This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

1995

Jagged Little Pill

Album Summary

Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13, 1995, through Maverick. It was her first album to be released worldwide. It marked a stylistic departure from the dance-pop sound of her first two albums, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). Morissette began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Toronto, making little progress until she traveled to Los Angeles, where she met producer Glen Ballard. Morissette and Ballard had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds. The experimentation resulted in an alternative rock album that takes influence from post-grunge and pop rock, and features guitars, keyboards, drum machines, and harmonica. The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette's angst. The title of the album is taken from a line in the first verse of the song "You Learn". Jagged Little Pill was a worldwide commercial success, topping the charts in thirteen countries. With sales of over 33 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling albums of all time and made Morissette the first Canadian to achieve double diamond sales. Jagged Little Pill was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning five, including Album of the Year, making the then 21-year-old Morissette the youngest artist to win the top honor up to that point. Rolling Stone ranked Jagged Little Pill at number 69 on its 2020 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".The album has been re-released twice: on October 30, 2015, in a 2-disc deluxe edition and a 4-disc collector's edition commemorating its 20th anniversary; and on June 26, 2020, in a 25th anniversary deluxe edition. An acoustic re-recording of the album was released on June 13, 2005, to mark its 10th anniversary. A musical stage production based on the album premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge on May 5, 2018; it transferred to Broadway the following year, and was nominated for 15 Tony Awards including Best Musical. A world tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of Jagged Little Pill began in early 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.72

Votes

19221

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
Apr 07 2021
View Author
5

Let's get one thing out of the way: this album is DATED. The mixing, the songwriting, the instrumentation ... everything about this album firmly plants it in a specific time frame. Usually, that's a bad thing when the time frame is mid-90s. Somehow (and I'm not sure how, honestly), "Jagged Little Pill" manages to be both a perfect example of an album from '95 AND a great album. There are things that I don't like ... but not enough for me to give it anything less than 5 stars. There are too many great tracks. It demands a 5-star review.

👍
May 13 2021
View Author
4

I didn't grow up in the 90s but this is what I imagine it sounded like.

👍
Oct 07 2021
View Author
4

Men on this list when they're broken up with: "The clouds in my heart shed cumulus tears / the pain won't mend for a matter of years" Women on this list when they're broken up with: "Does your new bitch even let you bust in her mouth?" Fuckin' A, Alanis. It's definitely one of the more dated sounding records the generator's handed out so far, but that didn't stop me from digging Neneh Cherry, and it doesn't stop me here. Nix some of the softer filler tracks and you have a real banger on your hands. Key tracks: All I Really Want, You Oughta Know, Right Through You

👍
Mar 29 2022
View Author
5

Gen X's "Blue", which means that "Exile In Guyville" is Gen X's "Tapestry". I had those albums reversed at first until I remembered that, like Joni Mitchell, Alanis is from Canada. Besides, I prefer Guyville-Tapestry over Jagged-Blue, and I'm an actual Gen Xer, so I'm allowed to make my own silly rules. Your mileage may vary, but apparently Liz Phair and Alanis have become good friends. I guess it depends on whether you prefer blow jobs in a theater or getting fucked until your dick turns blue. They both sound like fun to me. A song as great as You Oughta Know deserves to be about someone other than Dave Coulier. I prefer the deep cuts over the hits here, and that's surely because everything released as a single after You Oughta Know was overplayed to the point of exhaustion. Alanis may not appreciate that. She doesn't seem to fully understand irony. But we shouldn't begrudge Alanis Morissette for that. She made a kick-ass album.

