In 1998, Google was born, Japan hosted the Winter Olympics, and Titanic won a record 11 Oscars. While that may feel like a lifetime ago, the decade's best music is still relevant as ever.
And as streaming data from these 1998 albums proves, we're still listening.
There was no singular music trend that defined the year. As commercial, candy-coated pop began to dominate the charts, rising artists across genres like electronic, indie pop, punk, and alternative made their marks behind the scenes. Meanwhile, global superstar Madonna defended her title as queen of reinvention, and budding hip-hop masterminds OutKast pushed the limits of rap for a new generation.
Maybe you were front row at 1998's biggest concerts-or maybe you weren't born yet. Regardless, check out these 10 iconic records from the year that still hold up.
Air, Moon Safari Released January 16, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 3.3 million
Moon Safari, the debut from French duo Air, is appropriately light and breezy-but it's far from fluff. Across 10 delicate tracks, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Beno t Dunckel experiment in soft, playful electronica with instruments from synths and organs to bongos and castanets. The result is a gentle assessment of space and atmosphere; elevator music for the time-traveling hipster set of the future.
Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Released February 10, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 10.6 million
An indie rock concept album inspired by Anne Frank? Sounds like a hard sell, and yet the tender, explosive power that drives In the Aeroplane Over the Sea has mesmerized listeners for two straight decades. An unlikely cult classic from a band that only released two studio albums, Aeroplane is a sweeping epic fueled by the dense, gut-wrenching lyricism of Neutral Milk Hotel leader Jeff Mangum.
Madonna, Ray of Light Released February 22, 1998
2018 Streams: Over 2.2 million
Madonna's Ray of Light didn't so much mark a comeback as it did a full-blown renaissance; at the time of the record's release in early 1998, the pop superstar was basking in the glow of a whole new identity. A new mom, Madonna embraced spiritual practices like yoga and Kabbalah and underwent extensive vocal training before recording her seventh studio album. As a result, she sings in a wider, fuller tone that complements her newfound maturity and lush, techno-pop sound.
Massive Attack, Mezzanine Released April 20, 1998
2018 Streams: Over 7 million
In the '90s, Bristol, England, became known for its experiments in trip-hop, a chill blend of hip-hop and electronic. Massive Attack's landmark Mezzanine was born from this rich scene, but ultimately transcended the city limits. Shrouded in eerie tension and cold, sparse beats, Mezzanine highlighted the talents of guest vocalists like reggae legend Horace Andy and Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins; Fraser lends her ethereal vocals to Teardrop, a soft anti-ballad that became the album's biggest hit (and the title sequence song for the TV show House ). The album's hypnotic legacy can be found coursing through the work of contemporary artists like James Blake and The xx.
Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Released August 25, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 29.7 million
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill begins with the ring of a school bell-a familiar sound to anyone who remembers (fondly or otherwise) back to the time when they were figuring out who they wanted to be. In many ways, Lauryn Hill's debut solo album is a coming-of-age story. There's the love and anxiety of being a young mother ( To Zion ), the ache of broken relationships ( I Used To Love Him ), and exploration of feminism and equality ( Doo Wop (That Thing) ). In breaking with her band Fugees, Hill shifted between singing and rapping with effortless ease, bursting solo into the boys club that is hip-hop with her own strong yet vulnerable style.
Elliott Smith, XO Released August 25, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 1 million
1998 was a turning point for Elliott Smith, the wistful crooner whose untimely death five years later would leave his legacy shrouded in myth. Months after he appeared at the Academy Awards to perform his nominated song Miss Misery (from Good Will Hunting ), he made his major label debut with XO, a characteristically melancholy release. And yet, even as he battled increasingly present inner demons, there was hope and light to be found on XO ; from the tender, jubilant Sweet Adeline to the cheery flourishes of Baby Britain.
Belle & Sebastian, The Boy With the Arab Strap Released September 7, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 1 million
To this day, Belle & Sebastian is one of the most prolific indie bands in the game, but their brilliant career first took shape with their third album, The Boy With the Arab Strap. A curious collection of enchanting sonic fables, the record saw Belle & Sebastian expand from a solo project into a full-fledged band, with Stuart Murdoch and company touching upon issues of isolation and angst across a quirky dream-pop landscape. They remain the poster children for Glasgow's weird and wonderful art scene, a hub for artists like Camera Obscura, CHVRCHES, and Franz Ferdinand.
