My Top 10 Most Influential Grunge Bands (In No Particular Order)
Green River and the Origin of Grunge
an introduction
Grunge is a nonconforming subgenre of rock that originated in the late 80s and really blossomed during the 90s - the movement formed in the Pacific Northwest, especially in Seattle, Washington. Grunge music made mainstream success during that time, especially releases by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. Ironically, many bands that are considered to be grunge absolutely hated the term and refused to associate with it.
The invention of grunge is widely credited to guitarist/vocalist Mark Arm and Green River (Although Marilyn Manson has claimed he was the first to use it to describe the genre: "Marilyn Manson says he invented grunge: 'You're welcome'").
Formed in 1984 by Mark Arm, Steve Turner, Alex Vincent, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, Green River were trailblazers of the grunge genre. Unfortunately, they didn't last long due to conflict of interest between the members - however, if they hadn't disbanded, the former members wouldn't have gone on to contribute to Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, and Mother Love Bone, as well as others. It was probably for the best.
This Rolling Stone article further highlights Green River's contribution to the creation of grunge:"Green River and the Birth of Seattle Grunge: The Oral History".
The following is a list of 10 grunge bands influential to me personally - I'll be talking about bands that have inspired me and why they matter in the history of grunge. Not all of them are as prominent as others, like Toadies, Screaming Trees and Tad, but I've included them because they've impacted my interests in music and the style of music I like to play.
I've also included a Spotify playlist including both major tracks from the following groups and more obscure ones I'm partial to (Definitely worth checking out!).
Influential Grunge Bands (ISU Playlist)
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Soundgarden formed in Seattle in 1984, and it consisted of Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto - who was later replaced indefinitely by Ben Sheperd. Matt Cameron also joined later as the permanent drummer. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label, A&M Records, in 1989.
Their music contained tones of heavy metal, reminders of bands like Black Sabbath, and they incorporated their own sludgy sound - downtuned, heavily distorted guitars gave Soundgarden their signature sound. Cornell had a widely varying vocal range and could reach a spectrum of different pitches (he could reach four octaves). Soundgarden's most popular song is arguably "Black Hole Sun", with its haunting melody and vocals.
They broke up in 1997, and after a decade of being split up, they reunited in 2010. They had a few more years of activity, but in 2017, Chris Cornell took his own life and was found in his hotel room in May. His death struck fans hard, and his friends harder - Cornell was a huge loss. The following year, the remaining members announced they would not be continuing as Soundgarden.
Soundgarden were a huge influence on the development of grunge and alternative music in the 90s, and their music continues to inspires many artists today.
After Mother Love Bone ended, Chris Cornell was joined by Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament and together they formed Temple Of The Dog in 1990. They were also joined by Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, and Matt Cameron, and only recorded one album together.
The project started as a tribute to Andrew Wood - Cornell wanted to pay homage to Wood, who had been a close friend of his, and so wrote "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Reach Down". The grunge supergroup's name comes from the Mother Love Bone track "Man of Golden Words".
One of Temple of The Dog's most well-known tracks is "Hunger Strike", a sort of duet between Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder. Cornell and Vedder's voices simultaneously compliment and contrast each other, creating a highly satisfying vocal blend.
After the premature end of Mother Love Bone, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament started Pearl Jam in 1990, along with vocalist Eddie Vedder and guitarist Mike McCready. Drummer Matt Cameron of Soundgarden joined the lineup in 1998.
Pearl Jam's notable album "Ten" met mainstream success upon its release and contains some of the decade's most essential grunge tracks, such as "Even Flow" and "Alive".
Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands on this list (and one of my favorite bands in general) because of how unique their sound is. They definitely helped define what grunge music is all about I love how raw Vedder's voice is; it fits so well with the band backing it. What I can appreciate most about the band's musicality, however, is the guitar playing. Pearl Jam's got some really creative solos in their music, and while they're not famous for it, they're among my favorite grunge riffs. Some of my favorite Pearl Jam songs include "Yellow Ledbetter", "Daughter" and "Rearviewmirror" - these tracks got me through some stuff.
Pearl Jam was one of the bands that got me into playing music myself, and they're a huge inspiration to me - my friends and I were even in a short-lived band called The Elderly Ladies, inspired by the Pearl Jam song "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter in a Small Town". I've included the music video I made for the only song we actually recorded - it's pretty obvious that we were highly influenced by the grunge era. We tried to emulate that in our video (I wasn't able to get my old bandmates in the video, but Austin and Nikki made great substitutes!)
