I actually remember the Summer of 1993 working at Sam Goody at the Mall of America and seeing many of the albums on this list among others. That Rush album, was a really big deal for me as I was obsessed with Rush at the time and it was their 1st new album since I really became a fan.
But just looking at it, 1993 was actually a pretty good year. Top Heavy still, like many years, but also relatively deep. I would guess 1994 and 1995 I see as better years, but the years that followed in the 90's? I'm not so sure (1998 may be 1 of the dry-est years ever from memory).
Jellyfish, Galactic Cowboys, Cynic, Angra, Enchant, The Tea Party, Savatage and I Mother Earth all put out some of the best albums from the 1990's.
1. Jellyfish - Spilt Milk
2. Galactic Cowboys - Space in Your Face
3. Cynic - Focus
4. Angra - Angels Cry
5. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
6. Savatage - Edge of Thorns
7. The Tea Party - Splendor Solis
8. I Mother Earth - Dig
9. Rush - Counterparts
10. Saigon Kick - Water
11. Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é
12. Jim Matheos - First Impressions
13. Dream Theater - Live at the Marquee
14. Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair
15, Tears for Fears - Elemental
16. Anekdoten - Vemod
17. Pat Metheny - The Road to You: Recorded Live in Europe
18. Robert Plant - Fate of Nations
19. Without Warning - Making Time
20, Voivod - The Outer Limits
21. U2 - Zooropa
22. Primus - Pork Soda
23. Duran Duran - Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
24. Alan Parsons - Try Anything Once
25. Damn the Machine - Damn the Machine
26. Pearl Jam - Vs
27. Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club
28. No-Man - Loveblows and Lovecries - A Confession
29. Orphaned Land - The Beloved's Cry
Jellyfish - Spilt Milk
rel February 9, 1993
Duran Duran - Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
rel February 11, 1993
The Cranberries - Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can't We?
rel March 1, 1993
Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
rel March 9, 1993
Coverdale•Page - Coverdale•Page
rel March 15, 1993
Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion
rel March 22, 1993
Savatage - Edge of Thorns
rel April 2, 1993
Tool - Undetow
rel April 6, 1993
His Name is Alive - Mouth by Mouth
rel April 13, 1993
Primus - Pork Soda
rel April 20, 1993
Porno for Pyros - Porno for Pyros
rel April 27, 1993
Jim Matheos - First Impressions
rel May 25, 1993
Robert Plant - Fate of Nations
rel May 25, 1993
No-Man - Loveblows and Lovecries - A Confession
rel May 1993
Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair
rel June 7, 1993
Tears for Fears - Elemental
rel June 7, 1993
Damn the Machine - Damn the Machine
rel June 8, 1993
Galactic Cowboys - Space in Your Face
rel June 8, 1993
The Tea Party - Splendor Solis
rel June 11, 1993
U2 - Zooropa
rel July 5, 1993
Ozric Tentacles - Jurassic Shift
rel July 13, 1993
Pat Metheny - The Road to You: Recorded Live in Europe
rel July 20, 1993
Steve Vai - Sex and Religion
rel July 27, 1993
Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club
rel August 3, 1993
Voivod - The Outer Limits
rel August 3, 1993
I Mother Earth - Dig
rel August 10, 1993
Dark Tranquillity - Skydancer
rel August 30, 1993
Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
rel August 1993
Dream Theater - Live at the Marquee
rel September 4, 1993
Cynic - Focus
rel September 14, 1993
Saigon Kick - Water
rel September 28, 1993
Anekdoten - Vemod
rel September 1993
October Project - October Project
rel October 12, 1993
Pearl Jam - Vs
rel October 19, 1993
Rush - Counterparts
rel October 19, 1993
Alan Parsons - Try Anything Once
rel October 26, 1993
Angra - Angels Cry
rel November 3, 1993
Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é
rel November 23, 1993
Without Warning - Making Time
rel November 24, 1993
Crypt of Kerberos - World of Myths
rel 1993
Orphaned Land - The Beloved's Cry
rel 1993