My Top 12 Favorite Albums of 1996
I can’t believe it’s been 30 years since 1996, and I’ll admit, it’s almost impossible to pick 10 favorites. I tried, and I ended up with 12:
#12: Weezer, Pinkerton (Listen: “El Scorcho”)
Hailed as raw, deeply personal alternative album that became a cult classic, the sequel to Weezer’s debut is notably darker, and less commercially successful. But there are a few gems like “El Scorcho” that stand the test of time.
#11: Jamiroquai, Traveling Without Moving (Listen: “Virtual Insanity”)
This jazz-funk album holds a special place in my heart because it was on constant rotation at Planet X, the now-defunct nineties coffeehouse and vegetarian eatery where I worked as a waitress while attending University of Maryland. Hailed as Jamiroquai’s American breakthrough, this song is a gem.
#10: The Spice Girls, Spice (Listen: “Wannabe”)
I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want: A full, five-strong Spice Girls reunion! This Brit pop girl group was a breath of fresh air in the midst of my heavy music obsession. Besides “Wannabe,” songs like “2 Become 1” are real earworms. They are the inspiration for every single K-Pop act dominating the charts.
#9: The Fugees, The Score (Listen: “Fu-Gee-La”)
One of my favorite records of all time is The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and The Score, second and final studio album by American hip-hop group Fugees is the precursor to that, with notable singles “Killing Me Softly,” “Fu-Gee-La,” and “Ready or Not.”
#8: Tracy Bonham, The Burdens of Being Upright (Listen: “Mother Mother”)
Tracy Bonham’s breakout single “Mother Mother” almost eclipses her other singles on her brilliant 1996 album, because it struck such a raw note, between its sing-song verses and the guttural reality-check choruses. But I urge everyone to listen beyond the big hit. Other notable gems include the scorcher “Navy Bean” and “The One.”
#7: Beck, Odelay (Listen: “The New Pollution”)
It took me a minute to truly appreciate Odelay, the fifth studio album by Beck, released on June 18, 1996. But it’s hard not to love songs like “Devils Haircut” or want to sing along to “The New Pollution” when I hear them on Sirius’ Lithium (90s rock) station. The record was rightfully critically acclaimed, which is why it still stands the test of time.
#6: Nirvana, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (Listen: “Heart Shaped Box”)
Nirvana’s live album pieces together electric performances over five years, recorded from 1989 to 1994. Compiled largely by bassist Krist Novoselic, the album was released two years after the multi-platinum-selling live album, MTV Unplugged in New York, which was the first Nirvana album to be released after Kurt Cobain died.
#5: Fiona Apple, Tidal (Listen: “Criminal”)
Fiona Apple’s voice is something special, and her powerful debut was loaded with incredible songs. My favorite is the dark-pop tune “Criminal.” Other big hits included “Shadowboxer” and “Sleep to Dream.”
#4: The Cardigans, First Band on the Moon (Listen: “Lovefool”)
Vocally lush and beautifully mastered, The Cardigans’ 1996 recored ushered in one of my favorite hits of all time,”Lovefool.” But don’t sleep on Swedish band’s the entire record. There are so many good, dreamy songs throughout.
#3: Rage Against the Machine, Evil Empire (Listen: “Bulls on Parade”)
Rage’s follow-up to its 1993 debut has all the fury and politically fueled angst of the original. “Bulls on Parade” is probably the favorite, with its memorable, furious guitar riffs that buoy hard-hitting lyrics.
#2: Tori Amos, Boys for Pele (Listen: “Caught a Lite Sneeze”)
Possibly my favorite Tori Amos record of all time, Boys for Pele is macabre and loaded with symbolism and mythology. Amos also breaks out the harpsichord for the first time, here, which is the right choice for my absolute favorite single, “Blood Roses.”
#1: Sublime, Sublime (Listen: “Doin’ Time”)
While I didn’t hear the self-titled Sublime album, the last by the California ska-punk band before Bradley Novell’s untimely death in 1996, it pretty much ruled my summer in 1997. As critics have noted, the record smoothly alternates between hardcore bangers and sultry reggae numbers. I pretty much love every single track here, from the massive hits (notably, “Santeria” and “What I Got”) to the sultrier “Doin’ Time.”
