Diary

Sunny Day Real Estate's debut album, 'Diary,' virtually defined emo in the '90s, laying much of the groundwork (along with Weezer) for the genre's end-of-decade indie prominence. Although emo existed (both as a term and as a style) prior to 'Diary,' it hadn't yet risen out of the deepest hardcore punk underground, save for a few bands on the Dischord label. For all intents and purposes, Diary was the album that made emo accessible, fusing its gnarled guitars and nakedly emotional vocals with more than a hint of melodic Seattle grunge. 'Diary' still ranks as arguably the definitive '90s emo album, and an indispensable introduction to the genre. -AMG