Things get dark in 1991, with grunge, shoegaze and heavy metal taking the reins.
My Bloody Valentine released cult favorite Loveless, earning a 10/10 from Pitchfork upon its 2012 reissue. Other records that have been heralded as the best of that year include Nirvana’s Nevermind, Pearl Jam’s debut Ten, U2’s darker Achtung Baby, Primal Scream’s breakthrough Screamadelica and Slint’s Spiderland (a record that received a tepid reception initially but has since garnered widespread praise).
Pop gave way to new styles of music in 1991, uncovering an underground scene that was bubbling for some time.
Did the shifting genre climate contribute to 1991 being the greatest year in music? Let us know what you think in the comments below and across social media with #XPNGreatestYear.
Albums
Nevermind – Nirvana
Ten – Pearl Jam
Achtung Baby – U2
Loveless – My Bloody Valentine
Metallica – Metallica
Screamadelica – Primal Scream
The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest
Blue Lines – Massive Attack
Rumour and Sigh – Richard Thompson
Girlfriend – Matthew Sweet
Out of Time – REM
Luck of the Draw – Bonnie Raitt
Bandwagonesque – Teenage Fanclub
Living With the Law – Chris Whitley
Gish – Smashing Pumpkins
Badmotorfinger – Soundgarden
Death Certificate – Ice Cube
De La Soul is Dead – De La Soul
Foxbase Alpha – St. Etienne
The Soul Cages – Sting
