Category: Hip Hop

From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the premiere of Seinfeld, 1989 was a year of significant cultural shifts. Musically, the tides were also turning. As hair metal acts enjoyed their final years of glory, a new wave of rock was poised to take over. Hip-hop was exploding into the mainstream and electronic music was becoming more prevalent. It was the year that introduced many to such pioneering groups like Nirvana and De La Soul, while acts like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nine Inch Nails released their breakthrough albums. The album charts, meanwhile, were ruled by a diverse array of artists that spanned genres and generations – from Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, and Aerosmith to Janet Jackson, Madonna, and the Beastie Boys. Below are some of the best albums of 1989.

Check out the full list of 1989’s best albums below, and listen to our 80s pop playlist on Spotify.

57: Barry White – The Man Is Back!

The R&B powerhouse’s 17th studio album is a perfect blend of sophistipop and soul and would set the stage for his great comeback in the 1990s.

56: Lisa Stansfield – Affection

The British singer’s debut solo album beautifully revived the soul music of an earlier decade with the sleek production of the late ‘80s and touches of hip-hop and dance music.

55: Meat Beat Manifesto ‎- Storm The Studio

The electronic group’s powerful debut pulls from dub, rock and hip-hop to create a sample-filled stew of politically charged dance music that was completely unique at the time of its release.

54: Dolly Parton – White Limozeen

The country maven’s twenty-ninth solo album proved that the country star could bounce back with grace and includes some of her most fun material.

53: Naked City – Torture Garden

The unlikely musical synergy of John Zorn and Yamatsuka Eye yielded a still unlikelier mash-up of grindcore and jazz for this one-of-a-kind record that burns bright and fast.

52: Paul McCartney ‎- Flowers in the Dirt

With some help from Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney’s eighth solo album is an ambitious and earnest comeback record that re-established the ex-Beatle as a pop titan.

51: Branford Marsalis – Trio Jeepy

Accompanied by alternating bassists Milt Hinton and Delbert Felix and drummer Jeff Watts, the jazz saxophonist’s 1989 album is among his most exuberant and inviting.

50: Ice-T – The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech… Just Watch What You Say

The Los Angeles rapper’s 1989 album offers a dystopian take on society and produced some of his most incisive and dark tracks.

49: Marisa Monte – MM

Featuring the hit single, “Bem Que Se Quis,” the classically trained singer’s debut live album took Brazil by storm and set her on the path to being recognized as one of the greatest singers of her generation.

48: Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness

The Florida metal band’s debut album shook up the scene by showing that there were even darker themes to explore and even faster guitar riffs to play, thus changing the sound of death metal forever.

47: Virgo ‎- Virgo

The Chicago house duo’s debut album still sounds as mysterious, reflective, and misty today as it did in 1989, proving that good music is timeless.

46: Rolling Stones ‎- Steel Wheels

After some time apart, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reunited for this Rolling Stones album which is full of crowd-pleasing hits like “Sad Sad Sad” and “Rock and a Hard Place.”

45: The Cult ‎- Sonic Temple

From psychedelia to hard rock, the band’s 1989 album saw them experimenting with different styles to stunning effect.

44: Fine Young Cannibals – The Raw & The Cooked

The rock band’s final masterpiece saw them extending their genre blend approach to incorporate even more styles like Northern Soul and disco and produced a slew of hit singles including “Good Thing” and “She Drives Me Crazy.”

43: Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam: The Album

The Belgian dance group’s debut album includes the ubiquitous title track and put hip-house on a global stage.

42: Babyface – Tender Lover

The R&B powerhouse’s sophomore album includes hits like “Whip Appeal,” “It’s No Crime,” and the title track and made him a name to watch in contemporary R&B.

41: Gloria Estefan – Cuts Both Ways

The Latin pop queen’s solo debut did precisely as the title suggests, offering dancefloor stompers and affecting ballads as well as establishing her as a global pop star who could appeal to both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers alike.

40: Soundgarden – Louder Than Love

The grunge band’s second studio album cemented their transformation from local heroes to global ambassadors, putting the Pacific Northwest at the forefront of rock music.

39: Inner City – Paradise

Paris Gray and Kevin Saunderson’s debut album as Inner City spun the best elements of Detroit’s electronic scene into dance-pop gold as evidenced by the everlasting hit “Big Fun.”

38: UB40 – Labour of Love II

The pop-reggae group’s 1989 album is comprised exclusively of covers, including from the likes of Al Green, The Temptations, The Chi-Lites, and much more, adding new colors and textures to the originals.

37: 808 State – Ninety

The British group’s second album helped guide the direction of the following decade’s electronic music boom and marked the UK as a major player in the scene.

36: Big Daddy Kane – It’s a Big Daddy Thing

The rap pioneer’s second album is Kane at his creative peak as he expands his sound to include New Jack Swing and tackles topics from his sexual prowess to the benefits of staying in school.

35: XTC ‎- Oranges & Lemons

The band’s 1989 album is a psychedelic pop extravaganza full of off-kilter details, expansive arrangements, and kooky sound effects.

34: Sepultura – Beneath The Remains

The Brazilian heavy metal band’s third studio album launched them onto the international stage and introduced more accessible grooves into the genre.

