Nirvana was an Americanrock band formed inAberdeen, Washington, in 1987. Founded by lead singer and guitaristKurt Cobain and bassistKrist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notablyChad Channing, before recruitingDave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularizedalternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band ofGeneration X.[1] Their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence rock culture.
In the late 1980s, Nirvana established itself as part of the Seattlegrunge scene. They released their first album,Bleach, for the independent record labelSub Pop in 1989. Their sound relied on dynamic contrasts, often between quiet verses and loud, heavy choruses. After signing to the major labelDGC Records in 1990, Nirvana found unexpected mainstream success with "Smells Like Teen Spirit", the first single from its landmark second album,Nevermind (1991). A cultural phenomenon of the 1990s,Nevermind was certified13× Platinum in the US and is credited for ending the popularity ofhair metal.[2][3][4]
Singer and guitaristKurt Cobain and bassistKrist Novoselic met while attendingAberdeen High School in Washington state.[8] The pair became friends while frequenting the practice space of theMelvins.[9] Cobain wanted to form a band with Novoselic, but Novoselic did not respond for a long period. Cobain gave him a demo tape of his projectFecal Matter. Three years after the two first met, Novoselic notified Cobain that he had finally listened to the Fecal Matter demo and suggested they start a group. Their first band, the Sellouts, was aCreedence Clearwater Revival tribute band.[10] The project featured Novoselic on guitar and vocals, Cobain on drums, and Steve Newman on bass but only lasted a short time.[11] Another project, this time featuring originals, was also attempted in late 1986. Bob McFadden was enlisted to play drums, but after a month this project also fell through.[12] In early 1987, Cobain and Novoselic recruited drummerAaron Burckhard.[13] They practiced material from Cobain's Fecal Matter tape but started writing new material soon after forming.[14]
During its initial months, the band went through a series of names, including Skid Row, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss, and Ted Ed Fred.[15][16][17][18] The band played under the name Nirvana for the first time on March 19, 1988, at Community World Theater, Tacoma, Washington, together with the bands Lush and Vampire Lezbos.[19] This concert's flyer, designed by Kurt Cobain, also mentioned all of the previous band names: "Nirvana (also known as... Skid Row, Ted Ed Fred, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss)".[20] The group settled on Nirvana because, according to Cobain, "I wanted a name that was kind of beautiful or nice and pretty instead of a mean, raunchy punk name like theAngry Samoans."[21] The band were initially sued by the British bandNirvana over the usage of the name, reaching an out-of-court settlement.[22] Novoselic moved toTacoma and Cobain toOlympia, Washington. They temporarily lost contact with Burckhard, and instead practiced withDale Crover of the Melvins, with whom Nirvana recorded its first demos in January 1988.[23]
In early 1988, Crover moved to San Francisco but recommended Dave Foster as his replacement on drums.[24] Foster's tenure with Nirvana was a rocky one; during a stint in jail, he was replaced by Burckhard, who again departed after telling Cobain he was too hungover to practice one day.[25] Foster would rejoin the band, but after Cobain and Novoselic were introduced to drummerChad Channing, the band would permanently dismiss him (although not before Foster witnessed the group play live without him).[26] Channing continued to jam with Cobain and Novoselic; however, by Channing's account, "They never actually said 'okay, you're in.'" Channing played his first show with Nirvana in late May 1988.[27]
1988–1990: Early releases
Nirvana released its first single, a cover ofShocking Blue's "Love Buzz", in November 1988 on the Seattle independent record labelSub Pop.[28] They did their first interview withJohn Robb inSounds, which made their release its single of the week. The following month, the band began recording its debut album,Bleach, with local producerJack Endino.[29]Bleach was influenced by the heavy dirge-rock of the Melvins, the 1980s punk rock ofMudhoney, and the 1970sheavy metal ofBlack Sabbath.[30] The money for the recording sessions forBleach, listed as$606.17 on the album sleeve, was supplied byJason Everman, who was subsequently brought into the band as the second guitarist. Though Everman did not play on the album, he received a credit onBleach because, according to Novoselic, they "wanted to make him feel more at home in the band".[31] Prior to the album's release, Nirvana became the first band to sign an extended contract with Sub Pop.[32]