Last, but absolutely not least, I chose Nirvana - they're probably the most recognizable group on this list, having had the most commercial success out of every other grunge band from the 90s. Nirvana was formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987 by frontman Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic. During their first few years they went through many drummers, but ultimately chose Dave Grohl in 1990. Their 1991 studio album Nevermind rose to fame and deeply influenced bands like The White Stripes, Radiohead, Wolf Alice, and many bands popping up today too.
More than any other band, I think Nirvana had the biggest influence on my interest in music - they're pretty much the gateway drug of grunge music, so prominent that they still gain new fans to this day. I wouldn't be into any of the other bands on this list if it hadn't been for Nirvana. People who aren't even fans of grunge like Nirvana tracks, especially the ones on Nevermind. Nirvana sort of bridged the gap between fans and artists of different genres - for example, Post Malone, a modern rapper, is a huge fan of Nirvana.
Some of the Nirvana songs I consider essential are "Lithium", "Come As You Are", "Breed", "Aneurysm", "Sliver", "All Apologies" and, of course, "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Kurt Cobain wasn't very technically skilled as a guitarist, but his somewhat sloppy playing was part of what made there music so appealing - Nirvana were masters at the art of rebellion, while also managing to infiltrate maintstream media and make a huge name for themselves. Their most iconic performance is their MTV Unplugged set.
Formed in 1984 by Mark Arm, Steve Turner, Alex Vincent, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, Green River were trailblazers of the grunge genre. Unfortunately, they didn't last long due to conflict of interest between the members - however, if they hadn't disbanded, the former members wouldn't have gone on to contribute to Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, and Mother Love Bone, as well as others. It was probably for the best.
This Rolling Stone article further highlights Green River's contribution to the creation of grunge:"Green River and the Birth of Seattle Grunge: The Oral History".
The following is a list of 10 grunge bands influential to me personally - I'll be talking about bands that have inspired me and why they matter in the history of grunge. Not all of them are as prominent as others, like Toadies, Screaming Trees and Tad, but I've included them because they've impacted my interests in music and the style of music I like to play.
I've also included a Spotify playlist including both major tracks from the following groups and more obscure ones I'm partial to (Definitely worth checking out!).
Influential Grunge Bands (ISU Playlist)
Mudhoney
Following the untimely breakup of Green River, frontman Mark Arm and guitarist Steve Turner went on to form Mudhoney with bassist Matt Lukin and drummer Dan Peters in 1998 (Lukin left the band and was replaced by Guy Maddisen in 1999). In 1988 they released their debut EP Superfuzz Bigmuff through the record label Sub Pop, who are known for having popularized grunge music by signing bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney.
Their debut single "Touch Me I'm Sick" was extremely influential to the trademark Seattle grunge sound and set the stage for the type of records bands after them would come to make. Mudhoney inspired the heavy, dirty sound that became characteristic of grunge.
Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone formed in Seattle in 1987 and consisted of Andrew Wood, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Bruce Fairweather and Regan Hagar (who was later replaced by Greg Gilmore). By late 1988, they had a promising career ahead of them, and had recorded their EP Shine, which was released in March 1989. It sold well, and the band quickly gained traction. In late 1989, the band started recording their debut album Apple, which was due to be released in March 1990 - however, just days before the record's release, Andrew Wood overdosed on heroin and ended up in the hospital on life support. He died on March 10, 1990. (Fun fact: Alice in Chains dedicated their debut album Facelift to Wood.)
Frontman Andrew Wood had a unique, outlandish onstage personality. He formed Malfunkshun in 1980 at the age of 14, and that band along with Green River are considered among the founders of grunge music.
Frontman Andrew Wood had a unique, outlandish onstage personality. He formed Malfunkshun in 1980 at the age of 14, and that band along with Green River are considered among the founders of grunge music.
"Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" is the "Stairway to Heaven" of grunge music. The transition from "Chloe Dancer" into "Crown of Thorns" is seamless and effective.The nostalgic song incorporates ballad-style writing along with classic rock elements and heavy grunge feels - it's definitely Mother Love Bone's most iconic and memorable song.
(Check out this Pearl Jam rendition of "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" - they definitely do it justice.)
Soundgarden
Soundgarden formed in Seattle in 1984, and it consisted of Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto - who was later replaced indefinitely by Ben Sheperd. Matt Cameron also joined later as the permanent drummer. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label, A&M Records, in 1989.
