# Best Grunge & Post-Punk Albums of Each Year > Grunge and post-punk classics from 1990-1999. - Title: Best Grunge & Post-Punk Albums of Each Year · Loudwire - Summary: Grunge and post-punk classics from 1990-1999. AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' (1990), Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' (1998), and other grunge/post-punk… - Keywords: grunge, post-punk, ac/dc, aerosmith, alice in chains, beastie boys, black crowes, blind melon, blink-182, blur, breeders, bush - Source: Loudwire — https://loudwire.com/best-grunge-post-grunge-album-of-each-year - Published: 2026-11-13T10:09:58+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: grunge, post-punk, ac/dc, aerosmith, alice in chains, beastie boys, black crowes, blind melon, blink-182, blur, breeders, bush ## AC/DC, 'Thunderstruck' (1990) AC/DC's Angus Young captured global attention with a guitar tapping melody on 'Thunderstruck' after a brief quality downturn. > Who ever would’ve thought that 12 years after Eddie Van Halen unleashed 'Eruption' and it ushered in an entire era (the '80s) of hotshot guitar players that it would be AC/DC’s Angus Young who captures the world’s attention with a guitar tapping melody? ## Aerosmith, 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' (1998) Aerosmith's frontman Steve Tyler released a heartfelt power ballad that hit No. 4 on Mainstream Rock and No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. > It was a family affair, as Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler belted out the heartfelt, Diane Warren-penned lyrics on 'I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing' from the 1998 blockbuster _Armageddon_ starring Tyler’s daughter Liv Tyler. ## Alice in Chains, 'Would?' (1992) Alice in Chains' 'Would?' from their 1992 album _Dirt_ became a bass-heavy, sludgy three-and-a-half-minute classic. > Though it would be really hard to pick a quintessential Alice in Chains song, if we had to, it would be 'Would?' from their brooding 1992 album _Dirt_. ## Beastie Boys, 'Sabotage' (1994) Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage' topped Alternative Airplay and was featured in films, TV, and sports anthems. > These rappers can rock, showing some serious hardcore skills when they picked up their instruments and pushed everyone’s pulses to race with the 1994 single 'Sabotage' from their _Ill Communication_ album. ## The Black Crowes, 'Hard to Handle' (1990) The Black Crowes covered Otis Redding's song 'Hard to Handle' and reached No. 1 on Mainstream Rock. > The Black Crowes were doing something different than everyone else in the '90s when the music was getting more aggressive, and they were probably the only artist at the time who dared to cover a soul singer such as Otis Redding. ## Blind Melon, 'No Rain' (1993) Blind Melon's 'No Rain' became a commercial success after Shannon Hoon's first mainstream exposure. > Shannon Hoon’s first bit of mainstream exposure was as a backing vocalist on Guns N’ Roses’ 1991 ballad 'Don’t Cry,' but by the time Blind Melon’s 'No Rain' came out in 1992, he was one of the most notable voices in rock ’n’ roll. ## blink-182, 'What's My Age Again?' (1999) blink-182's 'What's My Age Again?' spent 20 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 and became a pop-punk anthem. > In 1999, 'What's My Age Again?' propelled blink-182 to new heights. The lead single from blink's _Enema of the State_ album, the song artfully captures the eager appetite of youth. ## Blur, 'Song 2' (1997) Blur's 'Song 2' was recorded as a joke but became a hit after the label agreed to release it. > ‘Woo-hoo!’ Blur were one of the top Brit-pop bands of the ‘90s, but livened things up considerably with their hard-driving stadium anthem 'Song 2,' which was featured on their self-titled 1997 album. ## The Breeders, 'Breeders' (1992) The Breeders' song became a classic with its distinctive sound and lyrics. > The Breeders were known for their distinctive sound and lyrics. ## Bush, 'Scream' (1992) Bush's 'Scream' became a hit after the band's early success. > Bush's 'Scream' became a hit after the band's early success. ## R.E.M., 'Losing My Religion' (1991) R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion' became a college rock hit after being released in 1991. > ‘That's me in the corner / That's me in the spotlight.’ No one could have guessed that R.E.M.'s introductory _Out of Time_ single in 1991 would have made the college rock titans a household name going forward. ## Radiohead, 'Creep' (1992) Radiohead's 'Creep' became a grunge era anthem exposing self-loathing and insecurity. > While Radiohead would later become critical favorites with headier fare, the song that put them on the map was 'Creep,' a grunge era anthem exposing the self-loathing and insecurity of a male feeling unworthy of a love that he’s pursuing, but coming to terms with one’s self. ## Rage Against the Machine, 'Killing in the Name' (1992) Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the Name' became a protest anthem against police brutality and racism. > Rage Against the Machine's debut self-titled album is full of incredible songs of protest, from the opening lines of 'Bombtrack' to the closing chaos of 'Freedom.' No song on the album, and truly, in Rage’s career, quite captures the intensity and energy of the band _and_ the significance of their activism as 'Killing in the Name.' ## Rancid, 'Time Bomb' (1995) Rancid's 'Time Bomb' became their highest charting song with a mix of ska, punk, and reggae. > Rancid made the biggest radio impression of their career with the music from their third album, _And Out Come the Wolves_, which featured the incredibly catchy sounds of 'Time Bomb.' ## Red Hot Chili Peppers, 'Under the Bridge' (1992) Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Under the Bridge' became a hit after Anthony Kiedis struggled with drug addiction. > This was perhaps Anthony Kiedis at his most vulnerable, penning a poem about the loneliness he felt while struggling to get clean from drug addiction. ## Screaming Trees, 'Nearly Lost You' (1992) Screaming Trees' 'Nearly Lost You' became a psychedelic rock hit after a LSD experience. > Screaming Trees were from Ellensburg, Washington, which was a bit outside of the Seattle area, but they were still often lumped in with the rest of the rock bands from the Pacific Northwest that were becoming really successful in the early ‘90s. ## Smash Mouth, 'All Star' (1999) Smash Mouth's 'All Star' became a hit after being used in films and TV shows. > If ever there was a song that was an 'all-star,' it’s this one. Smash Mouth’s 'All Star' has seemingly been everywhere, first attached to the film _Mystery Men_ (with some of the stars appearing in the video), but garnering additional love from _Shrek, Inspector Gadget, Digimon: The Movie_ and _Rat Race_. ## Key takeaway AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' (1990), Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' (1998), and other grunge/post-punk hits defined the decade.