The Best of Grunge: 90’s Music
Contents
The Best of Grunge: 90’s Music is a blog dedicated to the best grunge music of the 90’s. Here you’ll find music reviews, artist interviews, and more.
Introduction
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock and a subculture that emerged during the mid-1980s in the Pacific Northwest U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. The early grunge movement revolved around Seattle’s independent record label Sub Pop and the region’s underground music scene. By the early 1990s its popularity had spread, with grunge bands appearing in California, then emerging in other parts of the United States and Canada.
Grunge music is characterized by heavy guitar riffs, drumming, and vocals which are often distorted or performed with purposely uncontrolled emotional expressions (often referred to as “noise”). Lyrical themes tend to be angst-ridden, dealing with themes such as social alienation, apathy, feelings of being trapped, neurosis, insecurity, and a desire for freedom.
The grunge musical style is typified by heavily distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, occasionally accompanied by pianos and keyboards. This sound was created primarily by Kurt Cobain when he overdubbed his guitar tracks with homemade recordings of distorted power chords plucked close to the guitar body (a technique known as “drop D tuning”).
The Best of Grunge
If you’re a fan of 90’s alternative music, then you’re in for a treat. This article will take a look at some of the best grunge bands of the 90’s. We’ll also touch on the origins of grunge and how it became one of the most popular genres of the 90’s. So if you’re ready to relive the 90’s, then keep reading!
Nirvana
Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. The band consisted of singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl. Nirvana became one of the most successful bands of the early 1990s due in part to their breakthrough single “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band released their debut album Bleach in 1989 but it was their 1991 album Nevermind that thrust them into the spotlight.
The success of Nevermind was followed by a series of tumultuous events for the band. Cobain struggled with heroin addiction and depression, leading to his eventual suicide in 1994. Following Cobain’s death, the remaining members of Nirvana completed one final album, In Utero, before disbanding in 1995. Nirvana is considered to be one of the most influential bands of the 1990s and their music continues to be popular more than two decades after their break-up.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Seattle, Washington. The band’s current lineup consists of founder Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guitar), Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums). Since its inception, the band’s line-up has included former members Jack Irons (drums, backing vocals) and Dave Krusen (drums).
Pearl Jam rose to prominence with their 1991 debut album, Ten. One of the key bands of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, over the course of the band’s career, Pearl Jam has achieved widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. They have sold over 32 million records in the United States and an estimated 60 million worldwide. Ten peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart, sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, and was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1998. It produced three hit singles: “Alive”, “Even Flow”, and “Jeremy”. Their 2000 album, Binaural, was also a critical and commercial success; peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 it sold nearly 10 million copies worldwide. Its hit single “Last Kiss” charted at number two on both mainstream rock radio stations and pop radio stations.[3] In May 2002 Pearl Jam released their eighth studio album Riot Act. Their ninth studio album December 2003’s self-titled offered one of their biggest hits date: “Save You”, while 2006 saw their tenth pearl jam album entitled Rearviewmirror greatest hits 1991–2003. On April 10th 2013 they will be releasing their much anticipated eleventh studio album Lightning Bolt which will be available for stream on iTunes a week before it is released in stores everywhere.
Soundgarden
If you’re looking for classic grunge, look no further than Soundgarden. One of the most influential bands of the genre, Soundgarden defined what it meant to be grunge in the 90s. With hits like “Black Hole Sun” and “Rusty Cage,” the band helped to shape the sound of a generation. If you’re a fan of grunge, you need to check out Soundgarden.
Alice in Chains
Formed in 1987, Alice in Chains rose to mainstream prominence as part of the Seattle grunge movement of the early 1990s. The band became known for their dark and depressing style of music, which was reflected in their lyrics. Lead vocalist Layne Staley’s drug addiction also became a subject of their music.
The band’s debut album, Facelift (1990), was a commercial success, reaching No. 36 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was followed by the release of Dirt (1992), which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 6 and became one of the most successful albums of the decade, selling more than five million copies in the United States alone. The album helped Alice in Chains gain a large fan base, and they were one of the most popular bands of the early 1990s.
In 1996, Staley died of a drug overdose, and the band went on hiatus for several years. They returned in 2006 with a new album, Black Gives Way to Blue, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and received mostly positive reviews from critics. The band has released four more studio albums since then: The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013), Rainier Fog (2018), and Facelift (1990).
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots was an American rock band from San Diego, California, that originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums). Stone Temple Pilots broke into the mainstream with their first album, Core, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in September 1992 and produced five hit singles. The band’s second album, Purple (released June 1994), entered the Billboard 200 chart in May 1994 at number one and featured four singles that peaked within the top ten of Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Conclusion
Grunge music was one of the most influential genres of the 90s. It brought a new sound to the music industry and had a profound impact on popular culture. Grunge bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam defined a generation and continue to influence musicians today. If you’re looking for some great grunge music to listen to, be sure to check out the best of grunge: 90s music.
