The 90s were an incredible time for rock music, but with so many genres and subgenres popping up all the time, picking just a few dozen great bands is almost impossible, but we've tried. Here are 35 90s American rock bands. If you have suggestions or even fantastic recommendations we should listen to, throw them in the comments!
| Band | Origin | Formed | Biggest Hit | Biggest Album | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Doors Down | Mississippi | 1996 | Kryptonite | The Better Life | Post-Grunge |
| Alice in Chains | Washington | 1987 | Man in the Box | Dirt | Grunge |
| Blind Melon | California | 1990 | No Rain | Blind Melon | Alternative Rock |
| Blink-182 | California | 1992 | All the Small Things | Enema of the State | Pop Punk |
| Candlebox | Washington | 1990 | Far Behind | Candlebox | Grunge |
| Dishwalla | California | 1993 | Counting Blue Cars | Pet Your Friends | Alternative Rock |
| Eve 6 | California | 1995 | Inside Out | Eve 6 | Alternative Rock |
| Fastball | Texas | 1995 | The Way | All the Pain Money Can Buy | Pop Rock |
| Filter | Ohio | 1993 | Hey Man, Nice Shot | Short Bus | Industrial Rock |
| Foo Fighters | Washington | 1994 | Everlong | The Colour and the Shape | Alternative Rock |
| Fuel | Pennsylvania | 1989 | Shimmer | Sunburn | Post-Grunge |
| Lit | California | 1988 | My Own Worst Enemy | A Place in the Sun | Pop Punk |
| Live | Pennsylvania | 1984 | Lightning Crashes | Throwing Copper | Post-Grunge |
| Local H | Illinois | 1990 | Bound for the Floor | As Good as Dead | Alternative Rock |
| Marcy Playground | New York | 1994 | Sex and Candy | Marcy Playground | Alternative Rock |
| Matchbox Twenty | Florida | 1995 | 3AM | Yourself or Someone Like You | Alternative Rock |
| Nine Inch Nails | Ohio | 1988 | Closer | The Downward Spiral | Industrial Rock |
| Nirvana | Washington | 1987 | Smells Like Teen Spirit | Nevermind | Grunge |
| Pearl Jam | Washington | 1990 | Alive | Ten | Grunge |
| Rage Against the Machine | California | 1991 | Killing in the Name | Rage Against the Machine | Rap Rock |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | California | 1983 | Under the Bridge | Blood Sugar Sex Magik | Funk Rock |
| Screaming Trees | Washington | 1985 | Nearly Lost You | Sweet Oblivion | Grunge |
| Semisonic | Minnesota | 1995 | Closing Time | Feeling Strangely Fine | Alternative Rock |
| Seven Mary Three | Florida | 1992 | Cumbersome | American Standard | Post-Grunge |
| Soul Asylum | Minnesota | 1981 | Runaway Train | Grave Dancers Union | Alternative Rock |
| Soundgarden | Washington | 1984 | Black Hole Sun | Superunknown | Grunge |
| Sponge | Michigan | 1991 | Plowed | Rotting Piñata | Alternative Rock |
| Stone Temple Pilots | California | 1989 | Plush | Core | Grunge |
| The Breeders | Ohio | 1989 | Cannonball | Last Splash | Alternative Rock |
| The Offspring | California | 1984 | Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) | Smash | Punk Rock |
| The Presidents of the United States of America | Washington | 1993 | Peaches | Self-titled | Alternative Rock |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | Illinois | 1988 | 1979 | Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | Alternative Rock |
| Toad the Wet Sprocket | California | 1986 | All I Want | Fear | Alternative Rock |
| Toadies | Texas | 1989 | Possum Kingdom | Rubberneck | Alternative Rock |
| Veruca Salt | Illinois | 1992 | Seether | American Thighs | Alternative Rock |
35. Eve 6
Eve 6 formed in Southern California in 1996 and rose to fame with their self-titled debut album in 1998. Their biggest hit was “Inside Out”, which was an alternative rock radio staple and went to No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks.
34. Marcy Playground
Marcy Playground's self-titled 1997 album had the massive hit "Sex and Candy", a defining alternative rock anthem. It spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. The New York trio's dreamy sound differed from that of the grunge-heavy 90s American rock bands scene (more on them momentarily).
33. Local H
Local H was formed in Zion, Illinois, in 1990. Their hit “Bound for the Floor” was a hit on the Billboard charts, securing their place among underground 90s American rock bands.
