Look Back: Better Late Than Never
The Best of the 1990’s
A Look Back, A Wrap Up, A Dusting
continued:
Best Albums of the ‘90’s
(Votes were received for the following ‘90’s albums,
by Grip’s 1999 Listgivers)
Receiving multiple votes:
* Stereolab -- Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements (Elektra/Duophonic)
* Pavement -- Slanted and Enchanted (Matador)
* High Llamas -- Hawaii (Alpaca Park/V2)
* Guided By Voices -- Bee Thousand (Matador)
Receiving single votes:
* Basehead -- Play With Toys (Imago)
* Belle and Sebastian-- The Boy with the Arab Strap (Jeepster/ Matador)
* Dump -- International Airport (Smells Like)
* His Name is Alive -- Fort Lake (4AD)
* Los Lobos -- Kiko (WB)
* Melt-Banana -- Charlie (A-Zap)
* The Notorious B.I.G. -- Life After Death (Bad Boy)
* Liz Phair -- Exile in Guyville (Matador)
* The Orb -- Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (Big Life)
* Pavement -- Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (Matador)
* Prince Paul -- Psychoanaylysis (Tommy Boy)
* Slint -- Spiderland (Touch and Go)
* Spectrum- Highs, Lows and Heavenly Blows (Relativity)
* Pulp -- Different Class (Island)
* Stereolab -- Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Elektra,)
* Throwing Muses -- The Real Ramona (4AD/Sire)
* Tony Toni Tone -- Sons of Soul (Wing)
* Underworld --Dubnobasswithmyheadman (Wax Trax!)
* Union of a Man and a Woman -- The Sound of the Union of a Man and a Woman (Jagjaguwar)
* Tom Waits -- Bone Machine (Island)
* Tom Waits -- Black Rider (Island)
* Neil Young & Crazy Horse -- Ragged Glory (Reprise)
Top Albums from previous Grip year-end
BEST of MUSIC polls
(Dozens of area musicologists, fans, writers and
industry folk have contributed to the Best of poll over the years.
Too many to list. Thanks to everyone who gave their views
and compiled their picks over the years! Here are the rough results of
those star-packed, LP-soaked gush-fests...)
1989
1. De La Soul -- Three Feet High & Rising (Tommy Boy)
2. The Mekons -- Mekons Rock ‘n’ Roll (Twin-Tone)
3. Throwing Muses -- Hunkpapa (Sire)
4. B-52s -- Cosmic Thing (Reprise)
5. Camper Van Beethoven -- Key Lime Pie (Virgin)
6. The Pixies -- Doolittle (Elektra)
7. Fugazi -- 13 Songs (Dischord)
8. Matthew Sweet -- Earth (A&M)
9. XTC -- Oranges & Lemons (Geffen)
10. The Stone Roses --- The Stone Roses (Silvertone)
11. Galaxie 500 -- On Fire (Rough Trade)
Mea Culpa:
Beastie Boys -- Paul Boutique (Capitol)
