Nevermind

shid pant

Stone cold classic album. The three-track opening run on here could beat out most albums in existence. I feel like most retrospective discussion of Nirvana tends to focus on the lore of Kurt Cobain or the grunge movement that he inspired, but what gets lost is the fact that Nirvana really ROCKED. Sometimes it sneaks up on you, like on "Lithium" and "Come As You Are." Or verses will be softer followed by heavy hooks. The point is that pretty much every song on here hits hard. Even the deeper album cuts are great, no fat on here to trim. And I never knew that Nirvana was a three-piece band! That in itself always impresses me. All three do an excellent job, but special shout-out to Dave Grohl for his drumming, especially on "In Bloom." Favorite tracks: In Bloom, Lithium, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Something in the Way. Album art: Iconic. I can't imagine how many teens brought this album home from the store to absolute shock from their parents. "What kind of pervert crap is this, Lucas? You can see the baby's dink! Is that what you like, sicko? Go to your room!" I've always felt like I shouldn't look at Nevermind Baby. He's chasing a bag, and I should mind my own business. I wonder if Nevermind Baby is still alive? Has he learned about clothing yet? Maybe that's why he was chasing a dollar, so he could afford a diaper. Nevermind Baby is all alone in this open water world. 5/5

“Nevermind” by Nirvana (1991) In my eighteen years as a Protestant minister, I experienced, on dozens of occasions, the responsibility/privilege/horror of that moment in funerary rituals where ‘the preacher’ stands at the head of the open casket, aiming to project empathy and comfort, and looking into the eyes of each mourner filing past and gazing upon the deceased. Some of those eyes were inconsolably sad, some were forlorn, some loving, some fearful, some resolutely formal, some unconvincingly nonchalant. But there were those occasional eyes, easy to spot, that expressed a feeling of being cast off, alienated—emoting an anxious disconnect with the universe of human interrelation. The expression of that precise feeling is the artistic achievement of Nevermind. Throughout this album, singer/songwriter/guitarist Kurt Cobain evokes, battles, and embraces abjection, like snapshots from the biblical Book of Jonah (e.g., 1:16; 2:4-6a; 4:7-9). And he does it with a lyrical and musical integration that grips the listener and won’t let go. By the fifth measure of the first song (“Smells Like Teen Spirit”), the listener is hooked. Punk power chords, heavy bass and raspy, blood chilling screams prompt the sympathetic listener to engage the mystery, dangerously tilting toward the irrational (e.g., the completely capsizing outro to “Territorial Pissings”). Variations in mood and dynamics march us steadily toward the wilderness of alienation. Even in mocking the listener who doesn’t understand, but just thinks it’s cool (“In Bloom”), Cobain is relentless in his darkness and brutality. And the rage of this track is immediately and necessarily followed by the almost convincing invitation (“Come as You Are”) to the friendly fellowship of the remembrance of things past, horrifying though they may be. “I swear”, he says, “I don’t have a gun.” Fearsome apathy in the face of erotic longing (“Breed”) is followed by an anti-therapeutic prescription (“Lithium”) for the poet’s psychotic pose In the line “I'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends, they're in my head”. Recorded music doesn’t have to be redemptive or morally uplifting to soar as art. The listener calls to mind literary analogies (think of Mailer, Capote, Burgess, Poe, Wolff, and even the Bible, if one has a little imagination [Hint: the Book of Ecclesiastes]). But it does have to have resolution. And on Nevermind, the closing dirge (“Something in the Way”) resolves in the despair of a barely-surviving homeless man who nevertheless musters a certain level of sensitivity to the animals he encounters. He cannot bring himself to eat or otherwise damage sentient creatures. There’s ‘something in the way’. Listen to this dark, dark album to fortify an appreciation of the Light. The experience will, perhaps counterintuitively, make you grateful. Like Jonah in the belly of the fish (Jonah chapter 2). 5/5

The most overrated rock album of the 90s.

Just an absolute monster of an album. Wall to wall melody, brilliant lyrics and heavy tunes!

Perfectly fine but massively overrated since day one. I refuse to continue that trend.

Normie asf

The '90s. A time when the word "Lithium" didn't make you think of electric vehicles. The wiki notes also say this album is credited with ending the hair metal era.That's good enough for me

great record reckon they'll go far

shit album

It's amazing that Courtney Love still hasn't been convicted

If you ever want to understand or explain Gen X, just listen to "Smells Like Teen Spirit". There are so many lines that could serve as a motto for Generation X. "Here we are now, entertain us." Or my favorite, "Oh well. Whatever. Nevermind." Yes, this is the one that fulfilled all the promises of grunge, underground and indie music, as Nirvana blended all of their influences, from John Lennon to the Pixies and the Meat Puppets, in ways that spoke to the masses. But I think more than that, it was the perfect Gen X signifier. One of the more surprising things on relistening is how there are no skips. The only skippable song is the closing track, "Endless, Nameless". But since it's the final song, you really don't need to skip it as much as you can just stop listening to the album. Whether or not that was Kurt Cobain's intention, stopping the album in the middle of the last song is another Gen X trait. Oh well, whatever. Nevermind.

the third album I get that is currently on the top 20 of the generator. This is it people, the top tier, I mean, no one hates on Fleetwood Mac (I myself rated it 5) but Nirvana has had a lot of haters ever since they came out, so its high rate is even more impressive. Nevermind is an almost perfect album, I've been hearing it ever since it came out (I was 5 at the time) and I have always loved it. this is one for the generations.

