Last Updated on April 21, 2026 by Black Sunshine Media
Comparatively speaking, we’re going to breeze through this period. There’s a revolution of sorts on the horizon. At this point, recording artists are either making records that sell, or they aren’t making records.
There will be fewer suggested alternatives simply because the unofficial 1001 AYMHBYD list contains most of the must-hear records. You could almost skip both 1989 and 1990 and not miss much. Almost.
1001 Albums Rating Key:
- Strikethrough indicates what you probably think it does
- Green indicates highly recommended listening
- Underlined indicates questionable but ultimately acceptable record
- Blue bold italic indicates ABSOLUTELY MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE
- Also, anything in Red generally indicates hazardous material
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Albums You Must Hear Before You Die…Or Not (1989)
Note: Suggested alternatives are from the same year as the contested entry unless otherwise indicated
808 State – 808:90 (1989)
Manchester acid house music is a perfect example of why I have never taken the drugs ecstasy or MDMA. If people want to hear this music when they are “rolling,” count me out. You don’t need to hear 808 State, either, because more acid house will come your way. And you already heard Saturday Night Fever.
Aerosmith – Pump (1989)
To everybody’s surprise, Aerosmith got off drugs, and they sound better. I’m always partial to messy, fucked-up cocaine records, but it’s nice when a classic rock dinosaur from the 70s not only avoids extinction, but makes an exceedingly respectable rock n’ roll record, and certainly, an album this jaded suburban grinch didn’t see coming.
Pump contains a trio of classic jams in “Love in an Elevator”, “Janie’s Got a Gun”, and “The Other Side”. The rest of the LP is pretty tight, too.
In contrast, the Rolling Stones released their dinosaur comeback album, Steel Wheels (1989), around the same time, which was good, but not great. Pump’s kind of mainstream hard rock was nearly uncontested.
Half-Hearted Kinda-Sorta Suggested Alternative: Motley Crue – Dr. Feelgood
Motley Crue’s bread n’ butter is the pop metal toe-tapper. “Kickstart My Heart” is the best straight-ahead “Train Kept a-Rollin’” hard rock jam of the year. It may be coincidental, but Dr. Feelgood is also an allegedly “sober” album.
Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck – Djam Leelii (1989)
A bewitchingly spare and magical record from the two most prominent figures on the Senegal music scene.
Barry Adamson – Moss Side Story (1989)
The quintessential movie soundtrack without a movie, and a routine instrumental music listening experience. Reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti and director David Lynch. Adamson is a former member of Magazine and the Buzzcocks. Moss Side Story contains his signature jam, “The Man With the Golden Arm”.
It’s a double album, clocking in around 55 minutes, give or take a few ticks. That’s an hour of your life you’re never gonna get back. It’s a good housecleaning record. Put it on. Go do something else.
Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique (1989)
One of the most entertaining records ever made, regardless of genre. The Beastie Boys never once stopped being funny and sincere.
Bonnie Raitt – Nick Of Time (1989)
May the rock n’ roll guitar gods forgive me for what I’m about to say, but I’ll take Britney Spears and cheerleader synthpop over Bonnie Raitt and bluesy country soccer mom choogle any day of the week. And don’t give me any nonsense about slide guitar being a difficult technique to master. Rubbish. It’s almost easier than opening a door.
Suggested Alternative: Fanny – Fanny (1970)
Fanny was one of the first American all-female hard rock bands active in the early 1970s, and the first to release an album on a major label (in 1970). They scored two top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and released five albums.
Their version of “Ain’t That Peculiar” crushes Bonnie Raitt like a ginger grape.
In 1969, Filipino-American sisters June (guitar, vocals) and Jean (bass, vocals) Millington formed a series of all-female bands with Alice de Buhr (drums) in Sacramento, CA, before moving to Los Angeles as Wild Honey, playing mostly Motown covers. Discouraged by the male-dominated rock scene, Wild Honey disbanded in 1969, but not before impressing producer Richard Perry, who had been looking for an all-female rock band to mentor.
Perry arranged for Warner Bros. to sign the band, still known as Wild Honey, to Reprise Records. Before recording their first album, the band changed their name to Fanny and recruited keyboardist Nickey Barclay, who was also a member of Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour band.
