For this week’s 12-Inch Poll, we’re traveling back in time 30 years and asking: What’s the greatest rock album from 1993?
The question has been swimming around in my mind since last week, when I wrote about this underrated ’90s album turning 30. Part of the reason Quicksand‘s Slip is underrated is because there was such a strong class of ’93 when it came to rock and alternative album releases. It ended up getting lost in the shuffle for a lot of music fans, so to speak.
I dug into those rock and alternative releases from 1993 and my first takeaway was how those genres had really begun to diversify that year. Two years after the grunge explosion out of Seattle in 1993, you had Nirvana and Pearl Jam releasing follow-up albums to their respective breakthroughs. But you also had a lot of acts that really stretched the definition of rock.
Maybe the better way to phrase it is you had a lot of acts that showcased different facets of rock. Liz Phair was doing her lo-fi indie rock thing in Chicago. Across the pond, PJ Harvey was doing something similar, but completely different. And artists like Cheryl Crow and Counting Crows were putting a pop angle on rock in a way that made sense for them to live right next to Nirvana and Pearl Jam on rock radio and on MTV.
What’s the Greatest Rock Album from 1993?
All of that to say, we’re taking an all-inclusive approach to defining “rock” in this week’s Poll. Below, you’ll find 15 albums that turn 30 this year. It’s up to you to choose your favorite and cast your vote. And, as always, if I left your favorite off the list, you can let me know on the ROCK 92.9 Facebook page or via Twitter. 1993 was 30 years ago. How is that even possible?
