Ten

FUCKIMG LOVE THIS ALVUM AMAZING TEN IS A 10/10. Classic amazinc pearl jam love sm

Great album one if the first my brother and I bought on our own when it first came out. Vs may be the better album but this one rocks!

ولا غلطه

my favorite pearl jam album

There was a period of my childhood where I listened to this cd virtually every day on the school bus. Looking back a few decades later it maybe isn’t the perfect album I thought it was back then, but I’ll be damned if I’m not giving it a 5

Flawless album. 10 stars. My appreciation for it has grown with separation. The singles get overplayed on 90s rock stations and playlists. However, they’re awesome. Black may be the greatest Pearl Jam song.

First 5/5 , what an insanely good album!

Брутальный, драматичный, с длинными соло и очень американский по звуку. В колонках нравится больше чем в наушниках.

the best album ever recorded!

This is by far the best album I have come across in this project. Granted I’m only on album 75, I wish I could give this a 6. This is an album that made me rethink my scoring scale accuracy. I loved just about every song and knew each this would be a 5 very early on, but as it went on my opinion was continuously validated.

This album literally changed my life when it came out. Yeah, I had noticed that Nirvana was doing their thing and I dug it, but this one was everything that hard rock from the 70's had done. Just raw emotion, raw playing and great music. Today, I look back at Ten and realize it shaped a good part of my early adulthood and I've never been much of a fan of other albums after this one by Pearl Jam. It's just recently that I was told by a friend to check out some of their newish stuff. I still need to do it, but I fear I'll be disappointed that it doesn't hold up to this masterpiece. 5/5

One of the best Grunge albums I’ve listened to so far

Absolutely fantastic album. Very easy 5 stars. Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament are some of the icons of 90s alternative rock grunge (along with Pearl Jam, of course). This debut album from them has some stunning tracks like Black, Even Flow, and Jeremy.

Great debut album from what would become a great band of Seattle (via San Diego) musicians.

Great grunge album. I dont think any of there other albums manage to beat it.

Very enticing Afrobeat with interesting rhythm and time changes that kept me intrigued about what would come next. Varied instrumentation and interesting vocals displayed his musical depth. I love how lyrics in a different language, or with a strong accent, can be heard as more of a vocal instrument than simply a story told . Definitely worth listening to again.

Another album that spent a lot of time in my Sony Discman in the early 90's. Through Eddie Vedder's barely understandable mumblings to Mike Mcready's amazing solo work, this album still rips.

Such a great album all the way through.

10/10

Great! Definitely deserves to be here as it embodies that grunge rock era. I’ll definitely come back to listen and EvenFlow is a forever favourite

Great Album, all the 11 songs are amazing

Great album, great selection, great band.

Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo. Genius.

I LOVE PEARL JAM FREEZIN REST HIS HEAD ONNA PILLO MADE OF CONCRETE na its bad John Grillo From Rhode Island John Matthew Grillo From Rhode Island @shinyjon on discord Get a job John Pearl Jam RAPED John

So many hits that manage to sound just different enough to not get confusing. Garden still hits me so hard.

Phenomenal album start to finish. Truly one of the best that I will listen to once a year.

Great grunge album. Maybe my favorite (sorry Nirvana) and definitely a great 90's album.

God it’s so good. If ten by Pearl Jam has no fans I am dead

The summer of 1992 was one of those rare pauses in life you only get once. Exams finished, university still weeks away, and nothing remotely urgent to do. One of the highlights was Pinkpop, then still a one-day festival — soaked in relentless rain, and home to what is now widely remembered as one of the most legendary performances in its history: Pearl Jam. I honestly can’t remember whether I knew Ten at the time, apart from “Alive.” I was still transitioning from metal teenager to alternative student, and Pearl Jam sat right on the edge of my comfort zone. But somehow this album hit an entire generation at exactly the right moment. In the early nineties, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, the old certainties had evaporated. Europe felt peaceful, free — and oddly empty. No grand ideals left, just a vague, shared melancholy. Ten seemed to give that feeling a voice. Coming out of Seattle, Pearl Jam occupied a crucial middle ground. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains leaned too heavily toward metal; Nirvana was more punk. Pearl Jam, by contrast, wrapped similar emotional weight in melody. Eddie Vedder’s voice — one of the best I’ve encountered so far in this project — and, frankly, his looks, didn’t hurt either. His lyrics about fractured families and emotional dislocation resonated strongly with the latchkey generation, of which I’m part. The album isn’t flawless, but it hardly matters. Its three clear peaks — “Black,” “Alive,” and “Jeremy” — are all exceptional, each easily good enough for a top-ten list of songs I’ve encountered so far. “Black” is one of the great rock ballads; “Alive” builds perfectly to its simple but devastatingly effective guitar solo; and “Jeremy,” which grew on me with repeated listens, is gripping even without a solo at all. Mike McCready’s guitar work deserves a mention: Fender Stratocaster, wah-wah pedal, Hendrix clearly hovering somewhere in the background. Influence, yes — but well used. Nitpicking weaker tracks feels beside the point. Ten is one of those albums where the book’s title applies without argument. It’s also the only Pearl Jam album on the list, and the only one I own. The band suffers badly from the unrepeatable-debut syndrome: later records never tempted me, and even seeing them live years later, it was still the Ten songs that mattered. Then again, trying to match Ten would be an almost impossible task.

