Best 90's alt-rock bands

JackShephard

Senior
Sep 27, 2011
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Completely discounting live performances and focusing on albums, nothing will ever top Ten and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. What those albums meant to alternative rock means more than any other two albums ever meant to their respective genres.
Definitely one of, if not THE, top album/s of the era.
 

Seinfeld

All-American
Nov 30, 2006
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Can't believe nobody mentioned Green Day. Not that they're that high on my list either, but they are certainly an iconic group from that time period. It's hard for me to find a whole lot of bands from that era that I didn't like.
I started to mention them, but I think I stopped because I never quite know where to put them. They started with punk rock, then blew up in the early 90s when they moved into more alt rock music. But then they had their softer Good Riddance phase, followed by political rock in the late 2000s.

You’re right though. Regardless of how much you like or don’t like them, they deserve a nod
 

horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
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In my opinion:

Top Tier
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Soundgarden
STP

2nd Tier
Smashing Pumpkins
Radiohead
Bush
Oasis

3rd Tier
Cranberries
Our Lady Peace
Offspring
Foo Fighters
Blur
Everclear

Some will say Alice In Chains (them and Pearl Jam are my favorites) but I consider them more of a metal band honestly. They are the true “grunge” sound.

ETA: I’m sure I’m forgetting some. This was off the top of my head.
Third Eye Blind or Matchbox Twenty?
 

FreshAsHail

All-American
Nov 7, 2023
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The "Southern Rock" thread inspired this. Fwiw, the Allman Brothers Band is one of the best Rock bands ever, full stop, imo.

Phish is probably my favorite band from the 90's, but I'd like to discuss the more accessible bands of the decade (broader appeal/MTV, etc).

My Mount Rushmore are probably:
Smashing Pumpkins
Blind Melon
Primus
Soundgarden

Honorable mentions to:
Pearl Jam
Rage
Nirvana

How badly did I miss?
You missed it terribly...Where in the hell is STP????
 

Villagedawg

All-Conference
Nov 16, 2005
1,982
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The "Southern Rock" thread inspired this. Fwiw, the Allman Brothers Band is one of the best Rock bands ever, full stop, imo.

Phish is probably my favorite band from the 90's, but I'd like to discuss the more accessible bands of the decade (broader appeal/MTV, etc).

My Mount Rushmore are probably:
Smashing Pumpkins
Blind Melon
Primus
Soundgarden

Honorable mentions to:
Pearl Jam
Rage
Nirvana

How badly did I miss?
Solid list. My guess is that this the the "college era" of many on the board like me.

1. Alice in Chains
2. Pearl Jam
3. Nirvana
I also really liked Bush, Rage Against the Machine, White Zombie, Drivin and Cryin, Ministry, and the obscure Australian band Hoodoo Gurus whom I saw at McCarthy Gym
 
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Dawgg

Heisman
Sep 9, 2012
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Weezer is unquestionably on the Mt. Rushmore. The Blue album is literally a perfect album. No skips.

Say what you want about Oasis, but "Don't Look Back in Anger" & "Wonderwall" are better songs than anything in the entire Nirvana & Pearl Jam catalog (and those were great bands)!

This is just Noel, not the whole band, but good grief:

And I thought your political takes were bad 🤣
 
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Jul 5, 2020
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For alt-rock by definition, I'd nominate-

Sonic Youth
Pavement
Dinosaur Jr.
Jane's Addiction
Early Red Hot Chili Peppers (Uplift Mofo and Mother's Milk)- Fight Like a Brave is the first song on my "Run Through a G*dd*man Brick Wall" workout list)
 
Jul 5, 2020
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1. Alice in chains - nobody harmonized like Staley and Cantrell




2. Pearl Jam




3.STP
4. Nirvana
5. Pumpkins
6. Screaming Trees - being fat was their only problem

Temple of the Dog and Mad Season get shoutouts
Fun fact- Jerry Cantrell has gone on to have a rich collaborative career, including a song on the Sinners soundtrack.
 
Jul 5, 2020
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Go Away Do Not Want GIF
Where is Thumbs Down when you need him?
 
Aug 22, 2012
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Rage Against the Machine
3 Doors Down
Beastie Boys
Better than Ezra
Collective Soul
Counting Crows
Dinosaur Jr
Everclear
Goo Goo Dolls

Green Day
Cranberries
Breeders
Veruca Salt
Janes Addiction
Metallica (80s maybe?)
Live
GNR (80s too?)
Matchbox 20
Nirvana
NIN
Korn
Oasis
Pearl Jam
Primus
Radio Head
RHCP
Silverchair
Smashing Pumpkins
Soul Asylum
Soundgarden
STP
311
Third Eye Blind
Toadies
Tool
Tripping Daisy
Weezer

So many good ones. Hard to pick a top 5 for me, but I bolded my favorites (I guess).
You missed Seven Mary Three
 

BulldogBlitz

Heisman
Dec 11, 2008
16,163
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Audioslave, temple of the dog, soundgarten....or maybe i just like hearing Chris Cornell.

Radiohead.
Tool.
White zombie.

Yeah, I went off tangent, but when the hell do I stay on topic 100%?
 
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patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
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A freaking awesome band I don’t think has been mentioned. The Smithereens.
 

Dawgpile

Senior
May 23, 2006
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1. Alice in chains - nobody harmonized like Staley and Cantrell




2. Pearl Jam




3.STP
4. Nirvana
5. Pumpkins
6. Screaming Trees - being fat was their only problem

Temple of the Dog and Mad Season get shoutouts
I kept looking for someone to mention Mad Season... FANTASTIC album.
 

docdawg

Redshirt
Mar 22, 2009
130
14
18
Nirvana and Pearl Jam need to be on top. They had that silent rivalry/relationship like The Beatles and The Stones and drove the "alternative" era. But don't let Radiohead's OK Computer slip by. Monumental album in terms of production. And for raw power, Everclear's Sparkle and Fade is a tremendous album. I think people downplayed them because "Santa Monica" was a catchy little radio friendly tune, but from start to finish that album does not quit. I even had their lead singer, Art Alexakis, come to my "Media and Society" class at MSU when they played Rick's. He did a great Q&A with the students.
 
Jan 9, 2016
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Primus is one of my favorites. Don’t know where they fall into list without being bias. Les Claypool is one of the greatest bass players in rock.
Met Claypool on vacation in SF while playing Lincoln Park GC. He was in a threesome, in front of us, with the drummer and bass player for Faith No More. Play got backed up on #2 and we talked with them for probably 10 minutes. Drummer was cool. The other 2 were jerks.

Still helluva bass player.