33: Skid Row – Skid Row

Featuring an unforgettable vocal performance by Sebastian Bach, the metal band’s debut album was a commercial success due in no small part to hit songs “18 and Life” and “I Remember You.”

32: Titas – O Blesq Blom

The Brazilian rock band’s fifth studio album is as eclectic as art rock gets – from a serious contemplation of camel humps to paranoia and everything in between.

31: Bob Dylan – Oh Mercy

Thanks to excellent production by Daniel Lanois, Bob Dylan’s 1989 album reinvigorated his career and produced some of his most beloved work including songs like “Most Of The Time” and “Everything Is Broken.”

30: John Cougar Mellencamp – Big Daddy

Mellencamp’s reflective 1989 album takes the truth-telling of folk music and amplifies it into his most honest and pained record to date.

29: Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Road to the Riches

The hip-hop duo’s debut album is a perfect marriage of leftfield sampling, rapid-fire lyrics, and booming percussion and established the group as a force to be reckoned with.

28: Nirvana – Bleach

The famed grunge band’s debut album is a window into the culture-shifting force they would become years later and is among their grittiest and angstiest records.

27: Boogie Down Productions – Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip-Hop

BDP’s 1989 album is an anti-commercial, hip-hop purist’s dream, bolstered by the searing lyricism of KRS-One over bare-bones production.

26: Don Henley – The End Of The Innocence

The Eagles’ drummer’s solo outing was a major commercial success, selling six million copies in the US, and showed a more mature side of the artist.

25: George Strait – Beyond the Blue Neon

The country singer’s ninth studio album includes three number one singles and has something for everyone, from foot-stomping dance songs to mournful ballads.

24: Faith No More – The Real Thing

The innovative rock band’s first album without Chuck Mosely was a risky gamble that paid off big time thanks to an amazing last-minute performance by Mike Patton.

23: EPMD – Unfinished Business

Featuring the hit single “So Wat Cha Sayin’,” the hip-hop duo’s second album refined their breezy approach to rap that would influence countless acts to come.

22: Godflesh – Streetcleaner

The metal band’s debut album is as doom-filled and industrial as it gets, with hair-raising lyrics and menacing production.

21: Jody Watley – Larger Than Life

The pop singer’s sophomore album includes the hit single, “Real Love” and the stellar R&B and hip-hop mash-up “Friends” with Eric B & Rakim.

20: Kate Bush ‎- The Sensual World

Home to the iconic track, “This Woman’s Work,” Kate Bush’s sixth studio album leaves no stone unturned in its examination of love and avoids schmaltz by taking an expansive view of the topic.

19: Lou Reed ‎- New York

Lou Reed’s 15th solo studio album is one of the greatest albums about the city to ever be recorded. Filled with details and distinct characters, it’s a bittersweet tribute to the city that never sleeps.

18: New Order – Technique

Partly inspired by the hedonistic pleasures of Ibiza’s party scene, the dance-rock band’s fifth studio album offers unique takes on acid house, Balearic beat, and more without ever sacrificing their trademark introspection.

17: Red Hot Chili Peppers ‎- Mother’s Milk

The rock band’s funk-rap breakthrough catapulted from the underground to the mainstream and helped carve out the singular path that the group has been on ever since.

16: Tom Petty – Full Moon Fever

Tom Petty teamed up with Jeff Lynne for his solo debut, taking the sound he had perfected with the Heartbreakers to new and exciting heights.

15: Neil Young – Freedom

After several years of mixed success, Neil Young came back in full force with this album that reestablished him as the generation’s fiercely principled folk-rock legend.

14: Motley Crue – Dr. Feelgood

After kicking drugs and alcohol, the heavy metal band came back stronger on their fifth studio album which is among their most successful to date.

13: Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi

The singular Swedish artist’s debut album includes the hit “Buffalo Stance” and introduced her unapologetically feminist lyrics and fiery pop meets punk meets hip-hop sound to the world.

12: The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

The rock band’s debut is an excellent mashup of the rock, pop and dance music that defined the music scene in Manchester at the time.

11: Aerosmith – Pump

With hits like “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” and “Janie’s Got A Gun,” the established rock band’s 1989 album cemented their comeback and proved that some bands can age like fine wine.

10: Bonnie Raitt ‎- Nick of Time

With the help of producer Don Was, Bonnie Raitt’s comeback album features some of her best storytelling, including the title hit.

09: Madonna – Like a Prayer

The pop queen’s stylistically diverse fourth studio album includes the smash hit, “Like A Prayer,” and established her as a creator of trends and not a follower.

08: Nine Inch Nails ‎- Pretty Hate Machine

Though it didn’t make much of an impact when it was released, Trent Reznor’s 1989 album has become something of a slow burn, gathering more and more devoted listeners over the years due to its innovative use of guitars and synthesizers.

07: Pixies – Doolittle

The rock band’s quirky and at times chilling sophomore album would go on to influence a legion of future rockstars like Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain.

06: Soul II Soul – Keep On Movin

The influential British group’s debut album blended hip-hop, funk, R&B, and more to create a hybrid pop sound that would go on to define Black British music in the early 1990s.