I don't like nirvana

Do I have to? Never again

I can't be even close to objective about this one, it's too intrinsic to my tastes in music.

I remember when Nevermind broke through the zeitgeist, it was unavoidable. Everyone was talking about it, and images of Cobain and the album cover were everywhere. I wasn't listening to radio much, and I was deeply suspicious of anything too popular, and I was deeply repulsed by the cover art, which I took unironically, rather than as social criticism, so I studiously avoided all things Nirvana. At the time, I was working an overnight shift, and the store I was working in happened to have the tape lying around, so I put it on out of morbid curiosity and an impulse to give it a fair chance. (This is also how I discovered Beck's Mellow Gold and Odelay). I was blown away. First, there was Dave Grohl's titanic drum sound. Then there was Cobain's anguished howls, which were somehow always musical. Then there was the sense of humor, lack of self pity, and empathy in the lyrics. And the songs, while being simple, didn't feel stupid simple, more like stripped to essentials with just wall to wall hooks. And then, towards the end of the album, there were haunting ballads, like Something in the Way. It felt like Kurt was channeling the angst of an entire generation of kids, and it was totally cathartic. There is a tendency these days to downplay Nevermind as "simply a great modern punk record," no doubt because Kurt himself compared his band to The Knack, but that's a little like saying that Exile On Mainstream is just a rock 'n roll record. Likewise, some will say that it's too slick, but Butch Vig's studio sheen created an unbearable tension with Nevermind's punk intent that exponentially increased its power. No, Nevermind is absolutely one of a handful of indisputably great grunge records.

I never understood why Nirvana became so famous in the first place. It is a really good example of grunge, with a timeless hit 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and a well known leader of the group Kurt Cobain. But Nirvana wasn't even the best on their own yard - in my opininon Alice in Chains had better and deeper albums, Soundgarden had a very special sound, and even Pearl Jam had a stunning debut album. Yet, Nirvana was the one etched in people's memories. The album itself starts with all bangers - 'Smells..', 'Lithium', 'In Bloom', 'Come as you are', which all in all, are really good pieces. But the drop off after those songs is amazing. Very anonymous songs, more than half of the album being a filler. It is a good album, that for some reason rose to the cult status, but for me that wasn't supported by ability or craftsmanship, but by non-music related stuff. So I am going to rate this album just as form any other band.

Nirvana’s “Nevermind” is one of my favorite albums of all time. It means so much to me that it’s difficult to articulate why it‘s left such a massive impact on me over the years. “Nevermind” is a masterwork of power and emotional potency...a tremendous force to be reckoned with. “Nevermind” is possessed with a unique energy that transports me to the time in which it was released, and the excitement of that era must have been palpable. Almost 30 years after its release, “Nevermind” remains utterly vital and absolutely fantastic. Kurt Cobain had a brilliant knack for melody, and each song on this album is crafted to such perfection. The catchiness of those melodies matched with the unbridled ferocity makes for a spectacular experience. Kurt’s voice has such a unique quality to it, and he takes it to daring places throughout this album. Kurt’s guitar, Krist Novoselic’s bass, and Dave Grohl’s drums sound so heavy across “Nevermind”, and there are so many different sounds on this album that I love. Butch Vig’s production on this album is excellent, and the cover art for this album is perfect because for me, this album sounds splendidly aquatic and frequently like the color blue. I always feel so greatly energized and in awe by “Nevermind”, an album that I will continue to cherish for the rest of my life.

Smells Like Team Spirit reminds me of going out with my second boyfriend, Sam Coleman (Dan Metcalf was so fleeting I'm not sure it counts). Sam was a rock-head and I wanted to impress him with my music knowledge. I was already dabbling in rock (this is was not too far off my gentle transition from S Club 7 to Green Day), but went all out I listened to my brother's various volumes of Air Guitar - a compilation of rock hits. Nirvana was on it, as was Teenage Kicks. Which again reminds me of that very exciting time going out with Sam, despite us actually not having an awful lot of contact. Anyway, once I had listened to Nirvana I had quite a bit to say to Sam via MSN Messenger and it must have worked cos he wrote my initials and hearts ALL over his pencil case, alongside a large 'rock on' hand symbol drawing.

Fuck yeah. I'm so excited to hear this that I might shoot myself in the face. I'm having a midlife crisis. I've recently bought a pair of leather trousers, dyed my hair blonde and now drive a ferrari. I fuck midgets in a warehouse at the weekend and keep one in the shed as a slave. Nirvana reminds me of a time when I didn't do any of those things and I miss those times. Help me.

From the minute it drops. You know. This album is going to rick and it just changed everything about music. I'm right back there with my first girlfriend in her mom's basement. Her black hair, smelling like apricots. We had such high hopes for Cobain right out of the box and somehow we wound up with Hole as the consolation. That baseline on Teen Spirit. If that doesn't make your sap rise, are you really born in the 1970's? Hello hello hello. Come as you are is the ultimate. You wanna drive. You wanna do stuff. Still a jam and hits hard today. I've been really careful not to listen to this album for years so that when I do, I can jump in a time machine and it isn't worn out. This is music at the core of our generation. Love it!!