👍
Nov 11 2020
View Author
5

It's a noteworthy accomplishment for Alanis to represent such emotional and dark themes through an up-beat, mainstream pop driven instrumentation. The album is a collective statement and fierce representation of her artistry within the rock genre. There is no doubt that Alanis is one of the most unique and distinctive singer-songwriters in modern music history, which this album solidified. Stand-Outs: All I Really Want, Perfect (understated song), Head Over Feet, Ironic, You Oughta Know

👍
Oct 16 2021
View Author
1

worst album i’ve ever heard I would rather get a blowjob from a piranha than listen to this again the whole thing it just some canadian hoe bitching about her ex boyfriend while making donkey moans and terrible harmonica solos

👍
Aug 07 2023
View Author
2

Alanis Morisette looks like John Travolta. This album really does nothing for me. It occupies the mid-90’s cultural slough whose festering miasma spread well into the 2000’s. It is an anthem for being too hot in pyjama pants on a summer day at 12:45 pm and wanting to kill yourself; that feeling of having completely wasted your day and that, consequently, you’ll do the same for your entire life. It makes me feel like my head is under a heat lamp, like I’ve been sitting on a hot sidewalk all day. The vibe is just not good at all. The lyrics and vocal technique feel like an Adam Sandler number. It’s very cheesy, the kind of thing women like Tony Soprano’s sister listen to. It’s what your very sweaty, overweight, bead obsessed aunt and her boyfriend listen to in their 1995 Honda accord with no air conditioning while they smoke with the windows up and sway their heads back and forth like they’re waving candles at some boomer concert, then consistently, loudly, and obnoxiously shushing whenever you ask them to turn it down or crack a window. It’s fine, just not really my thing.

👍
Apr 14 2021
View Author
5

One of, if not THE first CDs I ever owned. I remember my dad being pissed that my mom let me listen to it. Def would’ve been a Lilith fair attendee

👍
Nov 01 2021
View Author
4

Alanis Morissette gives the post-break-up singer-songwriter confessional album a new and decisively 90's overhaul in a post-grunge, post-riot grrrl world. It's bitter, jaded and cynical pop-rock, meaning that her best lyrics are the most conversational and cutting, the lines which drip with sarcasm. The first moment of genius comes in the second verse of "All I Really Want", when she asks "why are you so petrified of silence- can you handle this?" And then everything cuts to a few seconds of dead silence... before the voice comes back in- "Did you think about your bills, your ex, your deadlines, or when you think you're gonna die, or did you long for the next distraction?" It's glorious. She sells her anger perfectly and convincingly throughout: "You Oughta Know", "You Learn" and of course "Ironic" glow with a perfect combination of visceral rage, lyrical insight and radio-friendly rock. On the other side of the spectrum are the more optimistic, plaintive "Hand in My Pocket" and "Head Over Feet", sticking out like sore and lovesick thumbs. They might be lyrically trite in comparison, but they still shine with their sweeter, more pop-friendly melodies. My problem lies with the songs that don't quite seem to hit either side well, either sitting awkwardly in the middle or just becoming unpleasant on the ears. "Forgiven" shoots for a "You Oughta Know" style catharsis, but just feels grating and repetitive when the previous tracks have already got there, and "Not the Doctor" suffers coming off the back of "Ironic", dipping the pace to a lolloping growl. "Wake Up" is a weak ending as Morissette mumbles and shrieks her way through, in search of both a strong hook and a definitive sign-off. I didn't really feel either arrived. I find Morissette's vocals very overbearing at times, but Glen Ballard's production is also part of the problem: his de-facto method for going "angry" or "confessional" is by upping the distorted guitars and bringing more searing, wailing vocals up front. Even though Morissette's lyrics and subject matter allows for it, there's not a lot of dynamic range in the sound, or different means of expression. It frustrates me that we don't get more dialled back material on the level of "Perfect" or "Mary Jane", both showcasing Morissette's versatility as a songwriter and a vocalist. I'm intrigued to hear there's an acoustic version of the album recorded ten years later- and will definitely check this out to see if the songs are served any better. Despite all this, I'm feeling generous and can't argue against the strength of a lot of the songwriting. Bearing in mind a lot of the records I have given 3* and like a lot less, it's scraping 4* here. Definitely worth a listen for any songwriters getting in touch with their angry side!

👍
Nov 09 2023
View Author
5

Absolutely legend. 90s in the best way possible.

👍
May 03 2024
View Author
4

The influence of Jagged Little Pill on post-pop progressive death metal cannot be overstated. 4

👍
Sep 24 2021
View Author
3

Like an angry version of Friends. Anthemic, feminist themed. Vocals start to jar after a while but some interesting lyrics in parts.

