National Album Day: The 90s

Returning for the sixth year, National Album Day celebrates the long player in all its forms – and in 2023 the focus is on the 90s!

First created over 70 years ago, the album connects listeners in a unique way and takes them on a musical journey, either as a grand artistic statement or a collection of songs documenting a musician's body of work in a specific time or place. They change our lives, help us channel our feelings and become a defining part of our identity. Just by pressing play, we can immediately change our mood, discover a new aspect of either ourselves or the artist or simply have a good time.

So, join the Gigantic Tickets staff as we talk you through our favourite albums of the 90s and why we think these records are so important.

Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill (1995)

The iconic album Jagged Little Pill still remains as an influential album in the alternative rock and pop music genres. Songs like "You Oughta Know" and "Ironic" propelled the album to massive success, making it a defining record of the 1990s. She delivered themes of anger, betrayal, and self-discovery with her raw and emotionally charged lyrics. Today, it continues to resonate with listeners, including myself, for its exploration of personal experiences and emotions.

Elizabeth Gracie Jepson, Social Media Manager

Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)

Eccentric guitarless rock band with pop and jazz sensibilities, this album has it all: from sombre, Randy Newman-esque ballads to raucous, angry break-up belters. Notable tracks include “One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces”, “Song For The Dumped” and “Brick”. Both of the former are regularly on repeat when I want to get pumped!

Sam Potts, Customer Services

blink-182 – Enema of the State (1999)

Enema of the State was the album that saw pop-punk legends blink-182 well and truly break into the mainstream, and it's not hard to see why. Their third studio album since their formation in 1993, Enema saw the trio take a slight turn towards a more sincere tone, and infuse just the right amount of pop to their signature, light-hearted punk. "All The Small Things" remains one of the band's most beloved tracks, while "Adam's Song" became the band's first truly thoughtful and introspective hit. Enema of the State proved it was time to take blink-182 a bit more seriously… but still not entirely.

Sarah Moore, Head of Marketing

The Cure - Wish (1992)

Released just three years after The Cure's melancholic masterpiece Disintegration, 1992's Wish is a welcome return to the band's slightly softer side. If Disintegration is the winter, then Wish is most certainly the spring: a little brighter, and a little more uplifting. Blurring the lines between a multitude of genres, and swimming with gorgeous strings and jangling guitars, it's Wish we have to thank for arguably The Cure's most notable song – their signature pop hit "Friday I'm In Love". To me, Wish remains one of the 90s’ finest releases, and an essential listen for fans of any genre.

Sarah Moore, Head of Marketing

Destiny’s Child – The Writing’s on the Wall (1999)

One of the most iconic R&B outfits of all time, Destiny's Child returned in 1999 with their sophomore album The Writing's On The Wall. The album spawned some of the group's most timeless, popular, and enduring tracks such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Jumpin, Jumpin" and "Say My Name". Repeatedly imitated but rarely matched, The Writings On The Wall is regarded as one of the most influential R&B albums of the decade, and credited as being the springboard for Beyonce's illustrious and unrivalled solo career.

Sarah Moore, Head of Marketing

The La’s – The La’s (1990)

They didn’t buy into the sound and ways of the times, and as such wrote one of the most timeless albums of the era. No frills (pills or bellyaches), just great gritty songwriting. Top tracks include “Doledrum”, “Timeless Melody” and “Feelin’”.

Jimi McBride, Event Management

Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible (1994)

Considered by many as their best; The Holy Bible was nearly the last ever Manic Street Preachers LP. Having failed to live up to the impossible heights of their own hyperbole, their label Columbia Records was making noises that they might even drop the incendiary Welsh band. Feeling oddly liberated by a sense they had already lost, the Manics responded with a record so caustic it still requires a certain state of mind to listen to nearly 30 years later.

Energised by both the fierce yet uncompromising intellect and the mounting mental health issues of Richey Edwards, The Holy Bible is an indictment of the entire human race and the worst aspects of the 20th century. Edwards’ Ballardian lyrics tackle issues of prostitution, racism, anorexia, anxiety, and the death penalty whilst referencing such monumental horrors as the Moors Murders, the Vietnam War, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and the Holocaust. Edward’s famed disappearance followed just six months after the release, now presumed dead having not made contact in nearly 30 years with no substantial evidence to prove the contrary.

It was my first real introduction to post-punk, and the blistering riffs of “Revol” and barrage of hyper-aware yet crippling self-depicting slogans of “Faster” forever set a benchmark far higher than anyone else can ever reach.

Jimi Arundell, Web Content Manager

Nirvana – In Utero (1993)

The world changed when Nirvana released their second album Nevermind in 1992. It signalled the death of the pantomime hair metal that had dominated American rock for over a decade and ushered in a new era of a more naturalistic angst-ridden rock centred around the “Seattle Sound”, later dubbed grunge. But changes bring about consequences, and the colossal rise in fame saw songwriter Kurt Cobain alienated from the very punk underground he sprung from and found solace in.

At odds with the commercial attitudes and expectations of their major label Geffin, Cobain sought to return to their roots with their third record In Utero, and so recruited the infamous Steve Albini to ensure maximum abrasion and to regain punk credibility (although this would be somewhat undermined when label bosses demanded some reworking to make it more palatable to a mainstream audience).

Written and recorded under the working title “I Hate Myself And I Want To Die”, Cobain addresses his widely publicised problems of heroin addiction, mental health issues, parental alienation and speculated divorce from spouse Courtney Love. “Heart Shaped Box” mixes metaphors with marital problems, “Rape Me” is a bitter retort from the view of a victim, “Pennyroyal Tea” is the ultimate 90s depression anthem and the resigned melancholia of last track “All Apologise” now reads as a final farewell. Hiding in plain sight, Cobain would tragically take his life just over a year after its release in the autumn of 1993.

Despite his best attempts to undermine the corporate machine, In Utero would top the charts in four countries (including the US and UK) and has now reached 5x platinum certification after selling over 15 million copies worldwide. It is a testament to both his influence at the time and enduring legacy, that a record written almost exclusively on his own terms resonated so loudly then and now.

Jimi Arundell, Web Content Manager

Oasis – Definitely Maybe (1994)

I first heard this album when I was about 11 on cassette. It changed everything for me: my music taste, my dress sense, my friends. It was so exciting and loud, and I truly believe one of the best albums of all time. Liam Gallagher's voice was young and fresh, his rock star attitude was everything, I fell in love immediately!

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” will always be a song I listen to when I get ready to go out. “Slide Away” is one of the greatest songs written of all time. “Live Forever” is a timeless song, that really will live forever.

The album is back-to-back bangers, which is why it makes sense that it went straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart and became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history at the time.

Amy Davis, Customer Services Manager

Pulp – Different Class (1995)

Wow this is a tough one... so many to pick from. The 90s were totally my era!

So, after careful consideration, I’m going with Different Class by Pulp released in 1995. In my opinion, this album is a total masterpiece and just really captures the spirit of the whole indie/Britpop scene at that time.

Favourite tracks for me include “Mis-Shapes”, “Sorted for E’s & Wizz” and (of course) the anthem that is “Common People”.  I’ve lost count of the times I’ve belted that out drunkenly in a dingey nightclub at 2am in the morning over the years!

Also, worth mentioning the artwork for the album is totally fab too, the retro vibe is just right up my street! In fact I still have my original copy which is getting on for nearly 30 years old... eeeeek!

Gemma Treece, Customer Services