--- compiled from Catharsis #7
1990
1. Fugazi -- Repeater (Dischord)
2. Neil Young & Crazy Horse -- Ragged Glory (Reprise)
3. Eric B. & Rakim -- Let the Rhyhm Hit ‘em (MCA)
4. Sonic Youth -- Goo (DGC)
5. The Chills -- Submarine Bells (Slash)
6. Robyn Hitchcock -- Eye (Twin Tone)
7. Los Lobos -- The Neighborhood (Slash)
8. Public Enemy -- Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam/Columbia)
9. Pixies -- Bossanova (4AD/Elektra)
10. Replacements -- All Shook Down (Sire)
-- compiled from Catharsis #16
1991
1. The KLF -- The White Room / "Justified & Ancient" CD-5 (Arista)
2. The La’s -- The La’s (Go Discs!)
3. Nirvana -- Nevermind (DGC)
4. De La Soul -- De La Soul is Dead (Tommy Boy)
5. REM -- Out of Time (Warner Brothers)
6. Basehead -- Play With Toys (Emigre)
7. Matthew Sweet -- Girlfriend (Zoo)
8. Antic Hay -- A Few Cuts in Return (Merkin)
9. Uncle Tupelo -- Still Feel Gone (Rockville)
10. U2 -- Achtung Baby (Island)
11. Billy Bragg -- Don’t Try This at Home (Elektra)
-- compiled from Catharsis #24
1992
1. Beastie Boys -- Check Your Head (Grand Royal / Capitol)
2. Tom Waits -- Bone Machine (Warner Brothers)
3. Unrest -- Imperial ffrr (Teenbeat/No. 6)
4. Pavement -- Slanted & Enchanted (Matador)
5. Television -- Television (Capitol)
6. The Jayhawks -- Hollywood Town Hall (Def American)
7. Th Faith Healers -- Lido (Too Pure)
8. Los Lobos -- Kiko (Warner Brothers)
9. Sonic Youth -- Dirty (DGC)
10. Sugar -- Copper Blue (Rykodisc)
-- compiled from Catharsis #30
1993
(no poll)
1994
(no poll)
1995
(no poll)
1996
1. Stereolab -- Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Elektra)
2. Beck -- Odelay (DGC)
3. Gastr Del Sol -- Upgrade & Afterlife (Drag City)
4. High Llamas -- Hawaii (Alpaca Park/V2)
5. Babybird -- Fatherhood (BB Recordings)
6. {Palace} -- Arise, Therefore (Drag City)
7. DJ Shadow -- Endtroducing (MoWax)
8. Lambchop -- Hank (Merge)
9. Silver Jews -- Natural Bridge (Drag City)
10. Sleater Kinney-- Call the Doctor (Chainsaw)
-- compiled from Grip #3
1997
1. Yo La Tengo -- I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (Matador)
2. Pavement -- Brighten the Corners (Matador)
3. Cornershop -- When I Was Born for the 7th Time (Luaka Bop)
4. Belle & Sebastian -- If You’re Feeling Sinister (Enclave- later Matador)
5. LaBradford -- Mi Media Naranja (Kranky)
6. Radiohead -- OK Computer (Capitol)
7. Stereolab -- Dots & Loops (Elektra)
8. Sleater-Kinney -- Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars)
9. The Sea & The Cake -- The Fawn (Thrill Jockey)
10. Prince Paul -- Psychoanalysis (Tommy Boy)
11. Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit)
--- compiled from Grip #13
1998
1. Neutral Milk Hotel-- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge)
2. Belle & Sebastian— The Boy With The Arab Strap (Matador)
3. Silver Jews-- American Water (Drag City)
4. Beastie Boys— Hello Nasty (Grand Royal)
5. Cat Power-- Moon Pix (Matador)
6. Air-- Moon Safari (Source/Caroline)
7. PJ Harvey – Is this Desire? (Island)
8. Fugazi-- End Hits (Dischord)
9 Tortoise-- TNT (Thrill Jockey)
10. Beck-- Mutations (Geffen)
11. Union of a Man and a Woman-- The Sound of the... (Jagjaguwar)
--- compiled from Grip #22
Rob Sheffield’s
100 Best Singles of the ‘90’s
1. The Notorious B.I.G., "Big Poppa" (1995)
2. Kris Kross, "Jump" (1992)
3. Sophie B. Hawkins, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" (1992)
4. Beck, "Loser" (1994)
5. Blackstreet, "No Diggity" (1996)
6. Ghostface Killah, "All That I Got Is You" (1997)
7. Nirvana, "Heart Shaped Box" (1993)
8. Alanis Morrisette, "Ironic" (1996)
9. Quad City DJs, "CíMon N Ride It (The Train)" (1996)
10. Massive Attack, "Protection" (1994)
11. 2 In A Room, "Wiggle It" (1990)
12. Shania Twain, "You Win My Love" (1996)
13. Hanson, "MMMBop" (1997)
14. Alison Krauss, "Baby, Now That Iíve Found You" (1995)
