1991 may have been the Year Punk Broke but 1992 was the year the '90s truly began. Nevermind Nirvana, there was an explosion of alt-rock classics, beginning with a clutch of grunge classics from Seattle -- the aftershocks of Nirvana's success being Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, a major label contract for Mudhoney -- but also Pavement's debut Slanted and Enchanted, which began indie-rock as we now know it, and R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People, which began adult alternative as we now know it. R.E.M. wasn't the only '80s college-rock veteran still experiencing a golden streak -- Morrissey teamed up with Mick Ronson for the crushing Your Arsenal, Bob Mould revitalized himself with Sugar, Sonic Youth got louder and tighter on Dirty, XTC closed out their golden age with Nonsuch -- but there were just as many records that pointed toward what the '90s would be: Dr. Dre's era-defining The Chronic, which introduced Snoop Dogg to the world; PJ Harvey's lacerating Dry; Beastie Boys' cross-cultural, retro-loving Check Your Head; and over in Britain, Britpop started with a clutch of classic singles from Suede, Blur, and Pulp. Add to that power-pop classics by Matthew Sweet and Lemonheads, one of Tom Waits' best albums, Paul Weller's solo debut, Black Crowes' muscular rock & roll and Urge Overkill's Stull EP, 1992 winds up as one of the best years of the decade.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted/Watery, Domestic
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Morrissey - Your Arsenal
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Sugar - Copper Blue
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
Ween - Pure Guava
PJ Harvey - Dry
Nirvana - Incesticide
Sonic Youth - Dirty
Buffalo Tom - Let Me Come Over
Paul Weller - Paul Weller
XTC - Nonsuch
Juliana Hatfield - Hey Babe
The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Tom Waits - Bone Machine
Prince and the New Power Generation - The Love Symbol Album
Urge Overkill - Stull EP
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
Unrest - Imperial F.F.R.R.
Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth
Stereolab - Peng!
The Breeders - Safari
Suede - "The Drowners"
Pulp - "Babies"
House of Pain - "Jump Around"
Suede - "Metal Mickey"
Blur - "Popscene"
Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds - "Shuffle It All"
Beastie Boys - "So What'cha Want"
Matthew Sweet - "Girlfriend"
Mudhoney - "Suck You Dry"
PJ Harvey - "Sheela-Na-Gig"
The Black Crowes - "Remedy"
Sugar - "If I Can't Change Your Mind"
Dwight Yoakam - "It Only Hurts When I Cry"
Sonic Youth - "100%"
Buffalo Tom - "Taillights Fade"
L7 - "Pretend We're Dead"
Sophie B. Hawkins - "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover"
A Tribe Called Quest - "Scenario"
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
Saint Etienne - "Join Our Club"
Cypress Hill - "How I Could Just Kill a Man"
Belly - "Slow Dog"
Prince and the New Power Generation - "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
Radiohead - "Creep"
The Cure - "Friday I'm in Love"
Digital Underground - "Kiss You Back"
Ride - "Leave Them All Behind"
Tom Cochrane - "Life Is a Highway"
Sugar - "A Good Idea"
Billy Ray Cyrus - "Achy Breaky Heart"
Andy Kellman
Afghan Whigs - Congregation
Mary J. Blige - What's the 411?
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Live and Let Die
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Gang Starr - Daily Operation
Sonic Youth - Dirty
PJ Harvey - Dry
Catherine Wheel - Ferment
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
Sugar - Copper Blue
Showbiz & A.G. - Runaway Slave
Redman - Whut? Thee Album
Neneh Cherry - Homebrew
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Kitchens of Distinction - The Death of Cool
Lush - Spooky
Lil' Louis & the World - Journey with the Lonely
Curve - Doppelgänger
Paris - Sleeping with the Enemy
The Jesus Lizard - Liar
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
LTJ Bukem - "Demon's Theme"
Mary J. Blige - "Real Love"
Black Sheep - "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)"
Aaron Hall - "Don't Be Afraid"
Chuckii Booker - "Games"
Metalheads - "Terminator"
Black Moon - "Who Got da Props?"
