The Top Grunge Music Charts
Looking for the best grunge music around? Check out our top grunge music charts, updated regularly with the freshest sounds from the genre!
What is 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 style became popular in the early 1990s as Nirvana, Pearl Jam,Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains rose to fame. Grunge fashion includes plaid shirts, ripped jeans, and dark clothing.
The Beginnings 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 and nearby towns. 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 releasing albums on major record labels and opening for mainstream acts such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains.
Grunge was commercially successful in the early 1990s due to releases such as Nirvana’s Nevermind (1991), Pearl Jam’s Ten (1991), Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger (1991), and Alice in Chains’ Dirt (1992). It generated a crossover appeal that led to groups such as Staind, Stone Temple Pilots, and Silverchair achieving mainstream success. Grunge also fostered the development of other subgenres such as post-grunge.
The Grunge Sound
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged in the late 1980s. It was characterized by a dirty, distorted sound, heavy guitar riffs and lyrics about angst and disaffection. Grungestyled bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains became some of the most popular rock acts of the early 1990s.
The grunge sound was created by bands who were influenced by punk rock, but who wanted to create a heavier, more guitar-driven sound. To achieve this, they used amps with high distortion levels and played power chords with a lot of distortion. The result was a gritty, feedback-drenched sound that was perfect for conveying the frustration and alienation of the grunge generation.
The Top Grunge Songs
Grunge music became popular in the early 1990s with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam leading the way. The genre is characterized by distorted guitars, angry lyrics, and a DIY aesthetic. If you’re looking for the best grunge songs, look no further. Here are the top grunge songs of all time.
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 unexpected success propelled Nevermind to the top of the charts at the start of 1992, an achievement few predicted.
The lyrics “With the lights out, it’s less dangerous / Here we are now, entertain us” became an anthem for disaffected young people during the 1990s. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it number nine on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, and listeners voted it as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”. Iconic status was further cemented when the music video was ranked number three on MTV’s “100 Greatest Videos Ever Made”.
Come As You Are – Nirvana
Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” was released on February 12, 1992 as the second single from their second album, Nevermind. Though not initially a commercial success, the song was Nirvana’s breakthrough hit, turning them into global superstars and grunge legends. The song remains one of Nirvana’s most popular tunes, and has been covered numerous times by artists such as Pearl Jam and Metallica.
Lithium – Nirvana
“Lithium” is a song by American rock band Nirvana. It is the third track from the group’s second studio album, Nevermind (1991), and was released as the album’s fourth and final single in July 1992. It was also included on their compilation album, Incesticide (1992). Written by vocalist/guitarist Kurt Cobain during his stay at a lakefront cabin in Washington state, “Lithium” concerns a person’s retreat into fantasy as an escape from reality.
The song received positive reviews from music critics upon release and was frequently performed live by Nirvana. A different mix of “Lithium” was included on the group’s live album, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (1996).Since its release, “Lithium” has been appearing on many critics’ and listeners’ greatest Nirvana tracks lists. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 51 on their list of 100 Greatest Guitar Songs Of All Time. In October 2011, NME placed it at No. 34 on their list of 150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years.
In Bloom – Nirvana
“In Bloom” is a song by American rock band Nirvana. It is the fourth track and second single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), released on September 15, 1992. The song was written by frontman Kurt Cobain. The lyrics describe a youthful, simple-minded person who is unable to understand the complexities of life and therefore retreats into a childlike state.
The song was well received by music critics and was a commercial success. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, making it the band’s second top-ten single in that country, as well as their first to enter the top 20 in the United Kingdom. The single was accompanied by a music video directed by Stefan Nadelman, which features members of the band acting as clowns at a children’s birthday party.
Heart-Shaped Box – Nirvana
Heart-Shaped Box is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It was released as the first single from the band’s third and final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. The song peaked at number one on both the United States Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts.
The music video, directed by Anton Corbijn, features images of cancer patients and surgery. Cobain stated that he was “trying to be as provocative as possible” with the video. The song was nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 1996 Grammy Awards.
The Top Grunge Albums
In the early 1990s, the grunge music scene was taking the world by storm. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden were at the top of the charts. If you were a fan of grunge music, then you probably had a few of these albums in your collection.
Nevermind – Nirvana
Nevermind is the second studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991 by DGC Records. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the band’s first release on DGC andwas also their first album to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Nirvana recorded the album in May 1991 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, Los Angeles with Vig producing.
The album cover, which was shot by photographer Kirk Weddle, depicts a naked infant swimming towards a dollar bill on a fishhook as its mother desperately tries to rescue it. The image sparked controversy and was removed from many stores’ shelves after protests from conservative groups. Despite the initial controversy, Nevermind quickly became a commercial and critical success, driven by its lead single “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. The record went on to become one of the best-selling rock albums of all time—and one of the defining albums of the 1990s.
In Utero – Nirvana
Nirvana’s In Utero entered the Billboard 200 at number one and would go on to sell over fifteen million copies worldwide. The album was recorded in secret at Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota and produced by Steve Albini. Albini’s influence can be heard in the raw, unpolished sound of the album, which was a marked departure from the polished production of Nevermind. In Utero features some of Nirvana’s most iconic songs, including “Heart-Shaped Box,” “All Apologies,” and “Rape Me.”
Dirt – Alice in Chains
Dirt is the second studio album by American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 1992, through Columbia Records. Following the success of their debut album Facelift (1990), the label pressed the band for a follow-up record. Produced by Dave Jerden, it was recorded from January to March 1992 in Seattle, Washington at London Bridge Studios. The songs on the album focused on themes such as anger, drug abuse, and suicide.
Dirt debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and was well received by music critics. It has since been certified quadruple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has gone on to sell five million copies worldwide. The singles “Would?”, “Them Bones”, “Angry Chair”, and “Rooster” were also successful songs. Despite its commercial success, the album was dark and abrasive compared toFaceliftand was criticized for its lyrical themes; many sources interpreted its content as reflecting singer Layne Staley’s heroin addiction while others believe that he wrote about experiences that he witnessed his friends going through while battling addiction; Staley himself never confirmed or denied these personal interpretations of his lyrics. In later years it has appeared multiple times in publications’ lists of greatest albums ever made(). In 2013, Stern published Dirt: Adventures in Grunge(), a book based on his tenure with Alice in Chains during which he co-produced Dirt and Sap().
Badmotorfinger – Soundgarden
Badmotorfinger is the third studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991, through A&M Records. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1992. The album reached number 39 on Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA in 1996; it was later certified platinum in 2010.
The success of Badmotorfinger’s singles “Jesus Christ Pose”, “Rusty Cage”, and “Outshined” launched Soundgarden into the mainstream metal scene, establishing them as one of the most successful grunge bands of the early 1990s.
Superunknown – Soundgarden
Superunknown is the fourth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on March 8, 1994, by A&M Records. Upon its release, Superunknown debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and reached triple-platinum status in the United States. The album also produced five singles: “Spoonman”, “The Day I Tried to Live”, “My Wave”, “Fell on Black Days”, and “Black Hole Sun”.
Soundgarden began working on material for its fourth studio album after completing a successful worldwide tour in support of its previous album, Badmotorfinger (1991). The band left Capitol Records and signed with A&M Records; while Badmotorfinger was distributed by Geffen Records due to Soundgarden’s dissatisfaction with Capitol. Recording took place from October 1992 to January 1993 at Bad Animal Studios in Seattle. The sessions were marred by technical difficulties; certain sounds initially deemed unusable by producer Michael Beinhorn were later embraced after further experimentation. The band was not satisfied with Beinhorn’s work and hired Brendan O’Brien as co-producer. Superunknown reflects Soundgarden’s downplayed sense of melody and songcraft seen on previous albums; however, unlike those albums, the band focused more on refining each song until they were satisfied before moving onto the next track.
The album featured more deliberate songwriting compared to prior releases; Matt Cameron composed complete songs before bringing them to the other members for contributions. Lyrically, Superunknown explored dark subject matter such as depression, loneliness, drug addiction and suicide. Kim Thayil continued his trend of referencing literary works such as Nathanial Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown (1835), Edgar Allan Poe’s Lenore (1843) and Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment (1866). Superunknown received critical acclaim upon its release; many reviewers singled out individual tracks for praise while others praisedBeinhornfor successfully bringing out the best in Soundgarden. The album received four Grammy Award nominations at the 37th Grammy Awards: Best Rock Albums of 1993grammy awardsWhile it did not win any awards, super unknown won two MTV Video Music Awards: Best Metal/Hard Rock Video for “Black Hole Sun”Best Alternative Video for Spoonman.” In 2015 Rolling Stone ranked Superunknown fourth among their list of ‘The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.’