15. Donna Lewis, "I Love You Always Forever"(1996)
16. Bush, "Swallowed" (1996)
17. The Divinyls, "I Touch Myself" (1990)
18. TLC, "Red Light Special" (1994)
19. Roxanne Shante, "Brothers Ainít Shit" (1990)
20. LFO, "Summer Girls" (1999)
21. Saint Etienne, "Heís On The Phone" (1995)
22. Oasis, "Live Forever" (1994)
23. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, "The Rain" (1997)
24. The KLF, "Justified And Ancient" (1992)
25. Lilí Kim featuring Lilí Cease, "Crush On You" (1997)
26. Aaliyah, "Back And Forth" (1994)
27. Corina, "Temptation" (1991)
28. Wyclef Jean, "Gone Till November" (1998)
29. Ace Of Base, "The Sign" (1994)
30. En Vogue, "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992)
31. Hi-Five, "I Canít Wait Another Minute" (1991)
32. LL Cool J, "Doiní It" (1996)
33. Smashing Pumpkins, "1979" (1996)
34. No Doubt, "Spiderwebs" (1996)
35. Dr. Dre featuring Tupac, "California Love" (1996)
36. The B-52ís, "Roam" (1990)
37. Foxy Brown featuring Jay-Z, "Iíll Be" (1997)
38. Jann Arden, "Insensitive" (1996)
39. The Cure, "High" (1992)
40. The Lighthouse Family, "High" (1997)
41. Oasis, "Some Might Say" (1995)
42. K.W.S., "Please Donít Go" (1992)
43. Sir Mix-A-Lot, "Baby Got Back" (1992)
44. Porno For Pyros, "Pets" (1993)
45. New Order, "Regret" (1993)
46. Pavement, "Gold Soundz" (1994)
47. Fuzzy, "Flashlight" (1994)
48. The Lemonheads, "Into Your Arms" (1993)
49. Gin Blossoms, "Until I Fall Away" (1993)
50. Gin Blossoms, "Till I Hear It From You" (1995)
51. Oasis, "Wonderwall" (1996)
52. Busta Rhymes, "Woo-Hah! Got You All In Check" (1996)
53. Shakespearís Sister, "I Donít Care" (1992)
54. Velocity Girl, "My Forgotten Favorite" (1991)
55. Mary Lou Lord, "Some Jingle Jangle Morning" (1994)
56. Merrill Bainbridge, "Mouth" (1996)
57. Wilson Phillips, "You Wonít See Me Cry" (1992)
58. Nada Surf, "Popular" (1996)
59. 4 Non Blondes, "Whatís Up" (1993)
60. En Vogue, "Donít Let Go (Love)" (1996)
61. Elastica, "Stutter" (1994)
62. Catatonia, "Road Rage" (1997)
63. R.E.M., "Nightswimming" (1991)
64. Something for the People, "My Love Is The Shhh!" (1997)
65. Blur, "Girls and Boys" (1994)
66. Suede, "The Drowners" (1993)
67. Sugar, "Your Favorite Thing" (1994)
68. Mya, "Itís All About Me" (1998)
69. The Charlatans U.K., "North Country Boy" (1997)
70. Janeís Addiction, "Been Caught Stealing" (1990)
71. Natalie Imbruglia, "Torn" (1998)
72. Changing Faces, "Stroke You Up" (1994)
73. Sparkle featuring R. Kelly, "Be Careful" (1997)
74. Coolio, "2 Hot" (1995)
75. Hole, "Violet" (1994)
76. Geto Boys, "Mind Playing Tricks On Me" (1991)
77. Naughty By Nature, "O.P.P." (1991)
78. P.M. Dawn, "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" (1991)
79. Bratmobile, "Queenie" (1992)
80. Extreme, "More Than Words" (1991)
81. Heart, "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You" (1990)
82. TLC, "No Scrubs" (1999)
83. James, "Laid" (1993)
84. Curious Digit, "World’s On Fire" (1995)
85. John Michael Montgomery, "Sold" (1994)
86. Nikki, "Notice Me" (1990)
87. Radiohead, "Fake Plastic Trees" (1995)
88. Los Del Rio, "Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)" (1996)
89. Olí Dirty Bastard, "Brooklyn Zoo" (1995)
90. Keith Murray,"The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World" (1994)
91. Archers Of Loaf, "Web In Front" (1993)
92. Susanna Hoffs, "Unconditional Love" (1991)
93. The Greenberry Woods, "Trampoline" (1993)
94. Seal, "Kiss From A Rose" (1996)
95. Bobbie Cryner, "Girl Of Your Dreams" (1995)
96. Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, "They Reminisce Over You" (1992)
97. Leila K, "Got To Get" (1990)
98. Jon Secada, "Just Another Day" (1992)
99. Selena, "Fotos Y Recuerdos" (1994)
100. Pulp, "Sheffield Sex City" (1992)
Rob Sheffield is a writer for Rolling Stone magazine,
and hosts the popular "Description Without Place" show for 91.91 FM WTJU in Charlottesville.
