25 Big Rock + Metal Albums Turning 30 in 2024

It’s getting pretty scary for the ’90s kids out there, as albums that came out in 1994 are turning 30 years old this year.

The year 1994 was a pretty pivotal time in heavy music, as it marked a turning point in which subgenres were the most popular. It was the year grunge started to make its way out of the spotlight. Soundgarden already had three studio albums out, but Superunknown, which came out in March, was their magnum opus, spawning hits including “Black Hole Sun,” “Spoonman” and “Fell on Black Days,” among others.

The next month, though, Kurt Cobain died by suicide, and Nirvana were no more.

It was also a big year for extreme metal, especially Norwegian black metal. Mayhem finally put out their debut studio album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas after the deaths of two members, vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin and Oystein “Euronymous” Aarseth, caused major delays in finalizing the material. Fellow Norwegian outfit Emperor also put out their debut In the Nightside Eclipse, which was their only release with drummer Faust, who was found guilty of the brutal murder of a man named Magne Andreassen later that year.

READ MORE: The Most Shocking Rock + Metal Moments of the ’90s

Toward the end of ’94, we saw the birth of nu-metal when a band from Bakersfield, California named Korn released their self-titled debut. In the years to come, this new style of music would eventually take the spotlight from the ebbing grunge.

We repeat, 1994 was a pivotal year. Keep scrolling to see the biggest rock and metal albums turning 30 this year.

Top 90 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of the 1990s