Legendary 90s punk-rock trio Nirvana released their breakthrough album “Nevermind” on Sept. 24, 1991. With Generation X hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Lithium,” the band rocked the world of music and inspired other punk acts such as Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains to emerge.
“Nevermind” followed Nirvana’s debut record “Bleach” but found much more success than its predecessor, especially in the pop culture sphere. The band was able to bring rock into the mainstream as three of their four singles achieved a spot on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Frontman and vocalist Kurt Cobain successfully popularized the “image of the sensitive artist, the pro-feminism, anti-authoritarian smart-alec punk with a sweet smile and gentle soul,” according to billboard.com.
Cobain attributed the accomplishment of the album to the connection between him and his bandmates, both musically and personally (even with new drummer at the time, David Grohl). “We get along so well. We think exactly the same,” Curbain said in an interview with Karen Bliss from M.E.A.T. magazine.
“Kurt Cobain influenced [David Grohl] … the band Foo Fighters, many of the songs are about Kurt Cobain. That says something about [Kurt Cobain] as a person. They had a good friendship,” freshman undecided major Olivia Butt, said. “Their music was controversial. Prior to this album, even just the lyrical aspect of the songs, there was no filter. It opened up this horizon that music is music and you can express whatever you feel through it.”
Cobain also attributed the band’s lyrical success to his spontaneity in his writing style. He usually wrote lyrics just before recording the song, saying that, “It usually lends to a better creative force.”
“Nevermind” has been called a “music collage” by Billboard, encompassing both rock and pop elements. Inspired by the Melvins and the Pixies, the three-album band only lasted until Cobain’s tragic death in 1994. However, Nirvana still managed to inspire a new wave of music that continues to have a large following to this day: grunge/alternative rock. Nirvana’s logo has even become a trend in fashion, worn by the young people of this generation frequently.
The iconic naked baby album cover lives on, being recreated by the photo’s subject named Spencer Eldin, now 25 years old as well.