Hole, Celebrity Skin Released September 8, 1998
2018 Total Streams: Over 3 million
The spotlight isn't easy for anyone, but when you're one-half of a tragic and infamous rock couple, it's especially hard to keep it together. Courtney Love did that and more on her band Hole's third record, Celebrity Skin, released just a few years after the death of her husband, Kurt Cobain. Driven by the force of the record's fiery title track, Celebrity Skin became the band's most popular release, a sophisticated departure from the rough, fuzzed-out grunge of their previo
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
10/06/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media, and entertainment managed services, today announced the launch of its Content Exchange platform powered by Or...
10/06/2026
Klvr will showcase how venues, integrators and production teams are rethinking disposable battery usage at InfoComm 2026 (Las Vegas, June 17-19, booth #N6311). ...
10/06/2026
The Video Services Forum (VSF) has further enhanced the Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) protocol by incorporating a new feature, RIST Satellite-Hyb...
10/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/06/2026
Chemists snap together complex 3D molecules from highly reactive radicals-without losing their shape Scripps Research team develops stereoretentive radical-radi...
09/06/2026
Kiswe announces an expanded long-term partnership with ONE Championship (ONE), t...
09/06/2026
SiriusXM will broadcast FOX Sports' English-language commentary for all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches from June 11 through July 19, available to subscribe...
09/06/2026
EVS has announced it is changing its corporate name from EVS Broadcast Equipment to EVS, reflecting the company's expanded portfolio beyond broadcast equipm...
09/06/2026
Fox Corporation and the NFL have announced a multi-year agreement to bring NFL c...
09/06/2026
FOX Sports and ReachTV, an airport media network, have announced an agreement to...
09/06/2026
Cosm Atlanta, a 70,000-square-foot, three-level immersive entertainment venue located within Centennial Yards adjacent to State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Sta...
09/06/2026
NESN captured five awards at the 2026 Boston/New England Emmy Awards, including four program honors and one individual award.
These awards reflect the passion...
09/06/2026
Ateme has announced that its support for Apple Immersive Video workflows was referenced by Apple during its 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26).
Atem...
09/06/2026
Bitmovin has announced that Axel Springer SE has deployed Player Web X, Bitmovin's web video player, to power audio readouts of news articles and an audio-o...
09/06/2026
Grass Valley and Lawo have announced a technology collaboration to validate orch...
09/06/2026
LiveU has announced a deployment with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) t...
09/06/2026
Globecast has announced the launch of its Content Exchange platform, powered by ...
09/06/2026
NBC Sports will present live coverage of Overtime's OT7 football league Championship Weekend from Sullivan Field at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angel...
09/06/2026
We're in three different locations, three different production teams. Coveri...
09/06/2026
The intro video for Men's Basketball won Outstanding In-Venue Video in the C...
09/06/2026
Today is match day minus two for FIFA and HBS. On Thursday, there will be two ma...
09/06/2026
Since their debut, the clock-and-score graphic has drawn the affinity and ire of...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch a significant update that brings an array of n...
09/06/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is a statutory body mandated to spearhead the equitable growth and development of the South African film and video...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
Media buyers and sellers can now compare YouTube reach from computer, mobile, an...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
A project aimed at modernizing scheduling operations across Mediaset's channel portfolio
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitab...
09/06/2026
tvONE, an ACT Entertainment brand, debuts its most powerful video processor ever built: the 4RU CALICO PRO (C7-PRO-4200), at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N6813). Engine...
09/06/2026
Composer and Conductor Eric Whitacre to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Va...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Technology collaboration to validate AMPP and Lawo HOME orchestration integration, showcasing Dynamic Media Facility principles in practice.
Grass Valley and ...
09/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced that Axel Springer SE, international media and technology company, has deployed Playe...
09/06/2026
LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video solutions, today announced a landmark deployment with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) that has brought Video ...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
In 1998, Google was born, Japan hosted the Winter Olympics, and Titanic won a record 11 Oscars. While that may feel like a lifetime ago, the decade's best music is still relevant as ever.
