When you look at all of the albums that turn 35 in 2024, there is a lot going on.

In 1989, we see the early beginnings of an alternative explosion, which would further expand in the 1990s. Eight different alt. rock bands released significant albums. Both Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana released their debut studio albums in 1989 with Pretty Hate Machine and Bleach, respectively. Soundgarden released Louder Than Love, which was their second studio album and their major-label debut.

On top of that, Faith No More scored a hit with The Real Thing, which featured “Epic.” Red Hot Chili Peppers also had a significant mainstream breakthrough with Mother’s Milk. Rounding things out are The Stone Roses with their self-titled debut album, The Cure released Disintegration and Pixies dropped Doolittle.

Of course, plenty of mainstream rock acts had significant albums released in 1989. Aerosmith released Pump, which features “The Other Side,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Love in an Elevator” and “What It Takes.” Motley Crue released Dr. Feelgood, which contains some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Kickstart My Heart,” “Without You,” “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” “Don’t Go Away Made (Just Go Away)” and the title track. The Rolling Stones also made a return to form with Steel Wheels. Lastly, Tom Petty released his debut solo album Full Moon Fever. The classic album is absolutely stacked with incredible songs, including “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “I Won’t Back Down,” “Yer So Bad” and “Free Fallin’.”

Female solo artists also released absolute bangers in 1989. Janet Jackson released the genre-bending concept album Rhythm Nation. Meanwhile, Madonna was stirring things up and causing controversy with Like a Prayer. Bonnie Raitt had a major critical and commercial hit with Nick of Time, and Cher continued to embrace rock elements with Heart of Stone.

Keep scrolling to see other albums that turn 35 in 2024!

• Nine Inch Nails - ‘Pretty Hate Machine’

  Nine Inch Nail released their debut studio album, Pretty Hate Machine, on October 20, 1989. The acclaimed and influential album features “Down in It,” “Sin” and “Head Like a Hole.”

• Pixies - ‘Doolittle’

  The alt. classic Doolittle by Pixies was released on April 17, 1989. The album features notable track “Debaser,” “Here Comes Your Man” and “Monkey Gone to Heaven.”

• The Cure - ‘Disintegration’

  The Cure released their eighth studio album, Disintegration, on May 2, 1989. Considered “the best album ever” by South Park character Kyle Broflovski, the album features “Lullaby,” “Pictures of You,” “Fascination Street” and “Lovesong.”

• Madonna - ‘Like a Prayer’

  Madonna’s fourth studio album, Like a Prayer, was released on March 21, 1989. The classic pop album features hits like the title track, “Cherish” and “Express Yourself.”

• Janet Jackson - ‘Rhythm Nation’

  Janet Jackson’s classic concept album, Rhythm Nation, was released on September 19, 1989. The album features a number of hits including the title track, “Miss You Much,” “Escapade, “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” and “Black Cat.”

• Motley Crue - ‘Dr. Feelgood’

  Dr. Feelgood was Motley Crue’s fifth studio album. Released on August 28, 1989, the album features notable tracks like “Kickstart My Heart,” “Without You,” “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” “Don’t Go Away Made (Just Go Away)” and the title track.

• Beastie Boys - ‘Paul’s Boutique’

  Paul’s Boutique, the second LP from the Beastie Boys, was released on July 25,  1989. While it was not a similar commercial success like their debut, Licensed to Ill, the album is considered one of the best of all time, regardless of genre.

• Neil Young - ‘Freedom’

  Neil Young’s 17th studio album, Freedom, was released on October 2, 1989. The album features notable tracks like “Wrecking Ball,” “Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero Part I)” and the classic single “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

• Faith No More - ‘The Real Thing’

  Faith No More’s The Real Thing came out on June 20, 1989. The first of the band’s albums to feature Mike Patton, the album notably features “Epic.”

• Aerosmith - ‘Pump’

  Continuing Aerosmith’s ’80s renaissance was their tenth studio album, Pump. Released on September 12, 1989, the album features a number of big hits, including “The Other Side,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Love in an Elevator” and “What It Takes.”

• The Stone Roses - ‘The Stone Roses’

  Influential alt. rock band The Stone Roses released their self-titled debut album on May 2, 1989. The classic album features “I Wanna Be Adored,” “She Bangs the Drums” and Fools Gold.”

• Bonnie Raitt - ‘Nick of Time’

  Bonnie Raitt’s classic tenth album, Nick of Time, was released on March 21, 1989. It won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and was added to the National Recording Registry in 2022.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers - ‘Mother’s Milk’

  Mother’s Milk, the fourth studio album from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, was released on August 16, 1989. The album was the band’s first big commercial success and featured “Knock Me Down” and their cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.”

• Nirvana - ‘Bleach’

  Nirvana’s debut album Bleach was released on June 15, 1989. The album was famously made for just over $600. While it wasn’t a commercial success at first, there was renewed interest in the album following the release of 1991’s Nevermind.

• The Rolling Stones - ‘Steel Wheels’

  The Rolling Stones released Steel Wheels on August 29, 1989. The album features “Mixed Emotions” and notably helped heal tensions between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The album also included a massive world tour.

• Queen - ‘The Miracle’

  Queen released their thirteenth studio album, The Miracle, on May 22, 1989. The album features classic tracks “Breakthru” and “I Want It All.”

• Soundgarden - ‘Louder Than Love’

  Louder Than Love was Soundgarden’s second studio album and their major-label debut. Released on September 5, 1989, it features “Loud Love” and “Hands All Over.”

• Billy Joel - ‘Storm Front’

  Billy Joel’s Storm Front was released on October 17, 1989. The album sold four million copies in the United States due in large part to the success of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

• The B-52’s - ‘Cosmic Thing’

  The B-52’s released their hit fifth album, Cosmic Thing, on June 27, 1989. The album has been certified quadruple platinum in the United States and features “Love Shack” and “Roam.”

• Tom Petty - ‘Full Moon Fever’

  Full Moon Fever was Tom Petty’s debut solo album, which was released in April 24, 1989. The album is a stone-cold classic and features “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “I Won’t Back Down,” “Yer So Bad” and “Free Fallin’.”

• Stevie Nicks - ‘The Other Side of the Mirror’

  Stevie Nicks released her fourth solo album, The Other Side of the Mirror, on May 30, 1989. The album was a top-10 hit thanks to its lead single “Rooms on Fire.”

• Prince - ‘Batman’ (Soundtrack)

  The soundtrack from the 1989 movie Batman served as Prince’s 11th studio album. Released on June 20, 1989, the album features “Partyman,” “Scandalous” and “Batdance.”

• Don Henley -’The End of the Innocence’

  The End of the Innocence was Don Henley’s third solo album. Released on June 27, 1989, the album sold over six million copies in the United States and features the title track, “The Heart of the Matter” and “New York Minute.”

• Cher - ‘Heart of Stone’

  Cher’s 19th studio album, Heart of Stone, saw the pop icon continue to infuse more rock into her sound. Released on July 10, 1989, the album went quadruple platinum thanks to hits like the title track, “After All,” “Just Like Jesse James” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.”

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