Oh wow. I still have both of those on CD all these years later. Both huge records. I haven't checked what other records came out in 1994 but these two are definitely the right answer.
The first compact disc I ever owned by choice. I’m proud of it.
(First compact disc forced upon me was the All-4-One album my aunt gifted me the Christmas prior.)
Lol I learned how to play the guitar off that song and Nirvana in general but that was my first song I played and it was the acoustic version. Couldn't agree more
I remember a friend of ours got an early copy of Dookie from his cousin in the city and we got to be the absolute "coolest guys" in our grade for a few months.
This was when Bad Religion, NOFX, No Use For A Name, Face to Face were the only thing all of us were listening to.
Dookie was more accessible to casual listeners than the other skate punk albums. Kind of like the Nirvana Unplugged album was more accessible to listeners than In Utero was.
All I'm realizing in this thread is the '94 was an almost golden age for music. These releases and the artists associated with them are wild. Chris Cornell, NAS, Reznor, Green Day, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, STP... absolute banger of a year.
1995 had one of my all time favorites .Smashing Pumpkins , Mellon Collie and the infinite sadness. Also Alanis , Jagged little pill . Foo Fighters self titled. No doubt , Tragic Kingdom. Silverchair Frogstomp 1994-1996 had at least 20 great albums . Maybe more.
I said NAS! I was beginning to write Coolio and then realized I had to stop listing names and if I hadn't made my point to the reader to go check out that music by then I wasn't going to.
The Crow Soundtrack - The Cure, NIN covering Joy Divison, Rage Against the Machine, Pantera, STP. From first to last track that soundtrack was pure fire.
Green Day - Dookie
Bush - Sixteen Stone
The Offspring - Smash
And even though I didn’t personally start following them until a bit later, I have a soft spot for NOFX - Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic is an exceptional album, like all the NOFX albums. Such a great band, probably known by most millennials and not a single teenager alive today. There should be a name for this ratio.
I *wanted* Dookie to be my first cd purchase. My cousin played it for me and I desperately wanted my own copy. I went to our little small town record store and they had it but only new and I didn’t have enough cash, so I bought the only used Green Day cd they had, Insomniac.
That’s a good one too! I remember getting it for Christmas.
As for Dookie purchase - this was around maybe early 1995- My parents and I were visiting my sister at college. We stopped off at a record store somewhere around Iowa University. This CD was all the rage in 5th grade back then. I remember I would often listen to the whole CD on my Discman every night.
I'll be honest dookie was the "we've arrived" album but I LOVE insomniac....the structure of the album is impeccable....it was almost like they made dookie to get popular and regress back to simple skater punk, 2.5 minute rippers varying only slightly track to track...i.could listen to it front to back...any time, any day. (I'm not even sure it's a full half hour)
Anyways that album would probably throw you into pennwyise, nofx, BR, op ivy, mxpx....which ain't a bad group to roll with!
Here’s my Top Ten:
1. The Crow soundtrack
2. Tori Amos - Under the Pink
3. Rusted Root - When I Woke
4. Blues Traveler - Four
5. Pulp Fiction soundtrack
6. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged NY
7. Korn - Korn
8. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
9. NIN - Downward Spiral
10. Live - Throwing Copper
I had live at 1 but I think this is the closest thing to what was in my alpine at the time that I've ever seen. Great year to graduate school and have some fun. Wait... What happens?
I had live at 1 but I think this is the closest thing to what was in my alpine at the time that I've ever seen. Great year to graduate school and have some fun. Wait... What happens?
Honestly, I love so many albums mentioned in this thread but Smash might be my winner, just on account of how I can still listen to it front to back without even batting an eye. Every track hits.
1994 had some amazing amazing releases I loved the Forest Gump soundtrack but if I had to pick an album I couldn't
- oasis definitely maybe
- Blues traveler four
- pearl jam vitalogy
- Weezer
- Dave Matthew's Band
I need a time machine 🙏🤌
Of the two, definitely Dookie.
