50 Best Rock Albums of the ’90s
15. Van Halen – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
Of all the Van Halen albums with Sammy Hagar, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge has the most swagger, the best songwriting, and it holds together pretty well for 23 years down the pike. First single “Poundcake” is a salacious opener, guitars swirling like lasers around Hagar’s sex-drenched, tongue-in-cheek lyric. The album yielded several big rock hits, like “Runaround,” “Top of the World,” “Man on a Mission” and of course “Right Now,” which became one of the biggest hits of the band’s career. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and was a fixture throughout 1991. On For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge the fun was still here to go along with extraordinary guitar-work, something which was often lacking from their next offering, 1995’s Balance.
14. Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
Thrash metal is one of those musical forces that is first and foremost about release; typically it’s aggression, pent up rage and frustration. If you can capture some of that energy as a listener, and truly feel it, it’s easier to “get” this kind of music. Go ahead and give in and latch on for the ride. Seasons in the Abyss is one of the ultimate thrash metal albums; it may in fact define the genre. The razor sharp tempos and maddening drums pound your skull. Guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died tragically last year, builds the most amazing guitar solos that rise out of the noise to hover and dance over the ferocious intensity of Tom Araya’s vocals like circles of fire. Seasons in the Abyss was produced by Rick Rubin and Andy Wallace, two of the finest in the business. It’s a landmark album that still packs a massive punch.
13. Rush – Counterparts (1993)
Rush never really went away, but they did have a controversial synth-heavy period in the ‘80s that some fans love and some fans loathe. They’d gone back to a straightforward rock style with Presto (1989) and Roll the Bones (1991), but it was Counterparts, with those massive opening drums on “Animate,” that got Rush fans really excited again. The album blasted all the way to #2 on the Billboard Album Chart, their highest placement ever. The hard-rocking single “Stick it Out” was major hit at rock radio, spending several weeks at the top, and the follow-up “Cold Fire” hit #2. Counterparts builds on the positive steps taken on Presto and Roll the Bones, and one-ups them with a whip-smart collection of songs that are – – of course – performed with Godlike precision. There is still nobody in rock today who can touch Rush for pure musicianship, and they’ve been doing it for 40 years. Amazing.
12. Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine (1992)
Los Angeles-based Rage Against the Machine unleashed their incendiary self-titled debut in November, 1992 to widespread acclaim. The album is a potent hybrid of rock, hip-hop and funk. Guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilk and bassist Timmy C. string together incredibly tight grooves over which vocalist Zack de la Rocha yells his emotionally charged political diatribes. “Killing in the Name” became the standout lead single, and its message couldn’t be more relevant had it been recorded and released today. The wickedly funky second single “Bullet in the Head” is another standout, as is the epic opener “Bombtrack,” and the hard-charging “Freedom” which closes the album with a sneer and some attitude. Rage Against the Machine got their message across, and millions of eager listeners have soaked it up over the years.
11. Weezer – Weezer (Blue Album) 1994
You might argue that Weezer is alternative or even power-pop, but when it comes down to it Weezer is just a kickass rock album. Produced by The Cars Ric Ocasek, and clocking in at an air-tight 41 minutes, Weezer is packed with great songs with wit and real sonic power. Nobody had quite heard anything like The Sweater Song when it first hit the MTV airwaves. Buddy Holly is a 2:40 slice of power-pop bliss that you’re unlikely to top in the ‘90s this side of Jellyfish (sorry for not getting Bellybutton on any of the lists!) Weezer has some of the slacker-rock that was polluting the airwaves around this time, but they also has a sharp focus when needed – – and they can write song great tunes (“Say It Ain’t So” still sounds great). It’s not particularly polished – Ocasek just let ‘em go in the studio – but for a compact nugget of pure rock and roll bliss, it’s hard to beat the first Weezer album.
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