👍
Mar 30 2021
View Author
2

What is worse than something that is just bad? Something that almost is good sometimes, and then spoils it with more badness. Almost a 1, but "forgiven" and the really fantastic bass part on the otherwise blegh "you oughta know" saved it

👍
Sep 18 2023
View Author
4

So 90's that it borders on distracting. There are a ton of iconic jams on this album. Alanis' trademark strained vocals fit right into the alt rock / grunge that the 90s were seeing. This is one of those albums that made it out of that decade not looking completely ridiculous in the process. Enough here that anyone could enjoy.

👍
Feb 23 2022
View Author
3

Dripping in 90s cheese, when it hits is very good, but when it misses its downright awful. It hits more than misses but I cannot shake the feeling that computers are working overtime to give it that sound. It's a 3

👍
Jan 11 2024
View Author
3

Alannis seems to have had some bad relationship experiences, and I'm not 100% surprised - it sounds like she would be a bloody nightmare 🤣. Overall an OK listen and some good tracks but a bit angry & shrill so won't be rushing back to it!!

👍
May 03 2024
View Author
5

Isn't it iconic, er, ironic don't ya think?

👍
Feb 13 2021
View Author
5

Yes, she's angsty. But it's great writing, passionate songs. Really diverse and a great listen. I have to let my OCD relax listening to Ironic given that nearly all of her examples aren't really irony. Oi vey.

👍
Apr 30 2024
View Author
3

i was originally disappointed seeing this album pop up because i *LOATHE* "ironic," but it wasn't as bad as i thought. largely fine, though her voice really irritates me. i know that's not an original critique, but i don't care!

👍
Dec 06 2023
View Author
3

Another day, another dose of nostalgia from the 1001 Albums Generator. These early-mid 90’s records really end up putting me in an odd headspace sometimes. This isn’t a record I ever listened to intentionally, but I know a lot of it…how could I not? I was a teenager in 1995, consuming as much MTV as I possible could and I knew plenty of people who were Alanis Morrisette fans. So when a record like this gets assigned, it’s inevitable that I end up thinking about those people, the fun times…about the 90’s. …and you know what, it’s comforting. It feels good, most of the time. Occasionally, that comfort becomes uncomfortable: you think about something stupid you said to someone or how you haven’t really kept in touch with some of the people you are thinking about and you’re not really sure why that happened other than it’s just what happens as you get older. An odd feeling, without a doubt and I’m not sure I’m conveying it well through these written words. Funny how that happens, you have this feeling going on and, try as you might, you can’t really convey it properly. I don’t know…it’s…I guess if I had to really pinpoint it, narrow it down for a stranger, I would probably tell them… IT’S LIKE RAAAAAAAAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY IT’S A FREE RIDE WHEN YOU’VE ALREADY PAID IT’S THE GOOD ADVICE THAT YOU JUST DIDNT TAKE AND WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? IT FIGURES.

👍
Nov 30 2022
View Author
2

Catchy, annoying, bad and good. A snapshot of the 90’s worth a listen but I still have trouble liking this

👍
Jan 20 2021
View Author
5

+ Hand in My Pocket + You Oughta Know + You Learn + Head Over Feet + Ironic

👍
Sep 15 2020
View Author
5

Ridiculously good alt rock album even though it is definitely something that could have only come out in the 90s. Experimental enough to make me question how this album became so popular in the first place

👍
Jan 18 2023
View Author
1

Absolutely miserable experience. Lyrics and vocals are annoying, over-the-top making this album a chore to listen to. If you never liked listening to 'Ironic' then skip this one. Best song: Right Through You (the least irritating song, very radio-friendly) Worst song: You Oughta Know (someone was very salty about their ex)

👍
Jun 10 2025
View Author
5

-if this album came out when I was teenager, I honestly might be president or soemthing because this shit is anthem -10/10, no notes, the musicality, the lyricisms, the through line, the diversity of sound, the guitar ??? Are you kidding -this is a 90s album that stands up today if not stands taller