Was flirting with giving this a harsh score, mainly due to how overplayed it is, but crucially relistening I loved it all over again. Can't think to compare it to anything else to a counter-culture movement being all of a sudden completely mainstream. I know they're not grunge pioneers or anything but the power of this album is undeniable. You can say this is the voice of a disaffected generation and all sorts but the most enduring thing is how this took a great album full of great songs and defined the remainder of (mainstream) music for the decade, even if that proved to be mostly negatively. In this age of choice it's hard to explain how sudden and shocking this music was to be front and centre after the synth and pop of the 80s - it was not underground but all of a sudden on mainstream radio and everywhere. This probably means it's marked as overrated by many but the simple truth is it's a super powerful album.

It would be hard to put a number on just how many times I've listened to this album. When I was a teenager, I used to just play it on repeat, no need to hear anything else when I've got the perfect album already in the CD player. This album is so much more than the sum of its parts. I think a lot of that comes down to Cobain's songwriting and Butch Vig's production. The songs thrash between quiet and full-throated explosions of anger. Vig's production brings coherence to the madness. I know Kurt disliked the way this album sounded and felt that it didn't represent the band, but it certainly represented something that the world needed. This album rewrote all the rules. Music hasn't been the same since. In some ways that's good, in some ways that's bad. It's the culmination of decades of struggling indie and alternative bands trying to break through with Nirvana becoming the biggest band in the world. It's well deserved. This album is incredible. Every song is good. This album definitely has a sound, but it never begins to feel samey. It feels weird reviewing an album that everyone already knows about, but if you haven't listened to Nevermind, go ahead and listen to it. It's amazing. Also, I was reading on the YouTube page about how this album came out 30 years ago, and all of my bones turned to dust. 5/5

An absolute classic album! Although more "polished" than their previous album, Nevermind is a cornerstone of the grunge movement in the early '90s. Although the band - in particular Kurt Cobain - resented some of it's success, it truly brought grunge to the masses. Everyone under the age of 25 at the time, would have sold their soul for a ticket to any of their shows. Best: Smells Like Teen Spirit; Come as You Are Worst: Lounge Act

This album is the realest, most raw and desperate expression of self that’s ever been recorded. And I think that’s largely why it catapulted Kurt Cobain and Nirvana from obscurity into the stratosphere of iconic mainstream music when it was released. There’s power in all of the unadulterated angst and anger that people immediately connect with, then and now. It’s not overblown hype, this album was the harbinger of a whole new musical era and gave a voice to lonely weirdos everywhere. It is an absolute masterpiece, completely brilliant. Every track is a five star track. It’s fucking phenomenal.

Few albums can be said to truly define a generation but Nevermind is one of them. Just iconic song after iconic song.

The album that renewed an entire generation. Popularized the grunge genre that shifted rock's tone and lyrical subject toward more personal and gritty subjects, relying less on established principles and more on embracing techniques that capture the spirit of the music you play. And here Kurt Cobain embodies this spirit more than anyone else, playing the guitar however he feels like, sounding like no other. This album is one of the most accessible in grunge. With catchy tunes and a pop-oriented focus, anyone could easily recognize and fall in love with these songs. The high production value helps cement these songs as fantastic works. Subject matter is full of grit; the lyrics are unforgettable. Not just the catchy hooks. Love the vocals, but on first listen, some listeners may find it difficult to hear what he says for many of the songs, but after a while it clears up, noticing all sorts of nonsense that characterizes the narrator. Whether that be a windower on the virge of a mental breakdown in "Lithium" or Cobain himself as a self-conscious teenage idol as in "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Some rough songs like "Territorial Pissings" and "Endless Nameless" that allow for Cobain's creativity, something he would get much more of in the next album In Utero. There are so many things I love about all the songs that it's difficult for me to pick out favorites. Of course I sing along to the more well-known pop songs, and I rock out to the less known garage songs. But this album flows perfectly well from start to finish with not a single weak song.

Just because it is the most accessible Nirvana album doesn't mean it is the weakest; not by a long shot. A tour de force of bringing the grunge movement into the mainstream purely on it's incredible songwriting and melodies, not to mention the great rhythm section between Grohl and Novoselic

A masterpiece rock album that changed everything in the 90s. Amazing production, classic songs, great run time, stands the test of time.

I think, in 202 albums, this is the first one I have on vinyl. Obviously it's classic. Obviously it's a bit too long - you could lose 10-15 minutes I reckon and it wouldn't hurt that much. I've not listened to it for a while and enjoyed re-listening, but it is a tad bloated for me, so it's a 4.

There's no denying the importance of this album as a major transition point for modern rock music. Most of the songs on here are stellar. I think there may be different versions of the album. Not sure if the last song -- Endless, Nameless -- is on all of them. That is a really bad song and leaves a bad taste for me. Really torn between 4 and 5, but the way it ends drops this down for me.

Eh

The single most important album of my lifetime. Changed the record industry. In trying to find the next Nirvana, major labels were suddenly willing to throw almost anything against the wall to see if it would stick - which made the entire musical landscape much more unpredictable and interesting. In many ways I think modern indie rock is still riding the wave that was created here. On a more personal level, this came out when I was 11 years old, just as I was starting to listen to my own music. This album couldn't have come at a more pivotal time for me. I have completely internalized the entire album and basically consider it a part of who I am. Both aggressive and vulnerable, emotive yet cryptic, it rings true to me in a way that few other albums ever have.