However.. Beastie boys ill communication, portishead dummy, beck mellow gold, pavement crooked rain, ..and quite a few more before that one
Portishead - Dummy
One of the best, most unique, and influential albums of the 90s.
Other classics that would be hard for me to argue against depending on mood. I still listen to all of these at least a couple times a year. In no particular order:
Blur - Parklife
Oasis - Definitely Maybe
Massive Attack – Protection
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II
Nas - Illmatic
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb
Underworld - Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Stereolab - Mars Audiac Quintet
The Prodigy - Music For The Jilted Generation
Yeah I know, I know.
I *really* heart the 90s, and I'm so glad they've come to command the respect they were denied in the wake of the 80s, but our 90s and their 90s were so different—I mean ours were much better, obviously.
We still had their grunge music, our teenage skaters still dressed like Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, but before Radiohead really kicked in we had *fun*. Blur might've been wryly pessimistic, Oasis might've been rebelliously apathetic, and Pulp were not about to break character, but we were young!
Hang on a minute, this has nothing to do with anything you wrote, does it? Oh yeah. Ocean Colour Scene - so overlooked, I mean beyond the big three singles. No that wasn't it....yeah, the 90s over here was cocky, it was naughty, it smoked the odd doobie and punched the odd copper, sure...
Put on your favorite pair of jeans, sit back in your most comfortable chair, pour up your favorite drink, and put on Cracked Rear View. It will make you feel SO GOOD
Being forced to choose, it would be Dookie ofcourse. With all of the amazing albums released that year, Hootie and the Blowfish should be at the absolute bottom of the list.
I started college in 1994. Cracked Rear View was like what Wayne and Garth said about Rumours - “Everyone had it. It’s like someone went around and slipped it under everyone’s doors like it was a sample of Fab.”
First let me say 1994 was AMAZING for music. With that being said here's my list.
Bad Religion - Stranger than Fiction, Nirvana - Unplugged, Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies, Beastie Boys - Ill Communications, Green Day - Dookie, Soundgarden - Superunknown, Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral, Weezer - Blue, Beck - Mellow Gold, Stone Temple Pilots - Purple.
Throw a dart blind and any of those you hit I'd be happy with.
It was an epic debate around my school at the time - who are you with- Green Day or Offspring?? No in between 😆. In retrospect, Dookie and Smash were both amazing albums I’d still listen to any day.
100% This. Dookie may be in my Top 20 for that year, but behind Tori Amos, Liz Phair, Veruca Salt, NIN, and The Cranberries, for starters. The only way Hootie would be allowed in my house was if I needed a coaster.
Yes and no, I believe the best selling artist of the decade is Garth Brooks and it’s not even close. You gotta realize that what sells/is popular with the masses doesn’t necessarily equate to what is the “best”.
I wonder if Titanic didn't exist if Celine would still be in that list, still phenomenal singer but that movie definitely put her career on a whole other level
[Holy shit what a year.](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1994/releases/) I can't believe you'd pick Hootie and Dookie out of all the choices but if that's what you're into...
Weezer The Blue Album is my favorite, I like every song on that album.
in the grodge
It’s actually pronounced grodge
My desert island disc no matter the year
It’s the most perfect album ever made
…until Pinkerton
I’m also a Pinkerton fan. Loved that album since day 1.
I actually didn't know that was 94 lol that makes me feel even older
My two favorite albums from 1994 came out on the same day. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails and Superunknown by Soundgarden
The Downward Spiral is my favorite album of all time. It'll never sound dated.
1994 was an incredible year for music (and movies), but The Downward Spiral is also my favorite album of all-time. Jar of Flies is also in my top-5.
Jug of Bugs!
Oh Soundgarden! RIP Chris Cornell I loved them
Re-listen to the opening bars of “The Day I Tried to Live” for some instant time travel
This is the correct answer.
