Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
OP asked for favorite rock bands post-1990. OP didn't ask for "best", or "most rock and less pop", or whatever. Just favs. I think the only legitimate technical argument regarding something so subjective is whether bands that formed before 1990, but are known as "90s" bands qualify. Which is a good question, since the early 90s was seen as a rock revival of sorts. Many of my fav bands were big during the grunge years. Curiously, the list gets shorter for late 90s-00s favorites. Not sure if that is just my age, or just fewer truly memorable bands. Plus, I take full liberty to label whatever rock-ish music as rock as I feel fit. So there.
If adhering strictly to post-1990, my list would be something like:
Old 97s
Tool (formed 1990)
APC
Muse
Sunny Day Real Estate
Foo Fighters (first two albums)
Weezer (first two albums)
Temple of the Dog (1990)
Silversun Pickups
Band of Horses
Raconteurs (first album)
Ray LaMontagne
Shins
Verve Pipe (greatest, most underrated first album ever)
EDIT: omg I can't believe I forgot Son Volt.
I can't under good conscience add Pearl Jam (1990). Ten was a brilliant, genre-busting album that I devoured night and day for months. Everything after that was gawdawful, IMO. Pearl Jam should have stayed Temple of the Dog with Vedder as lead. Instead they became Vedder's Back Up Band. Yuck.
If allowing for 90s bands formed before 1990, I would add to the previous list:
Soundgarden
Alice in Chains
Afghan Whigs
Toadies
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Radiohead (first 3 major label releases. Hate everything after)
Matthew Sweet
Live
Posies
Dinosaur Jr.
EDIT: Smashing Pumpkins (1988)
EDIT: Forgot Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Curiously, most of this second list are my all time favs.
If adhering strictly to post-1990, my list would be something like:
Old 97s
Tool (formed 1990)
APC
Muse
Sunny Day Real Estate
Foo Fighters (first two albums)
Weezer (first two albums)
Temple of the Dog (1990)
Silversun Pickups
Band of Horses
Raconteurs (first album)
Ray LaMontagne
Shins
Verve Pipe (greatest, most underrated first album ever)
EDIT: omg I can't believe I forgot Son Volt.
I can't under good conscience add Pearl Jam (1990). Ten was a brilliant, genre-busting album that I devoured night and day for months. Everything after that was gawdawful, IMO. Pearl Jam should have stayed Temple of the Dog with Vedder as lead. Instead they became Vedder's Back Up Band. Yuck.
If allowing for 90s bands formed before 1990, I would add to the previous list:
Soundgarden
Alice in Chains
Afghan Whigs
Toadies
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Radiohead (first 3 major label releases. Hate everything after)
Matthew Sweet
Live
Posies
Dinosaur Jr.
EDIT: Smashing Pumpkins (1988)
EDIT: Forgot Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Curiously, most of this second list are my all time favs.
Last edited:
