History's Best Selling Music of 1991

Across the iconic 1990s, 1991 saw a swell surge of radical 90s attitude and millennium anticipation in the world of music! Leading the charge were mighty, top-selling marvels like Out of Time and Mama Said, capturing the public’s fancy in grand fashion. Distinguished creators from industry leaders like R.E.M. and Lenny Kravitz proved their mettle with Schubert Dip, delivering craftsmanship that flew off store shelves and cemented lifelong fandoms. Step right up and inspect our complete, rank-ordered historical archive below!

1. Out of Time

   Released in 1991 by R.E.M., Warner Bros. Records

   Released on March 12, 1991, R.E.M.'s seventh studio album, "Out of Time," marked a seismic shift in the musical landscape. It was the moment the Athens, Georgia quartet transformed from beloved college rock heroes into global superstars. The album arrived at a turning point for alternative music, and its unprecedented commercial and critical success served as a battering ram, breaking down the doors of mainstream radio and MTV for a wave of artists who had previously been relegated to the fringe. "Out of Time" was not just an album release; it was a coronation, cementing R.E.M.'s place in the rock pantheon and defining the sound of the early 1990s.

2. Mama Said

   Released in 1991 by Lenny Kravitz, Virgin Records

   On April 2, 1991, Lenny Kravitz released his sophomore album, "Mama Said," a pivotal record that cemented his status as a major rock star. Following the promising debut of "Let Love Rule," this album represented a significant artistic and emotional leap forward. The release came during a period of personal turmoil for Kravitz, particularly his separation from then-wife Lisa Bonet, and the album's raw emotional honesty resonated deeply with audiences. "Mama Said" showcased a more refined and expansive sound, expertly blending '60s and '70s rock, soul, funk, and psychedelic influences into a cohesive and commercially successful package that defined the sound of rock radio in the early '90s.

3. Schubert Dip

   Released in 1991 by EMF, EMI Records

   On May 7, 1991, the British band EMF unleashed their debut album, "Schubert Dip," onto an unsuspecting world. The album arrived amidst the "Madchester" and baggy scene in the UK, blending alternative rock guitars with danceable, sample-heavy beats and a punk-rock attitude. Its release was perfectly timed, capturing the zeitgeist of the early 90s musical crossover culture. Fueled by the pre-release success of its monumental single "Unbelievable," the album's debut was a major event, promising a full-length dose of the energetic, cheeky, and genre-bending sound that had already taken the global charts by storm. "Schubert Dip" wasn't just another album; it was a statement of intent from a band ready to conquer both the dance floor and the rock arena.

4. Sailing the Seas of Cheese

   Released in 1991 by Primus, Interscope Records

   On May 14, 1991, the landscape of alternative rock was irrevocably altered with the release of Primus's second studio album, "Sailing the Seas of Cheese." The album marked the band's major-label debut with Interscope Records and propelled their bizarre, unclassifiable sound into the mainstream consciousness. This wasn't just another rock album; it was a declaration of weirdness, a virtuosic display of musicianship that defied categorization. Anchored by Les Claypool's revolutionary bass playing, Larry "Ler" LaLonde's dissonant guitar work, and Tim "Herb" Alexander's intricate drumming, the album arrived at a perfect moment, just as the 90s alternative explosion was beginning to take shape, offering a wildly inventive and humorous alternative to the grunge scene emerging from the Pacific Northwest.

5. Metallica

   Released in 1991 by Metallica, Elektra Records

   On August 12, 1991, the landscape of heavy metal and mainstream rock music was irrevocably altered with the release of Metallica's self-titled fifth studio album. Commonly known as "The Black Album" due to its stark, minimalist cover art, this record was a deliberate pivot from the band's thrash metal roots towards a more streamlined, accessible, and commercially potent sound. Its release on this date marked the moment Metallica transcended their niche audience, transforming from metal gods into global rock superstars. The album's immediate and massive success demonstrated the commercial viability of heavier music and set a new standard for production, songwriting, and crossover appeal in the genre for the decade to come.

6. Pocket Full of Kryptonite

   Released in 1991 by Spin Doctors, Epic/Associated

   On August 20, 1991, New York jam band Spin Doctors released their debut studio album, "Pocket Full of Kryptonite." The album did not explode onto the charts immediately; instead, it was a slow-burning success story that perfectly captured the shift in the musical landscape of the early 1990s. Fueled by relentless touring and grassroots support from college radio, the album began to gain momentum over a year after its release. Its eventual breakthrough into the mainstream marked a significant moment for the alternative rock and jam band scenes, proving that funky, improvisational-heavy rock could achieve massive commercial success in an era being redefined by grunge.

