The Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream (1993)

Officially categorized as part of the grunge movement, The Smashing Pumpkins never quite fit in with their contemporaries in the same genre. Their style was actually more oriented towards alternative rock, both in terms of their experimentation and the diversity they showcased throughout their work. Formed in Chicago in the late 1980s, their second album, "Siamese Dream", achieved the success necessary to be considered one of the best and most influential bands of the 1990s. This album contains an interesting mix of styles while still maintaining their nascent alternative sound. Tracks like the brilliant "Cherub Rock", with its highly addictive, crushing riffs, and "Today" demonstrate their purest rock side, while the orchestrated "Disarm", with its dark and somber tone, and the punk-infused "Geek U.S.A.", along with the acoustic "Spaceboy" and the powerful "Soma", are among the most compelling tracks on an album that ranks among the best of the entire 1990s.