Editing Beastie Boys (section)

===Return to Form and Critical Peak (1992–1998)===

Returning to self-production, the Beastie Boys released ''Check Your Head'' in 1992, an album that saw them playing their own instruments for the first time in years. It incorporated funk, jazz, punk, and hip-hop in a freewheeling style that reestablished them as critics' favorites. ''Ill Communication'' followed in 1994, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 and yielding the global hit "Sabotage," accompanied by one of the most celebrated music videos of the decade — a parody of 1970s cop shows directed by Spike Jonze.

During this period the group also launched their own record label, [[Grand Royal]], and the accompanying ''Grand Royal'' magazine, releasing music by artists including Luscious Jackson and Ben Lee. Adam Yauch became a prominent activist for Tibetan independence, organizing the Tibetan Freedom Concert series beginning in 1996.

''Hello Nasty'' (1998) was another commercial high point, debuting at number one in multiple countries and winning two Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album.

{| style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #1a1a1a; color: #ffffff; padding: 8px; text-align: left; font-size: 1.05em;" | Studio Discography
|-
! style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px; background-color: #2e2e2e; color: #fff;" | Year
! style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px; background-color: #2e2e2e; color: #fff;" | Album
! style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px; background-color: #2e2e2e; color: #fff;" | Label
! style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px; background-color: #2e2e2e; color: #fff;" | Notes
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 1986
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Licensed to Ill''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Def Jam
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | First rap album to top the Billboard 200; over 9 million US copies sold
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 1989
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Paul's Boutique''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Critically reappraised sampling masterpiece; produced by the Dust Brothers
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 1992
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Check Your Head''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol / Grand Royal
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Live instrument-driven return; funk, jazz, and punk influences
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 1994
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Ill Communication''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol / Grand Royal
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Number one US; includes "Sabotage"
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 1998
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Hello Nasty''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol / Grand Royal
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Two Grammy Awards including Best Rap Album
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 2004
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''To the 5 Boroughs''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | New York-focused return to hip-hop; debuted at number one
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | 2011
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | ''Hot Sauce Committee Part Two''
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Capitol
| style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px;" | Final studio album; released following Yauch's cancer diagnosis
|}