Top 20 Best 90s Rock Bands Of All Time

We list some of the best 90s rock bands of all time. Grunge, dubbed “the Seattle Sound” by some because of its origins, was a sub genre of rock music that came into light during the early nineties. Also, with the return of the punks in the mid-90s came a resurgence of their slightly more commercial rivals, new wave bands. However, the 90s proved to be the decade where grunge broke out into the mainstream, particularly in the year 1991, where several grunge bands released albums that were definitely great and some being iconic. Examples are Soundgarden with Badmotorfinger and Pearl Jam with their debut album Ten.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an iconic American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The band’s original lineup consisted of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak, and drummer Jack Irons. Known for their unique fusion of funk, punk, and alternative rock, they quickly gained popularity with their energetic live performances and infectious music.

The band’s most popular songs include “Californication” and “Under the Bridge.” “Californication,” released in 1999, became an instant hit with its catchy melodies and introspective lyrics, exploring themes of fame, consumerism, and the impact of Hollywood culture on society. Meanwhile, “Under the Bridge,” from their 1991 album “Blood Sugar Sex Magik,” is an emotionally charged ballad inspired by lead singer Anthony Kiedis’ feelings of loneliness and isolation in Los Angeles.

Over the years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have garnered numerous accolades, sold millions of albums worldwide, and have become one of the best-selling bands of all time. Their enduring musical legacy continues to inspire and influence generations of rock enthusiasts.

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2. Guns N’ Roses

Guns N’ Roses is a legendary rock band that emerged in Los Angeles, California, during the mid-1980s. Led by the charismatic and enigmatic frontman Axl Rose, the band’s lineup also featured the virtuoso guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler.

The band burst into the music scene with their debut album “Appetite for Destruction” in 1987, which showcased their explosive blend of hard rock and gritty punk influences. The album’s smash hits, including “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” catapulted Guns N’ Roses to global stardom, earning them the title of the world’s most dangerous band.

In 1991, the band released their groundbreaking double album “Use Your Illusion I and II.” The emotional ballad “November Rain” from “Use Your Illusion I” became an instant classic, featuring an epic guitar solo by Slash and Axl Rose’s soulful vocals.

Guns N’ Roses’ music resonated with millions, drawing fans to their electrifying live performances. Despite lineup changes and internal conflicts, the band’s influence on rock music remains unparalleled. With their raw energy, rebellious spirit, and timeless hits, Guns N’ Roses cemented their place as one of the greatest rock bands in history.

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3. Nirvana

Nirvana was an iconic American rock band formed in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington. The band consisted of Kurt Cobain (vocals/guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and various drummers, with Dave Grohl being the most notable. With their unique blend of grunge, punk, and alternative rock, Nirvana rose to prominence during the early 1990s and became one of the pioneering bands of the Seattle music scene.

Led by the enigmatic frontman Kurt Cobain, Nirvana’s raw and emotionally charged music struck a chord with a generation. Their breakthrough album, “Nevermind” (1991), featured the chart-topping hits like “Something In The Way” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which catapulted them to worldwide fame. The latter song became an anthem for the disillusioned youth of the time and remains an iconic symbol of ’90s rock.

Other popular songs by Nirvana include “Come As You Are,” known for its catchy riff and introspective lyrics, and “Lithium,” which showcased Cobain’s ability to infuse vulnerability and intensity in his songwriting. The haunting acoustic track “About a Girl” and the explosive “In Bloom” also contributed to the band’s widespread acclaim.

Tragically, Kurt Cobain’s struggles with fame and personal demons led to his untimely death in 1994, marking the end of Nirvana. Despite their brief existence, the band’s impact on the music industry and cultural landscape remains profound, making Nirvana an enduring symbol of the grunge era and a pivotal influence on subsequent generations of rock musicians.

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4. Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is a hard rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Fronted by lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi, the group originally achieved large-scale success in the 80s. Over the past 25 years, the band has sold over 120 million albums worldwide, 34 million of those sales being in the U.S. alone, making them one of the most successful modern groups of all time. They are famous for tracks such as ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, ‘Always’, ‘You Give Love A Bad Name‘ and ‘It’s My Life’. In 2018 the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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5. Green Day

Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt. For much of the band’s career, they have been a trio with drummer Tré Cool, who replaced John Kiffmeyer in 1990 prior to the recording of the band’s second studio album, Kerplunk (1991). Now considered one of the best-selling independent albums of all time, Kerplunk has sold almost 2 million copies internationally. Green Day’s success was built by forging a unique musical path on their own terms. The landmark album Dookie was released in 1994, as record Fuse Magazine called “the most important pop-punk album of all time.” With the massive popularity of singles like “Longview”, “Basket Case”, and “When I Come Around,” the album sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S., making Green Day became a bona fide musical phenomenon. The group has been nominated for 20 Grammy awards and has won five of them. The band was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015

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6. Radiohead

Radiohead are an English alternative rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitars, piano), Jonny Greenwood (guitars, keyboards, other instruments), Ed O’Brien (guitars, backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass, synthesisers) and Phil Selway (drums, percussion). Radiohead released their first single, “Creep”, in 1992. The song was initially unsuccessful, but it became a worldwide hit several months after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993).Radiohead’s third album, OK Computer (1997), propelled them to greater international fame. Featuring an expansive sound and themes of modern alienation, OK Computer has often been acclaimed as a landmark record of the 1990s. Rolling Stone named Radiohead one of the 100 greatest artists of all time. In 2019, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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7. Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an American rock group famous for being one of America’s greatest rock and roll bands. The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970, and consists of Steven Tyler on vocals and keyboard, guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer and guitarist Brad Whitford. Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop rock, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists. Aerosmith have achieved twenty-one Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, and have also won four Grammy Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

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8. Blink-182

One of the most iconic punk rock bands of all time, Blink-182 helped shape the face of rock music during the 90s. The band was formed in August 1992 and originally consisted of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Scott Raynor. Raynor was replaced by Travis Barker in 1998 due to some issues with alcohol on Scott’s part. Their third studio album Enema of the State (1999) was an enormous success on the strength of hit singles “What’s My Age Again?”, “Adam’s Song” and “All the Small Things”, which enjoyed massive airplay and became MTV staples. The follow-up album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) reached number one in the United States, Canada, and Germany. The eponymously titled Blink-182 followed in 2003 and marked a stylistic shift for the group, infusing experimental elements into the group’s usual pop punk formula, resulting in a more mature sound. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.

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9. U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2’s early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. U2 are among the all-time best-selling music artists, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

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10. Oasis

Oasis were an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher (vocals and tambourine), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass guitar) and Tony McCarroll (drums, percussion), who were soon joined by Liam’s older brother Noel Gallagher (lead guitar and vocals). Their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? was released in 1995, which was an international success, and became one of the best selling albums of all time. In 1997, Oasis released their third album, Be Here Now, becoming the fastest selling album in UK chart history. They are among the most successful acts on the UK Singles Chart and Albums Chart, with eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums.

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11. Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1994. The band started as a one-man project for former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, following the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain. The group took its name from “Foo fighter”, a nickname coined by Allied aircraft pilots for UFOs and other aerial phenomena. Taylor Hawkins, on drums and backing vocals, joined the band in 1997. Nate Mendel, the bass guitarist, has also been with the Foo Fighters from the beginning. Chris Shiflett, handling lead guitar and backing vocals, became a member in 1999, bringing his own distinctive style to the band. Completing the lineup is Pat Smear, who was a founding member but briefly departed in 1997, only to return in 2011 as the rhythm guitarist. Over the course of their career, Foo Fighters have released multiple chart-topping songs. This has made them win 12 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album four times. The band has also won an American Music Award, four Brit Awards, and two MTV Video Music Awards.

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12. The Offspring

The Offspring is a punk rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, United States in 1984. Since its formation, the band’s line-up had included Dexter Holland (lead vocals, guitar), Noodles (lead and rhythm guitars, back vocals), Greg K. (bass, back vocals), and Ron Welty (drums, percussion), who left in 2003. The Offspring is credited—alongside fellow California skate punk, ska punk, and pop punk bands Bad Religion, NOFX, Sublime, Green Day, and Rancid—for popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States in the 1990s. They have sold over 40 million records worldwide.

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13. R.E.M.

R.E.M. is arguably the most influential rock band of the 80s and 90s. The American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist/backing vocalist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck’s ringing, arpeggiated guitar style, Stipe’s distinctive vocal quality and obscure lyrics, Mills’s melodic basslines and backing vocals, and Berry’s tight, economical style of drumming. The band broke up amicably in 2011 with members devoting time to solo projects after having sold more than 85 million albums worldwide and becoming one of the world’s best-selling music acts.

