Reddit’s Top 10 Grunge Songs
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In this post, we’ll be taking a look at Reddit’s top 10 grunge songs. Grunge is a genre of rock that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was a reaction to the mainstream music of the time, which was typified by hair metal bands like Bon Jovi and Guns N’ Roses. Grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam brought a new sound to rock music, and their popularity helped to make grunge the dominant genre of the 1990
Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a song by American rock band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), released on DGC Records. The song was written by Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, with Cobain being the primary lyricist. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was an attempt by Cobain to write a song in the style of the Pixies he served as an ode to his friends in the Seattle music scene, as well as a signpost to let them know that he had “arrived”.
The sound of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” alternates between verse and chorus structure; during the verses Cobain screams and Novoselic’s bass guitar is more prominent, while during the choruses Grohl’s drums take center stage and Cobain whispers instead of sings. Lyrically, it contains references to adolescent angst, apathy, alternative rock subculture and revolt. In 2010,’ Rolling Stone ranked it number 9 in their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In January 2012,’ NME placed it at number 7 in its list of The 150 Greatest Tracks of the Past 15 Years.
Come As You Are- Nirvana
“Come As You Are” is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the opening track and second single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), released on DGC Records. The song was also included on their compilation album, Nirvana (2002).
The song was a huge success, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number one on the UK Singles Chart and number three in Australia. When released as a single in 1992, “Come As You Are” peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and at number nine on the UK Singles Chart.
Lithium- Nirvana
Nirvana is one of the most iconic grunge bands, and Lithium is one of their most iconic songs. The song is about how Kurt Cobain felt about his MTV Unplugged performance, where he played an acoustic version of the song. He felt that he didn’t belong there, and that people only liked him because he was “grungy.”
In Bloom- Nirvana
Nirvana’s “In Bloom” is a grunge classic, and it’s no surprise that Reddit users voted it to the top of the list. The song is a perfect example of Nirvana’s signature sound, with its heavy guitars and Kurt Cobain’s raw vocals. “In Bloom” is a perfect song for any grunge fan.
Heart Shaped Box- Nirvana
“Heart Shaped Box” is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by frontman Kurt Cobain. It was released as the first single from the group’s third and final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. The song topped the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, making it one of only two Nirvana songs to do so (the other being “Smells Like Teen Spirit”).
Black Hole Sun- Soundgarden
Black Hole Sun is a song by American rock band Soundgarden. It was released as the third single from their fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994), on May 31, 1994, through A&M Records. The song was written by frontman Chris Cornell, who co-produced Superunknown with Michael Beinhorn. Heralded as one of the best songs of the 1990s, “Black Hole Sun” earned Soundgarden two Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance in 1995.
The song topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, spending seven weeks at number one. Internationally, “Black Hole Sun” peaked at number three on Canada’s RPM Top Singles chart and number seven on New Zealand’s Recorded Music NZ charts; while in Australia, it reached number six on the ARIA Charts. The song was included on many year-end and decade-end lists. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked “Black Hole Sun” number 297 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 2009 LearnOutLoud.com included it in its collection of “100 Greatest Songs to Learn & Sing”; while in 2010 Spinner.com ranked itnumber five on its list of the top ten grunge songs.”Black Hole Sun” won two Grammy Awards in 1995: Best Metal Performance and Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal; while Cornell won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for writing the song.
Spoonman- Soundgarden
Spoonman is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, “Spoonman” was released as the third single from the band’s fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song was included on Soundgarden’s 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides. “Spoonman” earned Soundgarden two Grammy Awards in 1995: Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance.
The Day I Tried to Live- Soundgarden
“The Day I Tried to Live” is a song by American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, “The Day I Tried to Live” was released in 1994 as the third single from the band’s fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 24 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
In a 1994 interview, Cornell said that “The Day I Tried to Live” is “basically about trying to be more positive and learning from your mistakes instead of dwelling on them and letting them corrosion your soul and make you a bitter, angry person.”
Jeremy- Pearl Jam
“Jeremy” is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, with lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by bassist Jeff Ament. “Jeremy” was released in 1992 as the fourth single from Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten (1991). The song was inspired by a newspaper article Vedder read about a high school student who shot himself in front of his English class. The character in the song is named Jeremy Delle, and is based on the real-life experiences of a high school student. The song caused controversy upon its release, as many people interpreted its lyrics to be pro-suicide.
The song peaked at number five on both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Billboard charts. The music video for “Jeremy” features live footage of Pearl Jam performing the song on their 1992 tour, as well as clips of the aftermath of suicide interspersed throughout. directors Mark Pellington and Chris Cuffaro won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Long Form Video for their work on the video. Since its release, “Jeremy” has appeared on numerous Pearl Jam compilations and greatest hits albums.
Alive- Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam’s “Alive” is Reddit’s top grunge song of all time. The song was released in 1991 as the lead single from Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten. “Alive” is one of Pearl Jam’s most popular and well-known songs. The song peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1992.
