If we had to pick the best albums by 14 different grunge bands, these would be our picks.
Grunge spanned a wide array of groups, mostly which formed in the Pacific Northwest during the late ’80s and early ’90s. It was influenced by punk, metal and rock ‘n’ roll, and infused with crunchy riffs, odd time signatures, distortion and moody lyrical themes.
A lot of people to this day argue against the “grunge” label, noting that none of the bands truly sounded the same and that their only similarity was the geographical location. That may be true, but we asked some of the musicians from the scene themselves, and they don’t seem to mind it anymore — see our video on “Who Invented Grunge?” here.
So, for the sake of convenience, this list features the classic grunge bands (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam), as well as some of the pioneers of the scene, and the warriors who carried on its legacy even despite being overlooked.
READ MORE: 11 Great Non-‘Big 4’ Grunge Era Songs You May Have Forgotten
The mainstream of success was rather short-lived, but its impact will always live on. Other bands that followed in the late ’90s incorporated a lot of elements of grunge into their music, and younger generations have continued to replicate some of that today.
Celebrate the legacy of grunge by scrolling through the album covers below.
The Best Albums by 14 Grunge Bands
These are the best albums by 14 different grunge bands, most of which became popular in the Pacific Northwest area during the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