👍
May 18 2025
View Author
5

Pre-listening thoughts: LETS GOOOO oh hell yes bro this is gonna be so good. How many albums can you say got a musical dedicated to them just because they were that good huh? Not that many Post/during listening thoughts: yeah I already knew basically this whole album. Alanis has a powerhouse voice and this is just amplified by these “rage in your room” kind of songs. Cohesive, upbeat, and every song could be the lead single (and a lot made it to radio!) 10/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes Fav tracks: no skips but You Learn is a fav of mine, also You Oughta Know Least fav tracks: n/a

👍
May 08 2025
View Author
5

Jagged Little Pill definitely wears its heart (and fury) on its sleeve, and those grungy guitar textures give it that extra punch.This one’s all about catharsis—anger, heartbreak, vulnerability, defiance—and she owns it. The vocals swing from whispery to howling in seconds. It’s confessional without being soft, and feminist without being preachy—just intensely personal and musically gripping. My standouts are the obvious ones "you oughta know" & "all I really want", but the whole album resonates.

👍
Dec 14 2024
View Author
5

soooo so so so good man...i wonder if the bigger harder more rock-oriented songs could be spaced out a bit more to lift up the pacing slightly (tho they at least save ironic for close to the end), but we're talking about slight potential optimizations not fixing any huge structural problems. morissette is one of the best vocalists to ever reach this level of commercial dominance, a kind of post-grunge patti smith but with i think an even wider capacity for disarming beauty as she weaves her way thru a bunch of Idiot Winds for the 90s. that decades' obsession with causticness and irony (!!!) helped catapult her to stardom, but theres no defensive protective layers here...all the bitterness is vulnerable, heart-on-sleeve, earnest in its messiness. in that way, head over feet is the secret track holding the whole record together, and prob just my favorite generally...a beautiful celebration of embracing that vulnerability and losing those numb defenses. rly great as a collection of music, kind of transcendental as a total emotional package

👍
Oct 21 2024
View Author
5

I'm telling my kids this is what the mid 1990s sounded like

👍
Oct 05 2024
View Author
5

This is the most 90s album i've ever heard just from the opening guitar riffs. I like her voice when she's not doing weird things with it. I think that was kind of her trademark but I don't really like the cracking that she does and a lot of country singers do. She's working through a LOT in this album. jagged little pill walked so that Sour and Guts could run.

👍
Jun 25 2024
View Author
5

Was surprised how much of this album I recognized. It evokes a time and place only still available to us in the year 2025 on reality TV. Take from that what you will, but it's solid from start to finish.

👍
Apr 19 2021
View Author
5

Really great album all around. Strong and well known albums all throughout. 10/10.

👍
Apr 16 2021
View Author
5

This middle finger to the patriarchy is just perfect. It's fun to give this a good listen as an adult with adult feelings. I felt the emotions of the album as a 12 year old but I understand the lyrics better as an adult.

👍
Jan 16 2021
View Author
5

Still so good. Nothing but cuts.

👍
Feb 11 2021
View Author
5

amazing album. played on repeat for a few months during college

👍
May 28 2021
View Author
5

5/28 Raw, emotional, mature. Standout Tracks: All I Really Want, Perfect, Forgiven, You Learn, Head Over Feet, Not the Doctor, Wake Up, You Oughta Know (Jimmy the Saint) / Your House

👍
Jun 22 2025
View Author
4

A fantastic story teller and singer. This album is a classic and a treasure.

👍
Jun 18 2025
View Author
4

"And what it all comes down to is that everything's gonna be fine fine fine. 'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket, the other one is giving a high five." That might be the most perfect encapsulation of being an upper middle class white kid in America in 1995 ever written. GenX was able to be the "whatever" generation by virtue of coming to age at the absolute peak of western society, 1985-2000. The feeling that no matter what bad things happen, the arrow will still be pointed up and it will be alright. Before the Internet was monetized and ruined by social media. Before 9/11 made us all collectively paranoid and started us down the road to the political polarization that is tearing us apart 30 years later. Alanis tapped a cultural vein in at the perfect time in the Lilith Fair era, and wrote some absolute banger pop songs with just enough non-conformity to give them a genuine/honest vibe. It may not be what I want to listen to anymore, but it's a great album.

