3 One-Word Classic Rock Songs From 1991 That Honor Grunge

If you walked into a music store in 1991, there was one thing you’d be assured to see. On the walls, there would be posters of grunge stars. On the overhead speakers, you’d hear grunge music. And on the shelves throughout the store, albums from artists like Pearl Jam and Nirvana would be on sale.

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In 1991, grunge music was everywhere. And here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from that year that showcased that very fact. Indeed, these are three one-word classic rock songs from 1991 that make us remember and honor grunge.

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

While grunge music certainly knew how to take a dark subject and turn it into a song, this was perhaps the most famous example. For “Jeremy”, Pearl Jam lead vocalist Eddie Vedder took bad news right out of the headlines to help compose this song about school shootings and gun violence. The song tells the story of a young boy who just couldn’t take the bullying anymore and decided to end his life in his classroom. Devastating stuff. That’s what grunge was all about, shining a dingy light on what was otherwise not talked about.

“Lithium” by Nirvana from ‘Nevermind’ (1991)

Nirvana was a paradox. On one hand, the grunge group wrote buzzy songs about taboo topics. They were rebels, misfits, and outcasts. On the other hand, they were the most popular band in the world around 1991, and everywhere you went, they were what you saw and heard. It was a conundrum that seemingly drove lead singer Kurt Cobain mad. Take the song “Lithium”, for example, it’s incredibly catchy and memorable. Yet Nirvana was about going against the grain. Like we said—a paradox.

“One” by U2 from ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

Okay, while U2 is most certainly not a grunge band, hear us out… the Irish rock group’s 1991 song “One” boasts incredible grunge energy. It’s a beautiful song about the pains of love—and not just the pains of love, but betrayal, theft, and torture. This isn’t the normal breakup song you hear on the radio. This is a song written by someone who had his soul lit on fire in the middle of a bad night. Sounds like it would fit into Seattle in the early 90s quite well!

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