05: The B-52s ‎- Cosmic Thing

Home to smash hit, “Love Shack” the new wave group’s enlisted producers Don Was and Nile Rodgers for an excellent comeback record that’s all killer, no filler.

04: Janet Jackson – Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814

The pop icon’s politically charged concept album proved that you didn’t have to compromise your morals on the dancefloor.

03: De La Soul ‎- 3 Feet High and Rising

The alt hip-hop pioneers’ debut album arguably created a genre in its wake, embracing whimsy and dreamy introspection in a way never before seen in commercially successful hip-hop.

02: The Cure – Disintegration

Inspired by a difficult bout with depression, the band’s 1989 album took the darkness of their previous work and exploded it into a completely realized album full of honesty and heart.

01: Beastie Boys ‎- Paul’s Boutique

A sampledelia favorite, the hip-hop group’s second album is an innovative treasure trove of sound that exploded the limits of hip-hop production and has inspired countless producers to date.

Looking for more? Listen to our 80s pop playlist on Spotify.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

The 2008 hit “Miss Independent,” from Ne-Yo’s album Year of the Gentleman, has reached one billion streams, joining the Spotify Billions Club.

Now an R&B classic, “Miss Independent” steadily built momentum after its release in November 2008 to reach the top ten. After debuting at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song made weekly jumps before hitting number nine in week eight, joining his previous single “Closer” in reaching the top ten. The song ultimately peaked at number seven in December 2008.

“Miss Independent” would go on to win Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2009 Grammy Awards. That same year, the single was certified platinum by the RIAA.

The track’s music video featured a number of celebrity cameos, including actors Gabrielle Union and Lauren London and musicians Keri Hilson and Trey Songz. In the video, Ne-Yo plays an employee with a thing for his boss (Union), who’s more interested in her job than him. She does, of course, return his flirtations in the end.

Ne-Yo’s next move is a 2026 world tour with Akon, kicking off on April 24th at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. From Ireland, the two artists will travel throughout the U.K. and Europe before heading to North America on June 17th. There, they’ll perform in major cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. The tour will wrap up on Friday, August 21st at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA.

The R&B singer is working on a country-inspired album for his next release. “I’m doing a project that’s inspired by all the things I love about country music,” he told IHeartRadio. He’s reluctant to call the project a ‘country album,’ however. “I honestly feel like it would be disrespectful for me to say I’m doing a country album when I know for a fact that there are artists that eat, sleep, live, and breathe country music 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Shop Ne-Yo’s music on vinyl or CD now.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

Daniel Caesar has announced his first headline arena tour in support of Son Of Spergy. The 2026 run begins on May 16 in Singapore and will continue across Asia before moving into a 30-date North American arena leg with stops in cities including Chicago, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco, Anaheim, and Toronto.

Tickets for the North American dates will be available through an artist presale beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10 a.m. local time, with the general onsale following on Friday, April 3 at 10 a.m. local time. Faye Webster and 070 Shake will appear as support on select North American dates, while presale and onsale details for the Asia shows are set to be announced locally. The tour will also include seven Canadian dates, including a hometown stop in Toronto.

The announcement arrives as Caesar continues a strong stretch around Son Of Spergy, which was released in October 2025 via Republic Records. The album includes the singles “Have A Baby (With Me),” “Call On Me,” and “Moon,” and features appearances from Sampha, Bon Iver, Blood Orange, Yebba, 646yf4t, and Norwill Simmonds. In the press materials, Caesar says the project is rooted in reconciliation with his father, adding, “The album is about me realizing that I am exactly like him. In that sense, it’s about having patience, respect, and admiration for myself.”

The tour news follows Caesar’s recent run of high-profile activity, including a return to NPR’s Tiny Desk, where he performed with a piano and 12-piece choir, while the singer also picked up major recognition at the 2026 JUNO Awards, including the International Achievement Award, Best Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

Browse Daniel Caesar’s music on vinyl and CD here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

Toronto-born rising singer has returned with a new single entitled “Hall Of Fame,” which is out now via XO Records/Republic Records. The new single coincides with some other exciting news: Chxrry’s debut album, U, Me, and My Ego is officially on the way.

The track, which features Chxrry singing over a beat that pulls from different strands of electronic and dance music, was produced by Believve. The self-empowerment anthem features Chxrry singing during the chorus: “I know, I, I’m too sexy to go home/ Mm, don’t sleep, baby, you don’t wanna miss the show.”

Though “Hall Of Fame” marks the beginning of a new era for Chxrry, it also signals the end of a very exciting time for XO’s first female artist. Chxrry began the year overseas supporting Mariah The Scientist on her European tour. The new song also follows 2025 singles from Chxrry, “Groupie” and “Main Character.”

Chxrry spoke with Viper Magazine last month to discuss her rapid rise and this next era of new music. Though the singer inked a deal with XO less than five years ago, she suggested that her ascent has taken more time than fans might think, adding that she isn’t close to reaching some of the goals she has set for herself.

She explained: “I feel like most would say it’s been quick, but for me it feels like I’ve been working at this my whole life. So I don’t know if there’s really a journey. It never feels done. I never feel like there’s a peak. There are moments where I’m like, ‘oh, that was really cool,’ but I always feel incomplete.

