Top 10 Grunge Songs You Need to Hear
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In this blog post, we’ll be counting down the top 10 grunge songs that you need to hear. Grunge was a musical genre that emerged in the early 1990s and was characterized by its heavy sound and raw, emotional lyrics.
Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana was one of the most successful bands of the early 1990s, helping to popularize grunge music with their album Nevermind. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of their most well-known songs, and it helped to make Nirvana a household name. The song is about teenage rebellion and angst, and it speaks to the frustrations that many teenagers feel. It’s an iconic song of the grunge genre, and it’s a must-hear for any fan of rock music.
Alice in Chains- Man in the Box
“Man in the Box” is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains. It was released as the lead single from their debut album, Facelift (1990). The song peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 6 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The music video for “Man in the Box” was nominated for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.
The song features lead singer Layne Staley screaming the phrase ” feed my eyes, can you sew them shut? Jesus Christ deny your maker,” followed by guitarist Jerry Cantrell’s guitar solo. In an interview with Guitar World magazine, Cantrell said: “That’s one of those riffs that’s so simple it doesn’t even feel like a riff when you play it. It has a really hypnotic quality about it.”
Soundgarden- Rusty Cage
“Rusty Cage” is a song by American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, “Rusty Cage” was released in 1992 as the third single from the band’s third studio album, Badmotorfinger (1991). The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number nine on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. In 2010, it was ranked number five on Guitar World’s “Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitar Solos” list.
Pearl Jam- Alive
Grunge music was a genre of rock music that emerged during the mid-1980s in the Pacific Northwest U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. It became commercially successful in the early 1990s, peaking with the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind (1991) and Pearl Jam’s Ten (1991). Grunge was hailed as capturing the angst of teenage life. It quickly spread to other areas of the United States and then internationally.
Grunge songs are characterized by distorted electric guitars, extended power chords, heavy drums, and vitriolic lyrics. According to Kurt Cobain, the lead vocalist of Nirvana,Originally Answered: What are some good grunge songs?, “In general, grunge is [a] melodic style of rock that uses quiet/loud dynamics and features very distorted guitars played Stephen Malkmus against detuned power chords..the melodies are often angular”.
The following 10 songs exemplify what grunge is supposed to sound like and why this genre is so important to music history. These tracks also feature some of grunge’s most influential bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam.
Stone Temple Pilots- Interstate Love Song
1. Stone Temple Pilots- Interstate Love Song
2. Alice in Chains- Man in the Box
3. Pearl Jam- Even Flow
4. Soundgarden- Rusty Cage
5. Nirvana- Come as You Are
6. Smashing Pumpkins- Bullet with Butterfly Wings
7. Temple of the Dog- Hunger Strike
8. Stone Temple Pilots- Big Empty
9. Alice in Chains- Would?
10. Nirvana- All Apologies
Mudhoney- Touch Me I’m Sick
Mudhoney’s “Touch Me I’m Sick” was one of the first big hits to come out of the Seattle grunge scene, and it perfectly encapsulates the speaker’s (and, by extension, the genre’s) inflamed disgust with superficiality. With its caustic riffing and searing vocals, “Touch Me I’m Sick” remains one of grunge’s most effective anthems.
Screaming Trees- Nearly Lost You
If you’re not familiar with the Screaming Trees, they’re a grunge band that was popular in the early 90’s. Their sound is a mix of punk and metal, and their lyrics are dark and introspective. “Nearly Lost You” is one of their most popular songs, and it perfectly captures the feeling of depression and despair that was so prevalent in the grunge scene.
Temple of the Dog- Hunger Strike
“Hunger Strike” is a song by the American rock band Temple of the Dog. The song was released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album in 1991. The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song features vocals from both Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Vedder’s contribution to the song came about after Cornell asked him to sing backup on a few tracks. Cornell was impressed with Vedder’s work, and asked him to contribute more vocals to the album. Vedder ended up singing lead on two tracks, “Hunger Strike” and “Say Hello 2 Heaven”.
“Hunger Strike” is considered a classic grunge song, and is often cited as one of the best songs of the genre.
Bush- Glycerine
Bush- Glycerine
“Glycerine” is a song by English rock band Bush. It was released in October 1995 as the fourth single from their debut album, Sixteen Stone. The song is in the key of F major.
The song peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the US Alternative Songs chart. The song was nominated for Best Single at the 1996 NME Awards. In June 1996, Bush performed “Glycerine” live other songs during an appearance on Top of the Pops.
Nirvana- Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana was one of the most iconic grunge bands of the 90s. “Heart-Shaped Box” is one of their most well-known songs. The song is about a toxic relationship and features heavy guitars and Kurt Cobain’s signature vocals.
