Over what will likely be the next few years I’m going to be ranking and reviewing the top 5 albums - plus a fair few extras - according to users on rateyourmusic.com (think IMDB for music) from every year from 1960 to the present. If you want to know more, I wrote an introduction to the ‘challenge’ here. You can also read all the other entries I’ve written so far by heading to the lovely index page here.

So, here we are in 1995, when OJ Simpson’s trial started, 2,000 people died in the Rwanda Massacre, and on the lighter news front Steve Fossett completed the first solo transpacific balloon flight.

Here’s what rateyourmusic.com’s users have as the year’s top 5 albums:

#1 Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
#2 Death - Symbolic
#3 Mobb Deep - The Infamous
#4 Björk - Post
#5 Radiohead - The Bends

And let’s grab some more from further down the list:

#6 Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith
#7 Three-6 Mafia - Mystic Stylez
#8 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
#9 The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
#11 Pulp - Different Class

#15 P J Harvey - To Bring You My Love
#18 Cap'n Jazz - Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over
#29 Guided by Voices - Alien Lanes

Finally, to add another female composed album to the list I’m taking Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill from NPR’s best albums by women of all time list.

Let’s go.

14. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Punpkins

“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It features a wide array of musical styles, including art rock, grunge, alternative pop, and heavy metal.

Propelled by its lead single "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", the album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 246,500 units. It remains the band's only album to top the Billboard 200. Lauded by critics for its ambition and scope, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness earned the band seven Grammy Award nominations in 1997, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year ("1979").” - Wikipedia

It's so long I find it hard to find time to absorb it attentively in one sitting, which I'm sure would up it in my estimations. As it is, I really enjoy it every time I put it on, but it rarely wows me or feels particularly cohesive.

Song Picks: 1979, Bullet with Butterfly Wings

7/10

“Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (commonly referred to as the Purple Tape) is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon. The album was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the "star", fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the "guest-star", and producer RZA as the "director". It features appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... has received acclaim from music critics and writers over the years, with many lauding it as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.” - Wikipedia

Everything here is very solid, the beats, the rhymes, the vocals, it just hasn't quite grabbed me as much as other hip hop releases this decade.

Song Picks: Criminology, Rainy Dayz

7/10

“Mystic Stylez is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Three 6 Mafia. Produced completely by founding members DJ Paul and Juicy J, the LP was published via Prophet, an independent record label.” - Wikipedia

Our first ‘horrorcore’ record lives up to the genre name with lyrics of murder, blood, violence, more blood, satanism, and other such delights. It’s thematically cohesive, and tied together by a bunch of haunting and intimidating beats. There is restbite in more relaxing tracks like Da Summa, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through this gory mess.

Song Picks: Da Summa, Break Da Law ’95’, Mystic Styles

8/10

11. Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morisette

“Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette. It marked a stylistic departure from the dance-pop sound of her first two albums, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette's angst. Rolling Stone ranked Jagged Little Pill at number 69 on its 2020 list of ‘The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time’.” - Wikipedia

Yes, most of the things in Ironic aren’t actually ironic, but maybe that’s ironic in itself? Meta. Jagged Little Pill is full of powerfully sung melodies; Morissette’s cleaner, and technically impressive vocals soaring above instrumentation clearly influenced by grunge. A punk bluntness, a poppy accessibility, and a rough instrumental texture all combine to create a darn punchy record.

Song Picks: Forgiven, You Oughta Know, Ironic

8.5/10

“Different Class (released in Japan as Common People) is the fifth studio album by English rock band Pulp. The album was a critical and commercial success, entering the UK Albums Chart at number one and winning the 1996 Mercury Music Prize. Widely acclaimed as among the greatest albums of the Britpop era, in 2013, NME ranked the album at number six in its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time while Rolling Stone ranked it number 162 in their 2020 revised version of the same list.” - Wikipedia

They're from Sheffield, I live in Sheffield, so that's at least a bonus point. Seriously though, this is just great, relatable songwriting. Cocker's lyrics are so simple every song plays like an anthem and his accented delivery was to inspire a whole heap of indie bands in my youth. Musically it's simple, serves the songs, and doesn't invite much comment other than 'sounds solid, mate', but Cocker’s anthemic vocals (both lyrically and vocally) put Different Class thoroughly in ‘great’ territory. It's a bit daft how many bangers are on this thing really.

