Forbes List: The Top 10 Grunge Bands of All Time

The grunge era was a defining moment in music history. To this day, the sound of grunge is instantly recognizable and its influence can be heard in many modern bands.

Forbes recently released their list of the top 10 grunge bands of all time. This list is sure to spark some debate, but it’s a great starting point for anyone interested in exploring this genre of music.

Nirvana

Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. It was founded by singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. Nirvana went through a succession of drummers, the longest-lasting and most successful being Dave Grohl, who joined in 1990. Though the band dissolved in 1994 after the death of Cobain, their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock and roll culture.

In the late 1980s, Nirvana established itself as part of the Seattle grunge scene, releasing its first album, Bleach, for the independent record label Sub Pop in 1989. They developed a sound that relied on dynamic contrasts, often between quiet verses and loud, heavy choruses. After signing to major label DGC Records, Nirvana found unexpected success with “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, the first single from their landmark second album Nevermind (1991). By January 1992, Nevermind had replaced Michael Jackson’s album Dangerous at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The success of Nevermind proved that alternative rock music could achieve mainstream success without relying on radio airplay or MTV rotation. Nevermind’s surprise success brought instant fame to Cobain and Novoselic and popularity to Nirvana’s alt-rock peers such as Pearl Jam ,Alice In Chains ,Soundgarden and Jane’s Addiction .

Pearl Jam

Formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990, Pearl Jam is one of the most successful grunge bands of all time. The band is notable for their use of heavy distortion and for their politically charged lyrics. Pearl Jam has sold over 85 million records worldwide and has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards.

Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr, who was replaced in 1993 by Mike Inez. Though widely associated with grunge music, the band’s sound incorporates heavy metal elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released six studio albums, three EPs, two live albums, four compilations, and 16 singles. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals of Cantrell and Staley.

Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. The band’s first album, Facelift (1990), was a commercial success and was credited as being the first grunge record to break into the mainstream.[1] The success of the album led to Alice in Chains touring internationally for the first time and opening for such big-name bands as Van Halen and Metallica on stadium tours.[2] In 1992, Alice in Chains released Dirt. The album was well received by music critics and topped Billboard’s Heatseekers chart[3] and peaked at number six on the Billboard 200.[4] It has been certified quadruple-platinum by the RIAA and gone on to sell five million copies worldwide,[5][6][7] making Dirt Alice in Chains’ best-selling album to date.

The band took a break from touring after the release of Dirt due to Staley’s struggle with heroin addiction; he eventually overdosed on heroin in 2002.[8][9] In 1996, after Layne had completed rehab[10], Cantrell began working on material for what would become their self-titled third studio album (1995), which was released in November 1995.[11][12] Although he wrote most of the music for Self-titled,[13] Staley still contributed lyrics to many of its songs; “Again”, “Grind”, “Over Now” (co-written with Cantrell), “Heaven Beside You” (co-written with DuVall), “Would?”, ” Angry Chair”, “Rooster” (co-written with Cantrell) and “Shame In You”.[14][15] Overall Self-titled debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 chart[16]and the Top Internet Albums chart,[17][18]and was certified double platinum by the RIAA less than two months after its release date.[19][20][21].

Soundgarden

Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. The band’s classic lineup consisted of singer Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Soundgarden was one of the seminal bands of the grunge movement in the early 1990s.

The band achieved success with their third studio album, Badmotorfinger (1991), which spawned the singles “Rusty Cage”, “Outshined”, and “Jesus Christ Pose”. In 1994, Soundgarden released their fourth album, Superunknown, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and contained the hits “Spoonman”, “Black Hole Sun”, and “My Wave”. The album earned the band two Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance.

After a six-year hiatus following Cornell’s departure from the band in 1997, Soundgarden reunited in 2010 and released their fifth studio album, King Animal, in 2012. The band announced their split in April 2017 following Cornell’s death by suicide.

Mudhoney

Mudhoney was one of the first grunge bands signed to a major label and, according to many, epitomized the Seattle grunge sound. Formed in 1988, Mudhoney’s members included bassist Matt Lukin (later of Nirvana), guitarist Steve Turner, drummer Dan Peters and frontman Mark Arm. The band’s debut album, Superfuzz Bigmuff plus Early Singles, was released in 1988 to critical acclaim but only modest commercial success. However, Mudhoney’s second album, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (1991), was an underground hit and helped to establish the band as one of grunge’s leading acts.

Mudhoney continued to release music throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including the albums My Brother the Cow (1995), Tomorrow Hit Today (1998) and Under a Billion Suns (2006). The band has remained active over the years, touring and releasing new music periodically. In 2019, Mudhoney released their latest album, Digital Garbage.

Temple of the Dog

Temple of the Dog was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. The band was formed by singer Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and guitarist Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, and also included guitarist Mike McCready and drummer Matt Cameron, both of whom would later join Pearl Jam. The band released their only album, Temple of the Dog, in 1991.

While the album was not a commercial success at the time, it has since been certified platinum by the RIAA and is considered to be one of the key albums in the grunge movement. Cornell’s vocals have been praised by critics as some of the best of his career, and Gossard’s guitar work has also been praised.

Mother Love Bone

Mother Love Bone was an American rock band that was active from 1988 to 1990. The band was formed in Seattle, Washington, by singer Andrew Wood, guitarist Stone Gossard, and bassist Jeff Ament. Mother Love Bone’s debut album, Apple, was released in 1990 and would be the only album the band would release before Wood’s untimely death the following year.

Despite being only together for a short time, Mother Love Bone is considered one of the most influential grunge bands of all time. The group’s sound was a precursor to the grunge explosion of the 1990s, and their song “Stardog Champion” was later covered by Pearl Jam (who were formed by Gossard and Ament after Wood’s death).

Green River

Formed in 1984, Green River was one of the first grunge bands. They released their debut album, Come on Down, in 1985 and their second album, Dry as a Bone, in 1987. The band broke up in 1988, but reunion rumors have been swirling for years.

##Heading:Nirvana

Nirvana was one of the most popular and influential grunge bands of all time. Formed in 1987 by singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, Nirvana achieved massive success with their 1991 album Nevermind. The album featured the hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and helped to make Nirvana household names. Cobain tragically took his own life in 1994, but Nirvana’s music continues to live on.

Screaming Trees

Screaming Trees were an American rock band formed in ellensburg, Washington in 1985. The band achieved success in the early 1990s with their mix of hard rock and psychedelic music. They reached their peak with the album sweet oblivion, which included the song ” nearly lost you”, which was their most successful single and earned them a grammy nomination. The band disbanded in 2000 due to creative differences.

L7

L7 was one of the most popular grunge bands of the early 1990s. They were known for their powerful guitar riffs and catchy melodies. Their hits include ” Pretend We’re Dead” and “Shove .”

Other popular grunge bands include Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden.