10 April 2026, 19:00
Some of the biggest albums of 1991: Screamadelica, Nevermind, Out Of Time, Electronic, Loveless and Leisure.
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We look back at 1991; the year of Out Of Time, Leisure, Nevermind, Pearl Jam and Trompe Le Monde.
Dinosaur Jr – Green Mind: release date 19th February 1991
The fourth album by the American slacker rock outfit was their first since the departure of bassist Lou Barlow, who went on to work on his Sebadoh project first time. The hit single from the LP was The Wagon.
Dinosaur Jr – Green Mind album cover.
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The Farm – Spartacus: released 4th March 1991
The debut from Liverpool’s answer to Madchester featured Groovy Train and Altogether Now.
The Farm – Spartacus album cover.
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Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine – 30 Something: released 4th March 1991
The second album from the satirical duo of Jim Bob and Fruitbat featured the hits Bloodsport For All and Anytime Anyplace Anywhere, giving them a Top 10 album.
Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine – 30 Something.
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The KLF – The White Room: released 11th March 1991
The fourth and final album by Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty’s house anarchists featured 3am Eternal and Kylie Said To Jason.
The KLF – The White Room.
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R.E.M. – Out Of Time: released 12th March 1991
The Athens, GA band’s seventh album was their biggest yet and featured Losing My Religion, Radio Song and Shiny Happy People.
R.E.M. – Out Of Time.
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Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – God Fodder: released 1st April 1991
The debut album from the young grebo band featured the indie club classics Kill Your Television and Grey Cell Green.
Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – God Fodder.
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Massive Attack – Blue Lines: released 15th April 1991
The debut album by Bristol’s trip hop pioneers included their massive hit Unfinished Sympathy featuring Shara Nelson on vocals.
The sleeve to Blue Lines, with the “Massive Attack” name restored.
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Inspiral Carpets – The Beast Inside: release date 22nd April 1991
The follow-up to the Oldham-based garage rockers’ debut album Life included the singles Please Be Cruel and Caravan.
Inspiral Carpets – The Beast Inside album cover.
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Chapterhouse – Whirlpool: release date 29th April 1991
The debut album from the Reading shoegaze band included the popular tune Pearl.
Chapterhouse – Whirlpool album cover.
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Mercury Rev – Yerself Is Steam: release date 14th May 1991
The debut album from the Buffalo, NYC psychedelic indie rockers didn’t include their early favourite Car Wash Hair, although later issues included the track as a bonus.
Mercury Rev – Yerself Is Steam album cover.
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Smashing Pumpkins – Gish: released 28th May 1991
The debut from Billy Corgan and his alt.rock heroes featured I Am One, Tristessa and Siva.
Smashing Pumpkins – Gish.
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Electronic – Electronic: released 28th May 1991
The debut album by the supergroup featuring Bernard Sumner of New Order and Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths featured Get The Message and Getting Away With It.
Electronic – Electronic.
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The Wonder Stuff – Never Loved Elvis: released 28th May 1991
Miles Hunt’s grebos from Stourbridge released their third album, which included Size Of A Cow and Welcome To The Cheap Seats.
The Wonder Stuff – Never Loved Elvis.
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Northside – Chicken Rhythms: release date 17th June 1991
The only album to be released by the Manchester band included the singles Take 5, My Rising Star and Shall We Take A Trip. The debut was produced by Lightning Seeds man Ian Broudie, but plans for a follow-up were scuppered when the band’s label Factory went into administration at the end of 1992.
Northside – Chicken Rhythms album cover.
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Blur – Leisure: released 27th August 1991
The Britpop titans’ debut album was a not-entirely-successful attempt to tap into the baggy scene, but included some top tunes: There’s No Other Way, Bang and She’s So High.
Blur – Leisure album cover.
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Pearl Jam – Ten: released 27th August 1991
The debut by Eddie Vedder’s grunge rockers featured singles Alive, Even Flow and Jeremy.
Pearl Jam – Ten album cover.
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St Etienne – Foxbase Alpha: released 16th September 1991
Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs and Sarah Cracknell released their debut album, which included their classic cover of Neil Young’s Only Love Can Break Your Heart and Nothing Can Stop Us.
St Etienne – Foxbase Alpha.
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Hole – Pretty On The Inside: released 17th September 1991
The debut album from perhaps the most famous woman of 1991 – Courtney Love and her band, Hole. The LP featured Teenage Whore.
Hole – Pretty On The Inside.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik: released 24th September 1991
The fifth album by the funk rockers was their most commercially successful to date and included Give It Away, Breaking The Girl and the huge hit Under The Bridge.
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik album artwork.
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Nirvana – Nevermind: released 24th September 1991
The grunge superstars’ second album was produced by Butch Vig and featured the classic Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, On A Plain and more. A generation-defining album!
Nirvana – Nevermind album cover.
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Pixies – Trompe Le Monde: released 23rd September 1991
The pioneering alt.rockers released their fourth and last album, which featured Planet Of Sound, Head On and Alec Eiffel. The album title is a French phrase meaning “Fool The World”.
Pixies – Trompe Le Monde album cover.
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Primal Scream – Screamadelica: released 23rd September 1991
Bobby Gillespie’s band released their career-defining third album on Creation Records, which included Movin’ On Up, Don’t Fight It Feel It and Loaded.
Paul Cannell’s art for Primal Scream’s Screamadelica album cover.
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Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger: released 8th October 1991
The third album from Chris Cornell’s Seattle rockers featured Jesus Christ Pose and Rusty Cage.
Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger.
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My Bloody Valentine – Loveless: released 4th November 1991
The landmark second album from the pioneers of shoegaze and noise rock. It would be 22 years before Kevin Shields came up with the follow up, m b v.
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless album cover.
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Teenage Fanclub – Bandwagonesque: release date 4th November 1991
The third album from the Scottish power pop revivavlists included the singles What You Do To Me, Star Sign and The Concept.
Teenage Fanclub – Bandwagonesque album cover.
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