As a kid who grew up during the 90s, how could I have ever known at the time that the music and bands I was listening to — rough, unpolished, raw and angst-ridden outpourings from bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Silverchair, Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins (later to be categorized as “grunge music”), would be transformative not only for the music industry, but fashion, pop culture and the cultural zeitgeist?
But that’s exactly what grunge music did. It changed the overall sentiment in society.
For those of you who didn’t grow up during the time period, you might be wondering: what is grunge music exactly? What categorizes a song or band into the “grunge” genre?
We answer those very questions in MusicHyped’s quick guide to grunge music.
What is grunge music?
Grunge music is a genre of rock that combines elements of punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. It is characterized by distorted guitar sounds, raw, unpolished production, and themes of angst, alienation, and disillusionment. Grunge often incorporates a “dirty” or “sludgy” sound, with a focus on emotional, introspective lyrics that reflect discontent and existential struggle.
Where did grunge music come from?
Grunge music emerged from Seattle, Washington, in the mid-1980s. It was influenced by earlier rock styles such as punk, heavy metal, and alternative rock, but with a distinct sound that was raw and unpolished. Seattle’s thriving music scene in the late 1980s, fueled by small clubs and underground shows, helped foster the grunge movement. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains were at the forefront of the genre. The city’s isolated location, paired with the socio-economic conditions and youthful disillusionment of the time, contributed to the distinctive themes of grunge music—alienation, frustration, and rebellion.
When was the term “grunge music” first used; where did it come from?
The term “grunge music” was first coined in the mid-1980s, but it became widely associated with the Seattle music scene in the early 1990s. It was originally used in a more derogatory sense to describe the rough, “dirty” sound and unpolished aesthetic of the music.
The first known use of the term “grunge” to describe the music came from The Rocket, a Seattle-based music magazine. In 1981, The Rocket referred to the emerging scene as “grunge rock.” However, the term became more widely recognized and popularized in the early 1990s, particularly after Nirvana’s breakthrough with their album Nevermind in 1991. Journalists and media outlets began using “grunge” to categorize the distinctive sound and aesthetic of bands from Seattle like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, who became the genre’s most well-known figures.
By the time Nirvana’s Nevermind hit the mainstream in 1991, the term “grunge” was firmly associated with this wave of alternative rock. It had evolved from a somewhat negative descriptor to a genre label for the music and its associated culture.
What else did grunge music influence in the 90s?
Grunge wasn’t just the bands: it also became a lifestyle of sorts, particularly with the way the people growing up in my generation dressed. The fashion associated with grunge, such as flannel shirts, torn jeans, oversized jeans, and a generally “disheveled” appearance, also became a defining cultural aspect of the era.
What are your thoughts on grunge music? What do you think constitutes a band as grunge? Let us know in the comments.
