Musicwhore.org Music and memory

A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.

I’m not sure other music writers would agree that 1998 is an important year in music for the ’90s. 1991 saw Guns N’ Roses cap the era of hair metal and Nirvana usher the unfortunately-named alternative rock. But it didn’t have Neutral Milk Hotel.

1. Smashing Pumpkins, Gish
2. Nirvana, Nevermind
3. R.E.M., Out of Time
4. U2, Achtung Baby
5. Throwing Muses, The Real Ramona
6. Soundtrack, Bubblegum Crisis Vocal Collection, Vol. 1
7. Guns N’ Roses, Use Your Illusion II
8. Enya, Shepherd Moons
9. Lou Harrison, Music of Lou Harrison
10. Elliott Carter, Music of Elliott Carter

Other favorites from the year:

• Pearl Jam, Ten
• Igor Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps/Symphony in Three Movements (Zubin Mehta, New York Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Mazzy Star, She Hangs Brightly
• Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
• Bill Frisell, Where in the World?
• Fishbone, The Reality of My Surroundings
• Metallica, Metallica
• Kronos Quartet, Lutoslawski: String Quartet
• Black Sheep, A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
• Hamada Mari, Tomorrow
• Electronic, Electronic
• Slint, Spiderland
• My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
• Painkiller, Guts of a Virgin
• Mr. Bungle, Mr. Bungle

Slint and My Bloody Valentine are additions 2004-me would have made. 1991-me would have side-eyed 2004-me.

And he would have scoffed at 2018-me for including Black Sheep, after emitting a gasp at seeing Fishbone on the list at all.

He would have begrudgingly nodded at the additions of Metallica and Hamada Mari, and he would have been curious about Electronic. And he would have gone out and found Painkiller the first chance he got.

Tags: bill frisell, black sheep, electronic, elliott carter, enya, favorite edition, fishbone, guns n' roses, hamada mari, igor stravinsky, kronos quartet, lou harrison, mazzy star, metallica, mr. bungle, my bloody valentine, nirvana, painkiller, pearl jam, r.e.m., rewind, slint, smashing pumpkins, soundgarden, soundtrack, throwing muses, u2