Top 10 Best Hard Rock Bands of the '90s

The Top Ten

Nirvana

Nirvana was an American grunge band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. The band consisted of Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums), who joined in 1990. Nirvana disbanded following Cobain's death by suicide in 1994.... read more

While Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam, as much as I respect them, spawned dozens of imitators, nobody could replicate Nirvana, mostly because of the unique talents of Cobain. This is truly the sign of an all-time great rock band.
While Kurt obviously melded influences of The Pixies, The Melvins, and others, no subsequent band sounds quite like Nirvana.

Nirvana was truly an idol in the world of rock for many reasons. Their songs had meaning. They experimented with what you could do with music.
Kurt was a legend and will be remembered for years to come. His music was truly inspirational to many people and bands.
Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy and thrash metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup included James Hetfield (vocals and rhythm guitar), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), and Ron McGovney (bass). They first gained mainstream fame with their 1991 self-titled album (The Black Album... read more

Metallica are the true gods of metal! These guys defined and perfected what metal is. They are a true inspiration to all things rock and are the best that ever was.
They are not only the best metal band of the '90s but also the '80s, 2000s, and now! The best album ever, the "Black Album," is the number one album ever sold in the rock industry. My personal favorite is "ReLoad"!

"Oooh, my favorite band is the best!" Let's not be too subjective, people. I don't care if you like Metallica or not. They rock. They sold a lot of albums. They deserve a top spot.
Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American funk-rock and alternative rock band founded in 1983 in Los Angeles. The current core lineup includes Anthony Kiedis, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith, and Joshua Klinghoffer, although John Frusciante remains the most acclaimed guitarist associated with the... read more

The sheer mass amount of A+ songs pushes the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Greatest Band Ever spot for me, let alone in the '90s. Blood Sugar Sex Magik had some of the most memorable and awesome songs ever to be played. It had a perfect mix of fast and slow, plus punk and funk, which morphed into this orgasm of an album.
When someone can play an album from song one to the last without pause, it indicates its greatness. And hell, I'm only talking about just one out of the three albums they had in the '90s, mainly because that's all they need to be #1. Other albums are amazing as well!

The only huge rock band to retain its popularity all decade, the Chili Peppers sold about 7 million copies of 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik in the U.S. and about 5.5 million copies of 1999's Californication.
This is amazing when contrasted with all their multi-platinum peers. Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day all saw their record sales level off severely by the end of the decade, to the point where they sold a tiny fraction of their biggest albums. We'll never know how Nirvana would have fared, unfortunately.
Alice In Chains

Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The band's most notable hits include "Man in the Box," "Down in a Hole," "Heaven Beside You," "No Excuses," "What the... read more

This may be the most stacked-for-talent four-man band of all time. Mike Starr had some of the most hair-raising basslines of the era. Sean Kinney was one of the tightest drummers of the time. Jerry Cantrell, in my humble opinion, should go down as one of the best songwriters of all time. Not to mention, the guy could take one finger and write a riff that would blow your socks off.
And then there's Layne freaking Staley. The guy was a freak of nature. Arguably one of the loudest and most powerful singers of all time, wielding a voice that could move mountains as well as tear them down. And yet, he never had to scream or growl to create intensity, and they could do all this without ever really playing that fast.
To me, their tempo is one of the things that makes them so influential. It made their music hit so much harder and heavier. In my opinion, they should be talked about as one of the all-time greats.
Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. The founding lineup included Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament. The band is best known for its debut album Ten, which features the hit singles "Even Flow," "Black," and "Jeremy," and was named after basketball... read more

Pearl Jam is the second most influential hard rock band of the 1990s, right behind Nirvana. They rank third if you want to make an argument for Alice in Chains. They were the biggest band in the world for at least half of the decade. The first three albums were mega-huge, selling in the range of 25 million copies. Pearl Jam's last album, released in 2009, went to number one on the charts. They are excellent live and still continue to sell out arenas worldwide.
P.S. This is supposed to be a list of the top hard rock bands of the 1990s?! Get Bon Jovi off of here! They are an '80s band through and through. I would rather see Seven Mary Three make the list because at least they were a '90s band!
Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1985. The classic lineup, signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. In addition to hard rock, they are also... read more

The AFD album is one of the greatest. Slash had an unprecedented tone during those sessions. Use Your Illusion were good albums as well, but in a way, they had the potential to become maybe the best ever.
A good frontman, a true guitar god, a steady bass player, and a drummer with excellent backing vocals and songwriting ability from their rhythm guitarist. But the days they did have were stunning. They were the biggest and most followed band in the world the day AFD released and up until the day they split. Their original stuff has stood the test of time. The entire AFD album and acoustic takes like Patience and Used to Love Her are still on every rock radio show on the planet.
Soundgarden