32. Lit
Lit's blend of pop punk and alternative rock resonated with audiences after the grunge era. Their 1999 album A Place in the Sun went triple platinum and featured the hit track “My Own Worst Enemy”, which went No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
31. Seven Mary Three
Seven Mary Three or 7M3 were formed in Florida. Their 1995 hit "Cumbersome" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and dominated mid-90s alt-rock radio.
Their debut album, American Standard, went platinum, a great grunge album with Southern rock influences.
30. Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket is a 90s American rock band from Santa Barbara, California. Their 1991 album, Fear, featured hit tracks like "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean".
At a time when grunge and punk were everywhere, the band's alternative rock sound offered something for audiences looking for something more melodic and resonant.
29. Fuel
Fuel is a band from Pennsylvania that blends post-grunge with radio-friendly hooks. Their debut album, Sunburn, released in 1998, featured the breakout single "Shimmer", which became a regular staple on both alternative and mainstream rock radio. The band continued to enjoy success in the 2000s.
28. Candlebox
Formed in Seattle in 1990, Candlebox found success towards the end of the grunge era. Their 1993 self-titled album went quadruple platinum with hits like “Far Behind” and “You”.
The combination of grunge, hard rock, and post-grunge made them slightly more accessible than other out-and-out grunge acts, but still noticeably less successful than the most prominent American grunge bands of the 1990s.
Grunge vs. Post-Grunge
Grunge
- Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains
- Raw, distorted, emotional
- Anti-establishment
Post-Grunge
- Candlebox, Fuel, Live
- Cleaner production
- More radio-friendly
27. Semisonic
Semisonic is an alt-rock power pop band from Minneapolis. Their 1998 album Feeling Strangely Fine had the track “Closing Time” on it, which was nominated for a Grammy and became a defining hit of the decade and an obvious favorite for bars when they closed.
26. Sponge
Sponge is an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan, whose 1994 debut album Rotting Piñata featured tracks like “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)”, which both featured heavily on both rock radio and MTV.
25. Live
Live was one of the 90s' most successful rock bands. Hailing from York, Pennsylvania, the band achieved success with their 1994 album Throwing Copper, which sold over 8 million copies in the US alone. Popular tracks include "I Alone", "Lightning Crashes", and "All Over You".
24. The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America is a quirky alternative rock band from Seattle.
Their self-titled album went triple platinum and included hits such as "Peaches" and "Lump".
23. Toadies
The Toadies are a band from Fort Worth, Texas, most famous for their 1994 album, Rubberneck, which became a cult classic and included the hit "Possum Kingdom". While not the most commercially successful 90s American rock band, they still retain a devoted fanbase.
22. Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees is an American rock band from Ellensburg, Washington. Early pioneers of the grunge movement, their blend of psychedelic and hard-edged alternative gained popularity before the Seattle grunge scene took off.
Their 1992 album Sweet Oblivion includes the hit single “Nearly Lost You”.
Grunge rejected the 80s glam. No makeup, no leather pants, no fireworks. Just distorted guitars, ripped jeans, and pure emotion.
21. Veruca Salt
Veruca Salt is an alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Their debut album, American Thighs (1994), included the hit "Seether", an alt-rock song that features the typical 90s alternative rock sound.
20. Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum was formed in Minneapolis in the early 1980s, but its greatest success came in the 1990s. Their 1992 album Grave Dancers Union had the Grammy-winning track “Runaway Train” on it.
19. The Breeders
The Breeders are the side projects of the Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. Their 1993 album, Last Splash, featured the hit "Cannonball", and the band's punk roots, combined with an experimental yet pop sound, helped establish a fan base.
18. Fastball
Fastball's 1998 album All the Pain Money Can Buy featured their biggest hit, "The Way", a blend of pop and alternative rock, earning it plenty of radio play as it climbed the charts. Their sound wasn't as angry or angst-ridden as that of many other bands being played at the time.
17. Dishwalla
Dishwalla's hit "Counting Blue Cars" was a mellow 1990s alternative rock song that peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. Another band from Santa Barbara, California, Dishwalla, was also an act that leaned into a more melodic side to rock music.
16. Filter
Filter was formed by former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Richard Patrick. Their breakout single, "Hey Man, Nice Shot", in 1995, was a massive hit. After their debut album, Short Bus, their sophomore album, Title of Record, released in 1999, featured the more melodic hit "Take a Picture".
15. Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots (STP) are a 90s American rock band famous for hits like “Plush” and “Creep” from their 1992 debut album Core as well as their follow-up albums Purple in 1994 and Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop in 1996.
