Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) A lot of people seem to think the greatest bands in the 90s were shit like GNR, Greenday, and other 80s spillover bands or 90s pop rock/ grunge.Grunge was kind of lame in the 90s, except for Nirvana. After Nirvana it started feeling really sterile and boring.As far as I am concerned, the big bands of the 80s like GNR and Metallica were dead by 94, if not sooner.Pop began ruling the charts, and rap finally started getting huge in the mainstream.So which bands in the 90s will, and have, stood the test of time?So let me debunk some popular myths, no, GNR was not huge in the 90s, except for the beginning, but even then as one journalist wrote 'The success of the Illusions tour was more like an Indie 500 race, people didn't come to see the race, they came to see the crash.'GNR was panned by critics for their epic trilogy of videos, and for Axl's erratic behavior on stage and in magazines. Once the Stephanie incident became public, and once people like Cobain and Reznor began trashing Axl, he was pretty much dead and buried for the next two decades.The 90s also came with Metallica's most lukewarm critical and fan reception of their career, and only dropped further into irrelevancy with their attempts at recreating post grunge.So which bands succeeded?Radiohead became immensely popular in the 90s. After 'The Bends' their career skyrocketed, and they quickly became one of the biggest rock acts of all time, with legendary restructuring of the music industry, record sales, and critical praise.Modest Mouse also had a huge underground following. It took until 2001 for them to finally break into the mainstream, but they popularized indie rock in the same way Nirvana popularized grunge. 'A Long Drive with Nothing to Think About' gained extreme critical praise, and 'The Lonesome Crowded West' even more so.Nine Inch Nails, with the release of 'The Downward Spiral' perhaps became the most critically acclaimed band of the past two decades, with the album topping many magazines 'Best Albums' lists, even to this day.Neutral Milk Hotel, a relatively unheard of group that released a lukewarm debut album 'On Avery Island' released quite possibly the most creative, interesting, and flawless album ever created 'In The Aeroplane Over the Sea'. Their lead singer and writer, Jeff Mangum, drifted into madness very shortly afterwards. And has made fewer than 12 public appearances in the last 20 years. The album gained popularity in the last decade, and is one of the most praised music creations of all time.The Magnetic Fields released '69 Love Songs' which was universally praised.The Smashing Pumpkins enjoyed a quick rise and fall in the 1990s, with Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness.The Gorrilaz released their debut album.U2 enjoyed a second rise of critical acclaim and stardom with a drastic remaining of their sound on Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and POP.These are the groups that really defined the best music of the 90s in my opinion. If you want some listenable 90s albums recommendations, try these:In the Aeroplane Over the Sea69 Love SongsThe Downward SpiralThe BendsOK ComputerAchtung BabyMellon Collie and Infinite SadnessThe Lonesome Crowded WestA Long Drive with Nothing to Think AboutGorrilazThe FragilePretty Hate MachineViolatorOn Avery Islandhooray for tolerance!z4Life2pacalypse NowIllmaticBlood Sugar Sex MagikWhat's the Story Morning Glory?Anyone have any other under appreciated 90s groups they want to honor? Edited November 30, 2012 by LiveFromNormal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 My favorites would be Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nine Inch Nails.I actually enjoy 90s U2 over 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) I forgot the Chili Peppers, good call.Added to my album list. Edited November 30, 2012 by LiveFromNormal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Len B'stard Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oasis. Yes i realise they were huge but they shoulda been huger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) I find them to be exceptionally stale, but I realize they were huge in Europe so I'll add them too.Len you should try listening to Modest Mouse. Edited November 30, 2012 by LiveFromNormal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) Oasis. Yes i realise they were huge but they shoulda been huger.I forgot them. Only ever liked their first two albums, though.I'd also add Manic Street Preachers and Sunny Day Real Estate. Edited November 30, 2012 by luciusfunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Morphine, Belly, Catherine Wheel, Whiskeytown, Blind Melon, Concrete Blonde, Built to Spill, Afghan Whigs, Guided By Voices, Failure, Teenage Fanclub, Eleven, Screamin Cheetah Willies, Swervedriver, Love Spit Love (half of nuGuns were in the band), Jawbox, Rocket from the Crypt, Jellyfish, Lucious Jackson, Spin Doctors, King's X, Dinosaur Jr, Mad Season, Geraldine Fibbers, The Nymphs (lead singer was a bigger nightmare to Zutaut than Axl ever was), Infectious Grooves, Sonic Youth (had a great run in the 90s), Buffalo Tom, Kyuss, Slowdive, Matthew Sweet, Aimee Mann, Tea Party, Curve, Thrill Kill Kult, Dada, Gigolo Aunts, Badlands, Shudder to Think, Beasts of Bourbon, Neutral Milk Hotel. You can also get into discussions about 80s bands that put out great albums in the 90s but because they didn't get good label backing, were lost and forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 I included NMH, and some of those bands were damn great.Good taste, love some Dinosaur Jr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moreblack Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) Strung Out, Tea Party, I Mother Earth, STP, X Japan Edited November 30, 2012 by moreblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Strung Out, Tea Party, I Mother Earth, STP, X JapanLove X Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lose Your Illusions Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oasis. Yes i realise they were huge but they shoulda been huger.I forgot them. Only ever liked their first two albums, though.I'd also add Manic Street Preachers and Sunny Day Real Estate.That's the thing with Oasis, they ran out of songs. Or did too much coke, either one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I included NMH, and some of those bands were damn great.Good taste, love some Dinosaur Jr.It's a partial list (and I'm leaving out whole genres), and maybe there was too many bands, but I think from time to time you hear songs resurfacing in shows and movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oh shit I forgot Primus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Eyes Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) Modest Mouse, Radiohead, Portishead, Oasis, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Mazzy Star, The Black Crowes, The La's, The National, Death Cab For Cutie, The Mountain Goats, Pulp.Oasis were still good after the first two (apart from the trainwreck that was SOTSOG).. heathen chemistry and be here now had their moments, Dig Out Your Soul was great and Don't Believe The Truth is as much a classic as the first two in my eyes.I fucking love Modest Mouse, look up Dramamine, Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset from the first record. Edited November 30, 2012 by Snake Eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Death Cab was awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Lahey Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oasis was the best band of the 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eye2eye Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pearl JamAlice in Chains Smashing Pumpkins Soundgarden Oasis early 90s were the years of last great music movement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pearl JamAlice in ChainsSmashing PumpkinsSoundgardenOasisearly 90s were the years of last great music movementMinus Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice and Chains, and I agree with ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pearl JamAlice in ChainsSmashing PumpkinsSoundgardenOasisearly 90s were the years of last great music movementMinus Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice and Chains, and I agree with ya.I agree. Soundgarden sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pearl JamAlice in ChainsSmashing PumpkinsSoundgardenOasisearly 90s were the years of last great music movementMinus Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice and Chains, and I agree with ya.I agree. Soundgarden sucks.And Pearl Jam is the second worst band ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pearl JamAlice in ChainsSmashing PumpkinsSoundgardenOasisearly 90s were the years of last great music movementMinus Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice and Chains, and I agree with ya.I agree. Soundgarden sucks.And Pearl Jam is the second worst band ever.Seriously have they written anything relevant since Ten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Alice in Chains hands down. If you think that band sucks its because you don't know them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Oh and Illmatic is overrated boring piece of shit except the first two songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumble's Bridge Pickup Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Alice in Chains hands down. If you think that band sucks its because you don't know them.AIC kills and what is especially amazing is that they did their best record as their comeback album. Now I realize this is controversial but seriously Black Gives Way To Blue is close to perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 AiC is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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