Bleach was released in June 1989, and became a favorite ofcollege radio stations. Nirvana embarked on its first national tour,[33][34] but canceled the last few dates and returned to Washington state due to increasing differences with Everman. No one told Everman he was fired; Everman later said he had quit.[35] Although Sub Pop did not promoteBleach as much as other releases, it was a steady seller,[36] and had initial sales of 40,000 copies.[37] However, Cobain was upset by the label's lack of promotion and distribution.[36] In late 1989, Nirvana recorded theBlew EP with producerSteve Fisk.[38] In an interview with Robb, Cobain said the band's music was changing: "The early songs were really angry... But as time goes on the songs are getting poppier and poppier as I get happier and happier. The songs are now about conflicts in relationships, emotional things with other human beings."[39]
In April 1990, Nirvana began working on their next album with producerButch Vig atSmart Studios inMadison, Wisconsin.[40] Cobain and Novoselic became disenchanted with Channing's drumming, and Channing expressed frustration at not being involved in songwriting. As bootlegs of Nirvana demos with Vig began to circulate in the music industry and draw attention from major labels, Channing left the band.[41] That July, Nirvana recorded the single "Sliver" with Mudhoney drummerDan Peters.[42] Dale Crover filled in on drums on Nirvana's seven-date American West Coast tour withSonic Youth that August.[43]
In September 1990,Buzz Osborne of the Melvins introduced the band to drummerDave Grohl, whose Washington, D.C. bandScream had broken up.[44] Grohl auditioned for Novoselic and Cobain days after arriving in Seattle; Novoselic later said, "We knew in two minutes that he was the right drummer."[45] Grohl toldQ: "I remember being in the same room with them and thinking, 'What?That's Nirvana? Are you kidding?' Because on their record cover they looked like psycho lumberjacks... I was like, 'What, that little dude and that big motherfucker? You're kidding me'."[46]
1991–1992:Nevermind and mainstream breakthrough
Disenchanted with Sub Pop, and with the Smart Studios sessions generating interest, Nirvana sought a deal with a major record label since no indie label could buy them out of their contract.[47] Cobain and Novoselic consultedSoundgarden andAlice in Chains managerSusan Silver for advice.[48][49] They met Silver in Los Angeles and she introduced them to agent Don Muller and music business attorney Alan Mintz, who was specialized in finding deals for new bands. Mintz started sending out Nirvana's demo tape to major labels looking for deals.[48][49] Following repeated recommendations by Sonic Youth'sKim Gordon, Nirvana signed toDGC Records in 1990.[50] When Nirvana was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, Novoselic thanked Silver during his speech for "introducing them to the music industry properly".[51]
After signing, the band began recording its first major label album,Nevermind. The group was offered a number of producers, but held out for Vig.[52] Rather than record at Vig's Madison studio as they had in 1990, production shifted toSound City Studios inVan Nuys, Los Angeles, California. For two months, the band worked through a variety of songs. Some, such as "In Bloom" and "Breed", had been in Nirvana's repertoire for years, while others, including "On a Plain" and "Stay Away", lacked finished lyrics until midway through the recording process.[53] After the recording sessions were completed, Vig and the band set out tomix the album. However, the recording sessions had run behind schedule and the resulting mixes were deemed unsatisfactory.Slayer mixerAndy Wallace was brought in to create the final mix. After the album's release, members of Nirvana expressed dissatisfaction with the polished sound that Wallace had givenNevermind.[54]
Announcement from the band encouraging people to participate in the making of the music video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Initially, DGC Records was hoping to sell 250,000 copies ofNevermind, the same they had achieved with Sonic Youth'sGoo.[55] However, the first single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit", quickly gained momentum, boosted by major airplay of the music video onMTV. As it toured Europe during late 1991, the band found that its shows were dangerously oversold, that television crews were becoming a constant presence onstage, and that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was almost omnipresent on radio and music television.[56] By Christmas 1991,Nevermind was selling 400,000 copies a week in the US.[57] In January 1992, the album displacedMichael Jackson'sDangerous at number one on theBillboard album charts, and topped the charts in numerous other countries.[58] The monthNevermind reached number one,Billboard proclaimed, "Nirvana is that rare band that has everything: critical acclaim, industry respect, pop radio appeal, and a rock-solid college/alternative base."[59] The album eventually sold over seven million copies in the United States[60] and over 30 million worldwide.[61] Nirvana's sudden success was credited for popularizingalternative rock and ending the popularity ofhair metal.[2][3][4]