Dr. Dre - "Deep Cover"
Underground Resistance - "Jupiter Jazz"
Verve - "Gravity Grave"
Matthew Sweet - "Girlfriend"
Eric B. & Rakim - "Don't Sweat the Technique"
Innerzone Orchestra - "Bug in the Bass Bin"
The Afghan Whigs - "Come See About Me"
2 Bad Mice - "Bomb Scare"
Kaotic Chemistry - "Illegal Subs"
Jodeci - "Come and Talk to Me"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
Balil - "Choke and Fly"
Greg Heaney
I didn't know it at the time, but 1992 turned out to be a pretty important year for me. Reservoir Dogs was released, the English Premier League was formed, and Mortal Kombat hit the arcades to devour quarters like some kind of insatiable, hyper-violent beast. But even more importantly, 1992 was the year that I truly began my love affair with music. Albums like Stone Temple Pilots' Core and Nine Inch Nails' Broken helped me achieve escape velocity from my parents' collection of "young country" cassingles, giving me the freedom to explore the ever-expanding landscape of alternative rock and aiding in my most crucial discovery of all: volume. I can remember turning my stereo up as loud as I could, discovering not only the raw power of the guitar, but also the transformative properties it has when played at absurdly loud levels. While some of these albums represent my early explorations, some of them I wouldn't discover until later on. Regardless of when I found them, the albums on this list are the ones that still make me wish I was both young enough hear them again for the first time, and old enough to have been able to discover what would become some of my all-time favorite bands when they were brand new.
The Nation of Ulysses - Plays Pretty for Baby
Ween - Pure Guava
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Afghan Whigs - Congregation
Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
Crowbar - Obedience Thru Suffering
The Flaming Lips - Hit to Death in the Future Head
Ice Cube - The Predator
Godflesh - Pure
Nine Inch Nails - Broken
Helmet - Meantime
Jawbox - Novelty
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Lush - Spooky
Ministry - Psalm 69
NOFX - White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Matt Collar
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
The Brand New Heavies - The Brand New Heavies
Corduroy - Dad Man Cat
The Cure - Wish
Miles Davis - Doo-Bop
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Gallon Drunk - You, the Night...and the Music
The Jesus Lizard - Liar
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Honey's Dead
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Annie Lennox - Diva
Lush - Spooky
Madonna - Erotica
Morrissey - Your Arsenal
The Nation of Ulysses - Plays Pretty for Baby
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Ride - Going Blank Again
Sade - Love Deluxe
Sonic Youth - Dirty
The Soup Dragons - Hotwired
Jason Lymangrover
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
The Brand New Heavies - Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1
Da Lench Mob - Guerillas in tha Mist
Das EFX - Dead Serious
Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics - Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop
Faith No More - Angel Dust
The Flaming Lips - Hit to Death in the Future Head
Gang Starr - Daily Operation
King Missile - Happy Hour
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
Redman - Whut? Thee Album
Original Soundtrack - Singles
Sonic Youth - Dirty
Sugarcubes - Stick Around for Joy
Ween - Pure Guava
James Wilkinson
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies
The Sundays - Blind
Inspiral Carpets - Revenge of the Goldfish
Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
Julian Cope - Jehovakill
Stereolab - Switched On
Stereolab - Peng!
The Charlatans - Between 10th and 11th
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
The Stairs - Mexican R 'n' B
James - Seven
Morrissey - Your Arsenal
The Wedding Present - Hit Parade 1
XTC - Nonsuch
Ride - Going Blank Again
Catherine Wheel - Ferment
Green Day - Kerplunk
Blur - "Popscene"
The Clientele - "Haunted Melody"
Saint Etienne - "Avenue"
Suede - "The Drowners"
Teenage Fanclub - "What You Do to Me"
Nirvana - "In Bloom"
Saint Etienne - "Join Our Club"
The Cure - "Friday I'm in Love"
Bettie Serveert - "Palomine"
The Frank and Walters - "Happy Busman"
Pulp - "Babies"
Spiritualized - "Medication"
Nirvana - "Lithium"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
The Rockingbirds - "Jonathan Jonathan"
The Real People - "The Truth"
Happy Mondays - "Stinkin' Thinkin'"
Flowered Up - "Weekender"
Thousand Yard Stare - "Comeuppance"
Senseless Things - "Hold It Down"
John Bush
Walt Mink - Miss Happiness
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
The Orb - U.F.Orb
The Flaming Lips - Hit to Death in the Future Head
The Prodigy - Experience
Stereolab - Peng!
Moose - ...xyz
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
Beat Happening - You Turn Me On
Tsunami - Deep End
Polygon Window - Surfing on Sine Waves
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Ride - Going Blank Again
Epic Soundtracks - Rise Above
The Nation of Ulysses - Plays Pretty for Baby
Helmet - Meantime
Godflesh - Pure
Catherine Wheel - Ferment
Lush - Spooky
The Shamen - "Boss Drum"
The Prodigy - "Out of Space"
Caustic Window - "Astroblaster" (YouTube)
Polygon Window - "Polygon Window"
Balil - "Nort Route"
Orbital - "Halcyon"
Curve - "Doppelgänger"
The Boo Radleys - "Lazy Day"
Adorable - "Sunshine Smile"
Kitchens of Distinction - "On Tooting Broadway Station"
Verve - "Man Called Sun"
Spiritualized - "Shine a Light"
Lush - "Superblast!"
