ALL MUSIC -----1992

1991 may have been the Year Punk Broke but 1992 was the year the '90s truly began. Nevermind Nirvana, there was an explosion of alt-rock classics, beginning with a clutch of grunge classics from Seattle -- the aftershocks of Nirvana's success being Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, a major label contract for Mudhoney -- but also Pavement's debut Slanted and Enchanted, which began indie-rock as we now know it, and R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People, which began adult alternative as we now know it. R.E.M. wasn't the only '80s college-rock veteran still experiencing a golden streak -- Morrissey teamed up with Mick Ronson for the crushing Your Arsenal, Bob Mould revitalized himself with Sugar, Sonic Youth got louder and tighter on Dirty, XTC closed out their golden age with Nonsuch -- but there were just as many records that pointed toward what the '90s would be.