She also spoke about why people are drawn to her music. Outside of the catchy hooks and incisive lyrics, Chxrry suggests there’s a relatability to her songwriting: “…I think people really are drawn to people who believe in themselves a lot, and who are a little bit delusional about their dreams and their talents. And so I realized that early on.”

Listen to Chxrry’s “Hall Of Fame” here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

The best albums of 1990 offered a delectable sampling of what this musically-rich decade would have to offer. With the proliferation of global media, music videos, and technology, artists were able to reach – and inspire – more fans than ever before, and that influence would reverberate throughout the decade.

Change was in the air, as a new generation of artists offered a fresh take on R&B, including En Vogue, Guy, and Keith Sweat. Dance music exploded into the mainstream, while rap and hip-hop became more popular than ever, thanks to the funky grooves of A Tribe Called Quest, the decadent stylings of MC Hammer, and the politically-charged lyricism of Public Enemy.

It was the year that introduced us to Mariah Carey, the Black Crowes, and the Chicks. Waiting in the wings, meanwhile, were a slew of underground rockers poised to take over the airwaves. Spanning many different genres, here are the best albums of 1990:

Can’t get enough 90s music? Listen to our 90s Music playlist here.

58: Lalah Hathaway – Lalah Hathaway

A gifted vocalist, Lalah Hathaway’s self-titled 1990 album is a near-perfect collection of early 90s R&B tunes. Start with “Heaven Knows” if you aren’t familiar.

57: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Good Son

Pulling influences from gospel, the blues, and traditional Brazilian religious music, The Good Son finds Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds illuminating life’s darkness with the spirit of love.

56: Héroes del Silencio – Senderos de Traición

Héroes del Silencio’s 1990 album Senderos de Traición is impassioned and soulful. Standout cuts include the breezy jam “Despertar” and the rocking epic “Senda.”

55: The Shamen – En-Tact

Ethereal melodies meet rolling electronic beats throughout The Shamen’s fourth full-length album, which featured standout tune “Move Any Mountain.”

54: Pat Metheny – Question and Answer

A fine set of tasteful and virtuosically performed cuts, Question And Answer sees guitarist Pat Metheny and band displaying their lovely sense of improvisational chemistry.

53: John Scofield – Time on My Hands

Ranging from the straight-up jazz balladry of “Let’s Say We Did” to the rock-influenced fusion of “Fat Lip,” John Scofield and his band apply serious chops to a wide range of styles.

52: Entombed – Left Hand Path

An aggressive, violent piece of work, Left Hand Path is thrilling. Songs like “Supposed To Rot” and “The Truth Beyond” wrestle with mortality in the most explosive way possible.

51: Death – Spiritual Healing

For their third album, Spiritual Healing, brutal cuts like “Living Monstrosity” and “Killing Spree” find Death delving deep into the darker side of human nature.

50: Oleta Adams – Circle of One

Soulful, optimistic, and bursting with emotion, Circle of One features some timeless performances from Oleta Adams, including the classic ballad “Get Here.”

49: Slayer – Seasons In The Abyss

The virtuosity displayed on songs like “War Ensemble,” “Hallowed Point,” and more highlight Seasons In The Abyss as a hellish, brain-shattering display of speed, volume, and fury.

48: Reba McEntire – Rumor Has It

A relaxed and soulful update of contemporary country, Rumor Has It is full of bittersweet songs about life and longing.

47: George Strait – Livin’ It Up

Livin’ It Up finds George Strait employing his signature vocal style on a heartfelt 1990 album that lingers on topics like love and loneliness.

46: Deee-Lite – World Clique

A colorful, kaleidoscopic disco ball of a record, Deee-Lite’s World Clique is driven by its pumping dance beats. “Groove Is In The Heart” is the highlight here, an incredibly catchy, sampladelic masterpiece that still rocks the party.

45: MC Hammer – Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em

Anchored by the massive radio hit “U Can’t Touch This,” Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em was one of the biggest rap records of the decade, solidifying MC Hammer as a crossover star at a time when rap wasn’t yet a mainstream concern.

44: Los Prisioneros – Corazones

Chilean rock band Los Prisioneros’ fourth album, Corazones, combines slick production with soulful, impassioned performances.

43: Iron Maiden – No Prayer for the Dying

No Prayer for the Dying is a rocking and relentlessly wild ride. Beneath the 1990 album’s drama and humor are some really complex grooves and heavy riffs.

42: Temple of the Dog – Temple of the Dog

With its gnarly riffs that traverse punk, metal and classic rock, Temple of the Dog laid an important foundation for the sound that would eventually be labeled grunge.

41: Soda Stereo – Canción Animal

Full of big hooks and undeniable songs, Canción Animal is one of the best Latin rock albums of the early 90s.

40: Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison

A unique melding of hardcore hip hop beats and smooth R&B vocals, Poison was cutting-edge when it arrived and its sound and attitude remain influential today.

39: Whitney Houston – I’m Your Baby Tonight

The most dynamic voice of her generation, Whitney Houston shines on standouts like the title cut and the explosive ballad “All The Man That I Need.”

38: Johnny Gill – Johnny Gill

Johnny Gill brings lovelorn ballads and dramatic vocals for his self-titled 1990 album. The record still holds up beautifully: “My, My, My” is an enduring R&B classic.

