Millennials and Generation X will most definitely feel connected to this list because a lot of them jammed to songs from most if not all the bands that will be discussed.
The best 90s Rock bands consist of artists whose music shook the decade and still lives on to date. We cannot deny that music from that decade has remained very relevant in pop culture, as has the artists – solo, and group- impacted the present-day sound greatly.
There is something music from back then, is called. I think people refer to them as ‘classics’. The era saw the birth of many renowned artists whose voices and sounds have shaped a lot from then and continue to be impactful.
Some of these artists include Lauryn Hill, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, 2Pac, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Bjork, Notorious B.I.G., and a host of many others.
However, since our focus for this piece is on just the best bands from the 90s, we will let the solo artists be and focus on the likes of Metallica, and Radiohead, amongst many other great bands.
If you’re expecting to see the aforementioned bands on my list, then you know good music because they definitely made it to the 14 Best 90s Rock Bands.
The ranking for this list was done after carefully considering some factors which include album sales, band popularity, longevity, and impact in modern music. Some of the bands ticked all boxes while others made it, short of one.
So, Here Are the Top 14 90s Bands that You Should Go Listen To
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
This rock band was formed in Los Angeles in 1982 but like most musical acts, they didn’t get that ‘breakthrough’ until the '90s. This breakthrough only eventually happened when they signed with Warner Bros. in 1990 and from then, their name began to ricochet through speakers and the airways.
The band’s members included Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante. All members of this group are still actively writing, recording, and performing their songs together.
Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the most unique rock bands of that decade as they found a way to infuse elements of rap, rock, and funk to create their sound and sell it beautifully.
Additionally, they have a way of making jokes and comic plays on their audiences to make them laugh and relax when performing.
With hit songs such as ‘Under the Bridge’, ‘Give It Away’, and ‘Californication’, the band has continued to be in the ears and lips of many rock band lovers even to this day.
So far, they have 13 albums with the last one ‘Return of the Dream Canteen’ released sometime in 2023 which shows how relevant they still are in the industry.
2. Green Day
In 1987, Rodeo, California birthed the rock band known as Green Day. This group was known for their creative way of delivering melodic punk rock which eventually led to the birth of what is known as ‘pop-punk’.
The band name is slang in the area where the members are from. ‘Green Day’ means 'spending a day doing nothing but smoking Marijuana’.
The members of this band are Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirt, and Tre Cool. They are still actively together and even released a new album which happens to be their 14th studio album, in 2024.
If you know their songs ‘Basket Case’, ‘When I Come Around’, and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), then you are conversant with the tune this band gives.
Their albums titled ‘Nimrod’ and ‘Dookie’ have been named some of the most acclaimed rock albums of the ‘90s and they paved the way for modern-day punk music.
3. Korn
This band is known as the pioneers of the Nu Metal and Alternative Metal genres of rock music since their breakout into the music scene in 1993.
During the decade, they were quite popular and released notable songs such as ‘Freak on a Leash’, ‘Got the Life’, ‘Blind’, and ‘Falling Away From Me’.
Notably, ‘Freak on a Leash’ is the song that ultimately gave the band their signature sound of aggression and melody.
The members of this rock group are Jonathan Davis, James ‘Munky’ Shaffer, Reginald ‘Fieldy’ Arvizu, Brian ‘Head’ Welch, and David Silveria, a former drummer for the band.
Together, this Bakersfield band produced back-to-back hits that still resonate with lovers of rock music to this day.
They are all still very active – making and performing their songs and touring. As of 2023, the band released their 14th studio album, ' Requiem’.
4. Pearl Jam
Seattle gave us this beautiful rock band in 1990 and they soon became pioneers of a subgenre of rock music known as ‘grunge’.
Before they signed to Epic Records and had a name change, they were known as Mookie Blaylock. Their new name was in honor of the band’s founder’s grandmother. She was named Pearl and had a special recipe for peyote-laced jam.
This band gave their fans and audience something to brag about and enjoy for the entire decade with their debut album ‘Ten’ released in 1991. The album was everything between beautiful, unique, and versatile.
