I was thinking Green Day too, but imo the only really good album they released in the 90s was Dookie. This decade though they've released two very good albums in American Idiot and especially Warning. Also, they aren't very innovative, and imo that should be a consideration as to a band's greatness.

OTOH, if Californication was released in the 90s, which I think it was, then the Chilis have a pretty good claim to being the best band of the decade, imo again.

I absolutely abhor Green Day. Always have. Dunno why.

Green Day has always been a bunch of nothing to me. It's traditionally been hard for me to actually hate nothing. Still, they go by and I can't remember any of it, so it's hardly anyhting I can personally endorse. Kind of like the Offspring...so bland you don't even get to enjoy hating it.

To bands of the 90s in my book:

1. Blind Melon
2. Smashing Pumpkins
3. Pearl Jam
4. Radiohead
5. Dinosaur Jr.
6. Sonic Youth
7. Beastie Boys
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Rage Against the Machine
10. Urge Overkill

I think a lot of people don't like them because they're packaged as a punk band. Warning was quite a good album though.

This shocks me...

The Zola and I have very similar musical tastes in many areas...yet I find the Pumpkins to be absolutely terrible. I can't stomach their music at all. Corgan's voice is one of the worst I've ever heard and I find their songwriting to be atrocious. I still can't shake that "rat in a cage" image from my head from seeing the video in the 90's.

I'd pick Sheryl Crow if I could pick a solo artist.
I'll choose Pantera for a band.

Lots of bands could be the 'greatest' band of the 90's not saying Nirvana wasn't one of them but they weren't exactly the 'greatest' imo and they're one of my favorite bands. Other grunge acts had better overall talent. Of course there are others. Heres my list couldnt think of a single band so I threw a a bunch. Blind Melon (Didn't get the credit they deserved), Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins

But you also have to take in account what bands (any) expanded the genre and brought it to the public bands like Prodigy, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails (before industrial was barely heard on radio play or had big hits), and Tool

And not least bands that largely changed their styles throughout the years yet made EXCELLENT records on and on. Bands like Massive Attack and Radiohead

So yes I don't have a greatest band but in each group I like to consider some bands the best of the 90's

Yes they did, they were a pretty middle of the road band, nothing special that is for sure.

Blind Melon has gotten a bit more than they deserved, actually. While you never want to see anyone die that young, particularly in the manner that Hoon did, the reality is that his death prevented that band from releasing yet more mediocre material.

And of course, it also turned the band into tragic heroes.

in the defense of blind melon i've heard they put on great live shows and that's what they were really all about. i've heard some live material and it seemed to live up to expectations. unfortunately like most other great live bands their studio output never really measured up to what they did on stage.

then again i also used to think being a hippie would be cool