10 Best Metal Albums Of The 1990s - Ranked

The 1990s was a very transitional period for metal, as the decade was split between two eras of the genre. The first half specified in the old school 80s style, but the latter was littered with the next level, the hip-hop, industrial-esque style of nu metal that would take the genre into the mainstream.

As such, this era was prosperous for a great many bands, whether they were upstarts, or existing veterans, and the resulting albums were heavy, unique, and highly experimental.

The era helped to bridge the gap between social groups, and offered a wide range of sub-genres for metal fans to sample. Rap metal, industrial metal, nu metal, and metalcore all got their big starts in the eyes of the genre's faithful, as did a great number of artists we know and love today.

Some would improve on their existing style, and some would completely reinvent themselves to fit a new era.

Love 90s metal or hate it, it is undeniable that the evolution of the genre during this decade is fascinating, and some bands took the opportunity to break the mould of what was expected, producing the best work of their careers.

Alice Cooper’s endeavour into the world of glam metal was brief but prosperous, with the icon producing some of the best work of his career within the walls of the sub-genre, and his greatest studio release from this period is certainly 1990’s Hey Stoopid.

Featuring guest performances from rock and metal legends like Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, and Nikki Sixx, as well as a stellar band line-up, the instrumental work on this album was nothing short of excellent.

Hey Stoopid features some well known tracks, the title track for example, which remains a part of Cooper’s live set, and Feed My Frankenstein of Wayne’s World fame. Some lesser known, and sorely underrated tracks also feature in the form of Snakebite, Hurricane Years, and Little By Little.

Alice himself is as wicked as ever on the album, executing his trademark croaky vocals as only he can, and displaying his lyric writing prowess every step of the way. if you’re looking for the ultimate 90s glam metal album, then look no further than Hey Stoopid.