4 of the Most Iconic Grunge Songs of All Time

The 1990s. What a decade. For many, when they think back to the era, the first thing that comes to mind is grunge music. That Pacific Northwest-born sound that was big, buzzy, at times depressing, and always a force to be reckoned with. Oh yeah, there were also a lot of ripped jeans and flannel shirts. But who’s counting?

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Below, we wanted to go back and remember the grunge era by examining four songs from the 1990s. A quartet of tracks that just sum up the time period so well. Indeed, these are four of the most iconic grunge songs in the history of the genre.

“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden from ‘Superunknown’ (1994)

It’s of course ironic that an album named Superunknown would become such a seminal record for such a seminal band. The newly inducted Rock & Roll Hall of Famers released that LP in 1994, and on it was the track “Black Hole Sun”, that epic number that showcases not only the range of lead singer Chris Cornell’s voice, but all the personalities that live within it, too. If not for one track below, this song would be the defining tune of the grunge 1990s—not that anyone in the band cares about anything like that, we’re sure.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana from ‘Nevermind’ (1991)

Ta-da! This is, of course, the signature song of the grunge 1990s. But it also might just be the signature song of the whole of the 1990s. Released by Nirvana near the beginning of the decade in 1991, the tune helped introduce the squalid sounds of grunge to an international audience, and it also helped make the band and its frontman Kurt Cobain some of the most famous people on Earth. Ultimately, Nirvana ended in tragedy, as too many of the grunge stories do. But this song—this song will last forever.

“Jeremy” by Pearl Jam from ‘Ten’ (1991)

Just before Nirvana released Nevermind in September of 1991, another Seattle-born grunge band, Pearl Jam, released its breakout LP. That debut record, Ten, from Pearl Jam came out in August of 1991, and it included hits like “Alive” and “Even Flow”. But the song from the LP that will be remembered forever is likely “Jeremy”, the sad tune about gun violence in schools. On it, lead vocalist Eddie Vedder tells a moving story using his focused, rich voice. In the end, the ahead-of-its-time tune affected many, and it continues to today.

“Down In A Hole” by Alice In Chains from ‘Dirt’ (1993)

The early 1990s were a boon for music—jeez. You have Pearl Jam and Nirvana dropping records in 1991, then just two years later, Alice in Chains comes out with Dirt. Then, in 1996, the grunge rock band played several songs from that album for their MTV Unplugged performance. Their rendition of “Down in a Hole” was sublime, and that’s why it’s above. There are several songs you could look to when finding a quintessential grunge AIC track, including “Rooster” or “Would?”, but this one sung over acoustics is incredible.

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