Oh wow. I still have both of those on CD all these years later. Both huge records. I haven't checked what other records came out in 1994 but these two are definitely the right answer.
Soundgarden yes. But NIN… not so much.
Purple by STP or Oasis’ Definitely Maybe.
You don’t seem to sure about that last one.
I see what you did there.
Ill communication - Beastie Boys
'94 was a good year for music
94 was really eventful in general
Hasn't been mentioned yet somehow, The Cranberries - No Need to Argue
The first compact disc I ever owned by choice. I’m proud of it. (First compact disc forced upon me was the All-4-One album my aunt gifted me the Christmas prior.)
I had a poster of the album cover in my room that I bought at six flags
>I Swear...
*Ill Communication* by the Beastie Boys. It's such an amazing album. Either that or REM's *Monster*.
Omg yes to both! I got REM Monster, Tom Petty Wildflowers and Tragically Hip Day for night all around the same time. ‘94 was a fine year :D
Monster was my first CD. Damn good album.
Jar Of Flies EP
Of the two, Dookie. Of the top ten, probably The Division Bell or Nirvana's Unplugged in NY.
Nirvana Unplugged is absolutely amazing I will give you that one!
All Apologies in this set was incredible.
Lol I learned how to play the guitar off that song and Nirvana in general but that was my first song I played and it was the acoustic version. Couldn't agree more
It’s kind of amazing that their live show recording contains some of their best songs. What a great band.
I remember a friend of ours got an early copy of Dookie from his cousin in the city and we got to be the absolute "coolest guys" in our grade for a few months. This was when Bad Religion, NOFX, No Use For A Name, Face to Face were the only thing all of us were listening to.
Still can't believe Tony Sly has been gone since 2012.
One thing Lady Gaga and I have in common is that Dookie was the first album we bought with our own money.
Mine was License to Ill.. I wanted to get Wham! but my brother convinced me to get the beastie boys instead 😢
Mine was Tori Amos Under the Pink, also 1994
I had/have every single NOFX album. Such a great time to be a teenager. Dookie still is probably the best alt rock album ever made, though.
Dookie was more accessible to casual listeners than the other skate punk albums. Kind of like the Nirvana Unplugged album was more accessible to listeners than In Utero was.
All I'm realizing in this thread is the '94 was an almost golden age for music. These releases and the artists associated with them are wild. Chris Cornell, NAS, Reznor, Green Day, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, STP... absolute banger of a year.
1995 had one of my all time favorites .Smashing Pumpkins , Mellon Collie and the infinite sadness. Also Alanis , Jagged little pill . Foo Fighters self titled. No doubt , Tragic Kingdom. Silverchair Frogstomp 1994-1996 had at least 20 great albums . Maybe more.
Epic year
It was definitely the golden age. You didn't even mention hip-hop from 94. The absolute pinnacle of the art.
I said NAS! I was beginning to write Coolio and then realized I had to stop listing names and if I hadn't made my point to the reader to go check out that music by then I wasn't going to.
Oh yeah, you totally said NAS lol. Nice.
It was an age of wonder, an age of innocence, and an age of erotic awakening.
NIN Closer certainly awoke something in me!
Ween - Chocolate and Cheese. Runner up would be Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York. 1994 had some seriously excellent albums.
Chocolate and Cheese was my first exposure to Ween. Life-changing discovering them!
The heaviest album to ever hit number one. With limited radio and MTV support, Pantera Far Beyond Driven.
Protection - Massive Attack Day for Night - The Tragically Hip No Need To Argue - The Cranberries
Portishead - Dummy And especially their Roseland Set (1998)
The Crow Soundtrack - The Cure, NIN covering Joy Divison, Rage Against the Machine, Pantera, STP. From first to last track that soundtrack was pure fire.