37: Tony! Toni! Toné! – The Revival

A versatile and inventive album, The Revival is full of gorgeous ballads like “Whatever You Want” and uptempo club classics like “Feels Good.”

36: Black Box – Dreamland

Full of lively and anthemic dance cuts, Dreamland is fun and soulful.“Everybody Everybody” is a club classic and “Forever” is a fantastic Earth Wind & Fire cover.

35: Eric B. & Rakim – Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em

While funky, uptempo cuts like “No Omega” and the title track highlight the duo’s ability to hit hard and fast, “Mahogany” and “In The Ghetto” slow the pace and focus on Rakim’s vivid storytelling.

34: Bathory – Hammerheart

Taking metal to mythic, spiritual heights, Bathroy’s album Hammerheart burns brightly and turns the volume up loud.

33: The Chicks – Thank Heavens for Dale Evans

The Chicks’ debut leans heavily on a traditional country sound and comes out the other side with some beautiful results. The performances on songs like “Long Roads” are dynamic and the vocal harmonies are lush and sweet.

32: Nitzer Ebb – Showtime

Nitzer Ebb’s Showtime is a dark industrial masterpiece. Full of pounding rhythms and foreboding vocals, the album is threatening and heavy.

31: Guy – The Future

Led by genre architect Teddy Riley, The Future contains New Jack Swing-era classics like “Wanna Get With U” and “Let’s Chill.”

30: Pantera – Cowboys From Hell

A vicious and furious beast of an album, Cowboys From Hell’s has some truly powerful moments and songs like “Cemetery Gates” and the chaotic “Clash With Reality.”

29: Uncle Tupelo – No Depression

Whether you consider Uncle Tupelo a countrified rock band or a rocking country band, their influence on both is undeniable. “Graveyard Shift” and “No Depression,” in particular, give insight into the band’s power and forward-thinking sound.

28: Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour

The chilly, electronic beats on cuts like “Being Boring,” “My October Symphony,” and “This Must Be The Place I Waited” provide a perfect backdrop for Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s songs about desire and heartbreak.

27: The La’s – The La’s

Liverpool jangle pop heroes The La’s debut album wins on the strength of its earnest, emotional songs. The entire album is top-notch and “There She Goes” is an enduring classic.

26: Pixies – Bossanova

Pixies’ Bossanova is more subdued than the albums that preceded it, but the band’s furious guitar noise and Frank Black’s idiosyncratic vocals remain.

25: Enigma – MCMXC a.D.

Enigma’s MCMXC a.D. is full of hip hop-inflected beats as well as some truly ethereal synths and vocals. It’s ambient with a pulse and mood music with groove.

24: Keith Sweat – I’ll Give All My Love To You

One of the best R&B singers of the 80s and 90s, Keith Sweat wails and begs for love, baring his soul for all to see.

23: En Vogue – Born to Sing

Funky, contemporary beats meet fiery solos and dreamy harmonies. Born to Sing is one of early 90s R&B’s finest moments.

22: Megadeth – Rust In Peace

Full of monster riffs and pummeling grooves, Rust In Peace proved why Megadeth were still masters of metal as the 80s gave way to the 90s.

21: Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas

Groovy, lush and dreamy, Heaven Or Las Vegas’ uptempo beats provide a driving pulse to Cocteau Twins’ psychedelic sound.

20: Gang Starr – Step in the Arena

DJ Premier’s neck-snapping beats and GURU’s direct, insightful rhymes combine on Step in the Arena, one of the best rap albums of the early 90s.

19: Brand Nubian – One for All

Over dope, head-nodding beats, Lord Jamar, Grand Puba, and Sadat X trade fly, righteous bars culminating in one of the best debuts in rap history.

18: A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Pulling from a variety of jazz, soul, rock, and funk samples, A Tribe Called Quest’s remarkable debut explores hip hop’s more colorful, kaleidoscopic potential. Full of quirky, relatable rhymes and funky grooves, People’s Instinctive… is a fun and inventive snapshot of early 90s Black bohemia.

17: George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1 is practically beaming with spiritual power. Songs like “Freedom! 90,” and “Waiting For That Day” are potent highlights of Michael’s vocal gift.

16: Ride – Nowhere

With gorgeous songs like “Here And Now,” “Polar Bear,” and “Dreams Burn Down,” Nowhere is engulfed in waves of blissfully distorted sound.

15: Black Crowes – Shake Your Money Maker

Glammed-out with a bluesy heart, Black Crowes‘ 1990 debut Shake Your Money Maker “Jealous Again” and “Hard To Handle” were radio hits that transported the sound and swagger of the past into the 90s.

14: The KLF – Chill Out

Chill Out reenvisions ambient music as a blissful psychedelic trip to the beyond. It’s an album that is designed to heal and soothe.

13: Judas Priest – Painkiller

The 12th album from Judas Priest, Painkiller finds the band reasserting its position as a vital force in mainstream metal. Standout cuts like “All Guns Blazing” and “Between The Hammer & The Anvil” are nasty, swirling maelstroms of power.

12: Garth Brooks – No Fences

One of the biggest country music stars of the era, Garth Brooks ruled the 90s. “Wild Horses” and “New Way To Fly” are great places to start (or revisit).

