4 Songs That Explain Grunge in the ’90s

The ’90s were a wild ride. The last decade before the internet took over the world was filled with Presidents playing saxophones, rappers on acclaimed sitcoms, and sludgy music performed by photogenic flannel-wearing artists. Perhaps the wildest thing about the span from 1990 to 1999 was that grunge music was the most important genre on Earth.

With its songs about darkness, depression, drugs, and personal degradation, the genre offered music that was both cathartic and aggressive. Born out of the grey months in the Pacific Northwest, the authors of the sound never quite thought they would be playing to massive audiences in giant stadiums or in front of outlets like MTV. But their work shot up the charts.

Here, we wanted to offer a guide to those scratching their heads when it comes to grunge. A four-track map of songs that clarify and explain what the sound was, who its torch-bearers were, and why it was so popular. These are four songs that explain grunge in the ’90s.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana from Nevermind (1991)

This is an obvious place to start. And with nearly two billion streams on YouTube alone, it’s obvious this track is still popular today. But even given that popularity, it’s nearly impossible to make clear just how big Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was.

With stringy blonde hair and a chin like a boulder, Cobain was beautiful and counter-culture. A celebrity and rebel. It’s a contrast that some speculate led to his suicide in 1994. But before he passed, his trio with Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic was a must-see and must-hear. His songs were like those of Dylan, his delivery was like electricity, and his look was like Thor.

“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden from Superunknown (1994)

While “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the song of the ’90s, the 1994 track, “Black Hole Sun” from Soundgarden, was right on its heels. The vivid, imaginative song from the Chris Cornell-led band dominated the radio and MTV airwaves in the mid-decade.

Cornell put himself on the map as a star among stars with his movie star looks and his versatile, rangy, perfect rock singing voice (in the 2000s, he would front Audioslave). This track perfectly displayed the core theme of grunge: darkness mixed with a silver lining.

“Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog from Temple of the Dog (1992)

In 1990, Seattle musician Andrew Wood died of a drug overdose just weeks before his band, Mother Love Bone, released their debut LP, Apple. Wood was also a former roommate of Cornell’s. And when the singer died at just 24 years old, Cornell took it upon himself to honor his late friend. Part of the way he did that was to create an all-star collective known as Temple of the Dog to record music in Wood’s honor.

While that band featured stalwarts like Cornell and guitarist Mike McCready, it was also one of the first grunge entries from Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, who sang on the popular tune “Hunger Strike” with Cornell. Before PJ could release songs like “Once” and “Jeremy,” Vedder was cutting his PNW teeth with this group.

“Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains from Facelift (1991)

Of all the grunge bands, the most grunge is likely Alice in Chains. They were the band that wouldn’t flinch if you were playing a game of chicken with them. You’d have to veer off the road because they never would. Dark, heavy, and featuring the other-worldly singer Layne Staley, Alice in Chains released classics like “Rooster” and “Would?”.

“Man in the Box,” however, is etched in American rock history. It’s one of those songs you’re surprised someone even wrote. Instead, it feels as if it just dropped from the stormy heavens. While there are other important grunge groups like the Screaming Trees and Mudhoney, Alice in Chains is one you can’t leave out of any conversation.