Theme: Let Chaos Rule Supreme (1991-2001)

The chart take-over of Australian alternative rock in the 1990s.

In the early 1990s alternative rock out of the U.S. slowly made a stranglehold on the charts worldwide, beginning with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Faith No More, and eventually exploding into the mainstream with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other bands of their style. Jumping on the tail end of this movement was a small group of Autralian alternative artists, some with a long history behind them, and some fresh out the gate and ready to race. With Silverchair breaking the Australian charts with their debut E.P. and youth radio station Triple J championing the alternative nation it was inevitable that success would follow. By the end of 2001, with the pressures of success and record companies pressing on them, most bands headed in a commercial direction, and the boom was over.

[Sorted Chronologically]

The Mark Of Cain The Mark Of Cain - The Unclaimed Prize [Album] 15 February 1991 'The Unclaimed Prize' is the second album by The Mark Of Cain. It was recorded almost a year earlier during January to May 1990. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - P'Tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh [E.P.] ?? August 1991 'P'Tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh' is the debut E.P. by Spiderbait. It is more punk in style than the band's later releases. Alternative Rock The Cruel Sea The Cruel Sea - This Is Not The Way Home [Album] 28 October 1991 'This Is Not The Way Home' is the second studio album by The Cruel Sea. The album peaked at number 62 on the Australian albums chart. Alternative Rock The Cruel Sea The Cruel Sea - The Honeymoon Is Over [Album] 31 May 1993 'The Honeymoon Is Over' is the third studio album by The Cruel Sea. It peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart and has sold over 140,000 copies. Alternative Rock The Mark Of Cain The Mark Of Cain - Incoming [E.P.] 22 June 1993 'Incoming' is the first E.P. by The Mark Of Cain. It was produced by American musician Steve Albini. It contains two new tracks that use a drum machine, two older tracks remixed by Albini, and the two tracks that made up the band's first single from 1988. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - ShaShavaGlava [Album] ?? June 1993 'Shashavaglava' is the debut studio album by Spiderbait. The final seven tracks are incorporated from an earlier E.P., 'P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh'. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - Run [E.P.] ?? September 1993 'Run' is the second studio E.P. by Spiderbait. The title track is a cover of a song by the British comedy trio The Goodies. Alternative Rock You Am I You Am I - Sound As Ever [Album] 25 October 1993 'Sound As Ever' is the debut album by You Am I. It was recorded at Pachyderm Studio in rural Cannon Falls, Minnesota, over eight days from July to August 1993 and was produced by Lee Ranaldo, (Sonic Youth). Alternative Rock Powderfinger Powderfinger - Parables For Wooden Ears [Album] 18 July 1994 'Parables For Wooden Ears' is the debut album by Powderfinger. It was recorded at Metropolis Studios in Melbourne during February 1994. The album was received poorly by critics who complained about its poor imitation of Americana, as well as its overuse of complex riffs. Three singles were released from the album, all of which failed to chart. Alternative Rock Silverchair Silverchair - Tomorrow [E.P.] 16 September 1994 'Tomorrow' is the debut E.P. by Silverchair. It reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart in October and remained there for six weeks. Alternative Rock Regurgitator Regurgitator - Regurgitator [E.P.] ?? October 1994 'Regurgitator' (also known as 'Hamburger') is the debut E.P. by Regurgitator. The E.P. peaked at number 45 on the ARIA singles chart. Alternative Rock You Am I You Am I - Hi Fi Way [Album] 20 February 1995 'Hi Fi Way' is the second album by You Am I. It reached No. 1 on the local albums chart and is one of the most influential and critically acclaimed Australian albums of the 1990s. In 2008, it was voted the sixth greatest Australian album of all time in The Age newspaper's 50 Greatest Aussie Albums poll. In October 2010, it was listed at No. 8 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. Alternative Rock Silverchair Silverchair - Frogstomp [Album] 27 March 1995 'Frogstomp' is the debut studio album by Silverchair. It was released when the band members were only 15 years of age. It reached number 1 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. It has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA. Alternative Rock The Mark Of Cain The Mark Of Cain - The Killer Is Within [E.P.] 21 April 1995 'The Killer Is Within' is the second E.P. by The Mark Of Cain. It contains mostly live tracks, and