OK, it’s ridiculous that Rolling Stone gave only three albums in the 1990s five stars. I just slapped together a smart playlist in iTunes to see what albums from the 1990s I have, and here are some off-the-cuff nominations for albums that really should have gotten consideration:
- Aimee Mann, Whatever (1993)
- Big Star, #1 Record/Radio City (1992)
- Billy Bragg and Wilco, Mermaid Avenue (1998)
- Björk, Debut (1993)
- Dinosaur, Jr., Where You Been (1993)
- Elliot Smith, XO (1998)
- The Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin (1999)
- Fleetwood Mac, The Dance (1997)
- Fugazi, 13 Songs (1990)
- Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville (1993)
- Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)
- Rufus Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright (1998)
- They Might Be Giants, Flood (1990)
- U2, Achtung Baby (1991)
- Wilco, Summerteeth (1999)
OK, my senior year of high school may be over-represented in this list, but that’s hardly surprising. In comments, tell me what I missed and what I should have left off.
[…] Aaron Cohen’s blog Unlikely Words. He’s got good taste. I particularly like this critique of Rolling Stone’s best albums. That magazine was over-the-hill when I was in high […]
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Perfect From Now On, Built to Spill (1997)
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In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
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The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails (1994)
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In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
I almost included this one, in fact.
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Liz Phair’s “Exile in Guyville” DID get five stars. it may not be listed on the net…but look up an old issue in a library…five stars
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While it’s true that Exile in Guyville got 5 stars when it was re-reviewed in June, 2008, it got 4 stars when it was originally reviewed in June, 1993. Since this is a list of albums from the ’90s that weren’t given 5 stars, it’s still accurate. Thanks for your comment.
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