5 Grunge Music Articles You Must Read
Contents
Whether you’re a fan of grunge music or not, these five articles are essential reading. They provide an in-depth look at the grunge scene and its impact on music and culture.
The Origins of Grunge
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. 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 in Australia, building strong followings and signing major record deals.
Seattle’s music scene in the 1980s
In the 1980s, Seattle’s music scene was defined by a vibrant and eclectic mix of styles, including punk rock, heavy metal, and indie rock. But it was the rise of grunge that would put the city on the map as a major player in the music world.
Grunge was born out of the DIY ethic of punk rock and the heavy sounds of metal, but it also drew inspiration from classic rock and pop music. This unique blend of styles created a sound that was both sophisticated and raw, and it resonated with listeners around the world.
Seattle’s grunge bands were influenced by a wide range of artists, including The Beatles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pixies, and Mudhoney. This diverse range of influences helped to create a sound that was uniquely Seattle’s own.
Grunge quickly rose to prominence in the early 1990s, thanks in part to the breakout success of Nirvana’s album “Nevermind.” But Seattle’s grunge scene was already well established before Nirvana hit the big time. In fact, many of Seattle’s most iconic grunge bands – including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains – had been honing their sounds for years before “Nevermind” was even released.
Today, Seattle is still home to a vibrant and diverse music scene. But it is the legacy of grunge that continues to define the city’s musical identity.
The rise of grunge in the early 1990s
The early 1990s saw the rise of grunge, a rock music genre that was influenced by punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. Grunge music became popular in the Seattle area of the United States, and it quickly spread to other parts of the country.
Grunge music is characterized by its heavy guitar sound, its use of distorted lyrics, and its dark and often bleak lyrical themes. Some of the most popular grunge bands include Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden,Alice in Chains, and Mudhoney.
Grunge music emerged from the punk rock scene in Seattle in the early 1990s. Grunge bands were influenced by punk rock bands such as The Ramones and The Sex Pistols, as well as by heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Grunge bands also drew inspiration from alternative rock bands such as The Pixies and The Replacements.
The popularity of grunge music began to decline in the late 1990s, following the deaths of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. However, many grunge bands continue to be popular today.
The Sound of Grunge
Born in the early 1990s, grunge was a genre of rock music that became popular among young people. The music is characterized by its dark, angsty lyrics and heavy, distorted guitars. If you’re a fan of grunge music, here are five articles you should read.
The influence of punk rock
In the 1970s, the American music scene was dominated by disco and arena rock. But by the end of the decade, a new sound was emerging from the underground: punk rock. Punk was raw, dirty, and angry, and it didn’t care about pleasing anyone except for itself. And it would have a profound influence on a new generation of musicians in the Pacific Northwest.
In the early 1990s, a new movement emerged from the underground: grunge. Like punk before it, grunge was raw, dirty, and angry. But unlike punk, grunge found commercial success. Grunge would go on to dominate the American music scene for much of the decade.
But where did grunge come from? What influenced its sound? In this article, we’ll take a look at five articles that explore the origins of grunge and its relationship to punk rock.
The influence of heavy metal
In the late 80s and early 90s, grunge was the sound of a generation. It was a movement that took the heavy metal of the 80s and combined it with the punk rock attitude of the 70s. The result was a sound that was both hard-hitting and thought-provoking.
Grunge quickly became the dominant sound of alternative rock, and its influence can still be heard today in the music of bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. If you’re a fan of grunge music, or if you’re just curious about where it came from, here are five articles about grunge that you must read.
1. “The Origins of Grunge” by James Clayden – This article traces the origins of grunge back to its roots in heavy metal and punk rock. It’s a great introduction to the sound and style of grunge for anyone who is new to the genre.
2. “The Evolution of Grunge” by Sarah Lazarovic – This article chronicles the evolution of grunge from its early days as an underground movement to its breakout moment in 1991 with Nirvana’s Nevermind album. It’s essential reading for any fan of grunge music.
3. “Grunge: The Death of Punk Rock?” by Evan Dessner – This article debates whether or not grunge was the death of punk rock. It’s a interesting read for anyone who is interested in the history of alternative music.