Not the biggest PJ fan but hard to say this isn't a 5

this is real fucking soil of the Earth grunge. love love love

It's a 10 for Ten

Very easy 5. Back to back hits

Flashback to when I was 19 years old and first heard this. Still has the same freshness, unbridled energy, and angst that I related to back then. In retrospect, having heard so many bands from then until now, in my opinion Eddie Vedder is the best rock vocalist of this generation. He is totally committed, vulnerable, nothing is held back. He is able to infuse so much emotion into his delivery. And Mike McCready can seriously shred.

One of those albums that blew my mind.

An absolute classic. Needed in any collection.

Makes me wanna reach for my surfboard and go chase some waves. I don't own a surfboard. I don't know how to surf.

I don't really trust anyone who says they don't like Pearl Jam. Ten is one of the best of all time. I grew up with this album. I love it. There is just hit after hit on it and it all holds up really well. Pearl Jam can write great rock songs that sound so goddamn good but are so freaking sad. "Black" and "Jeremy" might just be the most fucked up pair of songs on any album, and for such different reasons. "Black" just wrecks me every time I hear it. "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky. But why can't it be mine?" is such a brutal line. Gets me every time. My one critique would be that sometimes Pearl Jam doesn't really know when to end a song and they can drag a bit, but I'm not complaining. I can listen to this whole album front to back, over and over, and it always hits. The guitar is so unique on this album and Vedder's voice is iconic. Ten showcases the best of grunge and is probably the easiest 5 stars I've given.

They lean towards a bit on the samey side but I really enjoy their stuff. This was fantastic!

This was once upon a time my desert island album. Listening today I realize I know this album note for note, and it completely holds up. This is a near perfect album for me.

In my opinion, Pearl Jam stands far above almost all 90s bands. From their musical consistency, creative approach and versatility to their music this band is one of my favorites within this genre. And this is one of my favorites albums off theirs.

This ten is a 5

Now that's a 5-star album right there! First one with more than one skip for me, too. Apologies to Oceans and Porch. Immediate flashbacks to the 90s and singing in the car, with this CD in heavy rotation among the many others from my zip wallet case thing.

the first album I remember liking - as in, i owned the cd and realized this was a collection of songs by one band with a purpose. Kinda sunk in my bones I guess. Hadn’t listened to it through in awhile. Maybe it’s just the deep tissue muscle memory but this album is nearly perfect.

This is one of the greatest albums ever made

No. 24 This album is amazing from start to finish. Amazing discovery!!

This is one of the seminal albums of my youth. I'd give this a 5 even if it only had "Oceans" and "Black."

One of the best albums ever. I love Eddie Vedder, the greatest voice in grunge. This album is a perfect blend of heavy and depressing. Absolutely beautiful, flows perfectly. 10/10

A+

Great album

Awesome!

10/10 no notes This takes me back to the 90s. I was always a PJ fan as opposed to the slightly more popular Nirvana fans.

Pearl Jam is possibly my least favourite of the big grunge bands, but it's hard to deny that this album is an absolute classic — the track list reads more like a best of compilation than a debut album.