Perry produced the band’s first three albums: Fanny (1970), Charity Ball (1971), and Fanny Hill (1972). The title track “Charity Ball” from the second album reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The members of the band also worked as session musicians, most notably on Barbra Streisand’s 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand.
Here they are on Sonny & Cher.
Their fourth album, Mother’s Pride (1973), was produced by Todd Rundgren, and the band toured worldwide, opening for Slade, Jethro Tull, and Humble Pie, finding their peak of popularity in the United Kingdom.
After Mother’s Pride, June Millington and Alice de Buhr left the band. Patti Quatro (sister of Suzi Quatro) joined on guitar, and Brie Brandt (who had played with the Millingtons in their early band The Svelts) returned on drums. This lineup signed with Casablanca Records and released the final Fanny album, Rock and Roll Survivors, in 1974. Brandt was briefly replaced by Cam Davis. The band broke up as “Butter Boy” became their biggest single, reaching #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1975.
In a 1999 interview with Rolling Stone, David Bowie said:
The debut album is my favorite, but Fanny Hill and Mother’s Pride are just as listenable.
Coldcut – What’s That Noise? (1989)
Is it the sound of a drum machine, a sampler, and Lisa Stansfield? You kids have 60 seconds to get your stupid electronic equipment off my property.
De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)
Comparing hip-hop groups to rock bands, Public Enemy is the Clash, and De La Soul is the Cars. Both bands were crucial to the development of the genre, and pretty much the best at what they did. Meanwhile, 3 Feet has been called by at least one reputed source “the Sgt. Pepper of hip-hop,” but I think that’s going a little overboard.
Faith No More – The Real Thing (1989)
Mike Patton is one of the most talented rock vocalists, and certainly, the most interesting and unique in rock since Robert Smith. I’m also a big fan of Patton’s work in Mr. Bungle and Tomahawk. He steals a big part of the show here, especially on “Zombie Eaters” and the cover of Sabbath’s “War Pigs”. Ignore any comparisons to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
If The Real Thing contained 11 versions of “Epic”, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. However, the quasi-new-metal of “Surprise! You’re Dead!” predates Linkin Park by a decade. It’s a future-forward album. And it warms my heart to know that Anthony Kiedis hates Mike Patton. It makes me like Patton even more.
fIREHOSE – fROMOHIO (1989)
For struggling young musicians, trying to put a band together, and more importantly, making things happen, there was no greater inspiration than Minutemen and fIREHOSE.
Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
I wouldn’t have gone near this album wearing a hazmat suit in 1989, but after hearing it through for the first time 26 years after the fact, I have to say, it’s outstanding for what it is: a slick amalgamation of dance-pop, R&B, funk, lightweight industrial, quiet storm, and adult contemporary styles derived from synthesizers, drums, tape loops, and sampled guitars; also regarded as new jack swing. No wonder it sold 10 million copies. Adolescent females went bananas over this kind of radioactive waste.
Ordinarily, I would dismiss a record like Rhythm Nation based on its concept, which Jackson said “contained my views about what was going on in the world and the problems we have trying to educate kids. The idea was to give them some hope.”
The hubris, false philanthropy, and audacity of the entire Jackson family continue to amaze me. Don’t think for one minute that there’s any moral high ground for this artist. The only thing Janet Jackson and her record company cared about was moving units at Kmart; and on the world tour, putting butts in the seats and selling T-shirts. Simple as that. She saw the “State of the World” from the comfort of a private jet.
On the other hand, the two best jams on the record are the bulky funk-pop workout “Miss You Much” and the surprisingly solid hard rock jam “Black Cat”; neither of which makes any substantial social statement.
John Lee Hooker – The Healer (1989)
It’s outrageous that 1001 Albums has rifled through 35 years of popular music, and we haven’t heard any John Lee Hooker. To be fair, we have heard John Lee Hooker, in a way. His songs have been covered by must-hear artists such as Cream, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, and the Doors. The blues rock genre is built on the backs of Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Willie Dixon, etc.
Including compilations, JLH has at least 100 albums spanning his career: the Detroit Years (1948-1955), the Chicago Years (1955-1964), the Folk Years (1959-1963), the ABC Years (1965-1974), and the Rosebud Years (1975-2001).