4.5 | La gente puede querer ser pedante, puede intentar sobreexplicar las cosas, podríamos ponernos a decir si este es un disco sobrevalorado, decir que "Nirvana ni siquiera era la mejor banda de Seattle," que en este disco se vendieron o cualquier otra sarta de razones para hacerse ver más "conocedor" y sentirse por encima de todos. El hecho es que este disco es la razón por la que un movimiento de música local que llevaba unos años brotando explotó y cambió por completo la escena musical y a una generación, impuso y a fin de cuentas creó un movimiento entero que, aun si alguien quiere atacar diciendo que la mayoría de las personas no lo entendían y solo lo seguían por moda, en el fondo tuvo un núcleo fuerte y no se puede desestimar. Este disco cambió por completo la dirección de la música por al menos diez años y hoy en día al escucharlo en general sigue vigente, fresco y tan contestatario a la música de machos y el rock vacío como en su lanzamiento. Hacía una buena cantidad de tiempo que no me sentaba a escucharlo completo de una sentada y mayormente creo me sigue agradando mucho. El inicio, la combinación de Smells, In Bloom y Come As You Are es sin ninguna duda quizá de los inicios más fuertes y sólidos que hay en cualquier disco al grado que pensé por un momento que después de estos años el resto no lograría mantenerse y sentiría un bajón. Es cierto que el resto del disco no logra ese mismo nivel pero casi todas las canciones siguen siendo buenas, esa mezcla de punk y metal relentizados, esas letras crudas hablando de juventudes desencantadas, problemas de salud mental, violaciones, la vida de los indigentes; temas que eran impensables durante todos los 80s y que lograron agarrar a todo el público general. Todo el disco tiene calidad, mensaje y relevancia. Siempre he sentido un tope pequeño al llegar a Drain You y Lounge Act, que si bien no son malas canciones son las que se sienten un poco más genéricas y como si copiaran varias cosas de canciones anteriores, sin embargo el disco se recupera de inmediato con Stay Away y termina con un par excelente de canciones, hablando de manera realmente empática y pesimista sobre personas indigentes y finalmente casi escupiendo en Endless Nameless a todo el resto del disco con una canción que deja chica a Territorial Pissings y pareciera que se burla de lo comercial y sanitizado que pueden escucharse algunas de las otras pistas, recordándonos que la banda en realidad tiene carácter y que, a pesar del éxito, se mantiene con cierta integridad en su concepto.

Good but overrated. Lots of thoughts so... Songs are incredibly well-produced and guitar tone is delicious. Cobain's vocal performances are extremely impressive both strained and soft. Smells Like Teen Spirit and In Bloom started the album very strongly but songs became very forgettable as the lyrics are so surreal, the melodies not very catchy and the guitar “riffs” (chord progressions) are similarly dissonant. After finishing the album I can actually only remember how 4 songs went - SLTS, Come As You Are, Something In The Way (my favourite) and Polly - which I only remember for being so raw against a background of screaming distortion. It's a good album and I recognise it's cultural and significance but overall, I don't think it's very timeless and I can only give it 3/5. sorry Andrew xo

Nevermind is more than just a collection of songs; it is a cultural touchstone that continues to resonate with listeners decades after its release. Its impact on popular music is undeniable, inspiring countless bands and artists to embrace a more raw and authentic approach to songwriting and performance. In the pantheon of rock music, Nevermind stands as a timeless masterpiece, a testament to the power of music to both reflect and shape the human experience. Fuckin rocks man!

The soundtrack to my early teenagehood. It still holds up spectacularly well! I used to spend more time thinking about how angry and loud was this album, but now I like to discover how actually melodic it is. You can hear the Pixies influence, but mixed with dirtier, lo-fi elements and this album sits right in the middle of that. Iconic.

A true classic for me. The last song was a bit too grungy but the rest were great.

Phase 1: Hell yeah, smells like Team Spirit, amiright? Phase 2: starts album from track two Phase 3: listens to whole album once a while and cries because it's a masterpiece.

I mean come on

What a coincidence. I had In Utero yesterday and now Nevermind. I am intimately familiar with Nirvana’s catalog and there’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. I, and I would venture to say most others as well, believe Nevermind to be Nirvana’s magnum opus. Sure, some people say it’s overproduced, but this is the seminal album of 90s rock.

Banger

Being a 30 year old Brit at the time of its release, the cultural significance of this album all but passed me by. Listening to it now, the stripped-down power is undeniable, a power underlying songs that are at times dark, humorous and cynical. And what great songs there are: "Teen Spirit", "Come as You Are", "Polly", "Something in the Way", "Lithium". Plenty of recognisable hard rock motifs along the way but the sum total is so much more. Landmark, milestone etc., etc..

The last great rock and roll album, possibly the end of the genre.

i mean, such a classic. truly never gets old

Yep it's a classic

Not too many albums changed music. This one does. Not a bad song on here. Punk meets mainstream.

Loved reminiscing to student days listening to this. Powerful lyrics, good tunes, raw guitars.

Great to listen to this album properly again, from start to end, for the first time in thirty years or so. It's so good. Happy days.

The Beatles + Distortion =

I love this even when there’s sun outside, meaning it’s not just for angsty moody days

I still remember hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit the first time listening to the Alternative show out of Daytona Beach on a Sunday night. Anybody who says this record is overrated hated music.