Song Picks: Common People, Disco 2000,

8.5/10

“Symbolic is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Death. It is the only album to feature Bobby Koelble and Kelly Conlon on guitar and bass, respectively, and the second and last album to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. The album has received unanimous critical acclaim.” - Wikipedia

I’m not sure what there is left to say about Death, the band that is, not the thing we’re all hurtling towards. This is another technically brilliant and pulverising death metal record, the title’s a bit tame though isn’t it?

8.5/10

“Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. The album heavily samples dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin and maintains a dark atmosphere throughout, incorporating lyrical references to chess, crime and philosophy.

Liquid Swords received critical acclaim for its complex lyricism and hypnotic musical style. Over the years, its recognition has grown, with a number of famous publishers proclaiming it to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2007, the Chicago Tribune cited it as "one of the most substantial lyrical journeys in hip-hop history". - Wikipedia

Liquid production, and lyrics that slice like freshly sharpened swords. Seriously though, this thing sounds crystal clear. GZA’s lyrical content aligns pretty strongly with Wu-Tang Clan’s, it’s operating on an intellectual plane above most lyrics out there, and the whole thing feels like something created by that cool kid in the corner who does his own thing and has no care for stepping into the middle of the room. Not because he’s in any way shy, but because he’s confident enough not to feel the need. Liquid Swords feels meditative due to it’s gorgeously repetitive samples, and GZA and his features’ vocals rarely demand attention in their tone as much as in their content. It’s reassured, and refreshingly confident in its quietness when comapred to other hip-hop albums of the time.

Song Picks: Gold, Cold World, Shadowboxin’

8.5/10

“Alien Lanes is the eighth full-length album by American lo-fi band Guided by Voices. According to James Greer's book the advance for the record was close to a hundred thousand dollars, one of the more expensive deals in Matador's history. In contrast to the lucrative deal, Greer mentions that "The cost for recording Alien Lanes, if you leave out the beer, was about ten dollars." - Wikipedia

The strokes of genius are still here in spades, and there's that lightning in a bottle feeling of it being captured at its source, it's just not quite as magical as it is on Bee Thousand, mainly because it's interspersed with 20 second 'songs' that don't add much, and only serve to break up the flow. Nevertheless, Alien Lanes is another celebration of songwriting above all else, and despite its flaws, it’s still glorious.

Song Picks: As We Go Up, We Go Down, Game of Pricks, A Good Flying Bird, Pimple Zoo, King and Caroline, Little Whirl

9/10

“Elliott Smith is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was preceded by the single "Needle in the Hay". The album is of a similar musical style to Roman Candle in its minimalist, acoustic folk sound. Smith mostly appears alone on his acoustic guitar, although he is occasionally backed up by the odd musical instrument, such as a harmonica and drums. Rolling Stone wrote of the album, ‘the music burrows, digging up gems of structure, melody and lyrical vividness that belie his naïve delivery [...] the sound is hummable pop, slowed and drugged, with tricky but unshowy guitar work driving the melodies forward’.” - Wikipedia

Sometimes I read something by someone else, and they put it much better than I ever could, this is such a case. As highlighted in this lovely Pitchfork review, Rebecca Gates (who sings accompanying vocals on St. Ides Heaven), “wrote about her experience working with Swith in a posthumous collection’s liner notes. She writes about a night , some time later, wandering around Portland with Smith. At one point they’re commiserating about the music industry; she remembers him being moody, wearing a raggedy old raincoat. Then somewhere along the way, they burst into laughter. It’s the kind of vague, half-remembered scene that always comes to mind when I hear these songs. You can see the rain on the street, the moon in the sky. It’s getting dark. They have the whole night ahead of them.”

I agree, there’s some spaced out lamplight too, their silhouettes appear and disappear as they pass them, and each time they’ve swapped sides.

Song Picks: Needle In the Hay, Alphabet Town, Christian Brothers, Clementine

9/10

“To Bring You My Love is the third studio album by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey. Recorded after the break-up of the PJ Harvey trio, it stands as her first proper solo album. The songs on the album are heavily influenced by American blues music.

