Grunge Music is Making a Comeback in 2019
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It’s official, grunge music is making a comeback in 2019. Here’s a look at some of the most popular grunge bands that are getting people excited about the genre once again.
The Origins of Grunge
Grunge music was born in the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The genre is a mix of punk rock and heavy metal, and is known for its dark and dirty sound. Grunge music became popular in the early 1990s with the release of Nirvana’s album, “Nevermind.”
Seattle’s music scene in the late 80s and early 90s
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Seattle’s music scene was defined by a genre of music now known as grunge. Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, particularly the Seattle area. The genre is characterized by itsy distorted guitars, angsty lyrics, and dark, dreary atmosphere.
Grunge rose to popularity in the early 1990s with bands such as Nirvana,Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. These bands were able to cross over into the mainstream with their unique sound and style, which was a departure from the polished pop music that was popular at the time. Grunge quickly became one of the most popular genres of music in the world.
However, by the mid-1990s, grunge had begun to lose its luster. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam had achieved massive success and were no longer considered part of the underground scene. The death of Kurt Cobain, Nirvana’s lead singer, in 1994 also dealt a blow to the genre. Grunge began to fade from the mainstream thereafter.
In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in grunge music. Some attribute this to the fact that many people who grew up listening to grunge are now adults with their own taste in music. Others believe that grunge never really went away; it just went underground again. Whatever the reason may be, grunge is once again becoming popular in 2019.
The rise of Nirvana and other grunge bands
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a new kind of rock music emerged from Seattle, Washington. This style became known as grunge, and it was characterized by heavy guitar riffs, angst-filled lyrics, and a DIY aesthetic. Grunge bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden rejected the flashy glamour of hair metal and instead embraced a more down-to-earth sound and look.
Grunge became hugely popular in the early 1990s, thanks in part to Nirvana’s breakthrough album Nevermind. This album featured the band’s signature song “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which quickly became a anthem for disaffected youth. Other grunge bands also found success in the mainstream, with Pearl Jam’s album Ten selling over 13 million copies and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger going platinum.
Although grunge was initially associated with Seattle, it soon spread to other parts of the United States and Canada. Bands like Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Mudhoney, and Hole found success outside of Seattle, helping to make grunge a truly national phenomenon. In 1991, Nirvana toured Europe and achieved even greater success overseas.
The untimely deaths of Kurt Cobain in 1994 and Layne Staley in 2002 brought an end to the grunge era, but the music continues to influence bands today. In 2019, Nirvana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and many newer bands are citing them as an influence. It seems clear that grunge is here to stay!
The Grunge Sound
Grunge music was a huge part of the early 1990s and was mainly popularized by Nirvana. The grunge scene consisted of DIY ethic, slacker mentality, and shunning of the mainstream. Grunge music is making a comeback in 2019 with a new generation of artists.
The heavy, distorted guitars
In the early 1990s, Nirvana brought grunge to the mainstream with Nevermind, and the band’s success had a major impact on the genre. Grunge music is characterized by heavy guitars, often distorted, and lyrics that deal with dark subjects such as despair, alienation, and apathy. While it was popularized by Nirvana, grunge actually originated in Seattle in the mid-1980s. Bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden built on Nirvana’s success in the early 1990s, and grunge became one of the most popular genres of the decade.
The heavy, distorted guitars of grunge are often played through amplifiers that are overdriven or distorted. This gives the music a heavier sound than other rock genres. The lyrics of grunge songs often deal with dark subjects like depression, suicide, and drug addiction. Many grunge songs are also about social alienation and apathy.
Grunge music fell out of favor in the late 1990s, but it has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity in recent years. Bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains have reunited and released new albums, while newer bands like Greta Van Fleet have been influenced by classic grunge bands. If you’re looking for a new sound to get into, give grunge a try!
The angst-ridden lyrics
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Seattle became known as the epicenter of a new type of rock music called “grunge.” Grunge bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden mixed elements of punk rock and heavy metal to create a sound that was both aggressive and melodic. The lyrics were often dark and angsty, reflecting the struggles of young people who felt disconnected from mainstream society.
Though grunge music fell out of favor in the late 1990s, it has undergone a revival in recent years. In 2019, grunge bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden are once again gaining popularity. Young people who were not even alive when Kurt Cobain died are now discovering the power of this genre.
If you’re interested in learning more about grunge music, there are plenty of resources available online. You can start by watching this documentary about the history of grunge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UwQ2l5q_gc
Grunge Today
If you were a teenager in the early to mid-’90s, you probably remember when grunge was all the rage. It was the music of choice for a angsty generation, and it’s making a comeback in 2019. Grunge music is characterized by its dark, distorted sound and its lyrics about topics like depression, anxiety, and alienation. If you’re looking for something new to listen to, check out some of the best grunge bands making a comeback in 2019.
A new generation of grunge bands
Grunge is making a comeback in 2019 with a new generation of bands taking inspiration from the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. These bands are keeping the spirit of grunge alive by combining its raw energy with modern sensibilities.
Bands like Joon, Starbenders, and The Schizophonics are leading the charge with their catchy hooks and driving rhythms. While they may not be innovating the genre, they’re certainly keeping it alive and well.
If you’re a fan of grunge, or just looking for something new to listen to, definitely check out these bands. They’re sure to get your head nodding and your foot tapping.
The resurgence of interest in grunge music
A few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine that grunge music would ever make a comeback. But in 2019, the genre is enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity.
Part of the reason for this is that many of the key bands from the grunge era are now enjoying something of a critical reappraisal. Albums like Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and Pearl Jam’s “Ten” are now seen as classics of the genre, and their influence can be heard in the music of today’s most popular artists.
What’s more, there is also a new generation of bands who are bringing their own spin to the grunge sound. Groups like Greta Van Fleet and Spirit Adrift are helping to keep the genre alive and well in the 21st century.
So if you’re a fan of grunge music, then you’re in for a treat in 2019. There’s plenty of great new music to enjoy, as well as plenty of classic albums that are worth revisiting.