two tracks that would feature on the band's next album (although 'Tell Me' is an earlier version). Alternative Rock The Cruel Sea The Cruel Sea - Three Legged Dog [Album] 24 April 1995 'Three Legged Dog' is the fourth studio album by The Cruel Sea. The album peaked at number 1 on the ARIA Charts. Alternative Rock Tumbleweed Tumbleweed - Galactaphonic [Album] ?? June 1995 'Galactaphonic' is the second studio album by Tumbleweed. It peaked at No. 6 on the Australian charts. Stoner Rock Grinspoon Grinspoon - Grinspoon [E.P.] 1 August 1995 'Grinspoon' (also known as the 'Green' E.P.), is the debut E.P. by Grinspoon. The band'sound was influenced at that time by the nu metal movement, including work by Helmet and Prong. One of the six tracks, 'Dr Grinspoon', references Lester Grinspoon, the Boston psychiatrist for whom the band were named. Alternative Rock Regurgitator Regurgitator - New [E.P.] 13 August 1995 'New' is the second E.P. by Regurgitator. It peaked at number 30 on the ARIA singles chart. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - The Unfinished Spanish Galleon Of Finley Lake [Album] 25 September 1995 'The Unfinished Spanish Galleon Of Finley Lake' is the second album by Spiderbait. It peaked at No. 14 on the ARIA Albums Charts. The album was named after the real unfinished Spanish galleon built in Spiderbait's hometown, Finley, New South Wales, which was a 'failed civic beautification project'. Alternative Rock The Mark Of Cain The Mark Of Cain - Ill At Ease [Album] 1 November 1995 'Ill At Ease' is the third studio album by The Mark Of Cain. It was produced by American musician Henry Rollins. Alternative Rock The Living End The Living End - Hellbound [E.P.] ?? ?? 1995 'Hellbound' is the debut E.P. by The Living End. Punk Rock Regurgitator Regurgitator - Tu-Plang... Kon-Uauk [Album] 6 May 1996 'Tu-Plang' (Thai for 'Jukebox') is the first album released by Regurgitator. After making two E.P.s, the band chose to record the album in Bangkok, Thailand. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1996, the album won two awards; Best Alternative Album and Breakthrough album. Alternative Rock Something For Kate Something For Kate - ...The Answer To Both Your Questions [E.P.] 10 May 1996 '...The Answer To Both Your Questions' is the debut E.P. by Something For Kate. Alternative Rock The Superjesus The Superjesus - Eight Step Rail [E.P.] ?? May 1996 'Eight Step Rail' is the debut E.P. by The Superjesus. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1997, the E.P. won two ARIA Awards, 'Best New Talent' and 'Breakthrough Artist - Single'. Alternative Rock You Am I You Am I - Hourly, Daily [Album] 24 June 1996 'Hourly, Daily' is an album by You Am I. The album is vocalist / guitarist Tim Rogers' portrait of Australian life, spread across 15 tracks. Themes include childhood, suburbia and relationships. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. In October 2010, Hourly, Daily, was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums with their previous album, 'Hi Fi Way' (1995) at No. 8. In December 2021, the album was listed at no. 11 in Rolling Stone Australia's '200 Greatest Albums of All Time' countdown. Alternative Rock Jebediah Jebediah - Twitch [E.P.] 5 August 1996 'Twitch' is the dubet E.P. by Jebediah. It peaked at No. 61 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and debuted at No. 1 in the Western Australia ARIA chart. Alternative Rock Powderfinger Powderfinger - Double Allergic [Album] 2 September 1996 'Double Allergic' is the second studio album by Powderfinger. The album was the band's mainstream breakthrough. It has been certified platinum three times, with over 200,000 copies sold, and was also nominated for five ARIA awards, with singles from the album nominated for an additional four, however, it won none of the awards it was nominated for. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - Ivy And The Big Apples [Album] 1 October 1996 'Ivy And The Big Apples' is the third studio album by Spiderbait. It became a double platinum-selling record that reached the top 10 of the albums chart in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. Alternative Rock The Living End The Living End - It's For Your Own Good [E.P.] 16 November 1996 'It's For Your Own Good' is the second studio E.P. by The Living End. It peaked at 99 on the Australian ARIA singles chart in March 1997. Punk Rock The Mark Of Cain The Mark Of Cain - Rock And Roll (Industrial Strength Remixes) [Album] 1 December 1996 'Rock And Roll (Industrial Strength Remixes)' is an album by The Mark Of Cain. It is a compilation of remixes of the group's earlier material. Alternative Rock Grinspoon Grinspoon - Licker Bottle Cozy [E.P.] 16 December 1996 'Licker Bottle Cozy' was the second E.P. by Grinspoon. The E.P. reached No. 65 on the ARIA Singles Chart in January 1997 and No. 25 on the CMJ's 'Metal Top 