Unrest - "Yes She Is My Skinhead Girl"
PJ Harvey - "Sheela-Na-Gig"
The Cult - "The Witch"
Skinny Puppy - "Inquisition"
Stone Temple Pilots - "Wicked Garden"
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - "Television, the Drug of the Nation"
Basehead - "Brand New Day" (YouTube)
Thom Jurek
The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Lou Reed - Magic and Loss
Catherine Wheel - Ferment
Neneh Cherry - Homebrew
Gallon Drunk - You, the Night...and the Music
Tom Waits - Bone Machine
Garland Jeffreys - Don't Call Me Buckwheat
Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds - Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds
John Trudell - AKA Grafitti Man
David S. Ware - Third Ear Recitation
Bill Frisell - This Land
Kip Hanrahan - Exotica
Jimmy LaFave - Austin Skyline
Bettie Serveert - Palomine
Throwing Muses - Red Heaven
Junior Kimbrough & the Soul Blues Boys - All Night Long
Polygon Window - Surfing on Sine Waves
David Murray - Shakill's Warrior
Robin Holcomb - Rockabye
The Red Devils - King King
The Holmes Brothers - Jubilation
Vigilantes of Love - Killing Floor
Aneet Nijjar
Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Morrissey - Your Arsenal
Stereolab - Peng!
Bikini Kill - Bikini Kill
Babes in Toyland - Fontanelle
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Nirvana - Incesticide
Luscious Jackson - In Search of Manny
Madonna - Erotica
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat the Technique
The Orb - U.F.Orb
The Prodigy - Experience
The KLF - The White Room
Suede - "The Drowners"
Suede - "Metal Mickey"
Manic Street Preachers - "Motorcycle Emptiness"
Saint Etienne - "Avenue"
Pulp - "Babies"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
L7 - "Pretend We're Dead
Flowered Up - "Weekender"
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - "Television, the Drug of the Nation"
The KLF & Tammy Wynette - "Justified and Ancient"
Jaydee - "Plastic Dreams"
Leftfield - "Song of Life"
Phuture - "Rise from Your Grave"
One Dove - "Transient Truth"
The Future Sound of London - "Papua New Guinea"
LFO - What Is House EP
John Buchanan
I lived for three years in Africa when I was a kid and only really started listening to music in 1989 when I came back to the U.K. 1992 was my last year in secondary school and saw me still quite heavily into pop, but also enjoying indie rock and starting to get into metal -- hence this bafflingly eclectic selection.
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Celine Dion - Celine Dion
Helmet - Meantime
Prince and the New Power Generation - The Love Symbol Album
Wojciech Kilar - Bram Stoker's Dracula
Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Roxette - Tourism
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
The Prodigy - Experience
Elliot Goldenthal - Alien 3
Bettie Serveert - Palomine
Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith
PJ Harvey - Dry
The Shamen - Boss Drum
The Jesus Lizard - Liar
Madonna - Erotica
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
Come - Eleven: Eleven
Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists
Sugar - Copper Blue
Celine Dion - "Nothing Broken But My Heart"
Annie Lennox - "Walking on Broken Glass"
Elton John - "The One"
Lionel Richie - "Do It to Me"
Richard Marx - "Hazard"
U2 - "One"
Kris Kross - "Jump"
Michael Jackson - "Jam"
Moby - "Go"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
Prince and the New Power Generation - "Sexy MF"
Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson - "The Best Things in Life Are Free"
SWV - "Right Here"
Guns N' Roses - "November Rain"
Helmet - "Unsung"
Metallica - "Nothing Else Matters"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Under the Bridge"
Sophie B. Hawkins - "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover"
Tori Amos - "Crucify"
The Cure - "Friday I'm in Love"
Jonathan Ball
Primal Scream - Dixie-Narco EP
Yo La Tengo - May I Sing with Me
The Church - Priest = Aura
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Honey's Dead
Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
Chris Bell - I Am the Cosmos
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Original Soundtrack - Singles
Helmet - Meantime
Love Battery - Dayglo
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream
Keith Richards - Main Offender
Smashing Pumpkins - Peel Sessions
Royal Trux - Royal Trux
Sugar - Copper Blue
Nirvana - Incesticide
The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Reverence"
U2 - "Even Better Than the Real Thing"
The Black Crowes - "Remedy"
The Church - "Ripple"
Lemonheads - "It's a Shame About Ray"
David J - "Candy on the Cross"
Nirvana - "Lithium"/"Been a Son"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
Soundgarden - "Rusty Cage"
Faith No More - "Midlife Crisis"
Spiritualized - "Run"
Matthew Garbutt
Da Lench Mob – Guerillas in tha Mist
En Vogue – Funky Divas
Flat Duo Jets – In Stereo
Gallon Drunk – You, the Night...and the Music
Inspiral Carpets – Revenge of the Goldfish
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Crypt-Style
Manic Street Preachers – Generation Terrorists
Mary J. Blige – What's the 411?