One of the most important albums of all time.

You know when you taste or smell something that takes you back to a certain place & time? That's exactly what this album does to me. I'm a freshman in high school feeling all the feelings & have found my catharsis. Nevermind is hard raw poetry that makes all the sense in a senseless world. I lost myself in the words, angst & heavy guitars. It's a phenomenal album by a phenomenal band. 5 out of 5.

I don't think there is anything significant that I could write about this record that hasn't been already said or written, its value being immense, its songs (all of them) practically immortal classics and the Butch Vig production practically overproducing everything in it. The "commercial" face of Nirvana, but you wouldn't ever want to live in a world without those songs IMHO. Not as punk as Bleach, not as beautifully sick as In Utero, but a true display of power, melody, taste, lyrics and sounds perfectly blended - an unicum, if you will.

It's hard to describe how much this turned the world around back then. The world was still in that metal phase, a phase which (for the most part) I was okay with. I like some of the bands involved there, but a lot were on autopilot, just like back in the 70s with album-oriented rock. And then punk blew up the whole thing. Then this came out and blew everyone out of the water. EVERYONE thought "grunge" was the thing (when grunge was basically a made-up fashion by the press). Yeah, I got this album. And listened to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" endlessly. But other songs on the album kept me coming back. And now, thanks to the new Batman movie, "Something In The Way" became the new thing. But even so "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is still the juggernaut, the song that EVERYONE knows. Imagine being the writer of that kind of song. It's hard to wrap your head around. Just about every song on this album I have gone through a phase with saying it's the second best song on the album and have played a bunch of times (except for the bonus track, which loses its welcome with me after a while). But besides the one track which only slightly bothers me, this definitely a must-have album for me.

I was 13 years old when I experienced this album for the first time in full. A gawky, pale boy, I needed to find my way. Having started at a new school that year, not only was I struggling to make friends (ie. I had close to zero), but all of my former friends were suddenly just that - former friends. My parents were more worried about my grades than my feelings, my sister was living in her own world, and nothing seemed to be going right. It was a dark time. Honestly, I didn’t just feel alone. I was alone. It was at that point in my life where I discovered Nevermind, and boy did it change my world. Every song would run the range of emotions: sadness, anger, even some happiness via sarcastic humor. It’s cliché to say that you feel like an artist “gets” you, but Kurt Cobain really did get it. He got me, he got you, he got all of us. At a time when I needed to be heard, I listened. And it made all the difference.

I have listened to this record so many times over the years, but it's been a long time. Initially, when this came up, I kind of rolled my eyes. Over the years, I've come to consider Bleach and In Utero to be much better Nirvana records. But man this record rules--yeah the production is a little too polished. But there's something there with this band, and it's so clearly resonant 30+ years later why this record took the world by storm. So great to hear so many of these songs in the context of this album again for the first time in a while. Note: "Endless, Nameless" is it's own separate track on the streaming services, which I was not expecting, but I guess that makes sense when this record is presented digitally. That track rips so hard.

Since this is one of those albums that has long ago been placed in the echelons of rock music's greatest hits, I think it's one that people might be too eager to jump to the conclusion that it's overhyped or not deserving of the praise it receives. But of course, that's nonsense. Even if you're tired of hearing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' for the billionth time, it's hard to deny that Cobain tapped into something otherworldly with not only that indie and punk rock inspired masterpiece, but with every single track on this album. Putting aside the well known singles (for my money, Lithium is the superior of the four), not only is every song on this album worth listening to, every song on this album is fan-freaking-tastic. Who can forget 'Drain You', it's bizarre 'guitar solo' and a punk-rock yet Beatles-esque catchiness? The haunting closure of 'Something in the Way', or Cobain maximizing how much gravel he can incorporate into his signature screams in 'Territorial Pissings'. There's no denying so many of these songs saw additional life breathed into them due to Nirvana's seminal 'Unplugged' album, but that doesn't make them any less impressive.

Classic grunge album. Pretty much the album that introduced everyone to the Seattle sound on a massive scale. The quiet/LOUD/quiet thing got repetitive though. Also I think it was easy to overlook the actual artistry of the music because it was so plastered on MTV.

I think I love this album more at this point in my life than I have at any other point. The standard for what drums should sound like on a rock album. If these songs weren’t also loud hard rock songs, they could easily all be top 10 pop hits with different production. For all of the things rock music has become since it’s inception, I’m hard pressed to think of a better example of a rock album that’s also incredibly popular in mainstream culture.

I really love this album. So much nostalgia. The first 7 tracks are basically perfect. Drain you and Lounge Act lost my focus a little, but still good songs. I dislike Stay Away, but On a Plain gets me right back into it. Endless, Nameless is trash, but I don't really count it against the album since it wasn't on the original and was a hidden track later.