‘Ten’, considered Korn’s biggest album to date has songs such as ‘Jeremy’, ‘Alive’, ‘Evenflow’, and ‘Black’. These are all 90s hits and have remained consistent fan favorites.
Members of this rock band include Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and their former drummer, Dave Krusen.
As of 2024, the active band has 11 studio albums, and ‘Dark Matter’ their most recent was released in 2024.
5. The Smashing Pumpkins
Fresh out of Chicago, The Smashing Pumpkins helped to shape the 90s Rock music with their hit, catchy songs. Their sound has remained relevant in the rock scene since that decade and has also greatly influenced contemporary rock sounds.
Billy Corgan who is one artiste who made the melancholic alternative rock sound more popular, is the founder and member of this band. Projects like ‘Infinite Sadness’ and ‘Mellon Collie’ released in 1995, and 1993’s ‘Siamese Dream’ all prove the beauty of The Smashing Pumpkins’ unique sound.
Although this band greatly influenced rock music to date, they disbanded sometime in the early 2000s. Fortunately for their fans and lovers of rock music, they are back together and achieving more exploits as a band.
Its members include Billy, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin, Jonathan Melvoin, and D’Arcy Wretzky who was said to have had an uncontrollable drug addiction.
6. Soundgarden
This band is another Seattle-born rock band that broke into the scene in 1984 but became an organized sensation in the ‘90s.
Soundgarden also infused the ‘grunge’ vibe into their heavy metal and sludgy riff style. This made their sound unique.
The members of this rock band include Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepard.
The band’s most notable songs include ‘Outshined’, ‘Fell on Black Days’, and ‘Black Hole Sun’.
Soundgarden would have most likely remained active but for the death of the lead, Chris Cornell. Nonetheless, they were quite instrumental in shaping rock music back in the day and still have an influence over the sound to date.
7. Metallica
Even before the research on this topic started, I knew Metallica would have to be on the list. It is a no-brainer because this rock band greatly shaped the rock genre in the 90s and continues to influence modern-day rock artists.
Metallica’s stint began in the late ‘80s however, they did not become as popular until the ‘90s when their 5th album blew them into our faces and ears.
The album titled ‘Metallica’ or ‘The Black Album’ had many mind-blowing songs that remain unmatched. It remains one of the highest-selling studio albums ever and hit multiplatinum back then. The success of this studio album even led other bands to try and replicate Metallica’s sound but they’ve been quite unsuccessful.
Members of this band include James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted. They are still actively making music and touring together. The rock band’s most recent album, their 11th, is ’72 Seasons’.
8. Radiohead
Each of this rock band’s albums from the ‘90s came with a unique and different vibe. This is one of the reasons they are known as an outstanding band.
Away from the United States of America, Radiohead is a UK rock band that has been on a pedestal no one else has yet to get to. Since their conception, they’ve done nothing but outshine many other bands and this fame has trickled into recent times.
The founding members of this band include Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, and Philip Selway.
Even as their sound was unique and very different from the regular rock sounds we knew from that decade, Radiohead was still able to create their path, own it, and give other rock bands a run for their money.
Some of their hit tracks include; ‘Karma Police’, ‘Creep’, and ‘High and Dry’. These and many others made this UK rock band a sensation since they broke out.
9. Alice In Chains
Back to Seattle with another amazing rock band from the late ’80 with their big break happening in the ‘90s. Alice in Chains is a band comprising Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley, Mike Starr, and Sean Kinney.
Of course, they also had a great influence on Rock music’s sub-genre, ‘grunge’.
The uniqueness of this band during the ‘grunge’ and ‘alternative’ sounds era was their love and infusion of heavy metal and their dark lyrics.
Some of their hit albums are ‘Facelift’ and ‘Dirt’ which gave us songs such as ‘Man in the Box’, ‘Would’, and ‘Rooster’, from that decade.
Although 2 of the founding members died from overdoses at different years, the band continued, replacing who needed to be replaced.