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Henry's Dream
Nicolette – Now Is Early
The Reverend Horton Heat – Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
Rocket from the Crypt – Circa: Now!
Stereolab – Peng!
The Black Crowes – The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
The Brand New Heavies – The Brand New Heavies
The Gories – Outta Here
The Gun Club – In Exile
The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
The Stairs – Mexican R 'n' B
Thee Headcoatees – Have Love, Will Travel
A Tribe Called Quest - "Scenario"
Black Sheep – "Strobelite Honey"
Ce Ce Peniston - "Finally"
Charles & Eddie - "Would I Lie to You?"
Coco Steel and Lovebomb - Feel It
Digital Underground - "No Nose Job"
Kid Unknown - "Nightmare"
Kym Sims - "Too Blind to See It"
LFO - "What Is House?"
Martine Girault - "Revival"
Paul Weller - "Uh-Huh Oh Yeh"
Prince and the New Power Generation - "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
Public Enemy - "Shut 'Em Down"
Saint Etienne - "Join Our Club"
Snowboy - The 3 Faces of Snowboy (Girl Overboard)
Suede - "Metal Mickey"
The Charlatans - "Weirdo"
The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Reverence"
The Rockingbirds - "Gradually Learning"
Young Disciples - Move On EP
James Christopher Monger
Julian Cope - Jehovakill
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Vijaya Anand - Dance Raja Dance: Asia Classics, Vol. 1
Levellers - Levelling the Land
Tom Waits - Bone Machine
Los Lobos - Kiko
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies
The Tannahill Weavers - The Mermaid's Song
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Sugar - Copper Blue
The Church - Priest = Aura
Ministry - Psalm 69
Ween - Pure Guava
XTC - Nonsuch
Leonard Cohen - The Future
They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18
The Boo Radleys - Everything's Alright Forever
Kendra Smith - The Guild of Temporal Adventurers
Altan - Harvest Storm
Manowar - The Triumph of Steel
Morphine - "You Speak My Language"
Pale Saints - "Throwing Back the Apple"
Oio - "Almeria"
The Magnetic Fields - "Old Orchard Beach"
Flop - "Hello"
Luna - "Slide"
Nine Inch Nails - "Wish"
Peter Murphy - "You're So Close"
Daisy Chainsaw - "Natural Man"
Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction"
Michael Penn - "Long Way Down (Look What the Cat Drug In)"
The Terem Quartet - "Valenki"
Hedningarna - "Grodan/Widergrenen"
The Origin - "Bend"
Adrian Belew - "Big Blue Sun"
Lyle Lovett - "She's Already Made Up Her Mind"
The Lightning Seeds - "The Life of Riley"
Suzanne Vega - "In Liverpool"
Steven Jesse Bernstein - "Morning in the Sub-Basement of Hell"
Neil Young - "Harvest Moon"
Richard Wilson
Babes in Toyland - Fontanelle
Afghan Whigs - Congregation
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Buffalo Tom - Let Me Come Over
Catherine Wheel - Ferment
Curve - Doppelgänger
The Flaming Lips - Hit to Death in the Future Head
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Ministry - Psalm 69
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
Ride - Going Blank Again
Sonic Youth - Dirty
Silverfish - Organ Fan
The Boo Radleys - Everything's Alright Forever
Midway Still - Dial Square
Nirvana - Incesticide
Sebadoh - Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock
PJ Harvey - Dry
Sugar - Copper Blue
The Prodigy - Experience
Helmet - Meantime
Sultans of Ping FC - "Stupid Kid"
The Frank and Walters - "Happy Busman"
Radiohead - "Creep"
Curve - "Faît Accompli"
Aphex Twin - "Didgeridoo"
Mercury Rev - "Car Wash Hair"
Pavement - "Trigger Cut"
Teenage Fanclub - "What You Do to Me"
Afghan Whigs - Uptown Avondale
The God Machine - The Desert Song EP
Captain America - "Flame On"
Superchunk - "Mower"
Midway Still - "Better Than Before"
Buffalo Tom - "Velvet Roof"
Thousand Yard Stare - Comeuppance EP
Therapy? - "Teethgrinder"
Jacob's Mouse - Ton Up EP
Mudhoney - "Suck You Dry"
Ride - "Leave Them All Behind"
PJ Harvey - "Sheela-Na-Gig"
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