Bängeri! Nirvana

Not skipless due to Endless, nameless but still a classic

Quite the album to start on, while I prefer In Utero, there is a reason this album is so well regarded. Such an angsty, aggressive and dark album, alongside strong hooks, an incredible backing band and Kurt Cobain's iconic vocals. It was nice to revisit, though my thoughts on it hadn't really changed, really great album, though it lulls a smidge in the middle. 4/5

On the plus side, the music sounds huge, especially Dave Grohl's thunderous drumming. Guitars sound crisp, the bass throbs and there's an appealing sense of space. That said - whilst some of the songs are good, even great, a number do amble past. Nirvana aren't as inventive as Sonic Youth, and they don't do the quiet-loud thing as well as the Pixies. Kurt Cobain's old man voice seesawing its way through the album grates after a while. After seven or eight years of hair farmer dominance in rock, this must've felt fresh and vital. It still rocks manfully, but time and tide have dulled the cutting edge somewhat. In any case, I was born in the eighties. 'Eighties'? Wasn't that a cracking little tune by Killing Joke? I wonder how that would sound like, slowed down and with some different lyrics...

Insanely catchy. Half the album’s already classics that play on every rock station, which I didn’t know, never having gotten into Nirvana. I thought that maybe they’d had a series of albums that all had a hit- nope. This could be a greatest hits album with how stuffed full of classics it is.

If this album was 10 songs long I’d give it 5 stars but the last 3 let it down though I’m sure most die hard nirvana fans would disagree.

might be overrated but the impact it had is undeniably huge

Definitely some bangers on here that will always get me rocking out. I thought this album was just going to have 2-3 hits, but it's probably 6-7 which impressed me. However, the last couple songs leave a lot to be desired. Endless, Nameless is a good exhibit of what I don't like about grunge. Drums are awesome in it though. The last two songs were so bad that I almost went to rate this a 3, but I went back and listened to a couple other songs back and realized that wouldn't be fair.

Truly one of the albums of all time Everyone is here from the batman song to the single most recognisable drum fill of all time I know half these songs from drums and love all of the drums in the album this shit slaps

Do you like layers and layers of guitars, because I have More Than a Feeling that this record has enough multitracked guitars to make Tom Scholz of Boston blush.

This album is filled with most of the songs hat I know by Nirvana, but I have never listened to his album fully. A lot of the sons are really good with Kurt singing and Dave destroying the drums in a good way. Not sure the name of the guitarist but he is also really good on a lot of the songs. But then there are a handful of songs that are pretty boring. Whenever he rhymes Plane with Complain always makes me laugh with how ridiculous it is. Also not the biggest fan of when Kurt screams. The last song gave me the heebee-jeebees for some reason. All around very solid album with a lot of hits. High 3

Yes, yes. The music that shaped a generation, blah blah. Oh well, whatever, nevermind.

Ok obviously I love this album. In my top, like, fifty maybe? It's so pop yet so fucked up sounding plus it has Kurt Cobain, who obviously is great and he can write a hook for sure, no kidding. We basically have Charlie xcx instead of this, which I'm honestly fine with, think it's a compliment to both artists. Great cover art. I mean color scheme, composition, very anticap, great lettering, great kerning, great baby. I might like in utero better, is that crazy? Relistening, I honestly forgot how good the basslines are on this thing, way better than they need to be considering the lyricism and popstructured grunge. Standouts: Smells like teen spirit, come as you are, Lithium, territorial Pissings, Something in the way. Just some live commentary: Smells like teen spirt. Iconic. Love imagining different stupid dumb lyrics. All time great air guitar song. Come as you are, great bassline. Lithium is better though, plus my favorite lyrics on the album and you can really hear Kurt's voice. Yeah pollys lyrics are fucked up for sure. I want Tropical Fuck Storm to cover this @tropicalfuckstorm Territorial pissings, great deep cut, I feel underrated. Sounds like FIDLA R or wavves, more proof Kurt can write good hook. I like when his voice cracks, very hendrixesque overall. Something in the way, very atmospheric. Sounds like Campdogzz, kinda sad funny lyrics. I would play endless, nameless to someone I wanted to dislike Nirvana, unless they're coming from a heavy rock background, and then i might just play this first.

Is it fine that I don't like Nirvana? I feel like if I said that in public somebody would slap me. Luckily, you can't reach me through my computer. 2/5 hehehehe

Still think this is subpar. Lithium and come as you are are good. Screw the rest.

Many years ago my best friend in college and I were sitting around with guitars - and drinks, as will become obvious - and we wanted to write a gloom or death metal song. We came up with a stupid riff starting on F# that we kept repeating with lyrics that began: "in the depths of hell I'll kill you....the serpent sleeps tonight." It was good, I'm telling you. Literally 2 months later on the radio I hear the song "Come As You Are" by some new band. It is LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME RIFF. Phone calls are made, lawsuits are discussed, then acceptance sets in that we blew it and further realization hits us that we were just two drunk kids in a shoddy apartment. All of the above is 100% true. Not for nothing and not even relevant to the story: I never liked Nirvana and still don't - almost aggressively-so. I tried, I really did. "Hey - some of my best friends are Nirvana fans." Hell even my music production mentor is a diehard fan and I love the guy but man I do not like that band. This band. At all. What's more annoying and likely irrelevant to the actual music is that they're constantly named as one of the bands that "speaks for my generation [X]" which is total horseshit. If I/you weigh in hype (you shouldn't) as a factor this might be my most hated musical act (as I eagerly step on Lou Reed's grave) of all-time. ...Hmm... you know, great drumming, though - whatever happened to that kid. I'll say that at least this album is better than the horrific unplugged album, JFC that's terrible. Or In Utero jeeeeeezussssss kill me (no wait that's his wife's equally horrible song god am i done with that garbage yet) quickly. Ok I thought about giving this a generous 2 stars just because they must have done something right and occasionally you can polish a turd (some of the singles I admit are not half-bad) but after around track 5 it is utter trash and it took a long time today before I could finish this. This loud-soft-loud theme was always annoying or garbage-y at worst (looking at you Pixies, jesus h christ). Plus Cobain really was an asshole in every interview. It was the 90s, you just *had* to be "anti-cool" - I'm so glad that shit is done with as I tried to avoid it whenever I could. Fine - like what you want obviously but don't force this noisy shit on me or attribute it as something that it wasn't. ...oh well, whatever. Never mind indeed. (also Kurt's vocals sucked ginormous ass) 2/10 1 star.