👍
May 20 2025
View Author
4

and every time you speak her name does she know how you told me you'd hold me until you die? 'til you die? but you're still alive!

👍
Apr 07 2025
View Author
4

the bass on the dave coulier song cross eyed bear chiming one chord guitar on chickenshit felt like skipping forgiven. christian rock. love an album title taken from a line in a verse. head over feet is the sound of riding in the back of the minivan to buy furniture in amish country

👍
Oct 25 2024
View Author
4

Made an instant classic by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon

👍
Jan 25 2024
View Author
4

Alanis Morissette is God. Well maybe not, but she did play God in Dogma, the Jay and Silent Bob movie from 1999. I wanted to watch her scenes to come up with something snazzy for this review. Unfortunately Dogma is not available on a streaming service. You want to know why? Harvey fucking Weinstein!!! That asshole owns the rights and is sitting on it. He also refused to sell the rights back to Kevin Smith for a reasonable amount of money. So the only way to watch Dogma is to find a DVD. Unbelievable. Anyway, Alanis Morissette comes to earth and saves the universe from two rotten angels with her powerful voice. And that my friends is where I’d like to focus. The standard version of this album is fine. The hits are hits and some of the other songs are let downs. Glen Ballard did an OK job as producer but he screwed up the best part of this album…Alanis’s voice…because he covered it up too much with his bullshit instrumentation. Side note: Ballard also screwed up The Dave Matthews Band’s sound when he produced their album Everday. It was a big let down. What really got me to embrace these songs is the acoustic version of the album, which is available on the Collector’s edition. In that version, Ballard’s instrumentation is present, but stripped back and out of the way. The acoustic version takes a let down song like Mary Jane and makes a wonderful experience. I give the standard version of the album a 3, the acoustic version a 5, and I’m splitting the difference because they should have been smart enough to use the acoustic version in the first place. I know that’s the version Kevin Smith must have heard when he cast Alanis as God for the purpose of using her powerful voice to save the universe.

👍
Dec 03 2024
View Author
3

Like the music but not the vocal nor lyrics. A microcosm of the 90s I guess.

👍
Dec 02 2024
View Author
3

Im so sorry, but really not the biggest fan of her voice

👍
Nov 20 2024
View Author
3

Oh hell yeah. Canadian pride. Although it’s Ottawa. This isn’t a political commentary but Ottawa is like a weird fake city. Anyway. Here’s the 90’s angry hit machine we’ve all been waiting for (I haven’t been waiting for this). A full hour!!! Oh boy. Am I at a loss for poorly written words?? Kind of. I have no idea how to talk about this. Do I hate it? No. Do I love it? No. Do I like it? Kind of. RAHHHHHHHH LETS GO. I’m in my Mum’s 1996 Honda Civic once again. Oh no. The silly rap into the chorus. Bad bridge but you know what. This chorus is undeniable. Good and angry. Pop music peaked with this. Dumb nostalgia mixed with palpable energy. Screeching tires. I have been hurled from the aforementioned Civic onto the pavement of a 90’s ballad with horrendous lyrics. Trash pile. The TRUE mom banger. One hand in my pocket, and the other one is turning down the radio in order to think more about You Oughta Know. In all seriousness, it’s really not that bad. The choruses are catchy, and for whatever reason, as popular as this was, it doesn’t feel like it was distilled in a maintain lair by some Interscope executive. The deep tracks have not delivered yet. This is no exception. Return to sender. Ehhh. Some nerd on RYM said Forgiven was the only good song on here. It’s a little early 2000’s three days grace kind of shit. I mean, it is way less grating than that and gets progressively more interesting. Decent track. The vocal scatting type stuff is funny. This is the worst hit. So bad. Like, yes, people learn stuff from bad stuff. This reads like a lame psychology Ted talk. Bored me. The musical hipster returns with a lame Ted Talk reference and a flourished tip o’ the trilby. Another hit?? Alanis. Your 1995 was nuts. Mine was embryonic. Little hint out there for all you superfans. Nice little love song. Good contrast to the breakup songs I suppose. Circle of life. Deep track revival. Will it be a decent one? 1:15 in, that answer is an emphatic “no.” Full track elapsed. One of the worst. I won’t resort to the beaten to death and beyond bit that none of the things are ironic in this song, but you know what is ironic? I expected to hate all the hits on this thing and by god, I like most of em. Well 2 of them. So not most of them. Well, this has turned into a real black fly in my Chardonnay. First deep track banger. Great song about women not wanting to be mothers to boyfriends. I think? Man, I might be stupid. Either way, it’s good. Wake up sheeple. My phone doesn’t autocorrect sheeple. We’ve strayed too far. This song couldn’t wake me up if it was projected from the bleeding eyes of a demonic boar levitating above my bed. My sleeping cap wouldn’t even be dislodged. The a capella outro is pretty impressive. God. Well. That was pretty cool. Didn’t like a bunch of the deep tracks, but the good moments were really good. A ton of fire for a pop album and an enjoyable listen. Now to cleanse my palate with Wesley Willis’ monster hit “Alanis Morissette” followed by a trip to Rock n’ Roll McDonalds. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: You Oughta Know, Head over Feet, Not the Doctor, Your House - A Capella

