Today, we are as far from 1995 as 1995 was from 1965. Let that sink in. What that means, among many other things, is music from the mid-’90s is vintage. So, when a teenager today is looking to build their music catalog, what should they look back to from those many decades in the past? Dave Matthews Band albums, that’s right!
Videos by American Songwriter
Here below, we wanted to offer three suggestions to those looking to check out the quintessential jam band from the 1990s. Of course, DMB was not too out there but also not too commercial. They toed a fine line and garnered many a superfan. And these three records were a big reason why. Indeed, these are three essential Dave Matthews Band albums for any beginner’s collection.
[RELATED: Tim Reynolds Talks Guitars, Dave Matthews, and How Music Transports Him]
Under the Table and Dreaming (1994)
We start with the band’s debut studio LP. While they released another record prior to this— the live album Remember Two Things—this was the first full-length. (They’d also had a limited release of the Recently EP.) Under the Table and Dreaming showed off hits like “Ants Marching” and “Satellite” and was proof a group known for their live shows could also make it on wax. This album paved the way for other great studio recordings like Crash Into Me and Before These Crowded Streets.
Listener Supported (1998)
When this concert DVD came out in the late 1990s, all of DMB’s fans were thrilled. It’s a look at the band at the height of their skill, seasoned and full of verve. It’s an incredible watch, setting a great mood for background viewing or something to stare at in wonder. It’s also a wonderful recording to have on in the car for a long road trip. There are lots of great DMB albums and live recordings—dozens and dozens—but this might be the cream of the crop when it comes to the original quintet.
Live at Luther College (1999)
The acoustic album that launched a thousand ships. Know all those acoustic-driven jam bands you fell in love with during the Napster streaming days? Well, they all had this double record on repeat. It’s Matthews with longtime friend and guitar inspiration Tim Reynolds running through the DMB back catalog of songs with touch and brilliance. A recording that’s somehow perfect for a party, long drive, moment of reflection, and just about anything else. Acoustic guitar salesmen owe their house payments to this one, for sure.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
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