Citing exhaustion, Nirvana did not undertake another American tour in support ofNevermind, and made only a handful of performances later that year.[62] In March 1992, Cobain sought to reorganize the group's songwriting royalties (which to this point had been split equally) to better represent that he wrote the majority of the music. Grohl and Novoselic did not object, but when Cobain wanted the agreement to be retroactive to the release ofNevermind, the disagreements came close to breaking up the band. After a week of tension, Cobain received a retroactive share of 75 percent of the royalties. Bad feelings about the situation remained within the group afterward.[63]
Amid rumors that the band was disbanding due to Cobain's health, Nirvana headlined the closing night of the 1992Reading Festival in England. Cobain programmed the performance lineup.[64] Nirvana's performance at Reading is often regarded as one of the most memorable of their career.[65][66] A few days later, Nirvana performed at theMTV Video Music Awards; despite the network's refusal to let the band play the new song "Rape Me", Cobain strummed and sang the first few bars of the song before breaking into "Lithium". The band received awards for theBest Alternative Video andBest New Artist categories.[67]
DGC had hoped to have a new Nirvana album ready for a late 1992 holiday season; instead, it released the compilation albumIncesticide in December 1992.[68] A joint venture between DGC and Sub Pop,Incesticide collected various rare Nirvana recordings and was intended to provide the material for a better price and higher quality thanbootlegs.[69] AsNevermind had been out for 15 months and had yielded a fourth single in "In Bloom" by that point, Geffen/DGC opted not to heavily promoteIncesticide, which was certified gold by theRecording Industry Association of America the following February.[70]
1993:In Utero
Nirvana added an extra guitarist,Pat Smear, for theIn Utero tour.
In February 1993, Nirvana released"Puss" / "Oh, the Guilt", a split single withthe Jesus Lizard, on the independent labelTouch & Go.[68] For their third album, Nirvana chose producerSteve Albini, who had a reputation as principled and opinionated in the Americanindie music scene. While some speculated that Nirvana chose Albini for his underground credentials,[71] Cobain said they chose him for his "natural" recording style, without layers of studio trickery.[72] Albini and Nirvana recorded the album in two weeks inPachyderm Studio inCannon Falls, Minnesota, that February[73] for$25,000.[74]
After its completion, stories ran in theChicago Tribune andNewsweek that quoted sources claiming DGC considered the album "unreleasable".[75] Fans became concerned that Nirvana's creative vision might be compromised by their label.[76] While the stories about DGC shelving the album were untrue, the band was unhappy with certain aspects of Albini's mixes; they thought the bass levels were too low,[77] and Cobain felt that "Heart-Shaped Box" and "All Apologies" did not sound "perfect".[78] The longtimeR.E.M. producerScott Litt was called in to remix the two songs, with Cobain adding more instrumentation and backing vocals.[79]
In Utero topped the American and British album charts.[80]Time criticChristopher John Farley wrote in his review, "Despite the fears of some alternative-music fans, Nirvana hasn't gone mainstream, though this potent new album may once again force the mainstream to go Nirvana."[81]In Utero went on to sell more than five million copies in the United States.[60] That October, Nirvana embarked on its first tour of the United States in two years, with support fromHalf Japanese andthe Breeders.[82] For the tour, the band addedPat Smear of the punk rock bandGerms as the second guitarist.[83]
In November, Nirvana recorded a performance for the television programMTV Unplugged. Augmented by Smear and cellistLori Goldston, they broke convention for the show by choosing not to play their best known songs. Instead, they performed several covers, and invitedCris andCurt Kirkwood of theMeat Puppets to join them for renditions of three Meat Puppets songs.[84]
In early 1994, Nirvana embarked on a European tour. Their final concert took place inMunich, Germany, on March 1. In Rome, on the morning of March 4, Cobain's wife,Courtney Love, found Cobain unconscious in their hotel room and he was rushed to the hospital. Cobain had reacted to a combination of prescribedrohypnol and alcohol. The rest of the tour was canceled.[85]
Cobain's house in Seattle, where he was found dead in April 1994