To Bring You My Love is considered to be PJ Harvey's breakthrough. It garnered massive critical acclaim worldwide and became her best-selling studio album. The album was placed on Rolling Stone magazine's original list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.” - Wikipedia

Dark, modern blues. To Bring You My Love is much less aggressive than her previous Rid of Me, but it’s just as confident. Harvey’s vocals range from murmur to scream, and the instrumentation is generally dominated by one instrument repeating a riff, whether that be the low rumbles of a synthesised organ (Working for the Man), the djangle of an acoustic guitar (Send His Love to Me) or an absolutely filthy distorted guitar riff (Long Snake Moan). It’s an album very much her own, packed with engrossing tracks, and driven by her gritty, passionate vocals.

Song Picks: Working for the Man, C’mon Billy, To Bring You My Love, Teclo, Long Snake Moan

9/10

“The Infamous (stylized as The Infamous...) is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Q-Tip. The album's dark style, defined by its evocative melodies, rugged beats, and introspective lyrics concerning crime in New York's inner city neighborhoods, received special recognition and critical praise. In 2020, the album was ranked 369th on Rolling Stone's updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” - WIkipedia

I love the production on this thing, everything has this infectiously laid back groove to it, with atmospheric, and at times slightly haunting embelishments. Deep’s vocals are as smooth as yoghurt, and the lyrics work brilliantly both rhythmically, but also when you pay the content close attention. It’s a pretty close to flawless hip-hop album.

Song Picks: Survival of the Fittest, Shook One Pt II, The Start of Your Ending

9/10

**3. Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over**

Cap’n Jazz

“Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over is the only full-length studio album by the American emo band Cap'n Jazz. It is also referred to as the Shmap'n Shmazz LP. For a long period of time, the record in its original form was completely out of print—only recently has it been reissued on Polyvinyl Records on cassette tape and digitally.” - Wikipedia

Well, that’s easily the longest album name we’ve had on the challenge isn’t it? I’ll stick with Shmap’n Shmazz LP. This is a gloriously cathartic and messy gem of an album. It sounds like 3 (or 4?) blokes got into the basement, all wanted to play something different, and one of them was having a slightly pretentious and very loud emotional breakdown. Frontman Mike Kinsella says it was more a ‘weirdo punk band’ than an emo one, and that makes sense. There’s a definite ‘we’re just going to make a racket and have fun’ punk mentality to the record, and there’s also the feeling that not too much thought was given to song structures, or indeed anything. It sounds like they bumped into each other, got out their respective instruments, and created some chaos that just happened to turn out rather spectacular. Of course, the band split up shortly after this album’s release, but their coming together to create this feels like one of the universe’s random little miracles.

Song Picks: Little League, Oh Messy Life

9/10

“Post is the second studio album by Icelandic singer Björk. Continuing the style developed on her first album Debut (1993), Björk conceived of Post as a bolder and more extroverted set of songs than its predecessor, featuring an eclectic mixture of electronic and dance styles such as techno, trip hop, IDM, and house, but also ambient, jazz, industrial, and experimental music. She wrote most of the songs after moving to London, and intended the album to reflect her new life in the city.

Considered an important exponent of art pop, Post has been praised by critics for its ambition and timelessness. It was named one of the greatest albums of 1995 by numerous publications, and has since been named one of the greatest albums of all time by publications including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone.” - Wikipedia

Post is a wonderfully creative mix of genres that somehow manages to feel completely cohesive, despite its remarkable variety. Post is poppy, though it doesn’t deal in catchy-choruses preferring instead spontaneous, often theatrical melodies. It’s these melodies, performed with aplomb by Bjork, that hold the shattered fragments of musical crystal together

Song Picks: Army of Me, I Miss You, Hyper-Ballad

9/10

“The Bends is the second studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. The Bends combines guitar songs and ballads, with more restrained arrangements and cryptic lyrics than Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey (1993).

It is frequently named one of the greatest albums of all time, and was included in the third edition of Colin Larkin's “All Time Top 1000 Albums” and all three editions of Rolling Stone's “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list. The Bends is credited for influencing a generation of post-Britpop acts, such as Coldplay, Muse and Travis.” - Wikipedia

Radiohead have arrived, The Bends is probably my favourite straightforward alt-rock album of all time. Thom Yorke’s vocals soar like some sad, sad bird across a full moon, plucking my heart-strings like a Spanish guitar. It’s an album that is packed with great songs from start to finish, but one that also works thematically, managing to keep a feeling that could easily get tiresome going for its entire duration in such a way that when it finishes you want to put it straight back on again. I want to live my life to those emotive chord changes and Yorke’s melancholy vocals. Sometimes it’s fun to be sad you know?

Song Picks: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit (Fade Out)

9.5/10