These three albums are among the great works released by bands that reunited years later, with some liberties taken. Not all of these albums here came out after a reunion in the 90s. A couple of albums are later releases by 90s-era bands who reunited in the 2000s or 2020s. However which way you slice it, these artists were making music at some point in and around the 90s before a hiatus. Years later, their reunion albums are beloved by fans.
‘The Magic Whip’ by Blur
Blur released The Magic Whip in 2015, marking their first return to their original lineup since 1999’s 13. The lineup fractured when Graham Coxon left the band in 2002 after being asked not to return to the studio amid tension during recording for the album Think Tank. His departure was temporary, however, as he and Damon Albarn patched things up in 2008. A new album was still a far-off fantasy at that time, but Blur was back together at least. 16 years later, The Magic Whip was released, and the long-awaited reunion album earned overwhelming praise from fans and critics. A debut at the top of the U.K. Albums Chart made The Magic Whip their sixth No. 1 album in the U.K., and it remains a beloved return to form for Blur.
‘No Exit’ by Blondie
Blondie released No Exit in 1999 as their first album in 17 years. Their last album before the hiatus was The Hunter in 1982, a loose concept album that had the band dabbling in a new creative space. Unfortunately, it became obvious that this ambitious project would be Blondie’s last album, and upon release, it wasn’t received as well. The band announced their split that year. But in 1997, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein started gathering the original lineup, including Clem Burke, Gary Valentine, and Jimmy Destri.
Valentine departed before the album came out, and Blondie became a four-piece. In 1999, No Exit became their hugely popular reunion album, hitting No. 3 on the U.K. charts. They also had their second No. 1 single with “Maria”, 20 years after “Heart of Glass.” In later years, Blondie’s lineup fractured again, and subsequent albums underperformed. But that first reunion was a reminder that sometimes it takes almost two decades to find your footing again.
‘All Quiet On the Eastern Esplanade’ by The Libertines
The Libertines, like Blur, is another band that took a long hiatus before returning in the 21st century. Technically, it’s possible to consider them a 90s band, although they didn’t really debut until the early 2000s. Either way, The Libertines were often volatile due to drug addiction and reckless behavior. The band faced many interpersonal and even legal issues, mostly centering around Pete Doherty and Carl Barât’s strange, co-dependent relationship. Around 2003, The Libertines broke up for the first time after releasing Up the Bracket in 2002. The album launched them into overwhelming success so quickly that they flared and burned out almost as fast. Their self-titled second album was released in 2004, but the band was already in shambles.
Their first reunion album, Anthems for Doomed Youth, came out in 2014 after a reconciliation in 2010. Years went by, and The Libertines stayed together for live shows, but no new music came until 2024. Their second reunion album, All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, showed a settled and focused group, proving that Doherty and Barât still had the old magic without all the old drama.
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