Cypress Hill (1991)

Genre: Blunted, menacing Left Coast Latino hip-hop.

"How I Could Just Kill a Man," "Hand on the Pump," "Stoned Is the Way of the Walk," "Latin Lingo," "The Funky Cypress Hill Shit"

Metallica (1991)

Genre: Thoughtful, large-scale metal that almost single-handedly beat back the tide of grunge.

"Enter Sandman," "Sad but True," "Nothing Else Matters," "Of Wolf and Man," "The Unforgiven," "Wherever I May Roam"

Elastica (1995)

Genre: Britpop flash in the pan flares up with hooks that burn like phosphorous.

"Connection," "Stutter," "Line Up," "Car Song," "2:1"

Garbage (1995)

Genre: Alt-rock/dance mash-ups sung by slinky Scottish siren.

"Vow," "Not My Idea," "Queer," "Only Happy When It Rains," "Fix Me Now," "Milk"

Gorillaz (2001)

Genre: Cartoon hip-hop courtesy of Britpop's best songwriter.

"Clint Eastwood," "5/4," "Punk," "19-2000," "Tomorrow Comes Today"

Wolfmother (2006)

Genre: Fanciful, fantasy-driven riff-rock.

"Woman," "White Unicorn," "Colossal," "Witchcraft," "Vagabond"

Fleet Foxes (2008)

Genre: Woeful, wistful folk-rock that builds a cathedral of sound.

"White Winter Hymnal," "Ragged Wood," "Quiet Houses," "He Doesn't Know Why"

BONUS

R.E.M., Eponymous (1987)

Genre: Contractual close-out with I.R.S. gathers the best of the pre-Green years.

"Radio Free Europe," "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)," "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville," "Fall On Me," "The One I Love"