Grunge
tagStarted 1987Peak 1991-1994Last big hit 1996From Seattle, United States
Located in 1 route
The core sound: thick, downtuned, fuzz-saturated guitars over plodding or churning tempos, swinging between hushed verses and detonating choruses. Vocals range from Cobain's raw rasp to Cornell's banshee wail and Staley's sour harmonies. Lyrics drip alienation, addiction and apathy; production stays deliberately murky and unglamorous.
History
Coalesced in Seattle in the late 1980s as Sub Pop bands fused Black Sabbath heaviness with punk and hardcore speed. Nirvana's 1991 Nevermind detonated it into the mainstream, with Pearl Jam's Ten close behind. The genre defined alternative rock's commercial peak before Cobain's 1994 death and overexposure dulled its momentum.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- AllMusic: Grunge
- Wikipedia: Grunge
- Michael Azerrad, 'Come as You Are'
- Rolling Stone grunge retrospectives