Grunge: The Rise and Fall

Grunge music was created in the mid 1980s in the Pacific Northwest. The genre fused classic rock riffs with a punk ethos to create a blend of rock, punk, and metal according to Wrangler columnist Travis Moore. Bands such as Mudhoney, The Pixies, and Temple of the Dog began to develop Grunge music and give it a sound that was loud, angry, and rebellious. Lyrically, songs tackled issues such as isolation, drug usage, and trauma. Formed in 1988 by Evergreen State College student Bruce Pavitt, Sub Pop Records emerged in Seattle and signed numerous Grunge bands that would eventually explode in popularity such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney. According to Marcie Sillman and Amina Al-Sadi of NPR, as the genre continued to grow and develop, so too did Sub Pop Records.

1991 proved to be an imperative year for Grunge with many Grunge bands releasing what would come to be considered staple albums within the genre. In August of 1991, Pearl Jam released Ten, which would go on to peak at number 2 on the Billboard Top 200, earn multiple Grammy nominations, and be certified 13x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In September, Nirvana released Nevermind, which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200, won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and was certified Diamond by RIAA making it one of the top 100 best selling albums of all time. Finally, in October, Soundgarden released Badmotorfinger, which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Top 200, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, and was certified 2x Platinum by RIAA. Sub Pop Records were huge profiteers and promoters of the genre's growth. With Grunge, came Grunge style: long hair, flannel shirts, ripped jeans. At the forefront of Grunge was Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain who served as a cultural idol both for his appearance and music.

Grunge experienced continued popularity throughout the early 1990s with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains all dropping commercially successful records. Unfortunately, the sustainability of the genre was called into question by many.  Drug usage was a problem with many musicians in the genre and had disastrous consequences. All of this culminated with the unfortunate passing of Kurt Cobain on April 5th, 1994 who died via suicide just days after fleeing a drug treatment center. In the article, "Is Grunge Gone for Good?" writer Gina Arnold mentions that at the time of Cobain's death there were questions as to how such an aggressive and turbulent genre could continue to succeed in pop culture. Cobain's death would signal the beginning of the end for Grunge music, and with other Grunge musicians and bands unable to reach former peaks on the charts, there was a musical vacuum left in the wake of Grunge.

Nirvana - Drain You (Live At The Paramount, Seattle / 1991) . YouTube. YouTube, 2019. Accessed December 5, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIFUHzCUHrg.