My Green Day intro was American Idiot, which got me to go back and learn to love Dookie. The Blue Album set the gold standard for Weezer albums. Not a big NOFX fan, but Punk In Drublic is the only one I like front to back. I've always been partial to Hello Nasty, but Ill Communication has some bangers for sure. I feel like I should probably listen to Pulp and Hole. 1. Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction 2. Weezer - The Blue Album 3. The Offspring - Smash
blasting it out to 20 bc fuck this year is good. remaining top 20: 4. Weezer - Weezer 5. Tom Petty - Wildflowers 6. Soundgarden - Superunknown 7. Nas - Illmatic 8. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain 9. Jeff Buckley - Grace 10. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy 11. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand 12. The Notorious BIG - Ready to Die 13. Portishead - Dummy 14. Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik 15. Superchunk - Foolish 16. Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction 17. Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary 18. Green Day - Dookie 19. Unwound - New Plastic Ideas 20. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple honorable mentions: Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Beck - Mellow Gold Beck - One Foot in the Grave The Black Crowes - Amorica Boyz II Men - II Built to Spill - There’s Nothing Wrong with Love Converge - Halo in a Haystack Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming Dinosaur Jr. - Without a Sound Elliott Smith - Roman Candle Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse Failure - Magnified Godflesh - Selfless The Grays - Ro Sham Bo The Jesus and Mary Chain - Stoned & Dethroned John Frusciante - Niandra LaDes and Usually Just a T-Shirt Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley Mark Lanegan - Whiskey for the Holy Ghost Meat Puppets - Too High to Die Nick Cave - Let Love In The Offspring - Smash Our Lady Peace - Naveed Primal Scream - Give Out But Don’t Give Up R.E.M. - Monster Rollins Band - Weight Sebadoh - Bakesale Silver Jews - Starlite Walker Slayer - Divine Intervention Sonic Youth - Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star The Stone Roses - Second Coming stuff to check out: At the Gates - Terminal Spirit Disease Bonnie Raitt - Longing in Their Hearts Brandy - Brandy Digable Planets - Blowout Comb Frank Black - Teenager of the Year Hole - Live Through This Liz Phair - Whip-Smart Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible Redman - Dare Iz a Darkside Suede - Dog Man Star Tim McGraw - Not a Moment Too Soon Veruca Salt - American Thighs Ween - Chocolate and Cheese
1. Suede - Dog Man Star 2. Nas - Illmatic 3. Morrissey - Vauxhall and I There's a lot of stuff I like from this year that I just haven't spent much time with.
1. Mary Chapin Carpenter - Stones in the Road 2. Tom Petty - Wildflowers 3. Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies EP Excruciating cuts: Bonnie Raitt - Longing in Their Hearts Jeff Buckley - Grace Ben Harper - Welcome to the Cruel World Soundgarden - Superunknown Others I love: Boyz II Men - II Nas - Illmatic The Mavericks - What a Crying Shame Boston - Walk On Green Day - Dookie Johnny Cash - American Recordings Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View Seal - Seal [1994] Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon TLC - Crazysexycool Nirvana -MTV Unplugged in New York Bush - Sixteen Stone Pearl Jam - Vitalogy Weezer - The Blue Album Mary J. Blige - My Life Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Let Love In Megadeth - Youthanasia Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral Joni Mitchell - Turbulent Indigo Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming Vince Gill - When Love Finds You Prince - Come Keb' Mo' - Keb' Mo' Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain Morrissey - Vauxhall and I Madonna - Bedtime Stories Hal Ketchum - Every Little Word Steve Perry - For the Love of Strange Medicine Dream Theater - Awake Amy Grant - House of Love Not a fan: Cafe Tacvba - Re Targets for listening: Eagles - Hell Freezes Over Patty Loveless - When Fallen Angels Fly Oasis - Definitely Maybe Our Lady Peace - Naveed Ellis Paul - Stories Elliott Smith - Roman Candle Stone Temple Pilots - Purple Thug Life - Thug Life: Volume 1 Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Frank Black - Teenager of the Year Blur - Parklife Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime G. Love and the Special Sauce - G. Love and the Special Sauce Girls Against Boys - Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby Hole - Live Through This Jeru the Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible Massive Attack - Protection Method Man - Tical The Offspring - Smash Orbital - Snivilisation Portishead - Dummy The Prodigy - Music for the Jilted Generation Sabres of Paradise - Hanted Dancehall Suede - Dog Star Man Selena - Amor Prohibido The Allman Brothers - Where It All Begins John Mellencamp - Dance Naked Tony Bennett - MTV Unplugged Eric Clapton - From the Cradle The Three Tenors - In Cocert Kathy Mattea - Walking Away a Winner Sammy Kershaw - Feelin' Good Train Colin Raye - Extremes Beck - Mellow Gold Victoria WIlliams - Loose Warren G - Regulate...G Funk Era Dionne Farris - Wild Seed - Wild FLower Barry White - The Icon Is Love Oasis - Definitely Maybe
You can make an album of the b-sides from Definitely Maybe that would also be in the Top 10 best albums released this year.
1. Nas - Illmatic 2. Green Day - Dookie 3. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime Illmatic is the obvious answer here, an absolute undisputed classic, and a huge influence on everything that came after it - and all that on his debut album! Absolutely remarkable lyrically - always find new things in there every time I listen. Dookie sold about a billion copies, and they broke through just at the perfect moment. Has all the attitude and brattiness about pop-punk that's so appealing, but from a songwriting perspective they were leagues above anybody else. Yank Crime sold about 10 copies, despite being bizarrely released on a major label. Angular and frenetic, it would take years and years for anybody to try and catch up to what they were doing here. Honourable Mentions; Weezer - Blue Album: Full of charm and brilliant garage rock / power pop hits. As a pop band, them at their absolute best. Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary: A fantastic emo / post hardcore album, taking the sounds of their local Seattle grunge scene, but taking it in a slightly different direction. Portishead - Dummy: Wonderful downtempo electronica or trip-hop, in the vein of Massive Attack, but slower and more introspective. Massive Attack - Protection: The difficult second album, not as good as what came before or after it, but taken on it's own merits it's still a fantastically diverse set of songs and sounds. Jeff Buckley - Grace: An incredible voice, and such a shame this is basically all we have from him. Hallelujah is obviously the most known one here, but "Lover, You Should Have Come Over" is perhaps even more beautiful. NOFX - Punk In Drublic: You only need to listen to one NOFX album to know if you like them or not - and this may as well be the one to listen to. Excellent and irritating in equal parts. Faye Wong - Dreams: Just a song, and a cover of the Cranberries classic, but released this year and absolutely beautiful, and well worth 4 minutes of your time.
1. Weezer - blue album 2. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain 3. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die good year (including an all time top 3er for me) but i started planning the rest of my 90s lists and I definitely think there are a couple better years ahead among the rest of the decade
Hell of a year 1. Weezer - Weezer 2. The Offspring - Smash 3. Green Day - Dookie 4. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York 5. Barenaked Ladies - Maybe You Should Drive 6. Sublime - Robbin' The Hood 7. Bush - Sixteen Stone 8. Blur - Parklife 9. Oasis - Definitely Maybe 10. Hootie & The Blowfish - Cracked Rear View 11. Tom Petty - Wildflowers 12. Danielle Breisbos - Arrive All Over You 13. Soundgarden - Superunknown 14. Outkast - SouthernPlayalistiCadillacMuzik 15. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime 16. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea 17. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die 18. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy 19. Ben Harper - Welcome To The Cruel World 20. R.E.M. - Monster
1. Oasis - Definitely Maybe 2. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple 3. Green Day - Dookie ------------------------------------ 4. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral 5. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy 6. Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album) 7. 311 - Grassroots 8. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand 9. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York 10. Soundgarden - Superunknown 11. The Offspring - Smash 12. Live - Throwing Copper 13. Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary 14. Tom Petty - Wildflowers 15. Bush - Sixteen Stone 16. The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot 17. R.E.M. - Monster 18. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication 19. Sublime - Robbin' The Hood 20. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea Honorable Mention: Alice In Chains - Jar Of Flies Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction Beck - Mellow Gold Beck - One Foot In the Grave Blues Traveler - Four Blur - Parklife Cake - Motorcade of Generosity The Cranberries - No Need To Argue Dave Matthews Band - Under The Table and Dreaming G. Love & Special Sauce - G. Love & Special Sauce Helmet - Betty Hole - Live Through This Hootie & The Blowfish - Cracked Rear View Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy Jeff Buckley - Grace Korn - Korn Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley Meat Puppets - Too High to Die Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Sleeps with Angels NOFX - Punk in Drublic Our Lady Peace - Naveed (tho I have this one on my '95 playlist for some reason?) Pavement - Crooked Rain Crooked Rain Pink Floyd - The Division Bell Portishead - Dummy Rancid - Let's Go The Sea and Cake - The Sea and Cake Seal - Seal Sebadoh - Bakesale The Smithereens - A Date with The Smithereens Soul Coughing - Ruby Vroom Sponge - Rotting Pinata Stabbing Westward - Ungod Sugar - File Under: Easy Listening Superchunk - Foolish Toadies - Rubberneck Checking Out in Full for First time: Barenaked Ladies - Maybe You Should Drive Ben Harper - Welcome to the Cruel World The Black Crowes - Amorica. Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love Dinosaur Jr. - Without A Sound Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime Elliott Smith - Roman Candle Frank Black - Teenager of the Year The Jesus and Mary Chain - Stoned and Dethroned Johnny Cash - American Recordings (The London) Suede - Dog Man Star Lush - Split Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible Massive Attack - Protection Morrissey - Vauxhall and I Nas - Illmatic The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmusik Phish - Hoist Pulp - His N Hers Rusted Root - When I Woke Sloan - Twice Removed Sonic Youth - Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star Veruca Salt - American Thighs Ween - Chocolate and Cheese
One of my more random moments happened a few years back when I was driving my mom's car and listening to Sirius/XM and they played the remixed Monster in full and had interviews with Scott Litt about why he wanted to remix it. I should really re-listen to that album too.
Definitely a personal preference and depends on how diehard of a PJ fan one is. But I'd say Yield is the last one that you can make a reasonable argument as 'classic'.
Yield, or Binaural, Avocado or maybe even Backspacer. They’ve receeded (somewhat) from the spotlight, but I don’t think the quality has really dipped
I don't disagree, I do love Yield. No Code loses me, unfortunately. I am a big late-PJ apologist. Backspacer, Lightning Bolt, & Gigaton are all super solid.
Awesome, we are in good company then. I was such a fanboy in 2013 that I had Lightning Bolt as my #1 that year. Probably recency bias at the time, but it is still a very solid record.
Lightning Bolt was my first "new" album as a fan, so I definitely have fond nostalgia attached to it.
Avocado album is absolutely a classic and has some of their most instantly recognizable songs. I'd say that Gigaton is better than Backspacer and Lightning Bolt too. It's the first time they've tried something new in a while.