The band released their first album, Ichabod and I, on the local record label Action Records in 1990; Hewitt was replaced by Rob Cieka after the release of the record.

With the support of influential British disc jockey John Peel, the band signed with Rough Trade Records with whom they released the "Every Heaven" EP in 1991 - a record which made it into the lower regions of the UK Singles Chart.

Rough Trade folded shortly after the release of "Every Heaven", and The Boo Radleys moved to Creation Records, releasing Everything's Alright Forever in 1992.

The album was also released in the U.S. through Creation's association with Columbia Records, but did not gain much attention there. In the UK, it received favorable reviews and the group began to build a fan base.

Topping several 'best of the year' lists, including those in Melody Maker and Select, 1993's Giant Steps was a critical success in the UK and sold respectably. In the U.S. the record launched the alternative hit "Lazarus", and led to second-stage spot on the Lollapalooza tour in 1994.

Released in the UK in the spring of 1995, the more pop-oriented Wake Up! was the band's commercial breakthrough, debuting at number one.

The bright, horn-driven single "Wake Up, Boo!" entered in the Top Ten and stayed on the chart until the early summer, preventing the follow-up single, "Find the Answer Within", from charting higher than the top 30.