25' in 1998. Alternative Rock Silverchair Silverchair - Freak Show [Album] 4 February 1997 'Freak Show' is the second studio album by Silverchair. It was nominated for the 1997 ARIA Music Award for Best Group, but lost to Savage Garden. Alternative Rock Something For Kate Something For Kate - Elsewhere For 8 Minutes [Album] 11 July 1997 'Elsewhere For 8 Minutes' is the debut studio album by Something For Kate. Alternative Rock Jebediah Jebediah - Slightly Odway [Album] 8 September 1997 'Slightly Odway' is the debut studio album by Jebediah. It peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and appeared in the top 50 for non-consecutive runs totalling 54 weeks. Alternative Rock The Living End The Living End - Second Solution / Prisoner Of Society [E.P.] 8 September 1997 'Second Solution / Prisoner Of Society' is the third E.P. by The Living End. It was the best selling Australian single of the 1990s, and spent a record-breaking 69 weeks on the ARIA Top 100 singles chart. It provided a breakthrough for the band, bringing them to the attention of the Australian rock scene. Punk Rock Grinspoon Grinspoon - Guide To Better Living [Album] 16 September 1997 'Guide To Better Living' is the debut studio album by Grinspoon. The album reached number 11 on the ARIA Albums Chart and spent 36 weeks on the national charts. Alternative Rock Various Artists Various Artists - ABC TV, Recovery (Hits From The Back Door) [Compilation Album] ?? October 1997 'ABC TV, Recovery (Hits From The Back Door)' is compilation album released by ABC TV Australia. It compiles songs recorded between 1996 and 1997 on the Recovery TV series. -Various- Regurgitator Regurgitator - Unit [Album] 7 November 1997 'Unit' is the second studio album by Regurgitator. Its style is a mixture of 1980s style synthesised pop music and alternative rock, with some hip hop influences. The album debuted and peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998, the album won five ARIA Music Awards; including ARIA Award for Album of the Year. Alternative Rock 28 Days 28 Days - 28 Days [Album] ?? March 1998 '28 Days' is the debut studio album by 28 Days. Punk Rock Various Artists Various Artists - To Hal And Bacharach [Compilation Album] 20 April 1998 'To Hal And Bacharach' is a tribute album featuring songs written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach covered by Australian artists. The idea, developed by Kurt Luthy, Christa Mitchell and Melissa Whebell, was to have a number of Australian performers cover various David/Bacharach tunes, among them: Regurgitator, Rebecca's Empire, The Whitlams, Tex Perkins, The Avalanches, Dave Graney and Frank Bennett. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998 the soundtrack was nominated for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album. -Various- The Superjesus The Superjesus - Sumo [Album] 25 April 1998 'Sumo' is the debut studio album by The Superjesus. It peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the 1998 ARIA Music Awards 'Sumo' won the inaugural 'Best Rock Album' category. Alternative Rock Powderfinger Powderfinger - Internationalist [Album] 7 September 1998 'Internationalist' is the third studio album by Powderfinger. It is often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works. It was certified five times platinum in Australia, and received four ARIA Music Awards, including 'Album Of The Year'. Alternative Rock Grinspoon Grinspoon - Pushing Buttons [E.P.] 21 September 1998 'Pushing Buttons' is the third E.P. by Grinspoon. It peaked at number 13 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Alternative Rock The Living End The Living End - The Living End [Album] 12 October 1998 'The Living End' is the debut album by The Living End,. The cover art, as described by front man Chris Cheney, is based on a photograph of a World War I all-female bomb factory. The album reached No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and remained in the top 50 for 63 weeks. In December 1999 the album was certified 4? platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 280,000 units. In October 2010 it was listed in the book, '100 Best Australian Albums'. Punk Rock John Butler Trio John Butler - John Butler [Album] 27 December 1998 'John Butler' is the first studio album by John Butler Trio. Alternative Rock Silverchair Silverchair - Neon Ballroom [Album] 16 March 1999 'Neon Ballroom' is the third studio album by Silverchair. It debuted at No. 1 on the Australian albums chart and peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It was also their most successful album on the U.K. Albums Chart, where it peaked at No. 29. The album was nominated for 10 ARIA Awards and was certified Triple Platinum by the ARIA for selling over 210,000 copies in Australia. Alternative Rock Spiderbait Spiderbait - Grand Slam [Album] 1 April 1999 'Grand Slam' is the fourth studio