100 Greatest Albums of 1990

Criteria: These music albums from the year 1990 were chosen for their immediate and lasting popularity, impact, influence, and acclaim from critics and musicians. This list does not include 'Greatest Hits' albums.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Fear of a Black Planet
Public Enemy
2. Violator
Depeche Mode
3. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
4. Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
5. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
6. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em
MC Hammer
7. Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
8. Shake Your Money Maker
Black Crowes
9. Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
10. Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
11. Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
12. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
13. Goo
Sonic Youth
14. People's Instinctive Travels
A Tribe Called Quest
15. Bossanova
Pixies
16. Heaven or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
17. Listen Without Prejudice
George Michael
18. Rust in Peace
Megadeth
19. The La's
La's
20. The Rhythm of the Saints
Paul Simon
21. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Sundays
22. Step in the Arena
Gang Starr
23. Gonna Make You Sweat
C+C Music Factory
24. Nowhere
Ride
25. World Clique
Deee-Lite
26. Cowboys From Hell
Pantera
27. Sex Packets
Digital Underground
28. Repeater
Fugazi
29. Flood
They Might be Giants
30. Still Got the Blues
Gary Moore
31. Seasons in the Abyss
Slayer
32. MCMXC a.D.
Enigma
33. Facelift
Alice in Chains
34. The Razor's Edge
AC/DC
35. Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips
36. Empire
Queensryche
37. Poison
Bell Biv Devoe
38. Pornograffiti
Extreme
39. Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
40. The Good Son
Nick Cave
41. One for All
Brand Nubian
42. Chill Out
The KLF
43. Social Distortion
Social Distortion
44. Time's Up
Living Colour
45. Painkiller
Judas Priest
46. Some Friendly
Charlatans
47. Bloodletting
Concrete Blonde
48. She Hangs Brightly
Mazzy Star
49. Born to Sing
En Vogue
50. Crazy World
Scorpions
51. Songs for Drella
Lou Reed and John Cale
52. Frigid Stars LP
Codeine
53. Pod
Breeders
54. Against the Grain
Bad Religion
55. I'm Breathless
Madonna
56. FireHouse
FireHouse
57. Dreamland
Black Box
58. Jordan: The Comeback
Prefab Sprout
59. Cherry Pie
Warrant
60. No Depression
Uncle Tupelo
61. The Revival
Tony! Toni! Tone!
62. Flesh and Blood
Poison
63. Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees
64. Blue Sky Mining
Midnight Oil
65. Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
Eric B. & Rakim
66. Persistence of Time
Anthrax
67. Graffiti Bridge
Prince
68. Brigade
Heart
69. The Future
Guy
70. Goodbye Jumbo
World Party
71. Blacks' Magic
Salt-n-Pepa
72. DiVINYLS
Divinyls
73. Business As Usual
EPMD
74. X
INXS
75. Danzig II: Lucifuge
Danzig
76. Blaze of Glory/Young Guns II
Jon Bon Jovi
77. Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant
78. Stick It To Ya
Slaughter
79. Passion and Warfare
Steve Vai
80. Brick by Brick
Iggy Pop
81. Bellybutton
Jellyfish
82. Livin' Like Hustlers
Above the Law
83. Circle of One
Oleta Adams
84. World Power
Snap!
85. Move to This
Cathy Dennis
86. Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler
87. Edutainment
Boogie Down Productions
88. Life
Inspiral Carpets
89. Too Dark Park
Skinny Puppy
90. Gold Mother
James
91. Hammerheart
Bathory
92. Vol. II - A New Decade
Soul II Soul
93. Take a Look Around
Master Ace
94. After the Rain
Nelson
95. Frizzle Fry
Primus
96. I'll Give All My Love To You
Keith Sweat
97. Enlightenment
Van Morrison
98. Short Dog's in the House
Too $hort
99. Vision Thing
Sisters of Mercy
100. En-Tact
Shamen
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1990
An unheralded great album from 1990
Brian's choice:
* Interiors
Rosanne Cash
Brett's choice:
* Starring In...Standing In A Monkey Sea
A'me Lorain & The Family Affair
Ryan's choice:
* Extricate
The Fall
Lew's choice:
* Family Style
The Vaughan Brothers
⇐ 1989   |   1991 ⇒