Top Grunge Artists That Ruled The ’90s

By Victor O

Grunge music took the Western world by storm in the ’90s. An unusual genre that perfectly balanced metal-hard rock and postpunk music, this sound quickly usurped trendy genres like the ’80s hair metal. It shaped the tune of pop culture, runway shows, and radio playlists nationwide.

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Unfortunately, grunge music had an intensive but short streak in the industry. By the late ’90s, nu-metal became the order of the day, watering down the grunge frenzy. Regardless of its short lifespan, its legacy still abounds in several musical works. It is also necessary to identify the most important figures from this era, and here are three of them.

Nirvana

When you hear Nirvana, grunge music should come to mind. As a top band in the ’90s, they released their second studio album, Nevermind, in 1991, just at the genre’s peak. The band quickly became a trending sensation and sold 30 million copies of their album.

As reported by the BBC, they epitomized the forefront of a movement that originated from the depths of ’70s punk and ’80s underground scenes. However, at the pinnacle of their triumph, the frontman, Kurt Cobain, departed from the scene. He had a heroin addiction and committed suicide in 1994, which led to the band’s inevitable end.

Green River

The Green River band is a name that can’t be left out of any discourse on grunge music in the 90s. Named after the infamous Green River Killer, they are a major pioneer grunge group. Their extended playlist, Come On Down (1985), took them to the peak of their career.

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The band was a success until they parted ways in 1988 after the release of their last full album, Rehab Doll. The project didn’t get as much traction as the others, unfortunately.

Pearl Jam

Coming to the limelight at the turn of the ’90s, the band stemmed from the roots of two former groups – Mother Love Bone and Green River – contributing to the Grunge sound’s growth. With their hit song Jeremy, they quickly rose to stardom and made many concert appearances, like at Lollapalooza in 1992.