11: Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Co-produced by Public Enemy’s legendary Bomb Squad crew, Ice Cube’s 1990 debut solo album is as loud, noisy, and righteously pissed off as any record in rap history.

10: Sonic Youth – Goo

Sonic Youth’s major-label debut finds the band smoothing out their experimental edges and pushing further into radio-friendly alt-rock territory. While Goo’s sound may be more accessible, the band retains its noisy proclivities on punky tunes like “Mildred Pierce” and the soaring Karen Carpenter tribute, “Tunic (Song for Karen).”

9: Happy Mondays – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches

A bright and over-the-top mixture of brit-pop and electronic dance music, Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches signaled the dawning of the 90s and predicted some of its greatest stylistic innovations.

8: Angelo Badalamenti – Soundtrack from Twin Peaks

Angelo Badalamenti’s bizarre and cinematic score was a perfect match for Twin Peaks’ surreal and scenic imagery.

7: Depeche Mode – Violator

With its songs exploring the darker corners of desire and faith, Depeche Mode’s Violator is a heavy, existentialist epic.

6: Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey

From the stunning opening “Vision Of Love” to the closer, “Love Takes Time,” Mariah Carey’s self-titled debut is a classic packed with hits. With its smooth, champagne-souled out arrangements and Mariah’s powerful and soaring voice, the album dominated the charts and introduced the world to a generational talent.

Buy Mariah Carey’s music on vinyl now.

5: Sinead O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Sinead O’Connor’s sophomore effort, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got is one of the most remarkable singer-songwriter-driven albums of the early 90s. The songs are soulful and socially conscious, while her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” rivals the original.

4: LL COOL J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Don’t call it a comeback! LL COOL J’s rhymes and super-producer Marley Marl’s beats collide for this thrilling return to form.

Buy LL COOL J’s music on vinyl now.

3: Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory

Neil Young and his band took a back-to-basics approach for their 1990 album, Ragged Glory, prioritizing live takes and the sound of Young’s inimitable guitar playing.

2: Jane’s Addiction – Ritual De Lo Habitual

A near-perfect melding of punk, hard rock, and alternative, Ritual De La Habitual is a bold musical statement that contains the enduring hit “Been Caught Stealing.”

1: Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

Public Enemy’s third album is a fiery collage of Black radical politics and sonic bombast. Cuts like “Welcome to the Terrordome,” “Burn Hollywood Burn” and “Fight The Power” are among the group’s finest moments.

Buy Public Enemy’s music on vinyl now.

Can’t get enough 90s music? Listen to our 90s Music playlist here.

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For funk aficionados, James Brown’s 1969/1970 output represents the roots of a revolution – the watershed development of extended grooves from which disco, hip-hop, and essentially all other genres of modern dance music would eventually sprout. Which is why, initially, Soul On Top appears to be such a period anomaly. Recorded in November 1969, it’s a big band jazz album heavy on covers and standards, with respected drummer Louie Bellson and arranger Oliver Nelson, and an orchestra of seasoned West Coast session players largely subbing in for James’s own ensemble.

Yet, for Brown, it made complete sense. “At heart, I’ve always been a jazz man,” he told critic Leonard Feather at the time, having long expressed his admiration for the big bands that toured the Macon, Georgia, of his youth. The Godfather of Soul knew how intrinsic jazz was to his musical arc, as exemplified by his reliance on jazz-trained musicians/musical directors like Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, and Pee Wee Ellis, who could cleverly co-opt the main riff from Miles Davis’s “So What” for the proto-funk of “Cold Sweat.” Soul On Top allowed him to make that connection even more explicit, and he seized it with his signature fervor.

Renowned as a ruthlessly meticulous bandleader, Brown sounds exceedingly comfortable as an interpreter afloat the Bellson’s orchestra’s tight execution of Nelson’s arrangements on romantic ballads like “That’s My Desire” and “It’s Magic,” or effortlessly swinging numbers like “Everyday I Have the Blues” and “I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On).” But most memorable is Brown’s ability to morph Bellson and company into his own vamping R&B big band, rhythmically emphasizing the one with the same conviction as his concurrent funk experiments. He transforms country legend Hank Williams’ “Your Cheating Heart” into a brassy soul screamer, and infuses Kurt Weill’s “September Song” with similarly ample doses of oomph.

Of course, it’s the new readings of his own tunes that generate the most excitement. A staple of Brown’s late 60s live show, “There Was a Time” is presented here fast and ferociously compact, nearly spinning out of control. “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” steadily builds momentum until Brown and Parker (the only holdover from JB’s regular group) are trading phrases back and forth like they’re onstage at the Apollo. “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” encapsulates all the finest aspects of the LP’s stylistic merger, again building up to a vamp during which every subtle change in instrumentation masterfully shifts the energy levels. Enraptured by Bellson’s band’s relentless pulse and piercing horn stabs, James ad-libs, “It’s in my collar/ I got to holler… It’s in my shake/ About to work me to death,” before unleashing a hair-raising howl. A few days later, he would reprise the same phrases in a Cincinnati studio while recording the epochal break-beat sample source single, “Funky Drummer.” Soul On Top’s ostensible jazz and blues throwbacks were in closer proximity to the grooves of tomorrow than anyone realized.