Unfortunately, The Healer comes very late in Hooker’s career and features collaborations with Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Musselwhite, Los Lobos, and Carlos Santana, among others. Fortunately, it peaked at #62 on the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy award, raking in enough cash to allow Hooker to live out the end of his life in comfort.
The Los Lobos collaboration (“Think Twice Before You Go”) is pretty solid; the rest is not-so-great.
Suggested Alternative: John Lee Hooker – Original Folk Blues
For my listening dollar, Original Folk Blues (released in 1964 or 1967, depending on who you ask) is the Must Hear.
Jungle Brothers – Done By The Forces Of Nature (1989)
The Jungle Brothers pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop, and this record is considered one of the most influential albums in rap.
Kate Bush – Sensual World (1989)
There has to be justification—a standard of influence—to scratch an album from the list. The fact that I don’t like it isn’t a valid reason, especially when nobody asked.
Kate Bush is the baroque pop embodiment of fey, and I don’t mean funny like Tina Fey. Over-refined, exaggerated, or affected. Having or displaying an otherworldly, magical, or fairy-like aspect or quality. Having visionary power; clairvoyant. Appearing touched or crazy, as if under a spell. Vague and unclear, quite like the music on The Sensual World.
Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule (1989)
Lenny Kravitz is the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup of rock. You like it, but it’s not the first candy bar you reach for at 7-Eleven. Chocolate and peanut butter? Fair enough.
Two-thirds of Let Love Rule is shamelessly derivative—Stevie Wonder meets John Lennon—stocked with lifted riffs and poached melodies. Yet, you can’t deny Lenny’s soulful croon. He was great for a couple of records. “Sittin’ on Top of the World” is one of the best lead-off album tracks I’ve ever heard.
Madonna – Like A Prayer (1989)
I will be on the right side of history concerning Madonna and her fourth album, Like a Prayer.
Despite a super-cool duet with Prince (“Love Song”), Like a Prayer proves that most of Madonna’s best work is behind her. She’s found a formula, and she’s sticking with it. She’s the Kiss of dance music. She has maybe five songs that she will constantly recycle for the next two decades. Of course, she will go on to sell 20 million copies of Ray of Light (1999), but Like a Prayer is the red-headed stepchild of Like a Virgin (1984).
Was this one of the best-selling records of 1989? Yes. Did it have some hit singles? A bunch of ‘em.
But we’re approximately six years and four albums into Madonna’s career, and she still hasn’t had a must-hear album. And it’s funny that Robert Dimery and the 1001 list-makers waited this long to include something from her catalog. That alone should scream: “Best of collection!”
So I’m not saying Madonna isn’t a must-hear artist; she just never made a must-hear album.
Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi (1989)
Madonna Jr. with a singular fun jam, “Buffalo Stance”. The rest is nonsense.
New Order – Technique (1989)
This band made nine identical albums, Technique being their fifth consecutive serving of tepid alternative dance rock, so I would dare any casual listener to describe any remarkable difference between this and, say, Low-Life (1985).
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
Everybody’s favorite post-punk noise pop alternative indie rock band. And this is not only their most influential record. It’s the album that more or less opened the floodgates of alternative rock. When you started hearing “Here Comes Your Man” and “Monkey Gone to Heaven” on modern rock radio, you had to know big trouble was afoot.
Queen Latifah – All Hail The Queen (1989)
Women in hip-hop have been under-represented thus far, and Queen Latifah isn’t fucking around. But the whole album? Jeez…I dunno. Not me.
R.E.M. – Green (1989)
I had a buddy who loved Bruce Springsteen, and he told me a story about how he felt when The Boss released Born in the U.S.A. (1984). “The record was okay,” my buddy said, “but I wasn’t prepared for the video of ‘Dancing in the Dark’.”
Near the end of the video, Springsteen invites a young woman from the audience, played by Courteney Cox, to dance with him on stage. They share an awkward sort of “white guy swing” over the outro. For many viewers, it was one of the most cringeworthy moments in rock n’ roll history. I remember feeling embarrassed for The Boss.
My buddy, on the other hand, was devastated. He said, “It was as if, through my years of loyalty and fandom, I were personally responsible for what happened on that stage. And I never lived it down.”