Grip editors ask:
Isn’t it all about songs?
(Make your OWN ‘90’s box set-- a survey of unforgettable hits, influential album cuts and superior buried tuneage from the age of the overstuffed compact disc.)
"Sexy Boy" -- Air (from Moon Safari, Source)
"Dolphin Expressway" -- Air Miami (from Me, Me, Me, TeenBeat)
"Johnny Mathis’ Feet" -- American Music Club (from Mercury, WB)
"Tidal Wave" -- Apples in Stereo (from Fun Trick Noisemaker, Spinart)
"Harnessed in Slums" -- Archers of Loaf (from Vee Vee, Alias)
"Tennessee" -- Arrested Development (from 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days..., Chrysalis)
"Not Over You" -- Basehead (from Play With Toys, Imago)
"Won’t Talk About It" -- Beats International (from Let Them Eat Bingo, Elektra)
"Loser"-- Beck (from Mellow Gold, DGC)
"He’s a Mighty Good Leader" -- Beck (from One Foot in the Grave, K)
"Feed the Tree" -- Belly (from Star, Sire)
"Inner Meet Me"-- The Beta Band (from The Three EPs, Astralwerks)
"Rebel Girl" -- Bikini Kill (from New Radio EP, Kill Rock Stars)
"Hyper-Ballad" -- Bjork (from Post, Elektra)
"My Philosophy" -- Boogie Down Productions (from By All Means Necessary, Jive)
"Sexuality" -- Billy Bragg (from Don’t Try This at Home, Go!)
"Ingrid Bergman" -- Billy Bragg & Wilco (from Mermaid Avenue, Elektra)
"Concerto in X Minor" -- Brand Nubian (from One For All, Elektra)
"Great Five Lakes" -- Buffalo Daughter (from New Rock, Grand Royal)
"Heavenly Pop Hit" -- The Chills (from Submarine Bells, Slash/Warner Bros.)
"Paint the White House Black" -- George Clinton (from Hey Man, Smell My Finger, Paisley Park/WB)
"A Girl Like You" -- Edwyn Collins (from Gorgeous George, Bar/None)
"Poet is Priest" -- Julian Cope (from Jehovahkill, Island)
"Brimful of Asia" -- Cornershop (from When I Was Born Again..., Luaka Bop)
"Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs are Taking Over)" -- Elvis Costello (from Mighty Like a Rose, Columbia)
"All Women are Bad" -- The Cramps (from Stay Sick, Enigma)
"Groove is in the Heart" -- Deee-Lite (from World Clique, Elektra)
"My Brother’s a Basehead" -- De La Soul (from De La Soul is Dead, Tommy Boy)
"Hour Follows Hour" -- Ani DiFranco (from Not a Pretty Girl, Righteous Babe)
"The Humpty Dance" -- Digital Underground (from Sex Packets, Tommy Boy)
"The Standing Still" -- The Dismemberment Plan (from Is Terrified, Desoto)
"Cleopatra Jones" -- Mark Eitzel (from 60 Watt Silver Lining, Warner Brothers)
"Highlands" -- Bob Dylan (from Time Out of Mind, Columbia)
"Connection" -- Elastica (from Elastica, DGC)
"Pebble/Shoe" -- Eugenius (from Mary Queen of Scots, Elektra)
"Telephone Thing" -- The Fall (from Extricate, Cog Sinister/Fontana)
"The Way" -- Fastball (from All the Pain Money Can Buy, Hollywood)
"Ask Me How I Live" -- Flat Duo Jets (from Go Go Harlem Baby, Sky)
"Killing Me Softly" -- Fugees (Refugee Camp) (from The Source, Ruffhouse)
"Beautiful Skin" -- Goodie Mob (from Still Standing, LaFace)
"Fuzzy" -- Grant Lee Buffalo (from Fuzzy, Slash, 1994)
"Mockingbirds" -- Grant Lee Buffalo (from Mighty Joe Moon, Slash/Reprise)
"Diary of a Madman" -- Gravediggaz (from 6 Feet Deep, Gee Street)
"When I Come Around" -- Green Day (from Dookie, Reprise)
"Sugar Fix" -- Gutterball (from Weasel, Brake Out!)