Buy a vinyl copy of James Brown’s Soul on Top now.

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Kali Uchis has plans to hit the road this spring and summer, and this one’s going to be for the ladies. On the “For The Girls” Tour, Uchis will be joined by special guest Mariah The Scientist, with opener Laila! joining for select dates.

The “For The Girls” Tour kicks off May 26 at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, beginning a 10-show stretch that will also stop in markets like Houston and Atlanta before wrapping up June 19 in Austin. Laila! will be on board for all of those gigs. Another sequence of three shows without Laila! will follow in August in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Tickets for all shows will first be available in a presale starting Tuesday, March 31 at 10 a.m. local time. Additional presales will follow, leading up to the general onsale beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10 a.m. local time via LiveNation.com. Several VIP options will also be available at vipnation.com.

The latest full-length body of work from Uchis is her 2025 album Sincerely and its deluxe edition, Sincerely: P.S., which featured “Pretty Promises,” a collaboration with tour-mate Mariah The Scientist. The album was dedicated to Uchis’ mother, who passed away from lung cancer last year. Her voice is sampled on lead single “Sunshine & Rain…” Praising the album in NME, Nick Levine wrote, “Here, her music shimmers with confidence even when her lyrics hint at deep-rooted insecurities. The world is a particularly brutal place right now, but this album supplies a timely but timeless-sounding balm.”

Sincerely was the highest-charting album of Uchis’ career to date, matching her previous peak of No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It continued the Colombian-American’s run of success since incorporating more Spanish-language music into her one-of-a-kind catalog. In February, she teamed with Easykid on the new single “Y si peleamos.”

Shop Kali Uchis’s music on vinyl or CD now.

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By early 2007, the excitement coming from the UK about Amy Winehouse was too overwhelming for the US record industry to ignore any more.

The British vocal sensation had failed to make the American charts with her debut album Frank, which made its UK debut in 2003, rising to an initial peak of No.13. But even in her home country, that first record was more of a critical favorite than a commercial success until Winehouse released the follow-up, Back To Black, on October 27, 2006.

Both albums would spend literally years on the British charts. In the week of the 15th anniversary of its release, in 2021, Back To Black was spending its 127th week in the UK Top 40, and 444th in the Top 100.

Listen to the best of Amy Winehouse on Apple Music and Spotify.

Produced by Mark Ronson and universally hailed in Britain as a modern-day masterpiece of contemporary soul music, the record entered the domestic bestsellers at No.3 in November 2006. Perhaps surprisingly in retrospect, it spent only four initial weeks in the Top 40, but then the effect of its first hit “Rehab” and the new year single “You Know I’m No Good” began to kick in.

In the second half of January 2007, Back To Black topped the UK chart for the first time, and would go on to spend all but two of the next 48 weeks in the Top 10. America couldn’t overlook Amy any longer, and the album entered the Billboard 200 on the March 31 chart.

Just in advance of the set’s US release on Universal Republic, Kim Garner, the label’s senior VP of marketing & artist development, told Billboard: “The feedback across the board here has been nothing short of amazing. Amy had two incredibly successful shows here in New York that generated a slew of excellent reviews.” Those mid-January gigs, at Joe’s Pub in mid-January, were her first-ever US shows.

‘It made people rethink music’

The album “made people rethink music,” Ronson told Billboard, “because it was so simple in its approach: the sound of five or six really good instrumentalists with an amazing singer.” Blender, greeting the record’s US appearance, said it “sounds fantastic – partly because the production nails sample-ready 60s soul right down to the drum sound and partly because Winehouse is one hell of an impressive singer.” The New York Times purred: “A 23-year-old English songwriter, Ms. Winehouse is decades too young for 60s nostalgia, but she has come up with a wonderfully time-twisted batch of songs.”

Back To Black went on to reach No.2 in the US, turning gold in May 2007, platinum in July and double platinum the following March. From it, that “Rehab” signature became a major pop item, hitting No.9 on the Hot 100, and by the end of the year Winehouse had six Grammy nominations, of which she would win five, missing out only in the Album of the Year department. But back at the time of the American release of Back To Black, Winehouse was typically and delightfully dismissive about the business aspects of the record.

“I love doing music and playing gigs,” she told this writer in that Billboard story, “and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to do so. But to be honest I’m not the kind of person that will think about the demographic. I’m just the ‘turn.’”

Recently named one of Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums of All-Time, listen to Back To Black now.

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Most artists would have been tempted to follow their most critically acclaimed album with more of the same, but Erykah Badu has never been one to pursue the obvious path. Released on March 30, 2010, New Amerykah Part 2: Return Of The Ankh eschewed the politically-charged lyrics and fraught futuristic beats of its illustrious predecessor, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), for a warm bath of personally-focused analogue soul shot through with the idiosyncrasies which have always made her work so vital and unique.

“It’s more emotional and talks about feelings”

Badu explained the reasoning behind her thematic and stylistic switch in an interview with Billboard, describing Return Of The Ankh as “the sister of the left side of my brain – it is the right side.” For Badu, “Part One was the left side of my thoughts – it was more socially political and my thought process was more analytical. This time there wasn’t anything to be concerned with – the album is more emotional and flowy and talks about feelings.”