Soundtrack to my adolescence. A classic.

i’ve been excited to get into pearl jam and i’m not disappointed

Interesting... I just finished my Siamese Dream review, where I made some soft comparisons to other albums from that era, Ten among them. A little unfair; this one is among my all-time greats. Let's try to understand why Ten feels stronger than Siamese Dream. First off, there is a slow introduction that evolves into the recognizable early Pearl Jam sound, highlighting the vocals and guitar solo. It feels so very human, even through the dense, reverb-heavy production that defined so much of the era. The whole album continues to feel like a single whole - each track flows beautifully into the next. Every song seems to tell a story of struggle, self-discovery, and emotional release, all bound within the same early 90s zeitgeist. I want to highlight some tracks, but honestly, I can’t. There are some widely recognized masterpieces in here, but as an album, each and every song feels meaningful. It ends with the same rhythmic section the album starts with. Beautiful. We just went through a rollercoaster - rough, bumpy, and emotional - touching feelings I’d rather keep hidden in a safe place. But I just need to go for another ride.

No private session used for Spotify. No secret I love the grunge scene and this album is definitely one of the seminal grunge albums and a perfect companion to rainy, dark days in Seattle.

Such a great album, I want to rate this somewhere between a 4 & 5. It has such classic songs as well as a couple of bangers that didn’t get mainstream play…”why go” and “porch” 4.5 stars

2nd best grunge album to Dirt.

Yeah why not. Seen em in the flesh, brought out John McEnroe. Good shit. Simpsons: Yes

Great vibes. Gutted I couldn't make it to see em live. Absolute classic guitar hero tune.

Even Flow is a Guitar Hero classic. Knew a few of the other songs as well, perfect album for my drive into work .

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background No song I dislike on this album. Favorite: Black Hidden gem: Release (great concert opener) Least Favorite: Jeremy

Jeremy Spooooke yeahhhhhh

I have really enjoyed this for a while now. This album is brimming with energy and has some insane vocal performances on it. The hits here are kind of overplayed, but Even Flow and Jeremy are still great. The non-hit songs and especially the opening track are amazing though. I didn't really feel like listening to it today, but it's a brilliant album I often put on.

One of my favourite albums

Thank goodness Jack Irons (of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame) dropped a demo tape into his buddy at his San Diego servo job sometime during 1990. Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were still reeling from the loss of their good friend and Mother Love Bone bandmate Andrew Wood, as was Wood's roommate, Chris Cornell of fellow Seattle outfit Soundgarden. So Cornell, Gossard and Ament got together with Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and a gun lead guitarist by the name of Mike McCready, and the supergroup Temple of the Dog wad born. But there was this song on the record, 'Hunger Strike', where Cornell felt another voice was needed to compliment his own, so Gossard and Ament introduced Cornell to this surfer/servo worker from San Diego who had sent back the demo tape their mutual friend Jack Irons had given him with some rather extraordinary vocals added. His name was Eddie Vedder....and the rest is history. Enter Mookie Blaylock, who would soon be renamed Pearl Jam. And in late 1991, they recorded one of the greatest debut records of all time: 'Ten'. 'Ten' is honestly perfection from start to finish. From the rip-roaring chorus of 'Once' to the spiritual awakening of 'Release', this album is an exercise in raw, primal rock energy that evokes the epic heights of The Who, the pondering mysticism of The Doors and the explosive energy of the Seattle grunge scene. Whether it be through Ament's hypnotic baselines (including that famous 12-string sound on 'Jeremy'), McCready and Gossard's sporting guitar tradeoffs or the sensationally rich baritone of Vedder, 'Ten' is the sound of a band who got it right from the very beginning, and would not let up for the next 35 years. I saw Pearl Jam live last year, and with the enitre band now hitting their sixties, the fact they still possess that same raw energy and magnetic presence they did in their twenties is a testatment to their passion, discipline and sheer love for what they do, and Ten is where it all began. One of my favourite albums of all time, essential listening for the 90s, and quite honestly, I owe a great deal to this album and Pearl Jam for my own musical direction. Best songs: Once, Alive, Even Flow, Why Go?, Black, Jeremy, Oceans, Porch, Garden, Deep, Release.....yeah, the whole album, start to finish!

Hit after hit

It doesn’t get Eddie Vedder than this!

God-tier. We can't overstate the importance of this album to music history. The confluence of Seattle's insulated, antiheroic music scene and mainstream rock culture made this album **the** grunge simulacrum for listeners everywhere, more than a year after its release, and for good reason - though some say Pearl Jam isn't "true" grunge, Ten nonetheless proves a gateway drug to the Seattle Sound. In that respect, this album has it all. Impassioned performances; murky, wall-of-sound aesthetic; deep, mystic, narrative lyrics; stylistic and instrumental diversity; all while maintaining artistic integrity, independence, and authenticity. To me, that's the essence of grunge. Here, at last, we have an album truly worthy of presence on this list - historic significance, outstanding songwriting, riveting performances, continuity across tracks and thus more than a simple collection of songs, and widespread acclaim. Enjoy.

idk if I could ever give an album less than a 5 if I felt like I could get 90% of the lyrics right in a karaoke event

Yeah, it can still be considered Pearl Jam’s only good album. I relistened to confirm. I just can’t listen to “Jeremy” because it gets stuck in my head for literally weeks at a time.