In the weeks following his hospitalization in Rome, Cobain'sheroin addiction resurfaced. Following anintervention, he was persuaded to enterdrug rehabilitation. After less than a week, Cobain scaled the 6-foot wall and escaped, then returned to Seattle.[86] On April 6, 1994, it was announced that Nirvana withdrew from their planned appearance at theLollapalooza 94 tour due to Cobain's ongoing health problems, with reports that they had broken up.[87] Two days later, on April 8,Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head at his home in theDenny-Blaine neighborhood of the city. He had died approximately three days earlier. Until the discovery of his body, Cobain had been missing since escaping the rehabilitation center.[88]
Cobain's death drew international attention and became a topic of public fascination and debate.[89] Within hours, stocks ran low of Nirvana records in stores,[90] and Nirvana sales rose dramatically in the United Kingdom.[91] Unused tickets for Nirvana concerts sold for inflated prices on the used market. The inflation was triggered by the manager ofBrixton Academy, who lied onBBC Radio 1 that fans were purchasing tickets as a "piece of history", in an effort to retain the money he stood to lose from ticket refunds.[92] A public vigil for Cobain was held on April 10, 1994, at a park atSeattle Center, drawing approximately 7,000 mourners,[93]: 346 followed by a final ceremony on May 31, 1999.[94]: 351
In 1994, Grohl founded a new band, theFoo Fighters. He and Novoselic decided against Novoselic joining. Grohl said it would have felt "really natural" for them to work together again, but would have been uncomfortable for the other band members and placed more pressure on Grohl.[95] Novoselic turned his attention to political activism.[68]
In 1997, Novoselic, Grohl and Love formed thelimited liability company Nirvana LLC to oversee Nirvana projects.[98] A 45-track box set of Nirvana rarities was scheduled for release in October 2001.[99] However, shortly before the release date, Love filed a suit to dissolve Nirvana LLC, and an injunction was issued preventing the release of any new Nirvana material until the case was resolved.[100] Love contended that Cobain was Nirvana, that Grohl and Novoselic were sidemen, and that she had signed the partnership agreement originally under bad advice. Grohl and Novoselic countersued, asking the court to remove Love from the partnership and to replace her with another representative of Cobain's estate.[99]
The day before the case was set to go to trial in October 2002, Love, Novoselic, and Grohl announced that they had reached a settlement. The next month, the best-of compilationNirvana was released, featuring the previously unreleased track "You Know You're Right", the last song Nirvana recorded.[101] It debuted at number three on theBillboard album chart.[102] The box set,With the Lights Out, was released in November 2004. The release contained early Cobain demos, rough rehearsal recordings, and live tracks. An album of selected tracks from the box set,Sliver: The Best of the Box, was released in late 2005.[103]
In April 2006, Love sold 25 percent of her stake in the Nirvana song catalog toPrimary Wave for an estimated$50 million. She sought to assure Nirvana's fanbase that the music would not simply be licensed to the highest bidder: "We are going to remain very tasteful and true to the spirit of Nirvana while taking the music to places it has never been before."[104]
Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!, was re-released on DVD in 2006,[105] followed by the full version ofMTV Unplugged in New York on DVD in 2007.[106] In November 2009, Nirvana's performance at the 1992 Reading Festival was released on CD and DVD asLive at Reading,[107] alongside a deluxe 20th-anniversary edition ofBleach.[108] DGC released a number of 20th-anniversary deluxe packages ofNevermind in September 2011, which included theLive at the Paramount show,[109] and ofIn Utero in September 2013, which included theLive and Loud show.[110]
In 2012, Grohl, Novoselic, and Smear joinedPaul McCartney at12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.[111] The performance featured the premiere of a new song written by the four, "Cut Me Some Slack". A studio recording was released on the soundtrack toSound City, a documentary film by Grohl.[112][113] On July 19, 2013, the group played with McCartney again during the encore of hisSafeco Field"Out There" concert in Seattle, the first time Nirvana members had performed together in their hometown in over 15 years.[114][115]
In 2014, Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl were inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear performed a four-song set with guest vocalistsJoan Jett,Kim Gordon,St. Vincent andLorde.[116][117] Novoselic, Grohl and Smear then performed a full show at Brooklyn's St. Vitus Bar with Jett, Gordon, St. Vincent,J Mascis andJohn McCauley as guest vocalists.[118] Grohl thanked Burckhard, Crover, Peters and Channing for their time in Nirvana. Everman also attended.[119]
