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Which Song Introduced Grunge To The Mainstream?

Which Grunge Tune?

  • Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

    Votes: 150 93.8%

  • Pearl Jam, "Even Flow"

    Votes: 4 2.5%

  • Smashing Pumpkins, "Cherub Rock"

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Soundgarden, "Spoonman"

    Votes: 2 1.3%

  • Other - write-in

    Votes: 4 2.5%
  • Total voters
    160
#61
I always remember that in Jr. high the Ugly Kid Joe song "I hate everything about you" was a big departure from what metalheads were listening to. It was a bit more punky and raw, while still having some of the sheen and "good times" of hair metal. They also looked a bit more grunge than most of the other bands at the time. I argue this quite a bit with people my age, and they are usualy clouded by the Cobain mystique. Most "grunge" bands didn't sound like Nirvana. Nirvana was probably remembered the most because they stood out. Think about it, Pearl Jam, STP, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden all had a similar sound. It is THAT sound that I think was, at least in part, introduced by Ugly Kid Joe.
 
#62
Infernal Affair said:
I'm sure several of them didn't mind at first. The term "emo" for these later bands was originally used by its fanbase, who I'm sure did not mean so in a derogatory fashion. Even though the term was derogatory to begin with, it eventually was used as a descriptive term for certain bands during the 90s without all the hate attached to it. Read any Maximum Rock n Roll or Punk Planet during that era and you'll see emo used most of the time as just a regular, descriptive term. When the zines first coined the term emo it was definitely in a derogatory fashion. It was certainly a dig at what bands like Rites of Spring were doing. The term just gained enough acceptance in the 90s for bands to not mind as much. Then it became associated with bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, and suddenly the term gained mainstream notoriety outside of punk circles and sadly became associated with those bands and those fans. Now people outside of those circles associate emo with said bands and fans and use it in a derogatory fashion again.
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+1.

There is very little connection between the "emotional hardcore" (the original meaning of emo) of Rites Of Spring and the tight-jeans-and-eyeliner groups to today.
 
#64
Deluge Of Sound said:
Teen Spirit, without a doubt. (Even though Touch Me, I'm Sick should've been a huge hit.)

But as far as first Grunge Band goes...

Blue Cheer?
Loud as balls, sludgy, grungy, minimal skill...

But as far as Seattle goes, The Melvins. It's a crime this thread got three pages in before they got mentioned. The Melvins were the first grunge band, period.
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+100

Sheesh! No doubt....three pages and no Melvins. It's all about Gluey Porch Treatments. Without the Melvins there never would have been a Nirvana, period.

I'd also like to add that Tad was without a doubt, the biggest thing in grunge.
 
#65
RedemptionBass said:
+100

Sheesh! No doubt....three pages and no Melvins. It's all about Gluey Porch Treatments. Without the Melvins there never would have been a Nirvana, period.

I'd also like to add that Tad was without a doubt, the biggest thing in grunge.
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Gluey Porch Treatments is more or less The Bible.

Also, "Grunge" isn't really what we're talking about here, we're talking about the Seattle scene in the late 80's and early 90's. These bands all have similarities, but it's basically the same as the British Invasion, a slew of great bands coming out of one place leaving a serious impression on mainstream music culture and thought.
 
#66
Deluge Of Sound said:
Gluey Porch Treatments is more or less The Bible.

Also, "Grunge" isn't really what we're talking about here, we're talking about the Seattle scene in the late 80's and early 90's. These bands all have similarities, but it's basically the same as the British Invasion, a slew of great bands coming out of one place leaving a serious impression on mainstream music culture and thought.
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Yeah, I aways figured grunge was term a label came up with to sell records to youth. At the time It worked, Save the Pumpkins (eww) I bought all those albums and then some, but then I didn't know any better and bought what was on the radio/mtv.

I have a hard time lumping all those "grunge" bands together. With the exception of their rawness; they all sound different to me. Some more melodic than others. Some more solo oriented than others. Nirvana always seemed closer to a punk band and AIC, Pearl Jam and Soudgarden were closer to classic rock, or metal. Then there were other bands that sounded completely different....Beat Happening was like nothing else in the area.
 
#67
I think the real connection between the "grunge" bands was that they were all playing the same clubs and had a similar DIY ethic, so when Soundgarden got signed or Nirvana exploded they brought a bunch of different groups with them to the spotlight.

