It's been quite a run, I 'discovered' these three albums/bands in just one week:
Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
Stone Temple Pilots - Core (1992)
Hootie & The Blowfish - Cracked Rear View (1994)
Heard of them of course, but never really listened properly before.
Pearl Jam's "Ten" is a perfect album as is Hootie's "Cracked Rear View"; while Stone Temple Pilot's Core has plenty of bangers (ooft, that dragging drum beat on Crackerman get's me hyped).
On the downside, I listened to all of Stone Temple Pilot's follow-ups and it was a major let down. In regards to Hootie I haven't checked out anything else yet and as for Pearl Jam -- this might sound silly -- but I'm almost nervous to listen to the follow-ups; I'm absolutely in love with this album and worry the rest aren't gonna live up to it. It's my understanding they changed it up quite a bit as they wanted to be more dry and grungy.
On another note, I was watching a Rick Beato vid recently and he brought up a six week period in 1991 where these six albums were all released:
- Metallica - Metallica (aka 'The Black Album') | 12th August 1991
- Pearl Jam - Ten | 27th August 1991
- Guns 'N Roses - Use Your Illusion I & II | 17th September 1991
- Nirvana - Nevermind | 24th September 1991
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 24th September 1991
- Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger | 24th September 1991
There's a few gems out there still but you just don't see this sort of coherent, cultural impact anymore from entire albums. Most newer artists are more famous for the celebrity than their music and when they release an album it's 90% filler with a catchy single or two. And beyond that all the distinct pockets and scenes have just dispersed into homogeny. Can't think of a time when that many great albums launched in a such a small period of time.