"The Goat Looks On" -- High Llamas (from Gideon Gaye, Alpaca Park)
"To Bring You My Love" -- P.J. Harvey (from To Bring You My Love, Island)
"Star" -- Lida Husik (from Joyride, Caroline)
"Ordinary Sleep" -- Jessamine (from Jessamine, Kranky)
"Life in Vain" -- Daniel Johnston (from Fun, Atlantic)
"Your Face, My Ass" -- Lambchop (from Thriller, Merge)
"Rudy’s Party" -- Latin Playboys (from Latin Playboys, Slash)
"I Hate CDs" -- The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (from Retro Rocket: Back to Earth, WMD/Last Call)
"Why We Wish" -- Los Lobos (from This Time, Hollywood)
"Yeah Oh Yeah" -- Magnetic Fields (from 69 Love Songs, Merge/Touch & Go)
"Two-Step" -- Dave Matthews Band (from Crash, RCA)
"Sorcerer" -- The Mekons (from Curse of the Mekons, Blast First)
"I Kiss Your Wicked Midnite" -- The Mekons (from I Love The Mekons, Touch & Go)
"Enter Sandman" -- Metallica (from Metallica, Elektra)
"Run On" -- Moby (from Play, V2)
"Good Morning World" -- Momus (from 20 Vodka Jellies, La Grande Magistry)
"The World Isn’t Fair" -- Randy Newman (from Bad Love, Dreamworks)
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" -- Nirvana (from Nevermind, DGC)
"In Bloom" -- Nirvana (from Nevermind, DGC)
"Right Hand Man" -- Joan Osborne (from Relish, Mercury)
"Rosa Parks" -- Outkast (from Aquemini, LaFace)
"Togetherness" -- Outrageous Cherry (from Out There in the Dark, Del-Fi)
"Michael Stipe" -- P (from P, Capitol)
"Cut Your Hair" -- Pavement (from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Matador)
"Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" -- PM Dawn (from Of the Heart, Of The Soul..., Gee Street)
"Sour Times" -- Portishead (from Dummy, Go Discs!)