For the 30th anniversary ofNevermind, in September 2021, theBBC broadcast the documentaryWhen Nirvana Came to Britain, featuring interviews with Grohl and Novoselic. That month, a 30th-anniversary edition ofNevermind was announced, containing 70 previously unreleased live tracks from four concerts and a Blu-ray ofLive in Amsterdam.[123] For the 30th anniversary ofIn Utero, DGC reissued it in several formats on October 27, 2023, which included the full 1993 show at theGreat Western Forum in Los Angeles and the 1994 show at theSeattle Centre Arena.[124]
On January 30, 2025, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear reunited for the first time in five years to perform at theFire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles. They were joined bySt. Vincent for "Breed",Kim Gordon for "School",Joan Jett for "Territorial Pissings", andViolet Grohl for "All Apologies".[125] For the 50th anniversary celebrations forSaturday Night Live on February 14, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear reunited to perform "Smells Like Teen Spirit" withPost Malone.[126][127]
Artistry
Musical style and influences
Nirvana's musical style has been mainly described asgrunge,[128][129][130][131]alternative rock,[132][133][134] andpunk rock.[135][136][137] They have also been labeled ashard rock.[80] Characterized by theirpunk aesthetic, Nirvana often fusedpop melodies withnoise.[80]Billboard described their work as a "genius blend of Kurt Cobain's raspy voice and gnashing guitars, Dave Grohl's relentless drumming and Krist Novoselic's uniting bass-work that connected with fans in a hail of alternately melodic and hard-charging songs".[138]
Cobain described Nirvana's initial sound as "aGang of Four andScratch Acid ripoff".[69] When Nirvana recordedBleach, Cobain felt he had to fit the expectations of the Sub Pop grunge sound to build a fanbase, and suppressed his arty and pop songwriting in favor of a more rock sound.[139] Nirvana biographerMichael Azerrad argued, "Ironically, it was the restrictions of the Sub Pop sound that helped the band find its musical identity." Azerrad stated that by acknowledging that they had grown up listening toBlack Sabbath andAerosmith, they had been able to move on from their derivative early sound.[140]
Nirvana used dynamic shifts that went from quiet to loud.[77] Cobain sought to mix heavy and pop musical sounds, saying, "I wanted to be totallyLed Zeppelin in a way and then be totally extreme punk rock and then do real wimpy pop songs." When Cobain heard thePixies' 1988 album,Surfer Rosa, after recordingBleach, he felt it had the sound he wanted to achieve but had been too intimidated to try. The Pixies' subsequent popularity encouraged Cobain to follow his instincts as a songwriter.[141] Like the Pixies, Nirvana moved between "spare bass-and-drum grooves and shrill bursts of screaming guitar and vocals".[142] Near the end of his life, Cobain said the band had become bored of the "limited" formula, but expressed doubt that they were skilled enough to try other dynamics.[77]
Bottom half of guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain, displayed atMOPOP
Instrumentation
Cobain's rhythm guitar style, which relied onpower chords, low-note riffs, and a loose left-handed technique, featured the key components to the band's songs. Cobain would often initially play a song's verse riff in a clean tone, then double it with distorted guitars when he repeated the part. In some verses, the guitar would be absent to allow the drums and bass guitar to support the vocals, or it would only play sparse melodies like the two-note pattern used in "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Cobain rarely played standard guitar solos, opting to play variations of the song's melody as single-note lines. Cobain's solos were mostly blues-based and discordant, which music writer Jon Chappell described as "almost an iconoclastic parody of the traditional instrumental break", a quality typified by the note-for-note replication of the lead melody in "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the atonal solo for "Breed".[143] The band had no formal musical training; Cobain said: "I have no concept of knowing how to be a musician at all whatsoever... I couldn't even pass Guitar 101."[144]
Grohl's drumming "took Nirvana's sound to a new level of intensity".[145] Azerrad stated that Grohl's "powerful drumming propelled the band to a whole new plane, visually as well as musically", noting, "Although Dave is a merciless basher, his parts are also distinctly musical—it wouldn't be difficult to figure out what song he was playing even without the rest of the music".[146]
