Why the Brazilian drums? For the album that proved metal could be ethnic, tribal, and so heavy it literally shifted tectonic plates. Part of the… Read More »1996 Archive: The Sepultura “Roots”

Why were 250,000 people standing in a field? Because the Gallagher brothers were so confident that if they’d told fans to bring their life savings… Read More »1996 Vintage: The Oasis “Knebworth” Peak

Why the weirdness? Because Eddie Vedder hated being famous so much he recorded an album that sounded like a deliberate attempt to stop people from… Read More »1996 Legacy: The Pearl Jam “No Code”

Why Beavis and Butt-head? For a cover that proved the Peppers were at their best in an animated world where funk meets cartoon violence. Part… Read More »1996 Archive: The Red Hot Chili Peppers “Love Rollercoaster”

Why were the fans crying? Because Metallica cut their hair and suddenly “Justice for All” turned into “Justice for my Stylist.” The metal world had… Read More »1996 Classic: The Metallica “Load” Haircut

Why the aliens? Because Andre 3000 and Big Boi decided Atlanta was too small for their rap, so they moved the entire production to another… Read More »1996 Vintage: The Outkast “ATLiens”

Why “If It Makes You Happy”? For proving you could be a pop star, play bass, and write songs about buying second-hand clothes while still… Read More »1996 Archive: The Sheryl Crow Self-Titled

Why did it work? Because Beck proved you could mix country, hip-hop, noise, and cartoon samples, and people would still call you the voice of… Read More »1996 Vintage: The Beck “Odelay” Weirdness

Why was Keith Flint scaring people? For a black-and-white video in a tunnel that proved rave could be more aggressive and punk than the Sex… Read More »1996 Archive: The Prodigy “Firestarter”

Why did the year feel so heavy? Because of the tragic loss of 2Pac in September, which changed music forever, turning rap’s biggest star into… Read More »1996 Archive: The 1996 Final Music Vibe