History

Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song dynamics, and apathetic or angst-filled lyrics. Bands like the Melvins, 10 minute Warning, and the Accused all helped influence this new grunge sound, which spoke to Generation X. Grunge burst onto the music scene, especially in Seattle, Washington. Many musicians cite Java’tude, a café in Seattle, as the birthplace of grunge. The true birth of grunge was the release of Deep Six- a compilation album of bands like the Melvins and Motherlove Bone.

1991 was the pinnacle year for grunge. This year alone saw the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind and Pearl Jam’s Ten. These albums garnered substantial commercial success, appearing on MTV and reaching the tops of charts in countries like America, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.        

The death of the grunge revolution is most notably recognized with the death of Nirvana’s lead singer, Kurt Cobain.  He was found laying in his home with a fatal shotgun wound on April 8^th, 1994.  There were many other things that happened that led to the drop of grunge off the mainstream.  Pearl Jam refused to play at any venue where Ticketmaster sold tickets, Soundgarden broke up and Alice and Chains wasn’t able to record because of their lead singer’s microphone phobia. Almost every band that defined the grunge scene fell apart by the mid 1990’s. 

Nirvana

Nirvana is the first of the two bands that defined grunge and influenced contemporary music like no others.  They started off as a very small band from Seattle, Washington, recording their first album entitled Bleach in 1989.  After Bleach hit the shelves Nirvanastarted playing bigger shows and their music became much more popular all around the country.  In 1991 their sophomore album Nevermind surfaced—grunge would never be t he same. Nevermind went 10 times platinum, a most impressive feat in the world of music. This record fit thestereotypes of grunge better than any compilations of songs ever before.  Cobain’s gut wrenching singing and the battling guitar tones (soft and melodious against loud and distorted) made Nevermind stand out more than anything that came before it.  Their last record, In Utero, was not very critically acclaimed but true fans still listened as always.  One of the things that makes Nirvana still so popular today is the big “what if?” that surrounds them.  People always wondered what could have been if Cobain hadn’t died.  Their most influential song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, came off of Nevermind and can be seen as one of the many reasons the record was so popular.  The songs angst-filled and apathetic lyrics made it an anthem for Generation X, sporting the mantra “Oh well, whatever, nevermind…”.   It is arguably the most recognized song of grunge music and is actually the number 10 song on Rolling Stone’s List of 100 Greatest Guitar Songs.  We can still see Nirvana’s presence in contemporary culture.  You can play “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on Guitar Hero 5 and even play as Kurt Cobain.

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is often overlooked as a prominent influence on grunge music. Unlike many other grunge bands, Pearl Jam got its start in southern California. It was started by two former members of Mother Love Bone, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. Lead singer Eddie Vedder is distinguishable by his long, dirty hair and unique voice. The band released its first album Ten in 1991, and although it did not have immediate success, the album quickly outsold Nirvana’s Nevermind, going 13 times platinum. Pearl Jam’s most influential song came from their first album. “Even Flow” represents the same apathetic feeling held by Generation X, through the story of a homeless man left to fend for himself on the streets. This song has gone on to become the song Pearl Jam performs the most live, nearly one hundred times more than the next closest song “Alive”. It is also one of the most recognized guitar songs of all time, reaching the top 30 on charts in four different countries. It also is featured on Guitar Hero III. Pearl Jam has garnered success not seen by any other grunge band. They have outlasted their other contemporaries, remaining prevalent in modern society. The band appeared on Saturday Night Live in 2010 and released its ninth album in 2009. While many other bands have broken up, Pearl Jam continues to prosper and influence modern music. 

by Christine DelTufo and Rich Massina

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