album by Spiderbait. The album marked a significant change in sound for the band, with many of the songs being heavily produced pop sung by bassist Janet English. The remainder of the album is a mix of alternative rock (sung, as on previous albums, by drummer Kram) and electronica. Alternative Rock 28 Days 28 Days - Kid Indestructible [E.P.] ?? May 1999 'Kid Indestructible' is the first E.P. by 28 Days. It peaked at number 69 on the ARIA Charts. Punk Rock Something For Kate Something For Kate - Beautiful Sharks [Album] 7 June 1999 'Beautiful Sharks' is the second album by Something For Kate. It marked a change in musical direction for the band, employing interesting and unconventional chord progressions and production. Sounding more sparse and open than their intense debut effort, the album produced four singles, and at the ARIA Music Awards of 2001 the album was nominated for Best Adult Alternative Album. It was the first album recorded with bass player Stephanie Ashworth, although some b-sides released at the time were from recording sessions with Toby Ralph on bass. Alternative Rock Regurgitator Regurgitator - ...art [Album] 23 August 1999 '...art' is the third studio album by Regurgitator,. The album was recorded in Byron Bay and was the final album with drummer Martin Lee. ...art peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Charts and was certified gold. Alternative Rock Various Artists Various Artists - UnDone, The Songs Of Duran Duran [Compilation Album] 27 September 1999 'UnDone, The Songs Of Duran Duran' is an Australian compilation album. It is a tribute to Duran Duran and features a number of alternative artists. -Various- Jebediah Jebediah - Of Someday Shambles [Album] 1 November 1999 'Of Someday Shambles' is the second studio album by Jebediah. It peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and, by December of the following year, it received a Platinum certification from ARIA. Alternative Rock Grinspoon Grinspoon - Easy [Album] 15 November 1999 'Easy' is the second studio album by Grinspoon. It debuted at No. 4 on the Australian album charts and remained in the top 50 for 13 weeks. It eventually achieved platinum sales in Australia. The album received two nominations at the Aria Awards in 2000, 'Best Rock Album' and 'Engineer Of The Year'. Alternative Rock 28 Days 28 Days - Here We Go [E.P.] ?? February 2000 'Here We Go' is the second E.P. by 28 Days. It peaked at number 21 on the ARIA Charts. Punk Rock 28 Days 28 Days - Upstyledown [Album] 15 July 2000 'Upstyledown' is the second studio album by 28 Days. It debuted at No. 1 on the Australian ARIA Charts and was certified platinum. Punk Rock Bodyjar Bodyjar - How It Works [Album] 21 August 2000 'How It Works' was the fourth studio album from Bodyjar. It peaked number 19 on the ARIA Charts. Punk Rock Powderfinger Powderfinger - Odyssey Number Five [Album] 4 September 2000 'Odyssey Number Five' is the fourth studio album by Powderfinger. It won the 2001 ARIA Music Award for Highest Selling Album, Best Group and Best Rock Album. The album is the band's shortest, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist (1998). The album ranked at number 1 in Triple J's Hottest 100 Australian Albums Of All Time poll in 2011. It was certified platinum seven times. Alternative Rock Regurgitator Regurgitator - Crush The Losers [E.P.] 10 September 2000 'Crush The Losers' (subtitled 'Unofficial Theme Song Of The Games') is the third E.P. play by Regurgitator. It was released in September 2000, to coincide with the 2000 Summer Olympics, and peaked at number 64 on the ARIA singles chart. Alternative Rock The Superjesus The Superjesus - Jet Age [Album] 20 October 2000 'Jet Age' is the second studio album by The Superjesus. It peaked at number 5 in Australia, was certified platinum in 2002. Alternative Rock The Living End The Living End - Roll On [Album] 1 November 2000 'Roll On' is the second studio album by The Living End. The album was the band's last major work to feature drummer Travis Demsey. In the downtime following the album's release and subsequent tour, he would leave the band, to be replaced by Andy Strachan. Punk Rock Silverchair Silverchair - The Best Of, Volume 1 [Compilation Album] 13 November 2000 'The Best Of, Volume 1' is the first compilation album by Silverchair. It includes every single they had released up until that point, with the exception of "Shade". The album peaked at No. 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Alternative Rock The Dissociatives I Can't Believe It's Not Rock! - I Can't Believe It's Not Rock! [E.P.] 1 December 2000 'I Can't Believe It's Not Rock!' is the self-titled debut E.P. of Daniel Johns and Paul Mac's experimental project of the same name. Although different to the debut album later recorded as 'The Dissociatives' (2004), the two see it a spiritual successor. Alternative Rock

Last Data Update: