Which Song Introduced Grunge To The Mainstream?

[Altitude]

Which tune do you think was most important in establishing grunge as a mainstream musical genre in the early 1990s?

 

[Dmanlamius]

Teen Spirit, without a doubt...

Before that it was just bubbleing away below the surface.

 

[capnsandwich]

I'd say Nivanna brought it with Teen Spirit. I remember seeing the trashy cheerleaders jumping and the guys in the background with their instruments hanging down to their knees. That's when all these other bands like Pearl Jam and Sound Garden started popping up, right after that video and song got played to death on MTV and the radio.

 

[ALiP BoB]

I'd say Nivanna brought it with Teen Spirit. I remember seeing the trashy cheerleaders jumping and the guys in the background with their instruments hanging down to their knees. That's when all these other bands like Pearl Jam and Sound Garden started popping up, right after that video and song got played to death on MTV and the radio.

Same way all this emo shoot started with MCR and "Helena."

 

[capnsandwich]

Same way all this emo shoot started with MCR and "Helena."

I was actually an emo junkie, before it was called emo back in '94. I was into bands like Samiam, All, Jaw Breaker, Fugazi, etc. A few years later I found out that all these bands went to major labels and thus the whole "emo" thing was birthed. I was devastated since I thought all that stuff was for us skateboarders, not a bunch of depressed suburban boys wearing girl's pants.

 

[ALiP BoB]

Ok, let me rephrase it as "Reborn"

 

[Eric Perry]

Wasn't "Alive" released before "Even Flow"?

 

[optikhog]

I remember working at the college radio station when '...Teen Spirit' became *the* hit - seemingly overnight we grew our listeners tenfold because of that song.

 

[matrok]

I heard Alive before any of the others around here. In fact, a friend called up to say he heard "our" new song on the radio. Wasn't ours, it was Alive. Then I had to track it down.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Teen Spirit was definitely the song that introduced Grunge to the general population. I know that's how I found out about it.

 

[kevteop]

I always assumed Touch Me I'm Sick had been a hit in the states - wasn't it? Most of the people I knew in the UK had that single, but they had to import them at ludicrous prices.

 

[optikhog]

I always assumed Touch Me I'm Sick had been a hit in the states - wasn't it? Most of the people I knew in the UK had that single, but they had to import them at ludicrous prices.

Nope, that's one of the greatest tracks never to hit in the USA. I still have that one in heavy rotation on my iPod.

I suspect it was a bit too much of a novelty song for the U.S. charts (which never treat such tunes with much respect).

 

[Planet Boulder]

I was actually an emo junkie, before it was called emo back in '94. I was into bands like Samiam, All, Jaw Breaker, Fugazi, etc. A few years later I found out that all these bands went to major labels and thus the whole "emo" thing was birthed. I was devastated since I thought all that stuff was for us skateboarders, not a bunch of depressed suburban boys wearing girl's pants.

I guess I'm still not hip as to what "emo" really means, because I dug Samiam and LOVED Fugazi (well, still do) and I never knew they were predecessors.

 

[Vandelay]

Wasn't "Alive" released before "Even Flow"?

Yes, "Alive" was their first single, not "EvenFlow".

But yeah "Teen Spirit" is the song that opened the floodgates.

 

[fenderhutz]

Before "Teen Spirit" it was all hair and party pop on the charts.

 

[KPJ]

Definitely "Teen Spirit". Why is "Spoonman" on your list? That came out in 94.

 

[jerry]

I thought it was Neil Young's Tonights The Night.

 

[Dmanlamius]

Definitely "Teen Spirit". Why is "Spoonman" on your list? That came out in 94.

Yea, on Superunknown.

I think that "Rusty cage" or "Jesus Christ pose" might have been a better choice.

 

[detracti]

Smashing Pumpkins.. heh.

Grunge comes from Seattle! Everyone knows that!

 

[Matt Till]

I don't think it's up for debate: Teen Spirit brought Grunge to the mainstream.