Their music contained tones of heavy metal, reminders of bands like Black Sabbath, and they incorporated their own sludgy sound - downtuned, heavily distorted guitars gave Soundgarden their signature sound. Cornell had a widely varying vocal range and could reach a spectrum of different pitches (he could reach four octaves). Soundgarden's most popular song is arguably "Black Hole Sun", with its haunting melody and vocals.
They broke up in 1997, and after a decade of being split up, they reunited in 2010. They had a few more years of activity, but in 2017, Chris Cornell took his own life and was found in his hotel room in May. His death struck fans hard, and his friends harder - Cornell was a huge loss. The following year, the remaining members announced they would not be continuing as Soundgarden.
Soundgarden were a huge influence on the development of grunge and alternative music in the 90s, and their music continues to inspires many artists today.
Temple of the Dog
After Mother Love Bone ended, Chris Cornell was joined by Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament and together they formed Temple Of The Dog in 1990. They were also joined by Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, and Matt Cameron, and only recorded one album together.
The project started as a tribute to Andrew Wood - Cornell wanted to pay homage to Wood, who had been a close friend of his, and so wrote "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Reach Down". The grunge supergroup's name comes from the Mother Love Bone track "Man of Golden Words".
One of Temple of The Dog's most well-known tracks is "Hunger Strike", a sort of duet between Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder. Cornell and Vedder's voices simultaneously compliment and contrast each other, creating a highly satisfying vocal blend.
Above: Miley Cyrus' live performance of "Say Hello 2 Heaven", alongside the remaining members of Temple of the Dog, as a tribute to Cornell after his death.
Pearl Jam
After the premature end of Mother Love Bone, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament started Pearl Jam in 1990, along with vocalist Eddie Vedder and guitarist Mike McCready. Drummer Matt Cameron of Soundgarden joined the lineup in 1998.
Pearl Jam's notable album "Ten" met mainstream success upon its release and contains some of the decade's most essential grunge tracks, such as "Even Flow" and "Alive".
Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands on this list (and one of my favorite bands in general) because of how unique their sound is. They definitely helped define what grunge music is all about I love how raw Vedder's voice is; it fits so well with the band backing it. What I can appreciate most about the band's musicality, however, is the guitar playing. Pearl Jam's got some really creative solos in their music, and while they're not famous for it, they're among my favorite grunge riffs. Some of my favorite Pearl Jam songs include "Yellow Ledbetter", "Daughter" and "Rearviewmirror" - these tracks got me through some stuff.
Pearl Jam was one of the bands that got me into playing music myself, and they're a huge inspiration to me - my friends and I were even in a short-lived band called The Elderly Ladies, inspired by the Pearl Jam song "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter in a Small Town". I've included the music video I made for the only song we actually recorded - it's pretty obvious that we were highly influenced by the grunge era. We tried to emulate that in our video (I wasn't able to get my old bandmates in the video, but Austin and Nikki made great substitutes!)
Alice in Chains
I had a teacher in the eighth grade who introduced Alice in Chains to me - I became instantly enamored with them and that's why they made the list.
Alice in Chains was founded in Seattle (of course) in 1987 by Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney, who later recruited Mike Starr and Layne Staley (Who was also vocalist of grunge supergroup Mad Season).
Their music incorporates the hard, raucous sounds of grunge music while also including clear undertones of heavy metal. I love this live version of "Them Bones", it's a great example of the Chains sound:
One of my favorite Alice in Chains tracks is "Rotten Apple" - the bass line in the beginning is one of the first ones I ever learned, and it takes up a special place in my heart. I love the combination of Staley and Cantrell's vocals as well. The tone and atmosphere of the song really gets me; Alice in Chains was doubtless on the darker side of grunge music.
Alice in Chains never officially broke up, but were on a sort of hiatus for a number of years as Staley became more and more reclusive, only coming back in 1998 to record "Get Born Again" and "Died". Staley battled addiction for about a decade before he was found dead in his home in Seattle from a drug overdose in April 2002.
William DuVall would eventually come to replace Staley on vocals in 2006, and the band is still active today. DuVall's vocals aren't bad, but it isn't the same as before.
Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees, in my opinion, is a severely underrated band. They were formed in 1985 in Ellensburg, Washington by Mark Lanegan (who later became part of Queens of the Stone Age), Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner, and Mark Pickerel (who was later replaced with Barrett Martin. They had so much potential, and were one of the most successful underground grunge acts of the era, but had a lot of difficulty gaining mainstream success due to tensions between the members. The eventually became more and more inactive until their official disbanding in 2000.