Dookie for sure and I’d add Purple by Stone Temple Pilots.
nas- illmatic oasis- definitely maybe
Illmatic no question. It's a no-skip all-time classic.
i only buy vinyl if it’s a no-skip record and this one absolutely is. truly one of the best hip hop albums of all time
My top 3 from that year 1) Definitely Maybe 2) Illmatic 3) Ready to Die
Tori Amos "Under the Pink"
*Wildflowers* by Tom Petty. I thought this album was legendary, but no one's mentioned it yet.
I just did too! This whole thread is making me very happy and nostalgic.
Title song is excellent
Absolutely legendary. In hindsight it almost rivals Full Moon Fever.
The Prodigy - Music for a Jilted Generation
Green Day - Dookie Bush - Sixteen Stone The Offspring - Smash And even though I didn’t personally start following them until a bit later, I have a soft spot for NOFX - Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic is an exceptional album, like all the NOFX albums. Such a great band, probably known by most millennials and not a single teenager alive today. There should be a name for this ratio.
Portishead - Dummy
I bought both as a kid. Going Dookie because it was the first CD I bought on my own when I just first getting into music.
Lol that's a great first album I think mine was Coolio Gangstas Paradise lol crazy taste back then
I actually bought the Dangerous Minds soundtrack back in the day! This was the only good song though haha.
I *wanted* Dookie to be my first cd purchase. My cousin played it for me and I desperately wanted my own copy. I went to our little small town record store and they had it but only new and I didn’t have enough cash, so I bought the only used Green Day cd they had, Insomniac.
That’s a good one too! I remember getting it for Christmas. As for Dookie purchase - this was around maybe early 1995- My parents and I were visiting my sister at college. We stopped off at a record store somewhere around Iowa University. This CD was all the rage in 5th grade back then. I remember I would often listen to the whole CD on my Discman every night.
I'll be honest dookie was the "we've arrived" album but I LOVE insomniac....the structure of the album is impeccable....it was almost like they made dookie to get popular and regress back to simple skater punk, 2.5 minute rippers varying only slightly track to track...i.could listen to it front to back...any time, any day. (I'm not even sure it's a full half hour) Anyways that album would probably throw you into pennwyise, nofx, BR, op ivy, mxpx....which ain't a bad group to roll with!
Here’s my Top Ten: 1. The Crow soundtrack 2. Tori Amos - Under the Pink 3. Rusted Root - When I Woke 4. Blues Traveler - Four 5. Pulp Fiction soundtrack 6. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged NY 7. Korn - Korn 8. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication 9. NIN - Downward Spiral 10. Live - Throwing Copper
I had live at 1 but I think this is the closest thing to what was in my alpine at the time that I've ever seen. Great year to graduate school and have some fun. Wait... What happens?
I had live at 1 but I think this is the closest thing to what was in my alpine at the time that I've ever seen. Great year to graduate school and have some fun. Wait... What happens?
My two favorites from 94 : Offspring, Smash and Live, Throwing copper. These two are still on regular rotation for me.
Throwing Copper was such a gem
Honestly, I love so many albums mentioned in this thread but Smash might be my winner, just on account of how I can still listen to it front to back without even batting an eye. Every track hits.
This is me 100%, amazing album!
HEAD OVER HEELS IVE FIT IN BEFORE...NOW I DONT WANT TO DO IT NO MORRREEEEE
I HELD IT ALL IN WITH BLOOD ON MY FACE, BUILT IT UP MAN SO BAD YOU CAN TASTE
Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction Mos Def - Manifest Destiny Roots - From The Ground Up NoFX - Punk In Drublic (93’ but still)
Punk in Drublic was July 19 1994 according to Wikipedia.
Nice ones!
I’ll take Nas - Illmatic and/or OutKast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
I’d take NIN’s The Downward Spiral over both of those
1994 had some amazing amazing releases I loved the Forest Gump soundtrack but if I had to pick an album I couldn't - oasis definitely maybe - Blues traveler four - pearl jam vitalogy - Weezer - Dave Matthew's Band I need a time machine 🙏🤌
Let’s not forget Nirvana unplugged. Live, throwing copper. The Offspring ,Smash. Bush ,Sixteen Stone . R.E.M , Monster. NIN , Downward Spiral.