"Pretty Man"-- Prince (from Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, Arista)
"In Spite of Ourselves"-- John Prine (from In Spite..., Oh Boy)
"History Repeating -- Propellerheads w/ Shirley Bassey (from Deckandrumsandrockandroll, Dreamworks)
"Fight the Power" -- Public Enemy (from Fear of a Black Planet, Def Jam)
"By the Time I Get to Arizona" -- Public Enemy (from Apocalypse ‘91, Def Jam)
"Common People" -- Pulp (from Different Class, Island)
"Electioneering" -- Radiohead (from OK Computer, Capitol)
"Guerrilla Radio" -- Rage Against the Machine (from Death of Los Angeles, Epic)
"Small Town" -- Lou Reed/John Cale (from Songs for Drella, Sire)
"Losing My Religion" -- REM (from Out of Time, WB)
"What’s the Frequency, Kenneth" -- REM (from Monster, WB)
"Don’t Put No Headstone on my Grave" -- Charlie Rich (from Pictures & Paintings, Sire)
"Reasons" -- The Rooks (from The Rooks, Guardian)
"Grudge" -- Scud Mountain Boys (from Massachusetts, SubPop)
"Closing Time" -- Semisonic (from Feeling Mighty Strange, MCA)
"Flying Jelly Attack" -- Shonen Knife (from Let’s Knife, Virgin )
"Hell" -- Squirrel Nut Zippers (from Hot, Mammoth 1996)
"Low Down Man" -- Squirrel Nut Zippers (from Perennial Favorites, Mammoth)
"Black Hole Sun" -- Soundgarden (from Superunknown, A&M)
"8-Piece Box" -- Southern Culture on the Skids (from Too Much Pork for Just one Fork, Ruffhouse)
"Unhealthy" -- Starlings (from Valid, Anxious/Atlantic)
"John Cage Bubblegum" -- Stereolab (from Refried Ectoplasm/Switched On Vol. 2, Drag City)
"Metronomic Underground" -- Stereolab (from Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Elektra)
"A Good Idea" -- Sugar (from Copper Blue, Rykodisc)
"Slack Motherfucker" -- Superchunk (from Tossing Seeds, Merge)
"Alright" -- Supergrass (from I Should Coco, Capitol)
"I’ve Been Waiting" -- Matthew Sweet (from Girlfriend, Zoo)
"Do You Fancy Me?" -- Tarnation (from Gentle Creatures, 4AD)
"Mars" -- "Television" (from Television, Capitol)
"Letterbox" -- They Might Be Giants (from Flood, Elektra)
"Fingertips" -- They Might Be Giants (from Apollo 18, Elektra)
"Junk Barge" -- Sally Timms (from To The Land of Milk & Honey, Feel Good All Over)
"No Scrubs" -- TLC (from Fan Mail, LaFace/Arista)
"Feed Me" -- Tricky (from Maxinquaye, Island)
"Broken Homes" -- Tricky w/ P.J. Harvey (from Angels With Dirty Faces, Island)
"Crackin’ Up" -- Moe Tucker (from Dogs Under Stress, Sky)
"Don’t Let the Devil Ride" -- Sonny Treadway (from Sacred Steel, Arhoolie)
"Deeper Shade of Soul" -- Urban Dance Squad (from Mental Floss For the Globe, Arista)
"Sweet Life" -- Varnaline (from Sweet Life, Zero Hour)
"Bittersweet Symphony" -- The Verve (single, Virgin)
"I Don’t Wanna Grow Up" -- Tom Waits (from Bone Machine, Island)
"California" -- Wedding Present (from Hit Parade 1, First Warning/Manifesto)
"Push th’ Little Daisies" -- Ween (from Pure Guava, Elektra)
"Buddy Holly" -- Weezer (from Weezer, DGC)
"Get Up" -- Barry White (from Staying Power, Private Music)
"Jackson" -- Lucinda Williams (from Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Mercury)
"Put the Message in the Box" -- World Party (from Goodbye Jumbo, Chrysalis)
"We Are Trying to Stay Alive" -- Wyclef Jean (from The Carnival, Ruffhouse)
"Wrapped Up in Grey" -- XTC (from Nonsuch, Geffen)
"From a Motel 6" -- Yo La Tengo (from Painful, Matador)
"Natural Beauty" -- Neil Young (from Harvest Moon, Reprise)
Look Back with Pleasure:
30 Outstanding Archival CD reissues and unearthings from the ‘90’s:
1. The Beatles -- Anthology Vol. 3 (Capitol)
2. Beau Brummels -- Volume 2 (Sundazed)
3. Chris Bell -- I am the Cosmos (Rykodisc)
4. Big Star -- #1 Record/Radio City (Fantasy/Stax)
5. The Byrds -- Younger Than Yesterday (Columbia)
6. The Byrds -- The Notorious Byrd Brothers (Columbia)
7. John Cage/David Tudor -- Indeterminacy (Folkways/Rounder)
8. Karen Dalton -- It’s So Hard to Tell Who’s Going to Love You The Best (Koch)
9. Bob Dylan -- Live 1966: The Legendary ‘Royal Albert Hall’ Concert (Columbia)
10. Faust -- The Faust Tapes (Cuneiform)
11. The "5" Royales -- Monkey Hips & Rice (Rhino)
12. Serge Gainsbourge -- Comic Strip (Mercury/Phillips)
13. Marvin Gaye -- Love Starved Heart: Marvin in the ‘60’s (Motown)
14. Al Green -- The Flipside of Al Green (Hi/Cream U.K.)
15. Bruce Haack, Esther Nelson & Dimension 5 -- Listen Rock Compute Home (Emperor Norton)
16. Michael Hurley, Unholy Modal Rounders & Jeffrey Fredricks & the Clamtones -- Have Moicy! (Rounder)
17. Michael Hurley -- Snockgrass (Rounder)
18. Love -- Love Story: 1966-1972 (Rhino)
19. The Monkees -- Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (Rhino)
20. The Monks -- Black Monk Time (American)
21. Os Mutantes -- The Best of Os Mutantes: Everything is Possible (WB)
22. Silver Apples -- Silver Apples / Contact (Arista)
23. Skip Spence -- Oar (Sundazed)
24. Dusty Springfield -- Dusty in London (Rhino)
25. Sun Ra -- Space is the Place (Impulse!)
26. X-Ray Spex -- Germ Free Adolescents (Caroline)
27. Frank Zappa -- The Lost Episodes (Rykodisc)
28. Various Artists -- Mambo Mania: Kings & Queens of Mambo (Rhino)
29. Various Artists -- There Will Be No Sweeter Sound: The Post-War Gospel Story 1947-1962 (Okeh)
30. Various Artists -- Chicano Power! Latin Rock In the U.S.A. 1968-1976 (Soul Jazz)
Careers and genres
30 Outstanding archival box sets of the ‘90’s
1. Beach Boys -- Good Vibrations (Capitol)
2. Beach Boys -- The Pet Sounds Sessions (Capitol)
3. James Brown -- Star Time (Polydor)
4. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band-- Grow Fins (Revenant)
5. Bob Dylan -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3 (Columbia)
6. Everly Brothers -- Heartaches & Harmonies (Rhino)
7. Galaxie 500 -- Complete (Rykodisc)
8. Guided By Voices -- Box (Scat/Matador)
9. Woody Guthrie -- The Asch Recordings (Smithsonian/Folkways)
10. Randy Newman -- Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman (Rhino/WB)
11. Pere Ubu -- Datapanik in the Year Zero (DGC)
12. Elvis Presley -- The Complete ‘50’s Masters (RCA)
13. Otis Redding -- The Definitive Otis Redding (Rhino)
14. Bruce Springsteen -- Tracks (Columbia)
15. Velvet Underground -- Peel Slowly to See (Polydor)
16. Hank Williams -- The Complete Hank Williams (Polydor)
17. The Zombies -- Zombie Heaven (Big Beat)
18. Various Artists -- The Beat Generation Box (Rhino)
19. Various Artists -- The Stiff Records Box (Rhino)
20. Various Artists -- The Doo-Wop Box (Rhino)
21. Various Artists -- Nuggets (Rhino)
22. Various Artists -- Cuba: I am Time (Blue Jacket)
23. Various Artists -- Beg, Scream & Shout: The Big Ol’ Box of ‘70’s Soul (Rhino)
24. Various Artists -- Anthology of American Folk Music (Smithsonian-Folkways)
25. Various Artists -- From Where I Stand: The Black Experience in Country Music (CMA)
26. Various Artists -- Cowabunga: The Surf Box (Rhino)
27. Various Artists -- The Philly Sound (Epic/Legacy)
28. Various Artists -- Malaco: The Last Soul Company (Malaco)
29. Various Artists -- R-E-S-P-E-C-T: A Century of Women in Music (Rhino)
30. Various Artists -- Testify: The Gospel Box (Rhino)
1. Best in
music poll pt. 1
2. Best in music poll
pt. 2
3. More on the '90's
4. More on 1999