[For Beginners] Start Here! A Collection of Classic Grunge Songs
The music movement known as “grunge,” which swept the world from Seattle in the 1990s.
Its sound—both raw and delicate—and its lyrics, which lay bare inner turmoil, still captivate music fans today.
In the 2020s, the influence continues so strongly that terms like “grungegaze,” a fusion of grunge and shoegaze, have emerged among newer bands.
In this article, we’ll introduce standout tracks that define the genre—focusing on classics released from the formative 1980s through the early ’90s, when the boom exploded—for those who are just starting to get into grunge.
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[For Beginners] Start Here! A Collection of Classic Grunge Songs (21–30)
Best of YouFoo Fighters
After the death of NIRVANA’s frontman Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl formed a band with himself as frontman, which became Foo Fighters.
Unlike NIRVANA’s underground sound, their music is rooted in classic, authentic rock, and this song served as the catalyst for them to become a nationally beloved band in the United States.
It’s also performed as an anthem at their live shows.
DaughterPearl Jam
They were one of the bands that defined Seattle’s grunge scene in the ’90s.
While inheriting the spirit of punk, they also had a stadium-rock sense of scale, taking a stance that set them apart from other bands with a more underground mindset.
The album “Vs.”, which includes this track, debuted at number one upon its release and made history by holding that position for five consecutive weeks.
Cut Your HairPavement
They’re a band known for their so-called lo-fi sound.
Relaxed grooves, a languid and distinctive vocal style, and catchy choruses and melodies.
Although they were a bit removed from the trends of the ’90s, their unique sound gained a cult following and made them a defining presence in ’90s alternative music.
Get FreeThe Vines
They were a band described as Nirvana-meets-the-Beatles.
They established themselves as one of the 2000s rock standards, sprinkling the essence of Nirvana and the grunge generation onto a classical rock framework.
In their live shows, vocalist Greg (or Craig) Nicholls’s eccentric behavior stood out, which may be another reason they were compared to Nirvana.
Say it Ain’t SoWeezer
This is a track from the so-called “Blue Album,” known for its distinctive, hard-to-describe cover featuring four unremarkable-looking guys standing side by side against a blue background.
When they debuted, they carried the label of “crybaby rock,” a description that made it unclear whether it was praise or a put-down.
The guitars show a hard rock influence, while Rivers Cuomo’s vocals deliver sentimental melodies.
Maybe it was this contrast that resonated at the time.
It represents one form of “grunge,” distinct from NIRVANA or Smashing Pumpkins.