👍
Oct 29 2024
View Author
3

May the protagonists in her songs look back on this as fondly as I do now. Sneered at it back then, now see it for what it is: a strong set of wailers with all the contemporary alt-rock bells and whistles, powered by a voice that seems to embody domestic discord, which is not a criticism.

👍
Oct 29 2024
View Author
3

My relationship with this record is one of grudging acquiescence. I tried to avoid it, but in 1996 this proved an impossible task so I learned to appreciate some of the quirky wit therein: "Do I stress you out? My sweater is on backwards and inside out And you say how-[e-yow-e-yow-yow] appropriate" "You took me for a joke You took me for a child You took a long hard look at my ass And then played golf for a while" etc You know what it sounds like - basic, screechy, dated and cheesy, but utterly era-defining (if you ever turned on the radio or left the house). Characteristically, and unfashionably, I think she actually got better on later albums, and will recommend "Under Rug Swept" (despite its perfect Spinal Tap-esque review in a UK rag: "Very Good Not") Would a 3 be ironic?

👍
Aug 27 2024
View Author
3

You read, you learn. You hear, you learn. You rate, you learn.

👍
May 02 2024
View Author
3

Nr. 161/1001 All I Really Want 3/5 You Oughta Know 3/5 Perfect 3/5 Hand In My Pocket 3/5 Right Through You 3/5 Forgiven 2/5 You Learn 3/5 Head Over Feet 3/5 Mary Jane 2/5 Ironic 4/5 Not The Doctor 3/5 Wake Up 3/5 Average: 2,92 Okay-ish pop record, just a bit too whiny at times for me.

👍
Apr 26 2024
View Author
3

A 90s classic but not really my bag, and I find Alanis’ voice a bit grating at times. Important record for WOMEN in ROCK though, and I am an ALLY.

👍
Apr 24 2024
View Author
3

If you’ve ever listened to an adult contemporary station you know the highlights. Great singles boring deep tracks

👍
Jan 25 2024
View Author
3

Alanis Morissette sounds like a parody of herself. It’s immediately apparent on the opening track, “All I Really Want.” Is it yodels? Or donkey moans? Or just overly dramatic and exaggerated? I recently saw her do a duet with James Corden updating the lyrics of “Ironic.” Corden was clearly doing a humorous exaggeration of Morissette’s vocals, style, and mannerisms. Except he sounded just like she does. The overall sound of the album, minus the vocals, is very rooted in the mid-90s. Somewhere in between grunge and alternative rock and the pop rock that would dominate the second half of the decade. That sweet spot, along with rock radio and MTV getting fully behind “Ironic,” launched “Jagged Little Pill” into the stratosphere. It really can’t be understated. It’s the 14th best selling album of all time! No other female-fronted rock act has come anywhere close. The album is packed with hits beyond “Ironic,” but the best songs may not have been the singles. I think? Maybe I just got sick of the singles, which often had the most egregious vocal excessiveness. But some of the other songs were pleasant surprises barring some excessive yodeling - I was a bit taken by parts of “Forgiven” that almost sound like they came from Pearl Jam’s “Vitalogy,” which came out a year prior. I’m always fascinated by the rock musicians that record under the name of lead singer/guitarist rather than as a band. It seems like more of a pop star kind of thing, but many artists all over the rock spectrum have done it. Going solo is rarely actually solo. And it wasn’t just studio musicians on “Jagged Little Pill” - Dave Navarro and Flea played on “You Oughta Know.” But maybe this was a pop album clothed as a rock record. Morissette’s first two albums, put out through MCA Records Canada, were never released in the States and are no longer in print. But the Alanis of those records was described as the “Debbie Gibson of Canada” - her jagged rock star turn was a departure from her early pop days. Or was her alt rock debut just a pop record with era-appropriate guitars?