4. “The Top 10 Grunge Albums” by Joe Bosso – This article lists the 10 best grunge albums according to Joe Bosso, a Music journalist who covered the genre extensively in the 90s. If you’re looking for some great music to add to your collection, this is a great place to start.
5. “Grunge: A Movement in Transition” by Christina Hoffmann – This article looks at how grunge evolved in the years after Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. It’s essential reading for any fan of alternative music history.
The Lyrics of Grunge
While Grunge is often thought to be about angry, disaffected youths, the lyrics of the genre often deal with more complex topics. Many of the biggest Grunge hits deal with topics like addiction, mental illness, and suicide. In this article, we’ll take a look at five of the most iconic Grunge songs and the stories behind their lyrics.
Themes of angst and alienation
Grunge music is often associated with themes of angst and alienation, and its lyrics often deal with topics like depression, suicide, and drug addiction. If you’re a fan of grunge music, or if you’re just curious about the genre, check out these five articles about grunge music and its lyrics.
Themes of depression and despair
Grunge music is often characterized by its dark and pessimistic lyrics, which touch on themes of depression and despair. The genre emerged in the early 1990s, in the wake of the Nirvana’s breakthrough success, and quickly came to be defined by its gritty, angst-ridden sound.
While grunge music is often associated with negative emotions, it can also be powerfully cathartic. Many fans find comfort in the shared experience of listening to songs that perfectly capture their own feelings of isolation and frustration.
If you’re interested in learning more about grunge music and its key players, check out these five essential articles:
1. “Nirvana: The Story of Kurt Cobain and Heavier Than Heaven” by Charles R. Cross
2. “Pearl Jam: Twenty” by Sean Sullivan
3. “Soundgarden: Louder Than Love” by Greg Prato
4. ” Alice in Chains: The Untold Story” by David De Sola
5. ” Mudhoney: The Sound and Fury of Seattle’s Grunge Pioneers” by Miki Vukovich
The Legacy of Grunge
Grunge music first became popular in the early 1990s with bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Grunge music is characterized by its raw and unpolished sound. It often deals with dark and depressing subjects, and its lyrics are often angsty and angst-ridden. If you’re a fan of grunge music, or if you’re interested in learning more about this musical genre, then check out these five articles.
The impact of grunge on popular culture
In the 1990s, a new type of rock music called grunge emerged from the American Pacific Northwest. Grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden combined elements of punk rock and heavy metal to create a harder, more abrasive sound. At the same time, these bands maintained a strong DIY ethic inspired by the punk movement. Grunge quickly became popular among young people in the United States and Europe.
The success of grunge bands helped to bring alternative music into the mainstream. Grunge also had a significant impact on fashion and style. The grunge look—which favored plaid flannel shirts, ripped jeans, and Doc Martens boots—was adopted by young people around the world.
Grunge music and fashion were just two aspects of a larger cultural phenomenon known as Generation X. This term was coined by author Douglas Coupland to describe the disaffected youth of the 1980s and early 1990s who came of age in an era of economic uncertainty and social change. For many members of Generation X, grunge was a way to express their discontent with the world around them.
In the years since its inception, grunge has had a lasting impact on popular culture. Here are five articles that explore different aspects of this phenomenon:
“Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit: The Story Behind Kurt Cobain’s Famous Song” by Gibby Zobel
“How Grunge Changed Fashion Forever” by Lauren Gordon
“Grunge: The Sound That Killed Hair Metal” by Andrew Unterberger
“Generation X: The Slackers Who Became the Happiest Adults” by Julie Beck
“The Legacy of Kurt Cobain 25 Years After His Death” by Lisa worsely
The impact of grunge on the music industry
In the early 1990s, a new music trend emerged from the American Northwest that would change the landscape of rock music forever. Grunge, a combination of punk and metal with heavy doses of angst and attitude, captured the zeitgeist of a generation and quickly became one of the most popular genres in the world.
Grunge not only had a major impact on the music industry, but also on fashion, culture, and society as a whole. It was a movement that was anti-establishment, anti-materialistic, and anti-status quo. Grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains became household names and defined an era.
Though grunge is often associated with tragedy (due to the untimely deaths of Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley), it nonetheless left a lasting legacy on both the music industry and popular culture. Below are five articles that explore different aspects of grunge and its impact:
“Nirvana’s Nevermind at 25: How Kurt Cobain’s Masterpiece Turned Pop Music Upside Down” by Billboard
“Grunge: The Sound That Killed hair Metal” by Rolling Stone
“Pearl Jam’s Ten: Why grunge’s greatest album still matters” by The Guardian
“How Alice In Chains Became Grunge Royalty” by Uproxx
“The Sad, Strange Legacy of grunge Fashion” by VICE
The Future of Grunge
It’s been nearly three decades since the grunge music scene exploded onto the mainstream and captured the attention of music lovers around the world. Grunge music was a reaction to the overproduced and polished sounds of popular music at the time, and it quickly gained popularity for its raw and unpolished sound. While grunge music is no longer as popular as it once was, it continues to influence many of today’s popular music genres. In this article, we’ll take a look at five of the most influential grunge music articles of all time.
The resurgence of interest in grunge
Though it may seem unlikely, grunge music is making a comeback. In the past few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the genre, with new bands emerging and old bands reunioning. If you’re interested in getting into grunge, or simply want to know more about the history of the genre, here are 5 articles you must read:
1) ‘Grunge: The Sound that Killed Hair Metal’ – This article, published by Rolling Stone in 2015, looks at how grunge came to be and how it overtook hair metal in the early 1990s.
2) ‘Nirvana’s Nevermind at 25: Classic Track-by-Track Review’ – Also published by Rolling Stone, this article celebrates the 25th anniversary of Nirvana’s game-changing album Nevermind.
3) ‘The 20 Best Grunge Albums Ever’ – This list, compiled by NME in 2016, looks at the 20 greatest grunge albums ever made.
4) ‘The 10 Best New Grunge Bands You Need to Know’ – This article, published by Consequence of Sound in 2017, introduces readers to some of the best new grunge bands around.
5) ‘Grunge IsDead. Long Live Grunge.’ – This piece, published by Pitchfork in 2017, looks at how grunge has influenced today’s music landscape.
The influence of grunge on contemporary music
Few music genres have influenced contemporary music more than grunge. Though it reached the height of its popularity in the early 1990s, grunge’s impact can still be felt today. Below are five articles that explore the influence of grunge on contemporary music.
“Grunge: The Sound That Changed America” by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum
This article, published in Rolling Stone in September 1994, looks at how grunge changed the course of popular music in America. It discusses how grunge musicians such as Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder eschewed the polished sound and image of 1980s hair metal bands in favor of a more stripped-down aesthetic. The article also includes interviews with key figures in the grunge scene, such as Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese.
“The Legacy of Grunge” by Stephen Thompson
This article, published by NPR in April 2015, looks at how the legacy of grunge has been both positive and negative for the Seattle music scene. On the one hand, grunge helped put Seattle on the map as a musical hotbed; on the other hand, many feel that the city has been defined by grunge ever since, to the point where other genres and scenes have been overshadowed. Thompson interviews several key figures in the Seattle music scene, including Mudhoney frontman Mark Arm and Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd.
“What Happened to Grunge?” by Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
This article, published by Vice in January 2015, looks at what became of some of the key figures in the grunge scene after its commercial peak in the early 1990s. Shepherd discusses how many grunge musicians struggled with heroin addiction (such as Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and Hole’s Kurt Cobain) or simply faded into obscurity (such as Pond’s Tad Doyle). She also interviews current members of some of Seattle’s most well-known grunge bands, including Mudhoney and Pearl Jam, to get their thoughts on what happened to grunge and where it stands today.
“In Utero at 20: How an Album Made Sonic Youth Grunge Fans for Life” by Dean Browning
This article, published by Consequence of Sound in September 2013, looks at how Nirvana’s In Utero album influenced Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore. He discusses how In Utero challenged assumptions about what could be accomplished within the framework of popular music and inspired him to push sonic boundaries with his own band. The article also includes comments from other musicians who were influenced by In Utero, such as Espers guitarist Greg Weeks and Swans frontman Michael Gira.