25 Essential Rock + Metal ’90s Albums to Pass On to Your Children

What rock and metal albums from the ’90s would you pass down to your children?

In the ’90s, I was wrapping up my college years and spending a majority of my 20s. The music of this decade really left a lasting impact on me – one that I would hope the next generation of kids embraces and looks fondly upon and gets passed down from generation to generation.

For this exercise, we’re limiting it to 25 entries, which once again leads to some hard cuts. The ’90s were a period in which alternative rock really had its time in the spotlight, and some of alt-rock’s biggest albums get their due here. From the Nirvana-led grunge era through the Korn-pioneered nu-metal, alternative music led the way in the ’90s.

While metal was less at the forefront during the era, there were also bands such as Pantera, Death, Type O Negative, Megadeth and more that continued to innovate and move heavy music in new directions.

READ MORE: The Most Shocking Rock + Metal Moments of the ’90s

Admittedly, personal tastes factored into these picks, as did a desire to pass on a broad swath of ’90s rock and metal to provide a diverse sampling of music. I invite you to try this exercise as well, picking out ONLY 25 rock and metal albums from the ’90s that you would pass on. There will surely be some standout albums that don’t make the cut, but should make for some interesting discussion.

What albums would you pass down to your children? Weigh in with your picks in the comments.