The Trees had a really similar sound to many other grunge bands from the 90s, and played a lot of what was typical of the genre, but also incorporated both hard rock and psychadelic vibes into their music. Some of their more played tracks include "Dollar Bill", "Nearly Lost You", and "Shadow of the Season", all of their debut album, Sweet Oblivion. One of my favorite tracks of theirs is "All I Know" - I've included a live version I really like below.
The Trees had a really similar sound to many other grunge bands from the 90s, and played a lot of what was typical of the genre, but also incorporated both hard rock and psychadelic vibes into their music. Some of their more played tracks include "Dollar Bill", "Nearly Lost You", and "Shadow of the Season", all of their debut album, Sweet Oblivion. One of my favorite tracks of theirs is "All I Know" - I've included a live version I really like below.
This article helps to further illustrate the reasons behind why the Trees never really rose to fame: Screaming Trees: Grunge's Nearly Men.
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots hold a lot of sentimental value for me; I used to spend hours jamming to a lot of their songs with my friends. They're one of the few bands on this list that aren't from Washington - they were formed in San Diego, California by Scott Weiland (who was also vocalist for Velvet Revolver), Dean and Robert DeLeo, and Eric Kretz. Their lineup remained the same until Weiland was fired in 2013 (Chester Bennington of nu metal band Linkin Park replaced him until 2015, when he decided to part ways with them to focus on LP). Scott Weiland died of accidental overdose in December 2015. He was a notable vocalist and had an incredible style, comparable to that of Layne Staley or Kurt Cobain. As of 2017, following the death of Chester Bennington, Jeff Gutt became STP's current vocalist.
STP's got a multitude of great music, but my favorite songs are "Interstate Love Song"(a classic), "Lady Picture Show", "Vasoline", and surprisingly, "Thought She'd Be Mine", which is one of their more recent tracks.
STP's music video for "Interstate Love Song".
"Thought She'd Be Mine"
Toadies
Ah, Toadies. I have a special place in my heart for Toadies. Another grunge band from outside of Washington, Toadies was founded in 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas, by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Vaden Todd Lewis, bassist Lisa Umbarger (I love her), lead guitarist Darrel Herbert, and drummer Mark Reznicek. The group disbanded in 2001 when Umbarger left the group, but reformed without her in 2008 and are still making music today, with their most recent album released in 2017.
The Toadies' music was unique in that there were a lot of abstract and philosophical themes in their songs. There were characters that would span across multiple songs, and underlying meanings that even the band didn't fully explore until much later. They'd leave their songs very open-ended, letting listeners come to their own conclusions. Toadies were by no means an outlier among other grunge bands, but are definitely one of my favorites. Their songs often have distinct stories behind them, like "I Come From the Water" and "Possum Kingdom".
The Toadies' music was unique in that there were a lot of abstract and philosophical themes in their songs. There were characters that would span across multiple songs, and underlying meanings that even the band didn't fully explore until much later. They'd leave their songs very open-ended, letting listeners come to their own conclusions. Toadies were by no means an outlier among other grunge bands, but are definitely one of my favorites. Their songs often have distinct stories behind them, like "I Come From the Water" and "Possum Kingdom".
Nirvana
More than any other band, I think Nirvana had the biggest influence on my interest in music - they're pretty much the gateway drug of grunge music, so prominent that they still gain new fans to this day. I wouldn't be into any of the other bands on this list if it hadn't been for Nirvana. People who aren't even fans of grunge like Nirvana tracks, especially the ones on Nevermind. Nirvana sort of bridged the gap between fans and artists of different genres - for example, Post Malone, a modern rapper, is a huge fan of Nirvana.
Some of the Nirvana songs I consider essential are "Lithium", "Come As You Are", "Breed", "Aneurysm", "Sliver", "All Apologies" and, of course, "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Kurt Cobain wasn't very technically skilled as a guitarist, but his somewhat sloppy playing was part of what made there music so appealing - Nirvana were masters at the art of rebellion, while also managing to infiltrate maintstream media and make a huge name for themselves. Their most iconic performance is their MTV Unplugged set.
Above: a tiny snippet of my friends and I playing our mashup of "Breed" and "Aneurysm", featuring the massively talented Sarah Franzoi on drums and our amazing multiinstrumentalist Aric Olsen - I owe our closeness to music. (I didn't have any full footage of this, unfortunately, so I took somebody's Snapchat footage)
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