A classic grunge album, and for good reason! My favourite track is probably Black, but they are all good really. Has aged really well, too.

Ten stars

A desert island album for me. Five stars isn’t enough.

I haven't listened to this front to back in years, but it was in my heavy rotation from about December 1991 and through 1992, until the overexposure burned me out on Pearl Jam. Revisiting it now, the hits still hit, and it fades toward the end as much as I remember (though I like "Release" more now). This may not get as much credit as Nevermind, but it was seismic all the same.

I noticed this album was released August 27, 1991 which is probably to the day that I started high school - which is incredibly fitting. I never actually owned this album but I didn't need to as it was ubiquitous. Honestly, it's even better than I remember it. And in retrospect kind of funny that they were lumped in with Nirvana. It makes sense somewhat as they kind of dressed alike, were both from Seattle, and lyrically were a total 180 from the hair metal (which I loved) that still dominated MTV until right around this time. But Pearl Jam were just incredible f'ing musicians - Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard are beasts - and this album is absolutely arena rock for the 90s. Glad to take this ride again, and I think Black is up there as one of the best songs of the 90s.

I used to hate Pearl Jam because the reminded me so strongly of my ex. He listened to these songs over and over while we were in a relationship. Except, now that I'm listening to Ten front to back for the first time in so many years, I'm realizing that I independently like this so much. So many bangers. Eddie Vedder's voice is a bit much for me to consider this for my personal top 10, but it's so distinctive that it makes Pearl Jam what it is.

the title holds true this album is juuust legendary man

A couple of initial comments to make. Black is one of my all time favorite songs. Top 5 probably. Also I finally saw PJ live for the first time in May of this year, and it was one of the best shows I’ve even experienced. The band was amazing, the crowd was rabid, and Eddie was mesmerizing. And they played six songs from this album. To perfection. With all of that being said, I absolutely love this record. I find it crazy that it was their debut, as the songs are so fleshed out and so confidently presented. For me there is no filler, even though it’s front loaded with the hits. Yes, it’s a five.

One of the best true rock ‘n’ roll albums ever made. Every track is a gem. Another classic album from the 90s!

4.5 stars rounded up

I have listed to this album so many times since it came out that it feels like part of the soundtrack throughout my life. Great great album

-good album -first listen okay, after got better... -even flow + alive my favs? -by end of album got kinda monotonous -initially 3.5 but ima give a 4, grew on me -on second thought chnaged to 5, these songs rly grew on me

I think I have to give this a five, even though it's not a perfect album. It speaks a time of my life, and I think I enjoy even more now, for different reasons, than I did then. And it's not even my favourite PJ album, probably (ask me tomorrow).

This album has been in my life since I was 19 and I love it as much now as I did then. Pearl Jam became a much better band in many ways over the years, and this isn’t their best album or maybe even top 3. But it’s still a marvel of 90s guitar riffs, when Stone was the primary songwriter and he churned out classic riff after classic riff for McCready to shred over and Eddie the wail over. One of the best albums of the decade in a decade that has a lot of my favorites.

Great debut album

Oh Yesh! 90-tallet på sitt aller grunge-este! Glimrende album.

Ridiculous the album has this many BANGERS on it in such close proximity. Phenomenal album. No skips. No other words

pearl jam got better albums, but it's still an outstanding one and one i regularly listen to!

One if my favourite albums and arguably the greatest debut album ever.

Some folks don't like Pearl Jam -- I get it. Eddie Vedder can be a bit hard to understand, sometimes. Maybe they just don't like a baritone lead (that makes less sense to me). The primary one that I hear from people is that these songs are played-out; I can't accept that. It's true that the songs on Ten are going to be familiar to you if you were listening to music anytime in the thirty years after its release but that's not a fault in the music. The compositions are interesting and all of the performances are solid. Dave Krusen's drumming is solid and driving. Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament serve as an excellent rhythm section, texturally and harmonically. Mike McCready is a hell of a guitar player. Eddie is Eddie -- poetic, emotive, dynamic and a little mumbly, sure. But if you haven't read about Pearl Jam already, I'm not your guy. There are whole books. This is a tremendous album; it's emotion-first, performance-second, coherence-third rock music. It does, indeed, fucking rock. 5/5

Masterpiece. No notes.

