[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)
100%Sonic youth
Rugged drums and noise guitars played with unconventional tunings.
Sonic Youth is the band that made the underground spirit recognized by the mainstream world.
They originally came from the underground, but their profile rose during the grunge boom of the ’90s, and they even made their major-label debut without changing their stance on experimental musical ethos.
Since then, they’ve continued to operate while moving between major and indie, a legendary band.
The album “Dirty,” which includes this track, also strongly reflects that grunge influence.
The WagonDinosaur Jr.
They had been active as a hardcore punk band even before the concept of alternative rock emerged.
When Green Mind was released in ’91—still before alternative rock exploded—it didn’t become a big hit, but it was later reappraised and is now considered a hall-of-fame album in alternative rock.
[For Beginners] Start Here! A Collection of Classic Grunge Songs (31–40)
BlackPearl Jam
Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots.
.
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Many of the popular bands that emerged from the alternative movement of the ’90s were forced to disband or go on hiatus following the death of a member.
In the midst of that, the one band that can truly be said to have continued steadily is Pearl Jam.
They weathered the shifting scene and kept working consistently, and today they’re often regarded as a band that represents America.
Musically, among the grunge scene, their sound leans closer to rock ’n’ roll, and they command a wide range of expression—from aggressive sounds to the calm, seasoned music befitting veterans.
Just Like HeavenDinosaur Jr.
The ’90s alternative movement erupted with Seattle at its center, and bands signed to the label Sub Pop drew particular attention.
One of the bands that epitomized Sub Pop is Dinosaur Jr.
With their noise-heavy guitar sound squarely in the heart of alternative and punk-infused beats, they’re often cited as one of the defining bands of the 1990s.
Guitarist-vocalist J Mascis’s playing is also regarded as among the very best in the alternative scene.
Them BonesAlice In Chains
The fact that such a dark and intense sound became a massive hit makes me feel the shadow hanging over early-’90s America.
Hailing from the same Seattle scene as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, they stand as one of the emblematic acts of ’90s alternative rock and grunge.
At the same time, their sound—where the tragic charisma of Layne Staley’s occult-like vocals and dark inner world intertwine with Jerry Cantrell’s melodious yet heavy guitar riffs and exquisite harmonies, all riding a surging, sinuous rhythm section—earned strong praise, especially among metal fans, as a new form of heavy metal.
If you like this track, which opens the historic masterpiece Dirt released in 1992, definitely check out the entire album as well.
My HeroFoo Fighters
After Kurt Cobain passed away in 1994, Dave Grohl, who had played drums in Nirvana, completed the songs he had been secretly working on almost entirely by himself and returned to the scene the following year as Foo Fighters.
They went on to become one of the defining American rock bands, and here we introduce a classic track from their breakthrough second album, The Colour and the Shape, released in 1997.
It opens with tight drumming and explodes into a dramatic, emotional melody—an affecting song that, interestingly, has been a favorite cover choice for emo bands since the 2000s.
As for who the “hero” in question refers to… if you’re curious, be sure to look into it!
EvenflowPearl Jam
Hailing from the same Seattle scene as Nirvana, they are a quintessential alternative rock band that transformed the early 1990s music landscape.
Despite lineup changes, they are one of the few bands that have never disbanded and have continued their activities well into the 2020s.
Frontman Eddie Vedder—whose voice is often compared to that of Jim Morrison—was hailed, alongside Kurt Cobain, as a spokesperson for Generation X.
Yet, as you can hear in the classic Even Flow introduced here, early Pearl Jam in particular is characterized by a dynamic sound built around 1970s-style hard rock riffs.
It’s a track that captures this great American rock band in their youth, so be sure to crank it up loud!