Eight Albums Turning 30 In 2026
1996 Was A Great Year For Hooky Guitar Pop
What an incredible year for guitar pop.
I went into this certain that Weezer’s Pinkerton would top my list, but the more I researched the further it slid. Although I was neck-deep in new music back then, I’m even more blown away by the quality and sheer quantity of great releases in retrospect.
Don’t get me wrong, Weezer’s misunderstood masterpiece is still one of my favorite ‘90s albums—I just started to wonder if it ultimately qualified for this list. If anything, Pinkerton is exactly the moment when the LA geek rockers briefly abandoned the poppier sensibilities that propelled the Blue Album onto the charts two years earlier.
Although Pinkerton certainly does offer a few moments of undeniable pop bliss…
The collection of artists/albums below also breaks my streak of indulging in “willful obscurity” with these lists.
Not all of the artists below topped the charts, or even made a dent in the mainstream, but most will be very familiar to RTL subscribers. I’ve definitely published posts about Guided By Voices, Sloan, Descendents, and Fountains of Wayne in the last few years.
Rounding out this installment in the sporadic “album birthday” series are two acts from the UK—Sleeper and Ash—as well as the major label debut from beloved Tennessee alt rockers Superdrag, and celebrated power pop underdog Chris Von Sneidern (subject of the 2010 documentary Why Isn't Chris Von Sneidern Famous?).
There are two other notable omissions that would have made this list a little too long. Can you guess what they are? What other guitar pop albums from 1996 would you add?
Join the conversation…mind your manners.
1. Guided By Voices—Under The Bushes Under The Stars
Released by Matador Records in March, 1996
“Imagine if you can, that somewhere in a parallel dimension there is a vault of classic tunes. Perfect, memorable, untouched tunes - pop, rock, folk-inflected - just waiting to be heard.”—NME.com
“Robert Pollard writes the best melodies around, and his lyrics are consistently breathtaking in their surrealistic beauty.”—Entertainment Weekly
2. Superdrag—Regretfully Yours
Released by Elektra Records in March, 1996
“An emotional excursion fueled with sugary vocals, dynamic arrangements, and psychedelic guitar flourishes.”—Entertainment Weekly
“In the glut of grungy power pop bands that flooded the mid-'90s, it was pretty easy to write off Superdrag as ‘just another rock band.’ The difference is that Superdrag is essentially a pop band, as Regretfully Yours proves.”—AllMusic
3. Sleeper—The It Girl
Released by Indolent Records in May, 1996
“Sleeper’s second album, The It Girl, is a stronger effort, suggesting that lead singer/songwriter Louise Wener could develop into a distinctive talent.”—AllMusic
“By giving her fashion victims a political niche and laying out her urban malaise for autopsy, Wener matches her bounce with sheer cunning.”—Los Angeles Times
4. Chris von Sneidern—Go!
Released by Mod Lang Records in March, 1996
“After the slightly overstuffed Sight and Sound and Big White Lies, the new emphasis on streamlined material is refreshing…”—AllMusic
“With ensuing releases, Von Sneidern displayed a growing maturity and variety to his music.”—PopMatters
5. Ash—1977
Released by Infectious Records in May, 1996
“Ash take a cinematic approach to their songs, throwing in elements of power pop, glam, post-Nirvana grunge, and post-Oasis rock.”—AllMusic
“This the perfect album to bring back all those memories of early Moshing experience, crop tops and countless cold showers.”—Drown in Sound
6. Sloan—One Chord To Another
Released by Murderecords in June, 1996
“It's full of back-to-back hits as far as I'm concerned; each member's contribution is distinctive and equally powerful.”—Chart
“Few power pop records of the '90s are as infectious and memorable as One Chord to Another.”—AllMusic
7. Descendents—Everything Sucks
Released by Epitaph Records in September, 1996
“Everything Sucks was quite possibly the most polished and well rounded Descendents record and while it got mixed reviews initially, the album stands as a solid release.”—PunkNews
“Take this out of its surrounding context and this was and is a prime Descendents album. All the humor and heart-on-sleeve showcasing one could hope for are here.”—AllMusic
8. Fountains Of Wayne—Fountains Of Wayne
Released by TAG Recordings in October, 1996
“Despite the awful band name, these guys kick ass.”—Pitchfork
“Jason Falkner recently walked this way (and got good notices) and the Lemondheads sometimes do, too, but Fountains Of Wayne are a cut above them.”—Sydney Morning Herald
For my money, “Radiation Vibe” defines 90s indie rock
Love that Sloan record. So many great tunes on that record.