Summary of Favourite 90’s bands
- What bands were popular in the 90s?
- What band tees were popular in the 90s?
- What are the big 4 of 90s metal?
- What is the absolute 90s band?
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AI Overview
Major 90s bands defined a diverse era of music, spanning grunge, Britpop, and alternative rock. Key icons included Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains (grunge), along with Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead (Britpop/alt-rock). Other major 1990s groups included The Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, and Weezer.
Iconic 90s Rock and Alternative Bands
Nirvana: Led the grunge movement with hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
Pearl Jam: Seattle grunge pioneers famous for Ten.
Soundgarden: Known for complex, heavy sound and vocals by Chris Cornell.
The Smashing Pumpkins: Blended alternative with gothic rock.
Oasis: Leaders of the Britpop movement, known for “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?”.
Radiohead: Shifted from alternative to experimental rock with OK Computer.
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funk-rock fusion that exploded in the 90s.
Green Day: Revitalized pop-punk with 1994’s Dookie.
Nine Inch Nails: Defined 90s industrial rock.
Weezer: Known for power-pop anthems and the Blue Album.
This video provides a ranking of some of the most iconic 90s rock bands:
57s
Jerry Bees
YouTube • Dec 10, 2025
Other Notable 90s Bands & Genres
Britpop: Blur, Pulp, The Verve.
Grunge/Alt-Rock: Stone Temple Pilots, Foo Fighters, Garbage, Rage Against The Machine.
Pop-Punk/Skate Punk: Blink-182, The Offspring, NOFX.
Shoegaze/Indie: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Pavement.
Nu-Metal/Metal: Korn, Tool, Pantera, Sepultura.
Hip Hop Groups: Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest.
90s Bands by Type
Grunge: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney.
Britpop: Oasis, Blur, Pulp, The Verve.
Alt-Rock/Other: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Weezer, No Doubt.
Watch this video to discover some of the 90s rock bands that deserve more appreciation:
00:59
Bryson Andrew Davis
YouTube • Jan 22, 2026
These bands, often featured on MTV and radio during the decade, shaped the musical landscape of the 1990s and continue to influence modern music.
What are your top 15 favourite bands of the 1990s? : r/musicsuggestions
* Radiohead. * Weezer. * Oasis. * my bloody valentine. * Neutral Milk Hotel. * Slowdive. * Nirvana. * The Smashing Pumpkins. * Blu…
Reddit
The 25 Greatest ‘90s Bands And Artists – Forbes
Top Bands And Artists Of The 1990s * The Red Hot Chili Peppers. * Jeff Buckley. * Alanis Morissette. * Korn. * Pearl Jam. * The Sm…
Forbes
Who are your Top 12 Favorite 90s Rock Bands? : r/Music – Reddit
* Soundgarden. * Nine Inch Nails. * The Offspring. * Alice In Chains. * Stone Temple Pilots. * Pearl Jam. * Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Reddit
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This is tricky – I liked several bands in the 90s that had actually started in the 80s, or earlier. But this was primarily my punk phase. I liked Bad Religion, Rancid, Social Distortion, Fugazi, Pennywise, NOFX (actually, quite a few bands on the Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords labels). I liked some more regional bands from California on smaller labels, like the Mr. T Experience (which was on the Bay Area Lookout Records label, which is also where Green Day got its start). I never much cared for the punk bands that found more widespread popularity, like Green Day and Blink 182.
I still liked New Order, although its output slowed down, and Depeche Mode. While I had liked the Smiths, I never could get into Morrissey’s solo career.
Finally, I really grew to enjoy the German rock/punk band die Ärzte – still do. Unfortunately, it is not as easy to get their stuff here in the U.S. iTunes only carrier their newer stuff – a shame, because their earlier stuff, with less distortion, was really good as well.