It’s impossible to listen to Nevermind in a vacuum anymore. That’s made harder by the opening trifecta of grunge perfection, three songs that transcend not only Nirvana, but the genre as a whole. As I’ve said before, by the time I was introduced to Nirvana in the early 2000s, a year or two out from the emo explosion of the aughts, they were already seen as a classic rock band, and like all other classic rock bands, most of my exposure to them was through their Greatest Hits album. But after a year or two of classic rock, my friends’ cool goth older sisters were listening to My Chem and Evanescence, and so, as a young, envious, impressionable closeted trans girl who wanted to be like these young women so very badly, I traded in my classic rock for Fall Out Boy and Warped Tour. And in the process, I gave up Nirvana before getting to listen to an official release front-to-back. I say all this to say that I have very little nostalgia for Nirvana; Nevermind didn’t change my life. Sure, I eventually got around to Nevermind, but I did it with the same energy of someone listening to Sgt. Peppers. As I’ve learned from the other Nirvana albums I’ve listened to for the first time because of this list, I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of the band beyond their greatest hits. Thankfully, Nevermind might as well be a greatest hits record. Again, the opening 3 songs are a tour de force, sure, but so is “Lithium,” perfecting the quiet-loud dynamic of a Pixies song, and “Polly,” a Gen X McCartney-penned Beatles song, and “Drain You,” a deep cut that could easily win the argument for best grunge song against any other song by any other grunge band, and of course, the gut-punch of “Something In The Way.” Of course, Cobain’s vocal delivery, lyrics, songwriting dynamics, and melodic yet still engaging solos are the star of the show, but Grohl’s god-tier drum technique and Novoselic’s tight-end tone make this a stunning listen, only underlined by the fascinatingly clean production of Butch Vig, who somehow retains the band’s grit without losing clarity or definition. This is one of those records where even the most edgy punk tracks are pop perfection, whether we’re talking about the fuzzed-out and dirty-in-more-ways-than-one “Breed,” or how “Territorial Pissings” sounds like it could legitimately fit into a basement show set, or the farm-town Seattle-ness of “Stay Away” and “On a Plain,” or, of course, the literal piss-take of “Endless, Nameless.” There is not a single bad moment on Nevermind. It is a great record, even today. Maybe the impact it made at the time was over-exaggerated, but I can see how something so powerful yet so clean could sound like a mindfuck to a generation of angsty small-town kids in 1991/1992. And that holds up today. All that makes it a strong contender in the Top 10 Greatest Albums of All Time conversation, at least from a supposedly quasi-objective viewpoint so many of those ranked lists are based on. It might not make my personal Top 10, even if I applied that same objective criteria. But it’s impossible to deny its greatness. Sometimes, that greatness can make an album this renowned feel sterile, and it can be hard to engage with it. Nevermind’s biggest weakness for me is that I’m not emotionally bound to it– I know it’s well made, but by not being there at the time, and also not falling in love with it early in my youth, I miss a lot of the magic, even if I can still acknowledge how great it is– even if I enjoy it front-to-back thoroughly. It feels bland to adore Nevermind. It feels corporate, mainstream, and antithetical to Nevermind to passively enjoy Nevermind. But again, it’s hard to listen to in a vacuum, so the best I’m ever going to get is listening to it with the contextual knowledge that this is one of the most praised albums of all time. And it deserves every ounce of praise it receives, because even if it’s not my favorite album ever, it’s faultless in a way few albums are, unless they’re Greatest Hits compilations. Thankfully, Nevermind is one of the greatest Greatest Hits compilations ever made.

Oh boy- does this album hit hard. My brother had this album growing up, but I dont think I have heard it in its entirety. It was a great listen- Nirvana's sound is so distinguished and intoxicating. Their songs are varied in tome from silly to serious and stylisitically different but sounding cohesive. My only gripe is that it seemed to lose just a little steam toward the end. Overall- I really liked it. Id probably give it a 4.5/5 but I think it can be bumped up to a 5