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14. The Cranberries

The Cranberries is an Irish rock band that rocketed to fame with hit songs such as “Linger” (1993), “Zombie” (1994) and “Free to Decide” (1996). Brothers Mike and Noel Hogan, O’Riordan and Lawler—all friends from Limerick—formed the band in 1990 and signed with Island Records one year later. Their debut release, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993) went platinum. Five of the band’s albums reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart and eight of their singles reached the Top 20 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Be that as it may, lead vocalist Dolores O’Riordan struggled with depression and the pressure of her own success, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2015. Later on, O’Riordan died from drowning due to alcohol intoxication in January 2018. She was one of the most recognizable voices in rock in the 1990s, and was known for her lilting mezzo-soprano voice, signature yodel, emphasized use of keening, and strong Limerick accent.

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15. Weezer

Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1992, currently consisting of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Scott Shriner (bass, backing vocals). The line-up has changed three times since its formation in 1992. The band specialized in catchy melodies, heavy guitars, and geekery, these alt-rock icons of the ’90s maintained a devoted cult for decades. Weezer has sold 10.2 million albums in the US and over 35 million worldwide.

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16. Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls were formed in Buffalo, NY, in 1985 by guitarist/vocalist Johnny Rzeznik, bassist Robby Takac, and drummer George Tutuska, initially under the name the Sex Maggots. Originally a cover band with a taste for power pop and classic rock & roll, the group soon began writing its own songs. Although renowned for their commercially successful 1998 single “Iris”, they have had several other notable and popular singles including “Name” and “Naked” from 1995’s A Boy Named Goo, “Slide”, “Black Balloon”, “Dizzy”, and “Broadway” from 1998’s Dizzy Up the Girl, “Here Is Gone” from 2002’s Gutterflower, “Better Days”, “Give a Little Bit”, and “Stay with You”. The band has had 19 top ten singles on various charts, has sold over 15 million records worldwide, and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.

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17. Pearl Jam

One of several Seattle-based grunge bands, Pearl Jam found a following during the 1990s. The group’s first album, Ten (1991), established the band with songs such as “ Alive” and “Jeremy”, which MTV named the Video of the Year. Vs (1993), the band’s second album, entered the charts at No. 1. Pearl Jam outsold many of its contemporary alternative rock bands from the early 1990s, and is considered one of the most influential bands of the decade. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic referred to Pearl Jam as “the most popular American rock & roll band of the ’90s”. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017, in its first year of eligibility.

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18. The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins are an alternative rock band, formed in Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1988. Billy Corgan and James Iha met in a record store, and began performing in local nightclubs with their bassist, D’arcy Wretzky, using a drum machine. Playing with a drum machine frustrated both the band and their audience, and so Chicago jazz drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was hired soon afterwards. The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album, 1993’s Siamese Dream. The group built its audience with extensive touring and their 1995 follow-up, the double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, the Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s. However, internal fighting, drug use, and diminishing record sales led to a 2000 break-up.

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19. Counting Crows

Counting Crows is an American rock band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1991. The band gained popularity following the release of its debut album, August and Everything After (1993), which featured the hit single “Mr. Jones.” They have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for their song “Accidentally in Love,” which was included in the film Shrek 2. Counting Crows, with their intimate and confessional yet smooth, often catchy musical approach, achieved a large fan base among melodic rock fans over the years. Their 90s acclaim reflected that a significant music scene looked for something different from the raging guitars of the Seattle-based grunge movement as well as from either boilerplate pop music or the budding electronic music subgenres. The group kept on releasing new songs into the new millennium.

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20. Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine (RATM/Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk. Outspoken firebrands and activists Rage Against the Machine educated masses of heavy music fans by injecting their bombastic Molotov cocktail of rap, hardcore punk, funk, and metal with a sobering dose of fiercely polemical, politically charged urgency.

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Honorable mentions

You may also like:

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers

2. Guns N’ Roses

3. Nirvana

4. Bon Jovi

5. Green Day

6. Radiohead

7. Aerosmith

8. Blink-182

9. U2

10. Oasis

11. Foo Fighters

12. The Offspring

13. R.E.M.

14. The Cranberries

15. Weezer

16. Goo Goo Dolls

17. Pearl Jam

18. The Smashing Pumpkins

19. Counting Crows

20. Rage Against the Machine

Honorable mentions

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