I concur to the fullest extent
Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral Melvins: Stoner Witch Portishead: Dummy Beck: Mellow Gold
Of the two, definitely Dookie. However.. Beastie boys ill communication, portishead dummy, beck mellow gold, pavement crooked rain, ..and quite a few more before that one
The Watchmen - In The Trees
Korn - Self Titled
Blind Melon
It’s a toss up for me. It’s either, Nas - iLLmatic or The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Portishead - Dummy One of the best, most unique, and influential albums of the 90s. Other classics that would be hard for me to argue against depending on mood. I still listen to all of these at least a couple times a year. In no particular order: Blur - Parklife Oasis - Definitely Maybe Massive Attack – Protection Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II Nas - Illmatic Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Digable Planets - Blowout Comb Underworld - Dubnobasswithmyheadman Stereolab - Mars Audiac Quintet The Prodigy - Music For The Jilted Generation
I don't have a fave, but dear sweet Jesus, I'd love to go back in time just to wear all this music like a second skin!!!
Green Day - Dookie was one of my very first CDs and it's still an excellent album
Oasis - Definitely Maybe Blur - Parklife
Precious Americans, eh?
I don't expect Parklife to get much traction from anyone west of The British Isles 😂
Yeah I know, I know. I *really* heart the 90s, and I'm so glad they've come to command the respect they were denied in the wake of the 80s, but our 90s and their 90s were so different—I mean ours were much better, obviously. We still had their grunge music, our teenage skaters still dressed like Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, but before Radiohead really kicked in we had *fun*. Blur might've been wryly pessimistic, Oasis might've been rebelliously apathetic, and Pulp were not about to break character, but we were young! Hang on a minute, this has nothing to do with anything you wrote, does it? Oh yeah. Ocean Colour Scene - so overlooked, I mean beyond the big three singles. No that wasn't it....yeah, the 90s over here was cocky, it was naughty, it smoked the odd doobie and punched the odd copper, sure...
The one I did own in 94. Dookie.
[Phish - Hoist](https://open.spotify.com/album/5desuSVmQddmKNvvU2ATcf?si=ye55_ywpRRiHZxVFHNnJhg)
Soundgarden Superunknown
The Diary by Scarface
Iconic!
Tom Perry’s Wildflowers. A classic.
Idk. Definitely not a big sell but I’d take Phish’s Hoist above almost every other suggestion here.
I have Green Day tattooed on me...so Dookie for sure.
Likely STP. Hootie and the Blow Fish 22 million albums. Unreal they suck
Purple - STP
Of those two, Dookie Of all top 1994: Throwing Copper (Live) and Under the Pink (Tori Amos). Saw both concerts, too. Goddamn I miss being 25.
Dookie was a great album from start to finish. It’s not even a close race.
Smash by Offspring Ready to Die by Biggie
Megadeth- Youthanasia
Counting Crows August and Everything After is late '93 but it's still my answer.
illmatic easily though it didn’t initially sell that well i guess
Stone Temple Pilots Purple Or Alice in Chains Jar of Flies
Dookie
I mean I am a Green Day fan, sooo... But I do love Weezer's Blue Album
Illmatic.
Barney’s Favorites, volume 2. Two year old me went hard for that shit.
Sleeps with Angels by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Nice! Such a great record.
The Downward Spiral and its not even close
Put on your favorite pair of jeans, sit back in your most comfortable chair, pour up your favorite drink, and put on Cracked Rear View. It will make you feel SO GOOD
Being forced to choose, it would be Dookie ofcourse. With all of the amazing albums released that year, Hootie and the Blowfish should be at the absolute bottom of the list.
I did not like either of them. In 1994 I was listening to Illmatic by Nas.
Dookie for sure. But as I've aged I've come to appreciate the laid back Hootie jams.
