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Best albums of 1990

Released in 1990 · Ranked by critics

Week Month Year All time

2020s

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

2010s

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

2000s

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

1990s

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

1980s

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1970s

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1960s

1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

Score

Critics Verified All ratings

Genre

1
Fear of a Black Planet
Public Enemy
20 March 1990Conscious hip hop, east coast hip hop, experimental hip hop
9.2
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2
The La's
The La’s
1 January 1990Alternative rock, britpop, indie pop
8.8

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—Verified

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3

The Comforts of Madness

12 February 1990Dream pop, jangle pop, neo-psychedelia

8.7

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4

People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

17 April 1990Alternative hip hop, boom bap, conscious hip hop

8.6

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5

AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

15 May 1990Gangsta rap, hardcore hip hop, hip hop

8.6

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6

Heaven or Las Vegas

21 August 1990Alternative rock, ambient, ambient pop

8.6

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7

Seasons in the Abyss

9 October 1990Heavy metal, metal, rock

8.5

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8

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Sinéad O’Connor

20 March 1990Alternative rock, folk rock, pop

8.4

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9

15 October 1990Rock, shoegaze

8.4

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10

26 June 1990Alternative rock, experimental rock, indie rock

8.4

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11

1 April 1990Alternative rock, rock

8.3

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12

Frigid Stars LP

1 January 1990Alternative rock, indie rock, post-rock

8.3

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13

Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches

1 April 1990Alternative dance, alternative rock, electronic

8.3

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14

Reading Writing and Arithmetic

15 January 1990Dream pop, indie pop, indie rock

8.3

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15

Ritual de lo habitual

Jane’s Addiction

28 August 1990Alternative metal, alternative rock, dance-rock

8.2

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16

31 July 1990Dance-pop, electronic, house

8.1

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17

She Hangs Brightly

21 May 1990Alternative rock, dream pop, pop

8.1

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18

The Neighborhood

1 August 1990Blues, latin, soft rock

8.0

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19

18 May 1990Emo, pop punk, punk

8.0

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20

Repeater + 3 Songs

1 January 1990Post-hardcore, post-punk, rock

7.9

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21

21 September 1990Dance-rock, electronic, pop

7.8

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22

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

24 January 1990Blues rock, hard rock, rock

7.7

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23

28 May 1990Alternative rock, indie rock, rock

7.7

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—Verified

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24

Listen Without Prejudice

21 August 1990Dance-pop, dance-rock, downtempo

7.7

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—Verified

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25

Smell the Magic

1 September 1990Alternative rock, grunge, punk

7.6

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—Verified

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26

They Might Be Giants

5 January 1990Alternative rock, blues, comedy rock

7.5

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27

4 June 1990Alternative rock, indie rock, rock

7.5

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28

31 May 1990Alternative metal, alternative rock, funk metal

7.4

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29

1 June 1990Disco, downtempo, electronic

7.4

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30

3 December 1990Ambient, ambient pop, chillout

7.3

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31

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3

Traveling Wilburys

1 October 1990Pop, rock

7.3

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32

17 August 1990Country, electronic

7.3

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—Verified

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33

Tony! Toni! Toné!

20 April 1990Funk, new jack swing, pop

7.3

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34

6 November 1990Arena rock, glam metal, hard rock

7.2

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35

3 April 1990Contemporary r&b, hip hop, new jack swing

7.2

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36

The Razors Edge

21 September 1990Arena rock, classic rock, hard rock

7.1

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37

Mother Love Bone

14 August 1990Alternative rock, grunge, rock

7.1

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38

Brand New Heavies

The Brand New Heavies

1 January 1990Acid jazz, electronic, funk

7.1

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39

22 August 1990Ballad, contemporary r&b, dance-pop

6.9

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40

Spirits Dancing in the Flesh

15 June 1990Classic rock, hard rock, rock

6.9

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41

Inspiral Carpets

23 April 1990Garage rock, neo-psychedelia, rock

6.9

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42

Nomads - Indians - Saints

25 September 1990Folk pop, folk rock, rock

6.9

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43

Gonna Make You Sweat

C+C Music Factory

13 December 1990Contemporary r&b, dance, dance-pop

6.8

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44

Earth, Wind & Fire

29 January 1990Contemporary r&b, disco, downtempo

6.6

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45

23 March 1990Arena rock, blues, blues rock

6.6

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—Verified

—All ratings

46

14 May 1990Dance, electronic, house

6.5

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—Verified

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47

4 September 1990Hip hop, hip house, pop

6.2

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48

Alice in Chains

28 August 1990Alternative metal, alternative rock, doom metal

6.2

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49

New Kids on the Block

23 June 1990Pop

6.1

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50

Heroes & Friends

11 September 1990Country

6.0

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—Verified

—All ratings