That’s exactly how I felt when R.E.M. released “Stand” as the first single from Green, and I saw the video on MTV: Betrayed and crestfallen.
For anyone paying attention, R.E.M. was headed in an unpleasant direction.
Soul II Soul – Club Classics: Vol. One (1989)
Um…OK. This is some very serious British electronica meets R&B, and like Rhythm Nation, one of the early new jack swing records.
Spacemen 3 – Playing With Fire (1989)
One of the most underrated rock bands of the 1980s. Proto-shoegazing and brilliant minimalist psych-pop that gets better with each listen. Loads and loads of bands were influenced by the Spacemen. Mogwai doesn’t exist without them.
The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
An album can represent more than its music. Disintegration announced Robert Smith’s arrival as a cultural icon, and as somewhat of a triumphant and thematic return to the black and maudlin aesthetic of the early 1980s, the culmination of nearly every musical direction the Cure had ever explored.
Like R.E.M., the Cure was destined for multi-platinum records, stadium tours, and international super-stardom. Consequently, this is it for the Cure. They don’t make another must-hear record.
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1989)
The 1980s Manchester (“Madchester“) music scene mixed alternative rock, psychedelic rock, and electronic dance music. Artists associated with the scene included the Happy Mondays, the Stone Roses, the Inspiral Carpets, James, and the Charlatans.
The Haçienda nightclub was a major catalyst for the distinctive musical ethos in the city, also the home of the Smiths and Joy Division. The “baggy” scene was characterized by psychedelia and acid house-influenced guitar music, often with a “funky drummer” beat, and the scene itself was named after the loose-fitting clothing worn by the bands and fans.
And now you know.
The Young Gods – L’Eau Rouge (1989)
Post-industrial snoozing from Switzerland.
Albums You Must Hear Before You Die…Or Not (1990)
Note: Suggested alternatives are from the same year as the contested entry unless otherwise indicated.
A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990)
Good stuff, but it’s got one of the clumsiest titles I’ve ever read.
Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)
See Everything But the Girl (1988).
Deee-Lite – World Clique (1990)
I’m not fond of house music. Deee-Lite’s best-known single, “Groove Is in the Heart”, is on World Clique, and notably features funk n’ roll godfather Bootsy Collins on bass and spoken word. That’s it. The rest is rubbish.
Suggested Alternative: Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different (1974)
It’s not every day that you stumble upon the third album from one of Miles Davis’ ex-wives, so when you do find yourself nose-to-nose with an artist like Betty Davis (Mabry), you are going to sit up and take notice.
Brace yourself. You are about to hear some of the raunchiest, grungiest, nastiest funk ever made.
Depeche Mode – Violator (1990)
One of several must-hear electronic rock albums.
Digital Underground – Sex Packets (1990)
Hip-hop could be corny, too. It wasn’t all gun battles and baby mama drama.
Fugazi – Repeater (1990)
Champions of indie rock.
George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1 (1990)
This joker made Phil Collins seem edgy and dark. And who the fuck’s responsible for the sudden omnipresence of gospel choirs in throwaway pop music?
Suggested Alternative: Ween – GodWeenSatan (1990)
Ween is very much like the Grateful Dead in the sense of fan dedication. Not everybody likes Ween, but the people who do, really really like Ween.
Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches (1990)
Musically, the Mondays layered indie pop guitars on top of house, funk, and northern soul beats. In terms of style and dress, they updated the hippie look to include ridiculously oversized hats and pants. Much of their music was remixed by popular DJs, emphasizing the dance influences even further.
Culturally, the Mondays started as a strictly British phenomenon. Americans didn’t really “get it,” mainly because MDMA hadn’t reached its apogee of popularity. What we “got” was a Monday’s knock-off called Jesus Jones, who went to the top of the charts with “Right Here, Right Now.”
Pills N’ Thrills has been the most difficult record to sit through since Nick Cave and the Birthday Party. Not my cup of tea, guv’ner.
Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)
The most visceral West Coast hardcore rap album of the year.
Jane’s Addiction – Ritual De Lo Habitual (1990)
When I heard “Stop!” on my local modern rock radio station, that’s when I knew alternative rock was taking over. The Pixies’ Doolittle was the harbinger of Ritual.
LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
You should hear the title track, and that’s plenty.
Megadeth – Rust In Peace (1990)
You’d be hard pressed to find a better straight-up metal record released in 1990. Honestly, you really shouldn’t be looking for one at this point, either. Few metal bands were making must-hear albums in 1990.
Neil Young With Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory (1990)
There’s a song on Ragged Glory called “F*!#in’ Up” in which Neil Young warbles the refrain, “Why am I always fuckin’ up?”
And every time I’ve ever heard the song, it triggers an involuntary mental response that goes something like, “I don’t know, Neil. Why are you always fuckin’ up? You’ve got everything. You’re a rock star and a millionaire twenty times over. Why can’t you get your shit together? Meanwhile, a lot of good it’s doing ya, askin’ me.”
Meanwhile, as a backing band, Crazy Horse proves the adage that you’re only as strong as your weakest link, which happens to be the main guy.
Something like that. Neil Young is a genius. This record just doesn’t do it for me.
Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour (1990)
Wow. Our first red strikethrough. Even Frankie Goes to Hollywood didn’t get dissed that hard.
Pixies – Bossanova (1990)
Doolittle II, and sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes, bands should make the same records twice.
Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet (1990)
For my money, this is the best hip-hop record ever made. Ever. Fear is the London Calling of hip-hop. Twenty-five years later, it’s just as pointed, vital, and engaging. It’s also nice to know that there was a time when Flavor Flav had something cookin’ that didn’t involve a crack pipe.
Ride – Nowhere (1990)
These cats got lumped in with other shoegazing bands, but I think they’ve got a lot more noise going on here. Shades of Syd Barrett, Revolver-era Beatles, and early Who.
Sinead O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990)
She had a couple of smash hits. The lady could sing, no doubt. Is she important, though? Her public notoriety has long since eclipsed her talent. Is she the direct ancestor of Ani DiFranco and Riot Grrrl? Probably. She did fuckloads more for women in music than Whitney Houston ever did.
Sonic Youth – Goo (1990)
Probably Sonic Youth’s most mainstream and accessible record? And by that, I mean it’s still far from mainstream and accessible. Another personal favorite.
The Black Crowes – Shake Your Money Maker (1990)
Someone picked up the rock n’ roll scepter where Rod Stewart and the Faces fucked off to make disco records and sad adult contemporary infomercials.
The KLF – White Room (1990)
It’s not a party until someone gets hurt.
The KLF are those ridiculous characters who physically burned a million dollars as a P.R. stunt in 1992. They filmed it, of course. I’ve never seen it. Following a controversial and brief career, these dudes “retired” and burned what was left of their earnings as the KLF. The music is by turns house, techno, acid house, hip hop, alternative dance, ambient house, and avant-garde.
This record is directly responsible for the Great Popular Music Garbage Patch.
The La’s – The La’s (1990)
Bloody ‘ell, the La’s are doing John Cougar and Neil Diamond covers with Scouse Liverpool accents? Fuck that, mate, it’s daft.
The Shamen – En-Tact (1990)
I don’t have anything cute or clever to say about this bullshit, sorry.
Suggested Alternative: Bungee jumping, rock climbing, reading, sleeping, surfing the internet, posting dank memes to Reddit.
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5 Comments
Love it! Well
Spoken from my perspective of hearing all this shit as we a young band
Thanks
I almost laughed my face about you rant about Rhythym Nation. Is that the best you can do? Anyway Rythym Nation 1814> Like A Prayer , at least for me, because it actually talks about real issues, something Madonna can only dream of. By the way, I like Fleetwood Mac Rumors. It has aged well.
Hi Andrew. I’m pleased you were entertained by my writing. Considering the sheer number of records I had to contend with, yes, as far as Ms. Jackson If You’re Nasty and Rhythm Nation are concerned, is the best I can do. It’s the absolute most I could care about pop music. Anyway, that’s great you like her music and feel that it speaks to you on an appropriate level. Fleetwood Mac’s first LP with Buckingham & Nicks is more enjoyable to me than Rumours, the latter of which is, of course, a great album and something everyone should hear – once. Thanks again for reading.
Can you delete my second post? I accidentally posted it a second time, my bad!