14. The Offspring
The Offspring were one of the leading players in the revival of punk rock. Although the band was formed in California in the mid-80s, their 1994 album, Smash, with the tracks "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem", was one of the best-selling independent albums of all time.
Their 1998 album, Americana, featured huge singles like "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" and "The Kids Aren't Alright".
13. Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty is one of the key alternative rock bands of the late 1990s. Their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You, in 1996, was a huge multi-platinum success with singles like "Push", "3AM", and "Real World".
12. 3 Doors Down
3 Doors Down is a massively popular American rock band whose debut single "Kryptonite" was a huge hit in 2000, topping the Billboard Modern Rock chart and helping their debut album The Better Life go multi-platinum, but the band had been active from 1996 so we think they deserve a place in this list.
11. Blind Melon
Blind Melon is a band from Los Angeles, California, whose niche sound in the 90s alt-rock scene helped their self-titled 1992 and hit "No Rain" find success. With the lead singer Shannon Hoon's death in 1995, the band's upward trajectory was cut short.
10. Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains was one of the key actors in the Seattle grunge movement. Although they had a darker sound than their contemporaries, the band's success in the early 1990s was marked by the album Facelift (1990) and the hit single “Man in the Box”.
The follow-up album, Dirt, in 1992, featured more hits, including "Rooster", "Them Bones", and "Down in a Hole".
9. The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins were founded in the late 80s, but we can't consider them one of the greatest American rock bands of the 80s because they were definitely one of the biggest acts of the 90s. Their 1993 album Siamese Dream had breakout tracks like “Today” and “Disarm”.
Their 1995 double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with singles like “1979”, “Tonight, Tonight”, and “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”.
8. Rage Against the Machine
Formed in Los Angeles in 1991, Rage Against the Machine exploded onto the scene with their unique blend of rap, metal, funk, and political activism. Their 1992 self-titled debut album featured hits like "Killing in the Name" and "Bullet in the Head" with later albums including hits like "Bulls on Parade" and "Guerrilla Radio".
While a completely different sound, Rage Against the Machine were doing the same kind of politically charged rock music that some of the best bands of the 60s had tried.
7. Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were founded in Los Angeles and went from funk-rockers to one of the world's biggest bands.
Their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik turned them into mainstream success with tracks like "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge". Their subsequent albums, like One Hot Minute in 1995 and Californication in 1999, had even more hits.
With their continued success in the 2000s, we could have easily considered them one of the best bands of the 00s, too!
6. Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is another band from the Seattle grunge scene in the early 90s. Their 1991 debut album Ten featured hits like "Alive", "Even Flow", and "Jeremy", blending hard rock and introspective lyrics that would influence later 90s alternative rock bands.
Pearl Jam famously battled Ticketmaster over ticket prices, focusing on fan-first ethics.
5. Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters was formed by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl after the death of Nirvana's frontman Kurt Cobain. The band quickly became one of the largest in the US and later worldwide.
Their breakout hit was "Big Me" with a more pop sound, but later singles like "Everlong", "My Hero", and "Monkey Wrench" were far more rock.
4. Blink-182
Formed in San Diego, California, in 1992, the pop-punk trio Blink-182 quickly gained fans with their 1997 album Dude Ranch and the song “Dammit”, but 1999's Enema of the State with tracks like “What's My Age Again?”, “All the Small Things”, and “Adam's Song” turned them into global superstars.
3. Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails were formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1988, but they became a key industrial rock band in the 1990s. The 1994 album The Downward Spiral featured tracks like "Closer" and "Hurt", while the intense live performances made them one of the must-see bands of the decade.
2. Soundgarden
Soundgarden was one of the first Seattle-based grunge acts to sign with a major label. The band formed in 1984, but it was their 1994 album, Superunknown, that achieved huge critical and commercial success, featuring hits such as "Black Hole Sun", "Spoonman", and "Fell on Black Days".
1. Nirvana
Although most popular during the early 1990s, grunge music had such a profound impact on the decade that it has become almost shorthand for it. While there were plenty of great grunge bands and plenty of great grunge bands in Seattle, no band is more synonymous with the genre than Nirvana.
Fronted by Kurt Cobain, with Krist Novoselic on bass and the aforementioned Dave Grohl on drums, the band had a significant impact in an incredibly short time, especially with the 1991 album Nevermind and the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, the anthem for a generation of 90s teens and budding guitarists alike.
Though the music was very much of the 90s, there was clearly a lot of love for 70s rock music, especially with the MTV Unplugged cover of David Bowie's "Man Who Sold the World".
The band ended with the death of Cobain in 1994, but their influence on future acts didn't.
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