Nevermind is THE album of the ‘90s. So how did a relatively unknown band from Seattle become the voice of a generation?

 

Nirvana consisted of 3 names forever ingrained into modern society: drummer Dave Grohl, bassist Krist Novoselic, and the legendary guitarist/singer Kurt Cobain.

 

For many, their first taste of the blossoming Seattle Grunge scene was the album opener’s famous, distorted intro riff of the album opener and most popular song “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The song shows the best qualities of the band: Kurt’s aggressive vocals, Dave’s heavy drumming, which gives him the title “Loudest man to play the drums,” and Krist’s tendency to always fit the song with his bass playing.

 

Nirvana’s lyrics are often described as nonsensical rambling, but “Smells Like Teen Spirit” shows otherwise. It tells the tale of an apathetic view of a lifestyle of constantly partying. This is shown when he sings “Oh well, whatever, never mind.”

 

This song has permeated pop culture in ways that few songs have in history, with 2.1 billion Spotify streams: the 3rd most streamed rock song as of 2023. There is a reason that this is the first song that every kid learns to play on the guitar. I could have written this whole article only about this one song, but it’s time to move on to the next song.

 

“In Bloom” is one of the band’s more successful songs, which is ironic because the song’s chorus is about the people who listen to their music, but don’t care about the actual meaning of the songs, just listening to it because they “like all the pretty songs” and “like to sing along.” 

 

This song also exhibits the tightness of the band’s rhythm section, with Dave and Krist providing the perfect base for Kurt to add on.

 

“Come As You Are” is the band’s second most popular song, also with over 1 billion streams on Spotify. This song has almost as much influence as “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” even being mentioned in Blink-182’s “Adam’s Song,” using the lyrics “I took my time, I hurried up. The choice was mine I didn’t think enough.” referencing the 1st verse of the song.

 

The song is a perfect example of the sadder, more melancholic side of the band, which is shown in the verses.

 

“Breed” is the first song off this album that is relatively unknown, although it is one of my favorites on this album. It starts with a high-energy verse, reminiscent of The Melvins, a major influence, and transitions into a catchy, melodic chorus. Overall, I think this is a heavily underrated song.

 

“Lithium” is yet another hit off this album. Starting with just clean guitar and singing, the chorus hits the listener like a ton of bricks when the full force of the band kicks in. This song is a rollercoaster of emotions, with the listener being tugged in between depressing verses about the struggles of mental illness and energetic choruses, ultimately ending with a grand finale.

 

“Polly” is an acoustic ballad that serves as a sad midpoint to the album. Kurt’s weak acoustic guitar sound helps add to the atmosphere. This sound will be featured heavily again on the penultimate track, “Something in the Way.”

 

“Territorial Pissings” starts with an intro, consisting of an audio clip and some threatening synth horns, that forebodes the music to come, with a heavy hardcore punk sound reminiscent of bands like the Descendents and Black Flag, who are famous for creating punk scenes wherever they toured, places like Seattle.

 

“Drain You” is a sarcastic view of a love song, shown by the lyrics “It is now my duty to completely drain you.” This song is not as heavy as previous songs, with more of a focus on the lyrics. This song perfectly exemplifies how Krist and Dave can fit any song perfectly.

 

“Lounge Act” is a song built on Krist Novoselic’s bouncy and rhythmic bassline, which makes it a relatively famous song within the bass-playing community. This song is about Kurt’s dysfunctional relationship with his girlfriend, Tobi Vail. Love and heartbreak is a recurring theme across the whole album.

 

“Stay Away” is a great example of Nirvana’s tendency to use dynamic shifts as a recurring motif in the music, especially from the verse to the chorus, as a technique to create tension. It also is a great showcase of Dave Grohl’s drumming. During the drum solo at the song’s end, the listener can feel how hard he hits the drums.

 

“On a Plain” is an excellent example of Nirvana’s ability to use vocal melodies and harmonies exceptionally well, even when competing against a whole music scene that is famous for excellent singing, even when put against the likes of Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, and Eddie Vedder, whose bands are famous for their singing.

 

“Something in the Way”, the penultimate track, is an acoustic ballad that sings about the struggles of homelessness but is now more famous for its usage in “The Batman”. It is another acoustic ballad, similar to “Polly,” which uses the frail acoustic guitar sound to add to the atmosphere. The song was inspired by the time that Kurt Cobain spent living under the Young Street Bridge in Aberdeen, Washington.

 

“Endless, Nameless” is a hidden track that is the final on the record. It transitions between heavy and dissonant to emotional and melancholic sections. It is by far the longest song on the album, at around 6 minutes and 45 seconds.

 

Ultimately, this album’s staying power in the cultural zeitgeist is what makes the album great.

stated Brian Scanlon, an avid listener back in “his day.” 

 

Another reason that this album succeeded is because people wanted to listen to heavy music to help alleviate some anger and rage. While the people were recovering from the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations, they could have been upset at the country and looking for something to release their anger. They discovered Nirvana because of its blend of accessibility and angst. Maybe they discovered the band because of the constant airplay on MTV, or because a friend showed them the cassette, but no matter how, they connected to the music.

 

This album has captured the hearts of millions of fans spanning across several generations and has been featured in works from Batman to Blink-182. So if you have not listened to it yet, only listen to “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” or are a Nirvana superfan, feel free to check out this album for the first, second, or tenth time and immerse yourself in the culture of the time.