Until early 1992, the band had performed live inconcert pitch. They began tuning down either a half step or full step as well as concert pitch. Sometimes all three tunings would be in the same show. By the summer of that year, the band had settled on the half step down tuning (E♭).[147] Cobain said, "We play so hard we can't tune our guitars fast enough".[148] The band made a habit of destroying its equipment after shows. Novoselic said he and Cobain created the "shtick" in order to get off the stage sooner.[149] Cobain stated it began as an expression of his frustration with previous drummer Channing making mistakes and dropping out entirely during performances.[150]
Songwriting and lyrics
Everett True said in 1989, "Nirvana songs treat the banal and pedestrian with a unique slant".[151] Cobain came up with the basic components of each song, usually writing them on an acoustic guitar, as well as the singing style and the lyrics. He emphasized that Novoselic and Grohl had a large part in deciding the lengths and parts of songs, and that he did not like to be considered the sole songwriter.[152]
Cobain usually wrote lyrics for songs minutes before recording them.[152] Cobain said, "When I write a song the lyrics are the least important subject. I can go through two or three different subjects in a song and the title can mean absolutely nothing at all".[153] Cobain toldSpin in 1993 that he "didn't give a flying f–k [sic]" what the lyrics onBleach were about, figuring "Let's just scream negative lyrics, and as long as they're not sexist and don't get too embarrassing it'll be okay", while the lyrics toNevermind were taken from two years of poetry he had accumulated, which he cut up and chose lines he preferred from. In comparison, Cobain stated that the lyrics toIn Utero were "more focused, they're almost built on themes".[135] Cobain did not write in a linear fashion, instead relying on juxtapositions of contradictory images to convey emotions and ideas. Often in his lyrics, Cobain would present an idea then reject it; he said, "I'm such a nihilistic jerk half the time and other times I'm so vulnerable and sincere [.. The songs are] like a mixture of both of them. That's how most people my age are."[154]
Combined with their themes ofabjection and alienation, Nirvana became hugely popular during their short tenure[155] and are credited with bringing alternative rock to the mainstream.[138][156]Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic wrote that prior to Nirvana, "alternative music was consigned to specialty sections of record stores, and major labels considered it to be, at the very most, a tax write-off". Following the release ofNevermind, "nothing was ever quite the same, for better and for worse".[157] While other alternative bands had achieved hits, Nirvana "broke down the doors forever", according to Erlewine; the breakthrough "didn't eliminate the underground", but rather "just gave it more exposure".[158] Erlewine also wrote that Nirvana "popularized so-called 'Generation X' and 'slacker' culture".[158] Following Cobain's death, numerous headlines referred to Nirvana's frontman as "the voice of a generation", although he had rejected such labeling during his lifetime.[159]
In 1992,Jon Pareles ofThe New York Times reported that Nirvana had made other alternative acts impatient for similar success: "Suddenly, all bets are off. No one has the inside track on which of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of ornery, obstreperous, unkempt bands might next appeal to the mall-walking millions." Record company executives offered large advances and record deals to bands, and previous strategies of building audiences for alternative rock groups were replaced by the opportunity to achieve mainstream popularity quickly.[160]
Michael Azerrad argued in his Nirvana biographyCome as You Are: The Story of Nirvana (1993) thatNevermind marked an epochal generational shift in music similar to therock-and-roll explosion in the 1950s and the end of thebaby boomer generation's dominance of the musical landscape. Azerrad wrote, "Nevermind came along at exactly the right time. This was music by, for, and about a whole new group of young people who had been overlooked, ignored, or condescended to."[161]Fugazi frontmanGuy Picciotto said "It was like our record could have been a hobo pissing in the forest for the amount of impact it had ... It felt like we were playing ukuleles all of a sudden because of the disparity of the impact of what they did."[162]
Nirvana are one ofthe best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 75 million records.[163] With 32 millionRIAA-certified units, they are alsoone of the bestselling music artists in the United States.[164] They have achieved 10Top 40 hits on theBillboardAlternative Songs chart, including five number-ones.[138] Two of their studio albums and two of their live albums have reached the top spot on theBillboard 200.[165] Nirvana have been awarded one diamond, three multiplatinum, seven platinum and two gold-certified albums in the United States by the RIAA,[166] and four multiplatinum, four platinum, two gold and one silver-certified albums in the UK by theBPI.[167]Nevermind, their most successful album, has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of thebest-selling albums ever.[168] Their most successful song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit", is amongthe bestselling singles of all time, having been certified diamond with sales of 10 million copies.[166]
