When you talk about early 1990s rock music, one word always comes up. Grunge. But just because the hefty, dreary style dominated the first half of the decade doesn’t mean that it was the only game in town.
Here below, we wanted to highlight a quartet of key rock songs (grunge and otherwise) from the early years of the 1990s that we still return to. Indeed, these are four rock songs that define the classic sound of the early 1990s.
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“Jeremy” by Pearl Jam from ‘Ten’ (1991)
While grunge music was everywhere in the early 1990s, from MTV to your local radio stations, the genre wasn’t without something to say. Indeed, many of the grunge rockers of the era had pointed, real-life lyrics. Enter: Pearl Jam and their track “Jeremy”, which was about depression and gun violence—two issues that are still relevant today.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana from ‘Nevermind’ (1991)
Grunge music certainly had a heart. But it also had guts, and that’s the region this track from iconic grunge band Nirvana certainly came from. In many ways, the style set the tone for the first half of the 1990s. It was guttural. Nirvana lead vocalist Kurt Cobain knew how to imbue his brilliant rock tracks with unabashed instinct.
“It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” by Lenny Kravitz from ‘Mama Said’ (1991)
While grunge music dominated the era, there were other artists starring on the radio dial who were not born in the PNW. Indeed, Lenny Kravitz had a major role to play in the 1990s rock scene. For evidence of this, look no further than “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over”, his adoring, edgy ode to his former wife, Lisa Bonet.
“Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins from ‘Siamese Dream’ (1993)
The Chicago-born group known as The Smashing Pumpkins knew how to grab your attention. The group was essential listening in the 1990s, starting in the early part of the decade. Lead vocalist Billy Corgan was one of the most important songwriters of his generation. Many of his tunes continue to ring out today, including and especially the 1993 offering “Today”, which is as catchy as anything from the time period.
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