Best Album of the last 20 Years...

Spin magazine has named Radiohead's OK Computer as the best album of the last twenty years and I have to say that I can really agree with this pick. It mentions that Nirvana's Nevermind was once given the distinction of best album of the 90's, but that has waned over time and I can't help but agree with that as well. Nevermind is an important album as it truly ushered "alternative" rock into the mainstream, paved the way for the success of the Seattle sound and put an end to the cheesy "hair-rock" of the 80's. The thing about Nevermind though is I really can't remember the last time I actually listened to it.

When OK Computer was released, it was a similar watershed because it was hailed as the album from the band that would "save guitar rock." It's funny how things turned out. It is an amazingly beautiful and sad album that was loud and quiet and the same time. It was a departure from their previous straight-ahead guitar driven album The Bends. When it was originally released, I felt at first that it was too much of a departure however I did enjoy it. As I listened more though, it really grew on me. The last time I listened to it completely was just about two months ago and it just happened to come out of my CD changer last week to make way for the new Foo Fighters album (a band that I never imagined would have more commercial success than Nirvana after coming out of what was left after Kurt Cobain's suicide). And today Radiohead is still recording amazing music but have continued to progress farther away from guitars and more into the experimental realm. I honestly feel that Radiohead is the Pink Floyd of my generation. And OK Computer will always be the album that made the already tired and formulaic "alternative" rock genre begin to crumble.