Grunge Music History Essay, Research Paper

Music: Grunge and the Punk Revolution 1991-1994

In September of nineteen ninety-one, an album that would forever change music was

released, Nirvana’s Nevermind revolutionized punk rock (alternative rock). The song “Smell’s Like

Teen Spirit” energized the youth who had lost faith in rock and its ability to push the barriers of

conservative thought. Kurt Cobain would be a revolutionary. The record company that produced

and distributed the album had only expected the release to sell about 250,000 copies. When it had

reached 3 million by early 92, they realized that they were on to something big, the album would

end up selling 11 million copies and still it continues to sell today even to teens that were only 5

or 6 years old at the time of the original release.

What the success of Nevermind, came a new interest in the west coast, suddenly

bands were being singed on the fact that they were based in Seattle. (The home of Nirvana)

Soon bands like Pearl Jam, Pennywise, the Decedents, and Green Day were coming out of the

west coast, the time of Grunge had come. Another great band of there era, the Smashing

Pumpkins, lead by Billy Corgan, emerged from the Chicago scene. These bands made great

changes to rock music.

Nirvana would continue to release albums that would further sustain there legendry

status, and further legitimize alternative rock. In March of 1994 Nirvana would drop out of the

huge Lollapalooza Festival. A week later Kurt committed suicide, devastating his legion of

fans and causing serious repercussions throughout the music industry. With Nevermind,

Cobain had opened the doors for grunge, in death, he would close them for good. The media

seemed keen to find a successor to Cobain’s vacant throne, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Billy

Corgan were obvious choices. Neither of them wanted the fame that came with it so Grunge died.

In the years that followed, the Smashing Pumpkins would release Mellon Collie and the

Infinite Sadness. This album would send them to a zenith of power. They would become the

Nirvana of the mid nineties, and punk rock would continue with bands like Green Day and

Pennywise would continue punk rock, and new bands like Blink 182 would revive it.