10 Perfect Rock Albums Of The 1990s

At the start of 1991, the switch to alternative rock didn't really come to fruition yet. Since people like Mr. Big and Extreme were managing to get sappy ballads back on the charts, it's safe to say that the real alternative nation wasn't quite ready to go nuclear yet. Along with another album that we'll talk about in a minute, the Red Hot Chili Peppers managed to get in on the ground floor of it all with Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Working out of the famous Houdini Mansion, Rick Rubin really worked these California rockers to the brink on this record. Aside from the amazing grooves on songs like If You Have To Ask or Breaking the Girl, the mindset behind every song was about creating something iconic. Even though Flea could have easily played a million bass notes per second, the sound of him leaning back on songs like Give It Away is what gives the whole record its tension.

This record also doesn't get nearly enough praise for its eclectic mix of sounds, like the acoustic ditty I Could Have Lied or the amazing psychedelic experience going on at the end of Sir Psycho Sexy. Compared to the rest of the albums on this list, not many records can make a record have a vibe like this one.