10 Best Alternative Albums Of The 1990's
1. Nevermind - Nirvana
As hair metal wore out its welcome, the need for a new sound in the rock landscape became more and more dire. With every rock video showing over-the-top glam metal, all the bands ended up sounding the same. Then there was a riot in a gym and all hell broke loose.
With the release of Nevermind, Nirvana sounded the death knell for glitter rock and took the music world by storm. In 1991, the band ventured into Sound City Studios to craft their magnum opus with producer Butch Vig.
The sound they created was a perfect amalgam of hooks from the dreary guitar of "Come As You Are" to the opening drum groove of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Kurt Cobain's knack for writing brilliant pop melodies was juxtaposed with the band's guitar fury as they pummeled their way through each track. The sense of abandon that Cobain sang about was something that hit a cultural nerve with the youth of America as the record broadened out.
Once the the record blew up, fans arrived in droves and inspired legions of bands to make music that means something. After almost 3 decades in the rock landscape, Nevermind is still a perfect alt-rock album and the blueprint for modern rock.