👍
Nov 30 2024
View Author
2

I have known for a while that Alanis isn’t my cup of tea and this listening didn’t change that. I respect her songwriting, but it veers a bit whiny or self-pitying for my tastes and her voice is just really annoying to me. The way she uses it is very strange. 5/10

👍
Oct 25 2024
View Author
2

A few undeniable hits but the rest is BORING 90s contemporary radio filler

👍
Sep 10 2023
View Author
2

It’s very 90s: Seattle-ish angst with a bit of a Britpop dressing. Her vocals get really tiring after a bit though.

👍
Aug 28 2023
View Author
2

Not for me whatsoever, the only song I enjoyed on the record was 'perfect'

👍
Aug 14 2023
View Author
2

Las dos canciones conocidas no están mal. El resto bastante flojo.

👍
Jun 25 2025
View Author
5

I hadn’t listened to this in many years. However, after listening to it today, I realized what I had been missing. This is really a great album.

👍
Jun 25 2025
View Author
5

Best breakup album of all time. So many emotions and they are all right on the surface. No one sings like Alanis

👍
Jun 24 2025
View Author
5

I remember sitting at Hungry Jacks (the Aussie equivalent of Burger King) with my family, circa 1995, when Hand In My Pocket came on the restaurant radio. I'd been made aware of this new song via my group of friends, largely due to the fact that it featured a very naughty lyric. I waited patiently to see what would happen, and much to my disbelief, without the tiniest bleep of censorship, Alanis exclaimed at the top of her angsty lungs: "I'm brave but I'm chicken shit". My 11-year-old mind was blown.

👍
Jun 23 2025
View Author
5

The power force of the 90s that sparked a revolution.

👍
Jun 23 2025
View Author
5

Estupenda artista y magnífico álbum.

👍
Jun 19 2025
View Author
5

Most people are likely unaware that Alanis first hit the music scene as a dance pop diva. But I remember her first hit Too Hot in 1991. Ugh. All kinds of cheesy 80's faux instruments and sounds (carrying into the 90's) - like a Rico Sauve or Marky Mark effort. Which is what makes this self-chosen alternative rock transformation so remarkable. There's still a tinge of pop sensibilities at times on the album, but it is an edgier rock sound. And her vocals no longer sound like she's trying to emulate Paula Abdul but there's maturity, grit, and a hardness to it. And then there's her lyrics - talk about edgy, but also sardonic and clever as hell. Sort of a big F you to all the celebrities and industry folks who just wanted a piece of her (often literally) when she hit the scene, as well as a commentary on all of life's complexities. And in the latter it's a bit softer and she expresses vulnerability. I really love this album, have for a long time. It's got depth, it can be tender or it can rock. On the tender side, I think Perfect, Head Over Feet, and Mary Jane are sweet and powerful. And on the rock side, All I Really Want, You Oughta Know, and Right Through You bring the energy (and the F you attitude). Hand in My Pocket is a different style of rock, almost a Dylanesque sound (and poetic meter) and commentary, but one of my favorites. You Learn and Ironic are softer rockers but solid rockers nonetheless. Again, I really love this album.

👍
Jun 14 2025
View Author
5

A standout album by an original artist and voice (often shrieking).