Soundgarden was an American grunge and alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
The band was one of the pioneers of the grunge movement and released critically acclaimed albums... read more

The '90s produced some of the most original new sounds that forever changed the rock and metal scene. Among the most original is Soundgarden. There is no mistaking Chris Cornell's vocals. Vocalists alone, he is the best, with no comparison. Anyone with an ear for music would have to agree.
Added to the rough and raw sound of the band, Chris' vocals are a perfect match. Soundgarden really should be the number one rock band of the '90s. The world of music truly would not be the same without Soundgarden and without Chris Cornell. Oh, and let's not forget Temple of the Dog and "Hunger Strike". Thank God for Soundgarden and Chris Cornell!

Nobody has made music like Soundgarden. The music itself is very complex, with strange time signatures and brilliant rhythm. They've put out incredible music continuously for years, and their track record is comparable to, or even better than, Led Zeppelin.
Not to mention Cornell's extraordinary voice. He's definitely better than Plant or Mercury. A godlike band. Definitely underrated.
Stone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots is an alternative rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989.
The current lineup features brothers Dean DeLeo (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass), along with drummer Eric Kretz. The original lead vocalist, Scott Weiland, was with the band until 2013. After his departure... read more

STP is #1 in my heart because they had diversity in their musical styles throughout each album. You never knew exactly what you were going to get from a new STP album - all you knew was that it was going to sound amazing. Most of these other bands can be boiled down to three or four general sounds that repeat through their entire discographies (if you're lucky).
That is not the case with STP - they were so talented that they could allow themselves to explore a wide range of styles and sound damn good doing it.

Among so-called alt-rock bands, only Pearl Jam and Nirvana sold more albums in the 1990s than Stone Temple Pilots, but STP was the dominant singles band of the era. Plush, Vasoline, Interstate Love Song, Big Bang Baby, Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart, and Lady Picture Show all reached No. 1.
Creep, Big Empty, and Sour Girl all made the top four, and the indelible quality of those songs makes this band an easy top 10 for the 1990s.
Green Day

Green Day are an American pop punk and punk rock band formed in East Bay, California, in 1987. The core members are Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass), and Tré Cool (drums), with Jason White often performing live on guitar. They blend punk rock, pop punk, and alternative rock, drawing... read more

Green Day was at its best in the '90s. Dookie, their best album, brought them into the mainstream and gave us classics like Basket Case and Longview. Insomniac had an angrier punk sound but still continued to have mainstream success with classics like Walking Contradiction and Armatage Shanks.
Finally, Nimrod evolved Green Day's sound by incorporating acoustic guitars, trumpets, and other odd instruments while still retaining a punk sound. Nimrod had classics like Hitchin' a Ride and Prosthetic Head.

Green Day had a lot of great songs in the '90s: Basket Case, When I Come Around, Brain Stew, Geek Stink Breath, Hitchin' a Ride, Scattered, and Redundant, not to mention songs from 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk. They revitalized punk and brought it back to the world. Number 15 is way too low!
The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The group was formed in 1988 by frontman Billy Corgan and guitarist James Iha, with bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin joining to complete the original lineup.... read more

Maybe a few spots too high. Smashing Pumpkins had some great tunes, but as unique as they were, they were always just behind in about every aspect of a band.
Vocals? Staley, Cobain, and Cornell were all better. Guitar? Cantrell, Morello, and Slash were more talented, and their tones shone through. The songwriting is just a touch behind the likes of other bands. But take nothing away. Smashing Pumpkins are a part of American rock history and rightfully so. They were a very good band.

I have so much love for this band. There is no other band that can even come close to having a sound like The Smashing Pumpkins.
When I think back to the '90s, I think about bands like this one and songs like "Today," "1979," "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "Tonight, Tonight," "Landslide," "Cherub Rock," and so on. I could talk about this band all day. But those of us who know and love this band know that they should be at least in the top 5!

The Newcomers

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Nickelback

Nickelback is a Canadian post-grunge band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. The band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair.... read more

Very talented and underrated band.
If they hadn't become such a huge meme on the internet, people would actually be able to realize that.

This band is AMAZING!
I don't understand why it's this low. It should be in the top 20 at least.
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Deep Purple

Deep Purple is an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are regarded as pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has changed over the years. They originally played progressive rock, but shifted to a heavier sound around 1970.... read more

Since in 90s hard rock bands' numbers are very few, in this case Deep Purple has to come here. Cause more or less they've always been a hard rock band.