Alice in Chains released their 6th album titled ‘Rainier Fog’ in 2018 meaning they are still active in the rock music scene.
10. Pantera
If you’ve never heard about ‘groove metal’ then, I present to you the pioneers!
Pantera’s love for heavy, metal, and hardcore music had won them that title and it’s not going anywhere.
The band’s influence on present-day rock music cannot be ignored because they have paid their dues and are still reaping the fruit of that labor.
Initially, the band wasn’t favored by commercial radio, especially during their first release, however, the world came around and began to enjoy the beautiful music Pantera produced.
Their first success came after their 1994 studio album, ‘Far Beyond Driven’ which charted at No. 1 back then.
The founding members of this band include the Abbot brothers; Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, Phil Anselm, and Rex Brown.
They disbanded sometime in 2001, Dimebag was murdered in 2004 and his brother passed away in 2018. However, the other members of the rock band reunited in 2023 and continued to make the band proud.
11. The Cranberries
Irish band, The Cranberries, are well-known for their ‘cheery melodic’ and ‘dreamy’ lyrics. This set them apart from other rock bands that had formed in that decade and made them fan-favorites of melancholic rock sound lovers.
Founding members of this rock band include Mike Hogan, Noel Hogan, Fergal Lawler, and Dolores O’Riordan who recorded 7 wholesome albums together.
The band’s success can be found in some of their singles which broke records and set them on a great path. Singles such as ‘Zombie’, ‘Linger’, and ‘Dreams’ made the band a household name in the 1990s and further increased their influence in rock music for decades to come.
This band was very active until 2018 when the death of lead vocalist and songwriter, Dolores ended their stint.
12. Oasis
Oasis is another UK rock band that further expanded the reach and influence of rock music back in the ‘90s.
They recorded many successes including Multiplatinum hits with ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Champagne Supernova’, and ‘Live Forever’. Most importantly, they are known for being one of the top pioneers of what is known as ‘Britpop’.
Oasis was formed by brothers, Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher and eventually spread to accommodate other members.
This band was able to survive and even make it big in the era where the ‘grunge’ sub-genre of rock music was all the world knew and loved.
Unfortunately, Oasis disbanded in 2009 but it doesn’t change the fact that in their almost 3 decades of making great rock music, they were able to leave legacies that influence contemporary rock sounds.
13. Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine is like the second largest rock export from the ‘90s. Their sound, lyrics, songwriting, and everything was off the chains!
They are known for ‘hard rock’ infusing rap and metallic sound into their tracks.
Members of this band include Tom Morello, Zach de la Rocha, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk. Together, they delivered hit songs such as ‘Killing in the Name’, and ‘Bulls on Parade’ that have social and political undertones.
If you want to get mad at someone or your leaders and need the perfect song to set the tone, check those 2 out. If you just want to feel rage, listen to this band and you will resonate with their tone and lyrics.
Rage Against The Machine is still together and had a world tour in 2022-2023. However, there have been rumors since the tour that they may have recently gone their separate ways.
14. Nirvana
The biggest rock band from the 1990s is definitely Nirvana! We have spoken about bands that pioneered one of the biggest sub-genres of rock music which broke out in that era, however, we are here now to tell you that Nirvana spearheaded that genre.
The ‘grunge’ rave was a result of this rock band’s unique tone which set the precedence for the band to have a lasting hold on rock music to date.
Nirvana was founded in 1987 by Kurt Cobain and had other members such as Krist Novoselic and Grohl Dave.
In 1992, the band had its first album success with the album ‘Nevermind’ where songs such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Come As You Are’ gave the band the break-out success they needed.
The next year, the band achieved peak success with the album ‘In Utero’. With this success, they needed no further introduction in the world.
The most amazing thing about this band’s influence on rock music even in recent times is that the group was short-lived.
The band dissolved in 1994 after the founder, Kurt Cobain committed suicide.
However, even with how short their stint was, they released hits that still resonate with lovers of rock music in these times. Nirvana’s songs are classic and timeless and have proven that they will last for longer.
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