7. Ten

   Released in 1991 by Pearl Jam, Epic Records

   Released on August 27, 1991, Pearl Jam's debut album "Ten" arrived without immediate fanfare, emerging into a music landscape on the cusp of a seismic shift. Just a month before Nirvana's "Nevermind" would detonate the mainstream, "Ten" began its slow, steady climb from obscurity. It was a product of the burgeoning Seattle grunge scene, born from the ashes of Mother Love Bone, but its stadium-sized hooks and classic rock underpinnings set it apart. The album didn't explode; it seeped into the consciousness of a generation through relentless touring and the power of its anthemic singles, eventually becoming one of the defining rock records of the 1990s.

8. Use Your Illusion I

   Released in 1991 by Guns N' Roses, Geffen Records

   On September 17, 1991, the music world experienced a seismic event with the release of not one, but two albums by Guns N' Roses. Following the colossal success of their 1987 debut "Appetite for Destruction," anticipation had reached a fever pitch. The simultaneous midnight release of "Use Your Illusion I" and its counterpart, "Use Your Illusion II," was an unprecedented and audacious move that defined the scale of the band's ambition and their status as the biggest rock act on the planet. This release was more than just new music; it was a cultural phenomenon, with record stores staying open late to accommodate massive crowds eager to get their hands on the albums.

9. Nevermind

   Released in 1991 by Nirvana, DGC Records

   On September 24, 1991, a date that also saw major releases from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bryan Adams, a trio from Aberdeen, Washington, unleashed an album that would detonate the landscape of popular music. Nirvana's second studio album, "Nevermind," was not expected to be a blockbuster. Its label, DGC Records, had modest commercial hopes, but the album's lead single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," quickly became an anthem for a disaffected generation. The album's release on this day marks a pivotal moment in music history, signaling the end of hair metal's reign and the explosive arrival of alternative rock and grunge into the global mainstream, forever changing the culture of the 1990s.

10. Stars

    Released in 1991 by Mick Hucknall, Simply Red, East West Records

    On September 30, 1991, British soul and pop band Simply Red released their fourth studio album, "Stars." The album arrived at a time when the band, fronted by the unmistakable vocals of Mick Hucknall, had already achieved significant international success. However, "Stars" would catapult them to a new level of superstardom, particularly in their home country and across Europe. It was released into a musical landscape transitioning from the synth-pop of the 80s to the burgeoning sounds of grunge and alternative rock. Despite this shift, the album’s sophisticated blend of pop, soul, and R&B resonated powerfully with a massive audience, proving the enduring appeal of well-crafted, emotionally direct music.

11. We Can't Dance

    Released in 1991 by Genesis, Atlantic Records, Virgin Records

    On November 11, 1991, the progressive rock titans Genesis released their fourteenth studio album, "We Can't Dance." This date marked a significant moment in the band's career, as it would be the final studio album to feature the long-standing and commercially dominant lineup of Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford. Released at the peak of the band's mainstream popularity, the album arrived amid a changing musical landscape where grunge was beginning to take hold. Despite this, "We Can't Dance" proved to be a global behemoth, reaffirming Genesis's status as stadium-filling superstars and delivering some of their most memorable and radio-friendly hits of the era.

12. Achtung Baby

    Released in 1991 by U2, Island Records

    Released on November 18, 1991, U2's seventh studio album, 'Achtung Baby', was a seismic event in music. It arrived as a deliberate and shocking reinvention for a band that had become the biggest in the world with the earnest, Americana-infused rock of 'The Joshua Tree'. Recorded in the newly reunified city of Berlin, the album was a sonic demolition of their past self. It embraced industrial textures, electronic dance music, and a darker, more ironic lyrical perspective, capturing the fragmented, uncertain, and media-saturated zeitgeist of the early 1990s. This was not the U2 fans expected, but it was exactly the U2 the world needed, a bold artistic statement that redefined their career and the sound of rock music for the decade to come.

13. Dangerous

    Released in 1991 by Michael Jackson, Epic Records

    On November 26, 1991, the music world was irrevocably shaken by the release of Michael Jackson's eighth studio album, 'Dangerous.' Arriving four years after the monumental success of 'Bad,' the anticipation was immense. Jackson was not just a pop star; he was a global phenomenon, and this release was a major cultural event. 'Dangerous' marked a significant artistic shift for Jackson, as he parted ways with longtime producer Quincy Jones and embraced the burgeoning New Jack Swing sound, collaborating heavily with Teddy Riley. The album's release was a masterfully orchestrated affair, preceded by the enigmatic video for 'Black or White,' which premiered simultaneously in 27 countries to an estimated audience of 500 million people, setting the stage for an album that would dominate charts and conversations worldwide.