For example, there are loads of great Palm Desert/Stoner Rock bands that didn't get big when QOTSA had a huge mainstream hit, because The Queens never really said "Hey, there are a bunch of bands that played with us and have our similar sound." So Yawning Man, Masters of Reality, etc. didn't become household names.
 
#68
kevteop said:
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.
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Yeah, I would have said Mudhoney, In 'N' Out Of Grace, or maybe Tad. If not Dinosaur Jr. haha :D

But the OP explicitly says 'going mainstream' which in my book is a perjorative term - when it lost its way. I'd agree judging by the inclusion of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. ;)

So yeah, I reckon Nirvana.

And Fugazi are emo? :spit:
 
#69
I voted for "Teen Spirit," though I'm a much bigger fan (and always have been) of AiC. I just know that when "Teen Spirit" came out, I was right at the right age to really feel the grunge movement. I've always been into music, but as far as "introducing grunge to the mainstream," then I'd be hard pressed to explain any other song. If you took out the "grunge" stipulation, and the "mainstream" stipulation, you could choose any song of any genre you wanted, BTW. The point of the OP, to my understanding, is not to remove the stipulations, otherwise there's no point.

That being said, I'm surprised it's taken 4 pages to mention Sonic Youth... not grunge, exactly, but definitely a major influence, and Kim Gordon was my hero back years ago.

Crockettnj said:
IN fact, I challenge one to name a song as era-defining as Teen spirit.
I think you'd have to go back to the british invasion.
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Ummm... I think you could actually go with "Enter Sandman." Side by side with Nirvana, it jump started metal again. As many times as I've played it, I'm sick of it, and I don't even think that highly of the song (or the latter half of the band's career choices) but that song sort of defines the modern metal era, up until Korn... Then you could go with a number of songs. Maybe not *quite* as era-defining, but deserving of recognition, IMO.
 
#70
If you want to hear some kick-ass late '80s early 90's Seattle music. I say music because I don't consider it grunge, I'm really not sure what you call it. I would say the same about Alice in Chains. They played just mind-numbingly dark hard rock if you ask me.

Anyway, back to MLB. Only three albums have been released due to the death of lead singer Andy Wood (heroin OD) just prior to the release of the debut album Apple. It's an EP. I would suggest getting the self-titled album as it includes basically all of MLB's tracks.

Take one listen to Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns and you'll be hooked. Basically the entire album rocks. Truly a band that died long before its time.

http://www.google.com/musicl?lid=84Tt-ZzqfbG&aid=jIr_Mu281pK
 
#72
mike biz said:
Take one listen to Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns and you'll be hooked. Basically the entire album rocks. Truly a band that died long before its time.
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True that. And that band was obviously a cradle of talent that fueled many of the bands that came after it who achieved more mass appeal for the genre. I am not sure I would say that MLB made it to the mainstream, however - they became really famous after the fact when people developed awareness of their alumni.
 
#74
sensible68 said:
Yeah, I would have said Mudhoney, In 'N' Out Of Grace, or maybe Tad. If not Dinosaur Jr. haha :D
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Funny you mention Dinosaur Jr. In the book "Our Band Could Be Your Life" there's allusions that had some things turned out differently (maybe members not hating each other, for one) then Dinosaur might have been the ones in Nirvana's place. I wonder if that would have ushered in an era of colonial state bands instead of Seattle ones.
 
#77
mike biz said:
Yea, AIC is the real deal. Unfortunately led by another self destructive talent that couldn't pass up the horse. They are the best of the Seattle scene bands of that time, IMO. That is if you like music that would make most people want to hang themselves:p
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And I do LOL. Well all of their songs arent like that. But I agree, theyre THE best to come out of Seattle, and better then 99% of the bands that have ever came out period, IMO of course.
 
#78
Infernal Affair said:
Funny you mention Dinosaur Jr. In the book "Our Band Could Be Your Life" there's allusions that had some things turned out differently (maybe members not hating each other, for one) then Dinosaur might have been the ones in Nirvana's place. I wonder if that would have ushered in an era of colonial state bands instead of Seattle ones.
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I think that was my subconscious talking, whenever I think grunge, I think plaid, and whenever I think plaid, I think Dinosaur Jr.

But that's a very valid point, Freak Scene should have been their Teen Spirit.

I've seen the book about, is it worth a read?
 

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