1. Nirvana - Nevermind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg Within seconds of hitting play the first few chords come bursting through the speakers and your life is changed forever. This was how millions felt in 1991 upon hearing Nevermind for the first time. A brilliant blend of punk fury and social dissatisfaction, this album completely changed the face of music and defined the decade. Combining Cobain's pop songwriting abilities with his punk mentality, and incorporating his Pixies-inspired use of loud/quiet/loud dynamics, Nevermind shifts gears constantly, lurching forward at full steam, only to drop back and settle on a groove when you least expect it. Nevermind wasn't all raw power and brute force though, "Something In The Way" is a tender ballad, as Kurt weaves a tale of living under a bridge. One of the finest moments of the album, "Polly" comes in at the midway point, almost like the band stopping to catch it's breath. A truly amazing song, "Polly" is easily the best song ever written about an abduction. Nevermind reached a wider audience than anyone could have expected. Cobain created a world where the bespectacled nerd and the prom queen were equally as comfortable in the most pit as the true punks and headbangers, brought together by their teenage angst and dissatisfaction. A brilliant masterpiece, Nevermind changed music forever and is above and beyond the greatest and most important album of the 90s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdXy75VrQho