Badu has gained a reputation for her astute choice of collaborators – she was one of the first to utilize the production skills of J Dilla – and the employment of such mercurial players as drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, bassist Thundercat, and keyboardist James Poyser imbues Return Of The Ankh with a shimmering creativity that turns even the most lighthearted of covers into vital works. “Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)” merges Sylvia Striplin’s “Can’t Turn Me Away” with its hip-hop offspring, Junior MAFIA’s “Get Money,” to present a brilliant cross-pollination of rare groove and rap. Badu’s riff on Wings’ “Arrow Through Me,” on “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long,” is even better, taking the soulful reggae bump of Paul McCartney’s original and blissfully re-constructing it into one of the best long-form groovers of her career.

Listen to New Amerykah Part 2: Return Of The Ankh on Apple Music and Spotify.

A giant-sized personality

Her work with hip-hop producers bears no less creative results: Madlib sonically warps his sample of Ndugu & The Chocolate Watch Band’s “Take Some Time” to add some welcome friction to the laidback rhythms of “Umm Hmm,” while Karriem Riggins adds taught, crisp beats, vinyl crackle and ambient clatter to the smooth neo-soul of “Fall In Love (Your Funeral).” Elsewhere, Georgia Anne Muldrow transforms Return Of The Ankh’s ten-minute closer, “Out My Mind, Just In Time,” from a smoochy neo-soul ballad into a warped haze of tripped-out, psychedelic-infused R&B.

But New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh is, first and foremost, Badu’s album, and her giant-sized, multifarious personality is invested into every one of its languid grooves. Thoughtful songs about personal growth, heartbreak, and vulnerability are interspersed with comedic riffs on gold-digging and infidelity. On “Fall In Love (Your Funeral)” she leaves a potential partner in no doubt as to the perils of beginning a relationship with her.

Badu’s determination to pursue artistic freedom and challenge the status quo revealed itself further in the music video for the album’s lead single, “Window Seat.” Shot guerrilla-style, the film featured Badu walking through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, slowly taking off her clothes before being shot by an unseen sniper – an allusion to President John F Kennedy’s assassination at the same site.

The message was clear: Badu knows she can be a target, but she refuses to go anything other than follow her vision.

New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh can be bought here.

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“Umbrella” changed everything for Rihanna. The Barbados-born pop sensation had burst onto the scene in 2005 with “Pon De Replay,” reaching No. 2 in the US and hitting Top 10s worldwide. “SOS” went one better the following year, securing the top spot in the US and establishing Rihanna as a global force. But “Umbrella” marked the point where Rihanna not only enjoyed one of the biggest international hits of the decade, but also found an identity of her own. Her career to date had seen her flirting with genres and image as she found her feet – from the moment she coolly intoned the “ella ella eh” hook she became the edgier, more sophisticated Rihanna who’d go on to conquer the pop world.

It could all have been very different. The song – written by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and Terius “The Dream” Nash – was originally offered to Britney Spears and then to Mary J. Blige, both of whom turned it down. Once Rihanna heard the demo, she was determined to make it her own, as she told The Ellen Show in 2007, “The first time I heard ‘Umbrella’ I just knew how much I loved the song. I thought it had one of the most original sounds of any song that I’ve ever heard…. Eventually, I just went up to one of the managers and was like, ‘This song is mine…. I’m gonna fight you if I don’t have this song.’”

Listen to Rihann’s “Umbrella” on Apple Music or Spotify.

The song itself – an offering of shelter from an emotional storm – came easy. Nash broke down the writing of “Umbrella” in a 2007 interview with Blender, beginning with his reaction when he heard a hi-hat loop that Stewart was working on: “I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, what is that beat?’ Then Tricky starts putting some chords over it, and immediately the word popped into my head: umbrella. I ran over to the vocal booth and started singing… The first verse was written in 60 seconds. Then we had to grow it to the hook. Tricky would put the next chord on there, and I was singing it out: ‘When the sun shines, we’ll shine together.’ I was like, ‘Oh, my God, this is crazy.’ I was getting goosebumps.”

In Rihanna, Nash and Stewart found the perfect voice for their stormy R&B power ballad. Nash’s lyrics might’ve felt overly sentimental had they not been sung with her attitude; the harsh, minimal beats and cinematic strings of Stewart’s music may not have worked without Rihanna’s sass and grit. Stewart later told MTV that any doubt over the singer was cast aside in the studio, “When she recorded the ‘ellas,’ you knew your life was about to change if you had anything to do with that record.” Once Rihanna’s vocals were laid down, she called upon her mentor and Def Jam label boss, rapper Jay-Z, to add a verse – a ringing endorsement and sign that “Umbrella” had massive hit potential.

“Umbrella” got its official release on March 29, just over two months after Nash and Stewart wrote it. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks and paved the way for the multi-platinum success of Rihanna’s coming-of-age album, Good Girl Gone Bad. Worldwide success quickly followed: “Umbrella” reigned supreme at the top of the UK charts for 10 weeks and has sold more than six million copies worldwide. Its success also gave Rihanna the confidence and clout to take charge of her own destiny. “Umbrella” had certainly proved a song worth fighting for.

Buy Rihanna’s music on vinyl now.

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