👍
Jun 14 2025
View Author
5

The song writing is so good, the voice is absolutely one-of-a-kind, the production adds flavor. She's obviously a soul singer influenced by 70s rock and whatever was on the radio. Its hard to imagine what happens on this album that didn't happen on any other album she's made. This is a gem of an album and the rest of her catalogue is pretty ho-him. Which is sad because it's an incredible debut.

👍
Jun 14 2025
View Author
5

You can't deny it, 95% is really fricking good. Despite the ironys just being poor luck. Was great to listen to it again all the way through, it's been a few years. Every single song is brilliantly produced, some beautiful words throughout and a top voice.

👍
Jun 12 2025
View Author
5

There are some clunkers…. But overall a great album

👍
Jun 10 2025
View Author
5

Like Taylor Swift but really angry.

👍
Jun 05 2025
View Author
5

*Fistpump This album came out when I was 12 but didn't really grab the attention of radio until I was 13 or 14 and then it was absolutely everywhere. I was an edgy teen who was in to Nirvana and therefore this kind of music "was the enemy" I recently bought a copy of it for my wife on vinyl for her birthday (she loved the album when she was a teenager) and I have grown to appreciate how damn good it it is. Lots of highlights... All I really want, Head Over Feet... actually there isn't a bad song on here.

👍
Jun 03 2025
View Author
5

Ah, Alanis Moriessette: teaching people the wrong definition of 'ironic' for 30 years now.

👍
Jun 03 2025
View Author
5

Alanis logró con este disco un merecidísimo éxito de ventas y crítica. La producción de Glen Ballard, que ya había tirunfado unos años antes con las Wilson-Phillips, le dio millonarias ventas record de Grammys y la gloria eterna. Aquí nos llegó Oughta now, apoyada en los Chili Peppers Flea y Navarro, que no era poca cosa. Su influencia es ubicua en cualquier cantante: desde las obvias Avril Lavigne, Sheyrl Crow o Meredith Brooks hasta otras como Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Beth Orton, Aimee Mann, Pink... desde ella, las chicas son autónomas y molan más. Temazos : You learn, Ironic, Hand in my pocket y obviamente You oughta now. Otro estupendo disco suyo fue el posterior Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie con Thank you como puntal.

👍
Jun 02 2025
View Author
5

En till klassiker. Ett mästerverk i en mix av singer songwriter traditionen och alt rock/indie. Femma

👍
May 31 2025
View Author
5

Fantastic album! Love every song on this album.

👍
May 29 2025
View Author
5

I didn't realize how great this album was until I heard it in its entirety.

👍
May 27 2025
View Author
5

Didn’t need to listen to know this would be a 5. So many memories listening to this album growing up. An early “name that tune” mishap where dad asked me to fill in the lyrics for “Hand Over Feet” and I said “baby” and listening while playing in my closet with Mary and the Benage girls. So many bangers! I didn’t know the music videos but Joe showed me a couple, notably “Ironic,” which was apparently mind blowing in the late 90s.

👍
May 26 2025
View Author
5

Pure and powerful 90s rock/pop, perfectly emblematic of the musical landscape of the time period. Absolutely gritty, with a (strong) touch of cynicism - but still just so much FUN to listen to. This album is an icon of the 90s, but still has a timeless quality to it.

👍
May 24 2025
View Author
5

Love this album, seen her perform it live. Listened to the original and acoustic back to back, thank you for that excuse.

👍
May 21 2025
View Author
5

This shit sounds terrible in hindsight, it just sounds old af but it’s still a phenomenal album with classic records that will never go out of style!

👍
May 21 2025
View Author
5

love this album, one of my favorites

👍
May 20 2025
View Author
5

I love this album, the passion and the unfeigned anger; it grabs you and flings you about the room and by the end you're lying on the couch, exhausted from all the emotions.

👍
May 20 2025
View Author
5

clasicazos, voz mega iconica, mu bien

👍
May 19 2025
View Author
5

A wonderful female rock statement, influencial for other female artists.

👍
May 16 2025
View Author
5

O disco do ano em 1995, sem sombra de dúvidas!

👍
Load more reviews