Perfecto

Allow me to go on a tangent here. I remember believing for many years that the song Cherry Pie by Warrant was an 80’s song. I mean, if you heard it, it’s a fine example of hair metal; loud and usually about wanting to fuck women. It wasn’t until not too long ago that I learned that the song was released in 1990. I mean, I get it. It’s the first year of the decade. You can’t expect change that quickly. But then I thought about some other albums that came before Nevermind. There’s Use Your Illusion by Guns an’ Roses, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge by Van Halen, Waking Up the Neighbors by Bryan Adams (which came out the same day) and even Metallica by… Metallica, who sacrificed some edge for mainstream success. It really makes me wonder: what would have music looked like had Nevermind never reached the audience it did. I’m not going to bore you with the obvious. Everybody knows this is where 90’s music became 90’s music. Rock stopped being about long-haired face-painted men singing about their libido and started delving into darker territories like angst and frustration. Alternative became the mainstream and would pave the way for grunge to be one of the most dominant genres of the decade. I think everyone knows that. I am also not capable of resisting the urge to join in on the acclaim for this album. It is my favorite album? No. Is it my favorite grunge album? No. Is my favorite 90’s album? No. But without it, those probably wouldn’t exist. Would bands like Alice In Chains or Stone Temple Pilots or Soundgarden experience the levels of success they saw without this? Probably not. And to be fair, it is a great album on its own merits. The hits are the hits. Everyone’s heard Smells Like Teen Spirit a million times and stuff like In Bloom and Come As You Are are also as known at this point. What I was surprised was with Breed and Territorial Pissings. I didn’t know Nirvana ever tapped into punk, let alone on Nevermind. And I love the darker tracks in Polly and Something in the Way. It’s shows the depth of the album to me that’s escalates it past the album being “I’m iconic because Smells Like Teen Spirit”. An album’s impact is one thing. Nobody can question the importance of this album and is does indeed fit the category of “must do before you die”. But impact is second to the quality of the album itself. What does impact mean if you don’t like the album? I don’t know if Nevermind ranks in my top 5 of all time. Maybe the middle portion of the album was a bit weaker than the rest of the tracks. But it’s not a deal breaker. This album is too damn important for me to be a contrarian about it. Favorite track: In Bloom Other hits: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, Lithium, On A Plain, Breed, Polly, Something in the Way

“What is this song all about? Cant figure any lyrics out How do the words to it go? I wish youd tell me, I dont know Dont know, dont know, dont know, oh no Dont know, dont know, dont know... Now Im mumblin and Im screamin And I dont know what Im singin Crank the volume, ears are bleedin I still dont know what Im singin Were so loud and incoherent Boy, this oughta bug your parents Yeah” Ik kan het niet beter samenvatten dan Weird Al. Niet dat de onverstaanbare teksten iemand weerhouden om mee te blèren. Wat toch maar weer aantoont dat het muzikaal heel krachtig is.

Iconische hoes, die tegenwoordig ongetwijfeld gecanceld zou worden. Dat ie hier in vol ornaat wordt getoond, vind ik al bijna verbazingwekkend in deze tijd. Dat laat gelijk zien, hoe de tijden veranderd zijn. Maar we zijn hier niet om als een Yuval Noah Harari de geschiedenis te duiden. Wel de muziekgeschiedenis misschien een beetje. Dit is zo een stukje muziekgeschiedenis. Want wat een iconische plaat is dit. Hoogtepunt uit de grunge. Qua akkoorden is het helemaal niet zo speciaal, want het zijn vaak maar 4 simpele powerchords. Het eerste dat je op een gitaar kan spelen zijn zo ongeveer de nummers van Nevermind. En toch is het krachtig. De eenvoud van de nummers, de stem van Kurt Cobain, de manier waarop Dave Grohl als een soort Animal van the Muppets de drums doormidden probeert te slaan. Van begin tot eind, bijna elk nummer is raak. Heerlijk. Thuiskomen. Genieten. 5 sterren klikken.

My wife says Nirvana is my favorite band, and I argue with her every time and tell her that's not true. "Remember when you asked me what my 'one album for a deserted island' was, and I said "Alice in Chains Unplugged?!?" After intentionally listening to this album in its entirety, I might have some apologizing to do to my wife. I haven't listened to this front to back in probably 20 years, and I won't be making that mistake again. This album came out right when I started to find my own musical sense; something different from my what my parents listened to. I think this album DEFINED my musical tastes for a very long time. Now that my preferences have a lot more diversity, I listen to fewer of the seminal albums of my life, and I think that needs to change. Fuck, this is a good album! Every track is special to me. 5/5

Duh. Dave Grohl's drumming alone makes it a 5. Also, Something in the Way is just so hauntedly beautiful.

What’s this? Punk music with Guns N Roses styled production? Crass, lewd, and non-sensical lyrics — how can you kids listen to this? I feel really bad for this generation. Get a job! This album defined a generation.

One of my easiest 5 stars.

It's good Will I listen to again: 100%

bro, i cannot believe nirvana is among the first 5 stars i give these. grew up thinking these dudes were overrated af bc i only knew their overplayed singles. listening to nevermind now i can't help but feel like we would only have stood to gain if Kurt had managed to hold on a little tighter. on the other hand, that tragedy confirms just how disgustingly predatory the music industry is. nothing has changed. anyway, this record has zero skips for me & it still sounds fresh & necessary today. that's impressive.

Wow. Been a long time since I have listened to the full album. Forgot how good some of the lesser played tracks are. Still a masterpiece.

One of the greatest albums of all time

Definite grunge classic

I mean c'mon - probably the best second album ever. Butch Vig's production is huge and everything about the album is so good. Guitars, vocals, drums, the mix, the sensitivity and aggression.

In Uteros better but still

Not as good as Badmotorfinger…

8,25

Smells Like Teen Spirit still has the ability to transport me back to the feeling I had when I first listened to it.

Rock done right. Lots of variety, amazing vocal performance, exciting and interesting bass lines, lyrical genius that captures angst without sounding immature; it can't be anything other than 5 stars.