This is a hard genre to define but let's set the criteria as anything you might have heard on 94.5 the buzz in Houston around 2000-2005 (or similar stations in other cities). For sake of clarity this includes thrash metal (Metallica), retro alt (smashing pumpkins, REM), grunge (Nirvana, Soundgarden), punk (Green Day, Blink 182), Nu Metal (Chevelle, Disturbed), and others RHCP, Incubus, etc.
Top 10 albums (no particular order):
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication. Very cliche album but sometimes that is the best. A good combination of Flea's funky bass rhythm and John Frusciante's soulful slide blues. Not to mention Anthony Kiedis' unique vocals. "Otherside", "Californication", and "Scar Tissue" (watch music video) are staples and "Around the World" defines the heavier sound of RHCP.
Audioslave - Audioslave. In the recent wake of Chris Cornell's passing I went through and listened to this album and I honestly think this might have been his best work. Chris wrote every lyric on these albums and something about him and Tom Morello's signature "Rage Against the Machine" tone were almost transcendent and meant to be. "Like a Stone", "I Am the Highway", and "Cochise" are classic examples of Cornell's soul-filled range.
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit. No list is complete without this album. As a young guitar player, no song got me more wound up than "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which is so simple a chimpanzee could play it. This album represented the simplification that sparked the rock alternative movement of the 90s.
Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You. Rob Thomas can write songs and if you haven't heard the piano version of "3 AM", listen to it now.
Stroke 9 - Nasty Little Thoughts. Such an underrated album and I remember being floored by it the first time I heard it. I don't have a song suggestion for this album because you need to listen to the whole thing.
Incubus - Make Yourself. Morning View is he album that typically gets the most recognition, but to me this album is far beyond. "Pardon Me" and "Drive" push this album to the top for me. Mike Einziger is the master of odd chords and his acoustic stuff is impeccable.
3 Doors Down - The Better Life. 3 Doors Down is a uniformly good band but this is their coupe de gras in my opinion. "Kryptonite" is the well known song but listen to "Duck and Run" and "Be Like That" if you want to truly appreciate this album.
Weezer - Green and Blue Album. Weezer, the fundamentally sound dork band. The Green and Blue Albums have "Island in the Sun" and "Say it Ain't So" on top of other great hits.
Green Day - Dookie. Green Day is one of those bands that can't keep their mouth shut about political matters but no one can argue that they haven't had an influence on the rock world. They started a counter movement to grunge in the early 90s that sparked both ska and modern punk. This is their best album in my opinion.
Bush - Sixteen Stone. If it wasn't for "Glycerine" and "Machinehead" being so incredible, "The Science of Things" would be my favorite album of theirs. Listen to "Letting the Cables Sleep". Gavin Rossdale has a unique voice.
Honorable Mention:
Metallica - Metallica
Blink 182 - Enema of the State
Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
Counting Crows - This Desert Life
Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl
Top 10 albums (no particular order):
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication. Very cliche album but sometimes that is the best. A good combination of Flea's funky bass rhythm and John Frusciante's soulful slide blues. Not to mention Anthony Kiedis' unique vocals. "Otherside", "Californication", and "Scar Tissue" (watch music video) are staples and "Around the World" defines the heavier sound of RHCP.
Audioslave - Audioslave. In the recent wake of Chris Cornell's passing I went through and listened to this album and I honestly think this might have been his best work. Chris wrote every lyric on these albums and something about him and Tom Morello's signature "Rage Against the Machine" tone were almost transcendent and meant to be. "Like a Stone", "I Am the Highway", and "Cochise" are classic examples of Cornell's soul-filled range.
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit. No list is complete without this album. As a young guitar player, no song got me more wound up than "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which is so simple a chimpanzee could play it. This album represented the simplification that sparked the rock alternative movement of the 90s.
Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You. Rob Thomas can write songs and if you haven't heard the piano version of "3 AM", listen to it now.
Stroke 9 - Nasty Little Thoughts. Such an underrated album and I remember being floored by it the first time I heard it. I don't have a song suggestion for this album because you need to listen to the whole thing.
Incubus - Make Yourself. Morning View is he album that typically gets the most recognition, but to me this album is far beyond. "Pardon Me" and "Drive" push this album to the top for me. Mike Einziger is the master of odd chords and his acoustic stuff is impeccable.
3 Doors Down - The Better Life. 3 Doors Down is a uniformly good band but this is their coupe de gras in my opinion. "Kryptonite" is the well known song but listen to "Duck and Run" and "Be Like That" if you want to truly appreciate this album.
Weezer - Green and Blue Album. Weezer, the fundamentally sound dork band. The Green and Blue Albums have "Island in the Sun" and "Say it Ain't So" on top of other great hits.
Green Day - Dookie. Green Day is one of those bands that can't keep their mouth shut about political matters but no one can argue that they haven't had an influence on the rock world. They started a counter movement to grunge in the early 90s that sparked both ska and modern punk. This is their best album in my opinion.
Bush - Sixteen Stone. If it wasn't for "Glycerine" and "Machinehead" being so incredible, "The Science of Things" would be my favorite album of theirs. Listen to "Letting the Cables Sleep". Gavin Rossdale has a unique voice.
Honorable Mention:
Metallica - Metallica
Blink 182 - Enema of the State
Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
Counting Crows - This Desert Life
Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl
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