VIA PRESS RELEASE | “This is a book designed to start arguments.”
—Gary Graff, from the introduction
Get out your flannel, scrunchies, and high-rise jeans and indulge in this nostalgic trip through the 1990s’ most influential albums across all genres. In 501 Essential Albums of the ’90s: The Music Fan’s Definitive Guide, Gary Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of everyone’s favorite decade.
With lively descriptions of the releases and over 600 images, this hefty 448-page volume curates 501 albums spanning genres and subgenres—pop, hip-hop, R&B, grunge, metal, country, world music—and features: year-by-year organization, knowledgeable rundowns of every album featured, album art for each selection, artist imagery, record label, release date, and producer(s) for each, soundtracks and compilation releases also included.
The journalists detail the circumstances of each release, highlight notable singles, and discuss their influence on contemporary and later artists. In short, they explain why each is considered one of the best of the decade and why it’s essential. A fun and comprehensive read, 501 Essential Albums of the 90s is the only non-genre specific book that focuses solely on the music of the ’90s.
Britney or Body Count, Nirvana or Nsync, Metallica or Morissette, Garth or Green Day, Weezer or Wu Tang—whatever your tastes, you will relish this ultimate retrospective of the decade’s music. The book will jog some memories, get you to listen to something you forgot you loved, and perhaps even inspire you to check out music you haven’t heard before.
Gary Graff is an award-winning music journalist based in Detroit. He is a regular contributor to Billboard, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Media News Group, Ultimate Classic Rock, Consequence, and other publications, as well as to radio stations in Detroit and Milwaukee.
He is the author of Alice Cooper at 75; co-author of Neil Young: Long May You Run, Rock ’n’ Roll Myths: The True Stories Behind the Most Famous Legends, and Travelin’ Man: On the Road and Behind the Scenes with Bob Seger; and the series editor of the MusicHound Essential Album Guides. He is also co-founder and co-producer of the Emmy Award–winning Detroit Music Awards. Graff lives in Beverly Hills, Michigan.