Since their breakup, Nirvana have continued to receive acclaim. In 2003, they were selected as one of the inductees of theMojo Hall of Fame 100.[169] The band also received a nomination in 2004 from theUK Music Hall of Fame for the title of "Greatest Artist of the 1990s".[170]Rolling Stone placed Nirvana at number 27 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004,[171] and at number 30 on their updated list in 2011.[172] In 2003, the magazine's senior editorDavid Fricke picked Kurt Cobain as the 12th best guitarist of all time.[173]Rolling Stone later ranked Cobain as the 45th greatest singer in 2008[174] and 73rd greatest guitarist of all time in 2011.[175]VH1 ranked Nirvana as the 42nd greatest artists of rock and roll in 1998,[176] the 7th greatest hard rock artists in 2000,[177] and the 14th greatest artists of all time in 2010.[178]
Nirvana's contributions to music have also received recognition. TheRock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted two of Nirvana's recordings, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "All Apologies", into its list of "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".[179] The museum also rankedNevermind number 10 on its "The Definitive 200 Albums of All Time" list in 2007.[180] In 2005, theLibrary of Congress addedNevermind to theNational Recording Registry, which collects "culturally, historically or aesthetically important" sound recordings from the 20th century.[181] In 2011, four of Nirvana's songs appeared onRolling Stone's updated list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ranking the highest at number 9.[182] Three of the band's albums were ranked on the magazine's 2012 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", withNevermind placing the highest at number 17.[183] The same three Nirvana albums were also placed onRolling Stone's 2011 list of "The 100 Best Albums of the Nineties", withNevermind ranking the highest at number 1, making it the greatest album of the decade.[184]Time includedNevermind on its list of "The All-TIME 100 Albums" in 2006, labeling it "the finest album of the 1990s".[185] In 2011, the magazine also added "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on its list of "The All-TIME 100 Songs",[186] and "Heart-Shaped Box" on its list of "The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos".[187]Pitchfork rankedNevermind andIn Utero as the sixth and thirteenth greatest albums of the 1990s, describing the band as "the greatest and most legendary band of the 1990s."[188]
Nirvana was announced in their first year of eligibility as being part of the 2014 class of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on December 17, 2013. The induction ceremony was held April 10, 2014, in Brooklyn, New York, at theBarclays Center.[189] As the accolade was only applied to Cobain, Novoselic and Grohl, former drummer Chad Channing was not included in the induction and was informed of his omission by text message.[190] Channing attended the ceremony, where Grohl publicly thanked him for his contributions and noted that he had written some of Nirvana's most recognized drum parts.[191] In 2023, Nirvana (represented by Novoselic, Grohl, and Smear) were awarded aLifetime Achievement Award at the2023 Grammy Awards.[192]
Band members
Final lineup
Kurt Cobain – lead vocals, guitars (1987–1994; his death)
Krist Novoselic – bass (1987–1994; all reunion performances), occasional vocals (1987–1994), accordion (1993–1994)[193]
Dave Grohl – drums, backing vocals (1990–1994; all reunion performances)[194]
^Mundy, Chris (October 5, 1995)."Invasion of the Foo Fighters".Rolling Stone.Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. RetrievedNovember 18, 2014. Excerpt only; subscription required for full article.
^Ali, Lorraine. "One Last Blast".Rolling Stone. October 17, 1996.
^"Certified Awards"Archived January 24, 2013, at theWayback Machine.British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 23, 2013.Note: In the "Search by parameters" section, user needs to (1) enter "Nirvana" in the "Keywords" field and (2) tick the "Exact match" box then (3) click the "Search" button.
^Roberts, Alex."Dale Demo".LiveNIRVANA.com. Live Nirvana. RetrievedOctober 1, 2021.
^ab"How Pat Smear Joined Nirvana".YouTube. February 15, 2021. RetrievedMarch 13, 2023."Nirvana at one point had another guitarist like in 1989 or 1990. This dude named Jason Everman was in the band for a bit" – Dave Grohl
.jpg)