The Contenders

Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters are an American alternative rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. The band was founded by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl after Kurt Cobain's death and Nirvana's breakup. The current lineup consists of Dave Grohl (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, primary songwriter), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar... read more

The Colour and the Shape was their best album ever (other than maybe Wasting Light). The first album was not great, but Dave was the only one doing anything, so that's 1/4 of the creativity.
There Is Nothing Left to Lose had great songs too (Learn to Fly, Stacked Actors, Breakout).

Hard to believe Nirvana spawned such an awesome band.
They are still one of my favorites of all time, while Nirvana is one of my most hated. Is that weird?

But they were definitely better in the 2000s. Aurora, Generator, Breakout, For All the Cows: all quality songs from the '90s!
Tool

Tool is an American alternative and progressive metal band formed in 1990.
The lineup includes Maynard James Keenan (vocals), Danny Carey (drums), Adam Jones (guitar), and Justin Chancellor (bass), who joined in 1995. The band is recognized for incorporating electronic influences and for their... read more

Creativity has never been so delicately assembled in a band like this one before. Adam Jones and his hard, haunting, and unique riffs complement Maynard's voice and vocal delivery in a way no other band has achieved. The bass line can hardly be called "rhythm" or "background" because, along with Danny Carey's ingenious syncopated and dissonant drum lines and bass lines that lead as much as guitar, this band can easily be named one of the greatest masterpieces of music and art on the planet.

Literally the most technically and lyrically advanced band. Danny Carey is legendary on drums and is considered by many to be up there with Neil Peart. Justin Chancellor redefined how to play bass.
Adam Jones's creativity on guitar is incomparable to any other guitarist, and Maynard's very complex lyrics, pure emotion, soul, and energy on stage make listening to Tool's music a very intense experience.
Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. They have released eleven studio albums.
The band is known for its dark, moody lyricism and aggressive vocal delivery. Their biggest hits include "Closer," "Hurt," "Wish," "We're in This Together... read more

One of the most innovative and underrated mainstream acts of the '90s. "The Downward Spiral" and "The Fragile" were way ahead of their time. I would argue that Trent Reznor's contributions to music are as important as Nirvana's.
Plus, he's the reason anyone gives a damn about Marilyn Manson, which is a huge contribution in and of itself.

Nine Inch Nails dropped two amazing albums and an amazing EP in the '90s. Who else did that in the '90s? Metallica? Load, Reload? What? Their self-titled album was good, though, but better than The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, and Broken? No.
Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine is an American rap metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. The lineup consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk.
Their politically charged music, which blended rock, hip-hop, and funk, debuted... read more

Much like Guns N' Roses, they left the rock world a bit short and unfulfilled. Unlike Guns N' Roses, they don't have quite the extensive catalog in depth.
But the tunes they did record are stunning and shook the world. Ahead of their time, no doubt. I just wish they'd have done more.

The hard rock sound of Morello and Commerford, along with the great rapping skills of De La Rocha, complemented by the simple yet awesome drumming, makes Rage the best '90s band ever and, in my opinion, one of the best ever.

Zack de la Rocha. Text and spirit. So much underrated!
Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is a hard rock and pop rock band formed in 1983. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora (who left in 2013), bassist Alec John Such (who left in 1994), keyboardist David Bryan, and drummer Tico Torres.... read more

While most of the other bands are alternative or grunge, Bon Jovi truly is a Rock Band. They were definitely at their height in the '90s, and yet they still continue today.
So many 'classic' hits, namely Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, Wanted Dead or Alive, Runaway, Keep the Faith, Lay Your Hands on Me, Bed of Roses, In These Arms, and many more.

Bon Jovi released three albums in the '90s: Keep the Faith, Cross Road, and These Days. All were absolutely amazing!
Songs like Keep the Faith, Dry County, Always, In These Arms, This Ain't a Love Song, etc., were all super hits. The best band ever!
AC/DC

AC/DC is an Australian hard rock band founded in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Bon Scott was the lead singer until his death in 1980 from alcohol poisoning. He was succeeded by Brian Johnson.
The band is known for its blues-influenced rock sound and enduring hits such as Highway... read more

For me, AC/DC is a top 5 band in the '70s and '80s. The tone of Malcolm and Angus is downright scary good. They have stood the test of time, and there isn't a band in the world whose riffs are being played more in commercials, ads, movies, Super Bowls, etc., than AC/DC. They didn't call it quits after losing a singer or after a few good albums. They produced massively inspiring albums like High Voltage and Highway to Hell with the great Bon Scott and developed themselves even further with the great Brian. Absolute legends.
And they may even be a top 10 in the '90s, but definitely top 5 in the '70s and '80s.

