The Best Albums of 1994
Oasis was a massively popular Britpop band at the forefront of alternative rock. From their release of Definitely Maybe in 1994, through to (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Punk rock at that time was not commercially viable, and no major record label signed a punk rock band until Green Day’s breakthrough in 1994. Green Day’s album Dookie (1994) sold 10 million copies in the United States and another 10 million copies worldwide. Carey, Boyz II Men, and TLC also released albums in 1994. Successful alternative rock bands of this era include Straitjacket Fits, Headless Chickens, and The Chills. Headless Chickens provided Flying Nun with their first number one New Zealand single in 1994 with their song “George”. Here are all of the 1994 albums ranked.
Don’t miss out on the CLASSIC music of 1994 below! Click to experience great songs!
10. Superunknown (Soundgarden)
“Sure the hits are fantastic, but Just Like Suicide, Head Down, and 4th of July are my favorite songs here and that’s the quality of a great album. Both brilliant singles and album cuts. Love this record! Favorite Songs: Head Down, Black Hole Sun”
9. Dookie (Green Day)
“Just punk, pretty good punk at that. They’ve done their homework. But can only be mindblowing to someone who hasn’t heard all the punk that precedes it. Don’t see on this album yet why we should add “pop” to the name; it might be a bit more melodic, harmonic even, than usual punk, but punk isn’t exactly atonal either.”
8. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Pavement)
“The highlights for me on this record are Silence Kit, Stop Breathin, Unfair, Range Life, Heaven’s a Truck, and Hit The Plane Down. Range Life especially hits me in the feels with the Lou Reed-Esque style vocal delivery. It’s a masterpiece of a song.”
See more: Pavement Albums Ranked
7. MTV Unplugged In New York (Nirvana)
“Nirvana is an excellent band from the 90s. This electro rage has made them famous all over the world. They are a pillar of grunge and alternative rock. Their song is energetic and fantastic. But their first 2 albums are a little in the process of becoming obsolete, indeed some of their music ages pretty badly with time. “MTV Unplugged In New York” is their album that has aged the least. This is a live album where Kurt Cobain and his two acolytes do a cover song (“The Man Who Sold the World”) and play their best songs. This live-album is recorded with acoustic instruments at MTV in New York. It shows a certain maturity of the band.”
6. The Downward Spiral (Nine Inch Nails)
“The theme of evil and sadness hits you over the head on almost every song and man it hits so hard. Especially the closer, Hurt just might be the most hard-hitting song of all time, it leaves you in shock after the album is long over. This definitely isn’t an album you can listen to all the time but when you do take the time, get ready to feel”
5. Definitely Maybe (Oasis)
“Their best album, one of the defining albums of the 90’s, and an almost perfect rock album with the exception of bring it on down and married with children, average songs which could have easily been replaced by any number of their b-side singles. Morning glory gets all the glory but this really what oasis is about, and the one you should listen to if you are a new fan.”
4. Dummy (Portishead)
“Great album and their best. Apart from usual favorites Sour Times, Glory Box, and Roads which are all great, I love Strangers too. Such an enchanting atmospheric record. Portishead must have atmosphere above all in mind when making music. I’m not complaining, this is great.”
See more: Oasis Albums Ranked
3. Illmatic (Nas)
“Nas’ Illmatic remains entrenched in the pantheon of the lauded era of 90’s hip-hop. On the other hand, it seems far ahead of its time. Its production and beats are some of the best that the era had to offer but it’s the poetry on the LP that allows it to elude the aging process. Illmatic almost functions as a “Benjamin Button” of sorts, becoming more and more essential as time passes.”
2. Weezer (The Blue Album) (Weezer)
“Weezer’s debut album also referred to as The Blue Album, remains one of the most influential garage and alternative rock albums of the mid-90s. It’s a collection of well-written songs, played with youthful energy and confidence rarely heard on debut albums today. It features some of Weezer’s most well-known songs, such as ‘Buddy Holly’ and ‘Say It Ain’t So’, but also several oft-forgotten songs, such as ‘No One Else’ and ‘Holiday’.
1. Grace (Jeff Buckley)
“Now this is a solid ’90s rock album’ I’m used to rank these classics like What’s the story morning glory? Ten, Nevermind, or Siamese Dream 85 stars, but this is definitely a standout for me. I like all the songs, maybe the least favorite is Corpus Christi Carol or Hallelujah – and that’s just I happen to dislike it because of all the attention It got today, otherwise it’s a very beautiful song.. and album!”