The 25 best Indie Albums of 1990

12 June 2026, 19:00

Let's take a look back at the year of Violator, Pills 'N' Thrills & Bellyaches and Some Friendly.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. They Might Be Giants - Flood: released 15th January 1990

   The New York duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell released their first album for a major label (Elektra) which included the huge hit Birdhouse In Your Soul.

   

2. The Sundays - Reading, Writing And Arithmetic: released 15th January 1990

   The fondly-remembered band released their debut, which included Here's Where The Story Ends and the all-time favourite Can't Be Sure.

   

3. The Lightning Seeds - Cloudcuckooland: release date 29th January 1990

   After years as a faceless musician and producer, Ian Broudie finally launched his own solo project with the single Pure, issued in June 1989. It appears on this debut album, which also includes the tracks Joy and All I Want.

   

4. Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - 101 Damnations: released 29th January 1990

   Jim Bob and Fruitbat's debut album included Sheriff Fatman and the punning Twenty Four Minutes From Tulse Hill.

   

5. The Mission - Carved In Sand: release date 5th February 1990

   The Leeds goth band released the follow-up to their successful second album, Children. Singles included Deliverance, Into The Blue, and the Number 12 hit Butterfly On A Wheel.

   

6. The Fall - Extricate: release date 19th February 1990

   The 12th album from Mark E. Smith's ongoing post-punk project was the first since Brix Smith had departed, and includes Telephone Thing, a collaboration with British DJs Coldcut. The song Bill Is Dead topped John Peel's Festive 50 at the end of the year.

   

7. The Beloved - Happiness: released 19th February 1990

   The duo issued their second album, which saw them embrace rave culture and featured the singles Hello, Your Love Takes Me Higher and The Sun Rising.

   

8. The House Of Love - The House Of Love (aka Fontana): released 26th February 1990

   Guy Chadwick's combo released their second album (eponymous, like their first), which featured Shine On, The Beatles And The Stones and I Don't Know Why I Love You.

   

9. Depeche Mode - Violator: released 19th March 1990

   The Basildon electro-pop heroes released their seventh album, featuring Enjoy The Silence, Personal Jesus and World In My Eyes.

   

10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Good Son: release date 17th April 1990

    The Australian singer-songwriter's sixth album with The Bad Seeds followed up the acclaimed Tender Prey and included the singles The Ship Song and The Weeping Song.

    

11. Inspiral Carpets - Life: released 23rd April 1990

    Clint Boon and co released their debut album, which included the singles She Comes In The Fall and This Is How It Feels.

    

12. The Soup Dragons - Lovegod: release date 30th April 1990

    The Scottish band's cover of The Rolling Stones' I'm Free was added to later pressings of their second album, which peaked at Number 7 on the UK albums chart.

    

13. The Breeders - Pod: released 29th May 1990

    The alternative supergroup - which initially featured Kim Deal (Pixies), Tanya Donnelly (Throwing Muses) and Josephine Wiggs (The Perfect Disaster) issued their Steve Albini-produced debut album, which featured When I Was A Painter and a cover of The Beatles' Happiness Is A Warm Gun.

    

14. James - Gold Mother: released 4th June 1990

    The Manchester band released their third album, which included Come Home and How Was It For You. The album was reissued the following year with the classic Sit Down added.

    

15. Teenage Fanclub - A Catholic Education: released 11th June 1990

    The acclaimed Scottish power-pop band released their debut album, which included Everything Flows.

    

16. Sonic Youth - Goo: released 26th June 1990

    The alt rock legends issued their sixth album, which included Dirty Boots, Cool Thing and spawned a million fashion t-shirts.

    

17. Pixies - Bossanova: released 13th August 1990

    The Boston band released their third full length album, which included the singles Velouria and Dig For Fire.

    

18. Jane’s Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual: released 21st August 1990

    Perry Farrell's alt.rock heroes released their second album, which included the huge radio hit Been Caught Stealing.

    

19. Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas: released 17th September 1990

    The sixth album from the ethereal rock trio featured the hit Iceblink Luck.

    

20. The La's - The La's: released 1st October 1990

    The hugely-influential band from Liverpool released their first - and, to date, only studio album. It contained the classic There She Goes and the singles Timeless Melody and Feelin'.

    

21. The Charlatans - Some Friendly: released 8th October 1990

    Tim Burgess released his debut album, which featured the single Then and the live favourite Sproston Green. Later editions included the dancefloor hit The Only One I Know.

    

22. Ride - Nowhere: released 15th October 1990

    The incredibly popular shoegaze band released their debut album, which included Vapour Trail and Dreams Burn Down.

    

23. Pop Will Eat Itself - Cure For Sanity: release date 22nd October 1990

    The third album from the Stourbridge indie/hip-hop collective included the singles 92°F, X Y & Zee and their anthem for the 1990 World Cup, Touched By The Hand Of Cicciolina.

    

24. Happy Mondays - Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches: released 5th November 1990

    Shaun Ryder, Bez and co released their third album, which featured Step On, Kinky Afro and Loose Fit. Baggy had arrived!

    

25. The Cure - Mixed Up: released 5th November 1990

    Robert Smith's merry men jumped on the dance bandwagon with this album of remixes, which bore a hit in the baggied-up version of the classic Close To Me.