How can they not be the greatest of all time? So many great songs, and they're still playing for us! It's got to count for something that they are still touring and releasing new stuff over 20 years later.
Pantera

Pantera was an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul.
The band started out as a glam metal act in the 1980s with little success. After replacing their original lead vocalist and enlisting Phil Anselmo, they signed a major record deal with... read more

Pantera had the best guitarist, best drummer, a great singer, and a good bassist. You get the best band of all time.
The band got me through so many times in my life, from anger to having my children. Number 1 for me all the way!

Pantera, without a shadow of a doubt, the best damn metal band ever. I drove 200 miles to Nashville, Tennessee, to buy Great Southern Trendkill when it was released, as all the music shops near me wouldn't have it for another week.
Mind you, gas was only 80¢ a gallon back then. Well worth it!

Best by far.
When you sell millions of albums without radio or MTV, you are a musical phenomenon. Literally, every album is gold, all but one platinum. Some of the most consistent album sales in music history show how impressive they were live, as that was their only real promotion.
Korn

Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, along with Ray Luzier, who replaced original drummer David Silveria in 2007. Korn... read more

Yeah, this is WAY too low for Korn! Are you kidding me? When MTV played music, Korn beat out the ridiculous Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Britney Spears for the number one song/video, and the Got the Life video had to be retired because it was on top for so long!
Korn put hard music on the mainstream map and kicked Pop in the face! They are easily top ten, if not higher.

Huge in the '90s. Like the biggest band by the end of the '90s. They released very good music right up to the end of the '90s.

Freak on a Leash and Blind defined the 1990s! Way underrated band. Should be much higher than this!
Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson is an American rock band that formed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1989. The group was founded by frontman Marilyn Manson and guitarist Daisy Berkowitz. They were originally called Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids and built a cult following in the early 1990s through theatrical performances.... read more

Honestly, I was surprised how low Manson ranked.
He was such a controversial figure for '90s rock. Even to this day, I love his stuff from the '90s and find it almost a perfect way to describe '90s rock and metal. Manson was the perfect '90s rock star.
He should be higher up on the list easily.

Should definitely be number 1. Best band ever for sure, and more famous than most bands on this list.
Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums), and Brad Whitford (guitar).
Their style, rooted in blues-based hard rock, also incorporates elements of pop rock, heavy metal... read more

Aerosmith. One hit every year since 1973. Biggest band ever.
Kyuss

Kyuss was an American stoner rock band formed in 1987 in Palm Desert, California, by Josh Homme, John Garcia, Brant Bjork, and Chris Cockrell. In 1990, they released an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss before shortening the name to Kyuss. Nick Oliveri later joined the group as the bassist, replacing Cockrell... read more

Every time I listen to them, I'm surprised they weren't more popular. Easily one of my top five favorite bands of all time.

100? Is this a joke, or is this list based solely on radio Top 40 play?
Kyuss should be way higher than 100.

My top three personally. 111 is laughable.
System of a Down

System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal band from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They're known for their politically charged lyrics, often addressing topics such as genocide and war, in songs like Holy Mountains, Prison... read more

More on the metal side, but you can classify them as hard rock. Beautifully poetic, deep lyrics combined with heavy, energetic instrumentals is just what's needed for a great band.
Queens of the Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1996. The band was founded by Josh Homme and has featured a rotating lineup of musicians over the years. The current lineup includes Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore, who joined... read more
Muse

Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The members are Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, lead guitar, piano, keyboards), Dom Howard (drums, percussion), and Chris Wolstenholme (bass, backing vocals). They have won numerous awards, including five MTV Europe Music Awards... read more
Deftones

Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California. The band, which was founded in 1988, consists of Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Frank Delgado, Abe Cunningham, and Sergio Vega.
They have released a total of nine studio albums. Some of their most popular songs include... read more

The Deftones are able to blend hardcore heavy riffing with amazingly soft vocals. They are heavy when they feel like it, and softer when they feel like it, but never stray too far from the road of badass!
Will listen to them forever.

Perfect blend of quiet and meaningful lyrics to relax to, and hardcore screams and heavy riffs to get you pumped up for a big game or a workout set.

Even the new albums that they release are amazing. To this day, still the best live band I've ever seen!