1993 Year in Review : THE CONSENSUS TOP 10

Nirvana, whose breakthrough collection “Nevermind” finished second to U2’s “Achtung Baby” in 1991’s album-of-the-year poll, hits the top in 1993 with its follow-up, “In Utero.”

The Seattle trio and the close-second Smashing Pumpkins spearheaded a resurgence of alternative rock in the annual balloting of The Times’ pop music contributors. Paul Westerberg, Liz Phair and PJ Harvey also figured in the consensus Top 10, while only three alternative-identified artists made the 1992 list, none of them higher than No. 3.

Rap also made its strongest showing in the poll’s 14-year history, led by Dr. Dre and Digable Planets. The Planets join fellow rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and Chicago singer-songwriter Phair on 1993’s all-debut team (let’s disqualify Dre and Paul Westerberg, who got head starts with N.W.A. and the Replacements, respectively).

Here is The Times’ pop music critics’ consensus Top 10, followed by the 14 voters’ individual choices for best album.

Artist, Title (Label) Total No. of Points Ballots 1. Nirvana, “In Utero” 68 8 (DCG) 2. Smashing Pumpkins, “Siamese Dream” 54 7 (Virgin) 3. Dr. Dre,, “The Chronic” 30 6 (Death Row/Interscope) Digable Planets., “Reachin’...” 30 6 (Pendulum) 5. Paul Westerberg, “14 Songs” 24 4 (Sire/Reprise) 6. U2, “Zooropa” 23 3 (Island) 7. Liz Phair, “Exile in Guyville” 22 3 (Matador) 8. PJ Harvey, “Rid of Me” 21 3 (Island) 9. Cypress Hill, “Black Sunday” 20 4 (Columbia) Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Doggystyle” 20 3 (Death Row/Interscope)

Lorraine Ali--Smashing Pumpkins

Mike Boehm--Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, “Respect” (A&M;)

Richard Cromelin--Liz Phair

Jonathan Gold--Dr. Dre

Robert Hilburn--Nirvana

Steve Hochman--Nirvana

Dennis Hunt--Digable Planets

Connie Johnson--Me’Shell, “Plantation Lullabies” (Maverick/Warner

Bros.)

Randy Lewis -- Elvis Costello & the Brodsky Quartet, “The Juliet

Letters” (Warner Bros.)

Enrique Lopetegui--Nirvana

Jean Rosenbluth--Aimee Mann, “Whatever” (Imago)

Heidi Siegmund--Spice 1, “187 He Wrote” (Jive)

Katherine Turman--Nirvana

Chris Willman--U2