The 25 best albums of 1998
25 January 2023, 17:18 | Updated: 20 July 2023, 18:45
Let's look back at memories of the year of Sexy Boy, Intergalactic, Teardrop and Praise You.
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Air - Moon Safari: released 16th January 1998
The French duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel released their debut album, which featured Sexy Boy and All I Need.
Air - Moon Safari. Picture: Press -
Catatonia - International Velvet: released 2nd February 1998
The Welsh band released their second, most successful, album in 1998 that featured the singles Mulder And Scully and Road Rage.
Catatonia - International Velvet. Picture: Press -
Madonna – Ray Of Light: released 22nd February 1998
Madge worked with dance producer on her eighth studio album, which included the pulsating title track, The Power Of Goodbye, Drowned World and the No 1 Frozen.
Madonna – Ray Of Light. Picture: Getty -
Pulp - This Is Hardcore: released 30th March 1998
Jarvis and co released their sixth album featuring the title track, Help The Aged and Party Hard.
Pulp - This Is Hardcore. Picture: Press -
Gomez - Bring It On: released 13th April 1998
Southport's finest released their debut, Mercury Music Prize-winning album which featured 78 Stone Wobble and Whippin' Piccadilly.
Gomez - Bring It On. Picture: Press -
Massive Attack - Mezzanine: released 20th April 1998
The band's third album was released, featured the big tune Teardrop.
Massive Attack - Mezzanine. Picture: Press -
Garbage - Version 2.0: released 11th May 1998
Shirley Manson and co released their second album featuring the hits I Think I'm Paranoid, When I Grow Up and Push It.
Garbage - Version 2.0. Picture: Press -
Smashing Pumpkins - Adore: released 2nd June 1998
Billy Corgan's band - now a trio, minus drummer Jimmy Chamberlin - released their fourth album, featuring the single Ava Adore.
Smashing Pumpkins - Adore. Picture: Press -
Embrace - The Good Will Out: released 8th June 1998
Danny McNamara's band released their debut album, featuring the singles All You Good Good People and Come Back To What You Know.
Embrace - The Good Will Out. Picture: Press -
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty: released 14th July 1998
The NY hip hop trio released their fifth album, featuring the massive hits Intergalactic and Body Movin'.
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty. Picture: Press -
UNKLE – Psyence Fiction: released 24th August 1998
James Lavelle and DJ Shadow's collaboration released its debut studio album, which included the tracks Rabbit In Your Headlights and Be There.
UNKLE – Psyence Fiction. Picture: Press -
Elliott Smith - XO: released 25th August 1998
The late singer songwriter released his fourth album this year.
Elliott Smith - XO. Picture: Press -
Belle And Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap: released 7th September 1998
The Scottish band made their breakthrough with their third studio album. The title track was later used on the TV show Teachers.
Belle And Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap. Picture: Press -
Mansun – Six: released 7th September 1998
The follow-up to the hugely successful debut Attack Of The Grey Lantern included the singles Legacy, Being A Girl and Negative.
Mansun – Six. Picture: Press -
Hole - Celebrity Skin: released 8th September 1998
Courtney Love's band released their third studio album, including the title track and Malibu.
Hole - Celebrity Skin. Picture: Press -
Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours: released 14th September 1998
The band's fifth album was their first No 1 and spawned the single If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next, also a chart topper. The song is in the Guinness World Records as the number one single with the longest title without brackets.
Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours. Picture: Press -
PJ Harvey - Is This Desire?: released 28th September 1998
Peej released her fourth album, featuring the single A Perfect Day Elise.
PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? Picture: Press -
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs: released 29th September 1998
The Buffalo, New York band released their third album, which included the memorable track Goddess On A Hiway.
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs. Picture: Press -
Ash - Nu-Clear Sounds: released 5th October 1998
The band released their second album and welcomed aboard their second guitarist Charlotte Hatherley.
Ash - Nu-Clear Sounds. Picture: Press -
Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing: released 12th October 1998
Brian Molko's power pop trio released their second album, which featured Pure Morning and Every You Every Me.
Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing. Picture: Press -
Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way, Baby: released 19th October 1998
Norman Cook released his second album under the Fatboy Slim moniker, featuring the singles Praise You, Rockerfeller Skank and Right Here Right Now.
Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way, Baby. Picture: Press -
The Cardigans - Gram Turismo: released 19th October 1998
The fourth album from the Swedish band featured the hits My Favourite Game and Erase/Rewind.
The Cardigans - Gram Turismo. Picture: Press -
Idlewild - Hope Is Important: released 26th October 1998
The Edinburgh punk band released their first full-length album. The LP featured When I Argue I See Shapes and A Film For The Future.
Idlewild - Hope Is Important. Picture: Press -
R.E.M. - Up: released 26th October 1998
The Athens, GA legends released their 11th album, featuring At My Most Beautiful and Daysleeper.
R.E.M. - Up. Picture: Press -
Beck - Mutations: released 3rd November 1998
The musician's sixth studio album included Cold Brains, Tropicalia and Nobody's Fault But My Own.
Beck - Mutations. Picture: Press