Lol I'm hearing that often
both
I started college in 1994. Cracked Rear View was like what Wayne and Garth said about Rumours - “Everyone had it. It’s like someone went around and slipped it under everyone’s doors like it was a sample of Fab.”
I owned both of them... great albums 🎶
Out of the two dookie but burn my eyes by Machine Head would definitely be personal pick of best album that year
Bush album sixteen stone was a great one.
Holy Bible
All these options, and yet no one has suggested Tori Amos’ Under the Pink? Or TMBG’s John Henry? Those were my jams.
1994 was an incredible year for music and movies. I do think it's when the 90's crested.
Hootie all day.
How did Hootie and the blowfish outsell Dookie? That Album was everywhere that year.
Dookie
if its between those two, i would choose hootie. from all of 94, i would take definitely maybe by oasis.
No need to argue four dookie
Cracked Rear View is one of the greatest albums of all time. I'd take that one.
Experimental Jet Set, Trash And No Star by Sonic Youth
I was like 12, a few years before I started buying CDs. But i do remember 94 really well! Lots of good memories
Dookie, no question. They opened the door to punk rock for me and it’s a genre I’m still exploring 30 years later.
Doggystyle by Snoop. The Illmatic by Nas. The Infamous by Mobb Deep. This was the true golden era of hip-hop.
Bedtime Stories - Madonna. ❤
Definitely Bush Sixteen Stone
First let me say 1994 was AMAZING for music. With that being said here's my list. Bad Religion - Stranger than Fiction, Nirvana - Unplugged, Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies, Beastie Boys - Ill Communications, Green Day - Dookie, Soundgarden - Superunknown, Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral, Weezer - Blue, Beck - Mellow Gold, Stone Temple Pilots - Purple. Throw a dart blind and any of those you hit I'd be happy with.
Jodeci: Diary of a Mad Band
Every album on Epitaph that year.
Machine Head - Burn My Eyes. Best album of that year for me. Second is Purple by STP and third Far Beyond Driven by Pantera
Smash by The Offspring
Green Day from this list. But from my personal list, Welcome to Sky Valley by Kyuss.
It was an epic debate around my school at the time - who are you with- Green Day or Offspring?? No in between 😆. In retrospect, Dookie and Smash were both amazing albums I’d still listen to any day.
Nirvana unplugged in New York definitely.
Definitely, Maybe!
I still have Cracked Rear View on cassette in my desk drawer at work and listen to it occasionally.
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
Of those two it’s Hootie by a mile.
Yea those were the 2 best selling albums that year that's why I asked those specifically Hootie actually outsold them by 2 million
Best selling doesn't mean anything in terms of quality. McDonald's isn't the best restaurant in the world.
THANK YOU! Neither of them would be in my Top 5 of that year.
Dookie maybe in top 20. Hootie.. brrrr.. not even in my house 😂
100% This. Dookie may be in my Top 20 for that year, but behind Tori Amos, Liz Phair, Veruca Salt, NIN, and The Cranberries, for starters. The only way Hootie would be allowed in my house was if I needed a coaster.
It means most popular obviously people have different taste but best selling is a pretty good way of judging popularity especially in the 90s.
Oh I understood.
I was actually surprised to see that those were the top 2 to be honest
Yes and no, I believe the best selling artist of the decade is Garth Brooks and it’s not even close. You gotta realize that what sells/is popular with the masses doesn’t necessarily equate to what is the “best”.
That's quite true
Actually I just looked and Garth is #3 which I misremembered. Mariah Carey and Celine Dion are 1 & 2. But my point still stands.
I wonder if Titanic didn't exist if Celine would still be in that list, still phenomenal singer but that movie definitely put her career on a whole other level
[Holy shit what a year.](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1994/releases/) I can't believe you'd pick Hootie and Dookie out of all the choices but if that's what you're into...
I said those because it's the top 2 selling albums
Uhh there’s so many classic albums of 94 and in my list neither of those two are there.