JF's Best 100 Albums of the 1990's

This list has been compiled by the makers of Jumping Fences (all 2 of us!). It comprises the albums we enjoy the most as opposed to the albums we deem as important or as musical milestones. You'll notice that our tastes lean towards Country-Rock (Son Volt, Wilco, Lucinda Williams), Indie Pop/Rock (Pavement, Magnetic Fields, Smog), 60's Revivalists (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lilys, Olivia Tremor Control) & Power Pop (Teenage Fanclub, Sloan, Fountains of Wayne). So if Metallica is your thing, please ignore! Also noticeable is our predilection for albums from the second-half of the decade. 70 of the albums chosen were from 1995-1999 (with 22 from 1996 alone) and only 30 from 1990-1994 (including only 1 from 1991). A case of short memory perhaps?

We put together this list during December 2001. The albums with a # symbol, alongside them, failed to make the 1990's Greatest 1000 Albums list. Therefore, you'll also find the first 50 of these on the Neglected 90's Albums page! For a breakdown of our favourite 90's albums by year click here. At the very bottom of this page you'll also find our individual top 10's of the 1990's.

1.  Son Volt - Trace (1995)

2.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Strung Out In Heaven (1998) #

3.  Pavement - Slanted And Enchanted (1992)

4.  Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (1998)

5.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Thank God For Mental Illness (1996) #

6.  Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain (1997)

7.  Teenage Fanclub - Thirteen (1993)

8.  Fountains Of Wayne - Fountains Of Wayne (1996)

9.  Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci - Barafundle (1997)

10.  The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (1999)

11.  Paul Burch & The Wpa Ballclub - Pan-American Flash (1996) #

12.  Wayne Hancock - Thunderstorms And Neon Signs (1995) #

13.  Belle & Sebastian - If You'Re Feeling Sinister (1997)

14.  Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne (1993)

15.  Damien Jurado - Rehearsals For Departure (1999) #

16.  Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque (1991)

17.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Give It Back! (1997) #

18.  Johnny Cash - American Recordings (1994)

19.  Beck - One Foot In The Grave (1994)

20.  Wilco - Being There (1996)

21.  Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies To God (1994) #

22.  Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap (1998)

23.  Mercury Rev - Deserter'S Songs (1998)

24.  Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix (1995)

25.  Paul Burch & The Wpa Ballclub - Wire To Wire (1998) #

26.  Destroyer - Thief (1999) #

27.  Beck - Odelay (1996)

28.  Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7Th Time (1997)

29.  Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)

30.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Take It From The Man! (1996) #

31.  Beck - Mellow Gold (1994)

32.  Mazzy Star - She Hangs Brightly (1990)

33.  The Lemonheads - It'S A Shame About Ray (1992)

34.  Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci - Introducing…Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci (1996) #

35.  Ween - 12 Golden Country Greats (1996) #

36.  Whiskeytown - Faithless Street (1995) #

37.  Hank Williams Iii - Risin' Outlaw (1999) #

38.  Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998)

39.  Lilys - Better Can'T Make Your Life Better (1996) #

40.  Sebadoh - Bakesale (1994)

41.  Wayne Hancock - Wild, Free And Reckless (1999) #

42.  The Handsome Family - Odessa (1994) #

43.  The Apples In Stereo - Tone Soul Evolution (1997) #

44.  The Olivia Tremor Control - Music From The Unrealized Script, Dusk At Cubist Castle (1996)

45.  Wilco - A.M. (1995) #

46.  Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20, 1992 (1992) #

47.  Magnetic Fields - The Charm Of The Highway Strip (1994)

48.  Lou Barlow - Lou Barlow Plays Waterfront (1995) #

49.  Lou Reed & John Cale - Songs For Drella (1990)

50.  Daniel Johnston - Fun (1994) #

51.  The Handsome Family - Through The Trees (1998) #

52.  Pavement - Brighten The Corners (1997)

53.  Wilco - Summer Teeth (1999)

54.  Luna - Lunapark (1992) #

55.  Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island (1996) #

56.  Smog - Red Apple Falls (1997)

57.  Robert Forster - I Had A New York Girlfriend (1994) #

58.  Steve Earle - I Feel Alright (1996)

59.  Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci - Spanish Dance Troupe (1999)

60.  The Handsome Family - Milk And Scissors (1996) #

61.  Sloan - Navy Blues (1998) #

62.  Smog - Knock Knock (1999)

63.  Pavement - Wowee Zowee (1995)

64.  Smog - Julius Caesar (1993) #

65.  The Apples In Stereo - Her Wallpaper Reverie (1999) #

66.  Destroyer - City Of Daughters (1998) #

67.  Built To Spill - There'S Nothing Wrong With Love (1994)

68.  Steve Earle - Train A Comin' (1995) #

69.  Mazzy Star - Among My Swan (1996)

70.  Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See (1993)

71.  John Davis - Blue Mountains (1997) #

72.  Junior Brown - Guit With It (1993) #

73.  Luna - Bewitched (1994) #

74.  The 6Ths - Wasps' Nests (1995) #

75.  Whiskeytown - Stranger'S Almanac (1997)

76.  The Lemonheads - Car Button Cloth (1996)

77.  The Essex Green - Everything Is Green (1999) #

78.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request (1996) #

79.  Palace Brothers - Palace Brothers (Aka Days In The Wake) (1994)

80.  Bmx Bandits - Gettin' Dirty (1995) #

81.  Smog - The Doctor Came At Dawn (1996) #

82.  Johnny Dilks & His Visitacion Valley Boys - Acres Of Heartache (1999) #

83.  Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci - Tatay (1994) #

84.  Johnny Cash - Unchained (1996)

85.  Gillian Welch - Revival (1996)

86.  Ride - Carnival Of Light (1994) #

87.  Golden Smog - Weird Tales (1998) #

88.  Yo La Tengo - Fakebook (1990)

89.  Sloan - One Chord To Another (1996) #

90.  Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk (1996)

91.  Lou Reed - Magic And Loss (1992)

92.  Junior Brown - Semi-Crazy (1996) #

93.  Steve Earle And The Del Mccoury Band - The Mountain (1999)

94.  Smog - Wild Love (1995)

95.  Michael Shelley - Too Many Movies (1998) #

96.  Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One (1997)

97.  The Red House Painters - Ocean Beach (1995) #

98.  Teenage Fanclub - A Catholic Education (1990)

99.  Luna - Penthouse (1995) #

100.  Gorky'S Zygotic Mynci - Bwyd Time (1995)

His Top 10 +1 (in alphabetical order)

Her Top 10 (in alphabetical order)