To someone in high school or college, 1993 was the best year in music. Taking a look back now, 30 years later many other would agree too. Between the continued presence of grundge music to hip-hop classics and the resurgence of singer-songwriters 1993 had it all.
For fans of rock there was Nirvana's final studio album "In Utero" was released. Then there was Smashing Pumpkins sophomore album "Siamese Dream". Primus had some success on MTV with videos from their "Pork Soda" (Primus sucks). MTV viewers were also taken aback by the stop-motion video from Tool's "Undertow" album. People getting their hands on "Vs." from Pearl Jam were confused at first because the artwork did not include the title. Then there was Radiohead's debut, "Pablo Honey"
Some legacy acts continue to push out great music like Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales", "Janet" by Janet Jackson, and Meatloaf's return to work with Jim Steinman with "Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell". U2 surprised their fans with the release of "Zooropa" in 93 as well.
Hip-Hop was a forced to be reckoned with in 1993. Cypress Hill's "Black Sunday" was a huge hit along with "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" from the Wu-Tang Clan. It was also the year we heard Snoop Doggy Dogg's (his name at the time) from his debut "Doggystyle". Guru broke free of Gang Starr with "Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol. 1", his blend of hip-hop and jazz. That merging of sounds also appeared on "Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)" from Digable Planets and "Midnight Marauders" from A Tribe Called Quest.
Female singer-songwriters we coming out of all-in-one stereos too. Bjork's "Debut", "Rid of Me" from PJ Harvey, Liz Phair's "Exile In Guyville" we all the rage. And you couldn't get away from the catchy tunes from The Breeders "Last Splash" or the writing and singing of Dolores O'Riordan on "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" from The Cranberries.
And we're just scratching the surface of 1993 with these albums we're obviously missing more greats. We've provided a playlist for you to explore some of the best this great year had no matter where you were in 1993.