Probably my favorite Pearl Jam album. An essential for fans of the 90’s alternative rock scene.

The album that began my love for Pearl Jam. Only 4 single releases - Alive, Even Flow, Jeremy and Oceans - but songs like why go, Black, Once and Release are concert staples. Amazing album. 10 out of 5 stars

Listening to Ten today, it's not "grunge" as the term would often be used today. Pearl Jam was from Seattle and they wore plaid, so they were lumped in with other grunge bands. Considering the work they did with Neil Young, it is clear in hindsight that a more classic rock sound is what they were going for. They succeeded. Not much else can be said for this album that hasn't already been said. The first six songs are all classic songs that pretty much define the early 90's era and the last five songs are pretty good as well. Fantastic album and it absolutely deserves a place on this list. Not a bad song to be found.

When the first six songs on a record are stone cold classics sometimes you just gotta smash that MF 5 star.

Thoughts before listening: One of the first albums I ever owned. This and Nevermind both came out when I was 10 and really defined my musical tastes ever since. While Nirvana was the band that most inspired my punk rock listening teen years, Pearl Jam's more classic rock, guitar solo friendly style has been the one that has had more of a lasting impact for me. This is a great album that I will be giving 5-stars. Review: I just have so many memories tied to this band and in particular this album. It's truly iconic for people of a certain age, and I have been listening to this for 3/4 of my life. There are so many classic songs on here that I had to keep from adding the entire album to my playlist. Easy 5-stars

Ten/10

A stone cold classic.

This album released I think during my 8th grade year, and was one of the records that expanded my musical interests from Poison and Motley Crue (whom I still love) to music with a bit more depth and artistry. This record is a front-to-back classic for me, and it holds a special place in my heart. 5/5

5 all the way. Love it.

I always wondered why this album was called 10 when it has 11 songs. Maybe they were rating the quality, in an Usher-esque display of self-importance. Much like Usher, their arrogance was justified. Absolutely one of my favourite albums and a genuine 10.

Likes it more than I thought I would

A stunning debut that took some of the raw ingredients of grunge - punk infused hard rock - and mixed it with a more classic blues rock aesthetic to create this generation’s Led Zeppelin. It is remarkable how mature this record is for a debut - you can tell the various members have slogged for years in different bands in the Seattle scene. The singles are well known and overplayed, but album tracks like “Once” and “Black” also sparkle. A stone cold classic.

Cover 7.5 One of my favorite albums, having grown up in the 90s, so this isn't really a neutral opinion. To me, this is the quintessential alternative rock album. It starts here. Then Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, etc. I was 16, listening to butt rock like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. Lyrics didn't seem to matter. I barely paid attention. Then these guys came out and blew my mind. Of course, after a few years of deep, meaningful, and often depressing music, people started to pivot. And then happiness returned with Sum 41, The Offspring, blink 182, etc. I've since learned to be open with most music, though I tend to gravitate to towards rock-oriented music. I'm babbling. This isn't a memoir. Anyway, great, great album.

Probably one of the easiest 5 star albums on this list for me. It’s absolutely perfect, a perfect Ten! This is probably one of the most important albums for me personally, one of those formative albums that will always be special. I have my favourite songs but I could list most any of them. Whether it’s Eddie’s passionate and intense vocals or Mike McCready’s incredible guitar solos, this is a band operating at the peak of their powers, and with their debut release to boot. The fact they are still going strong today, tells you everything about the unity and talent of the band, save the odd drummer problem.

If you don't like this album, I don't like you. 9/10

One of the greatest grunge/rock- bands of our time with their debut- milestone. Full of rock-classics lead by "Alive"! But especially in terms of a whole album and the talent of each single member of the band - simply outstanding! With this album Pearl Jam opened the door to the 90's for melodic, emotional, hard-rock using the key of grunge. And there where still a bunch of more great Pearl Jam albums to come! Ten stars out of five ;)

2nd best grunge album, stacked from start to finish. Difficult to top an album with Even flow, Jeremy, Black and Alive on. Perfection

Great album that they never defeated, imo. 4.5/5

Definitely one of the best debut albums of all time, and one of my favs. Great record. Highlights: Honestly, the whole thing. Standouts for me are "Alive" and "Release"

This is a landmark album for me: one that led me further outside my listening “lane”.

Simply perfect!

Absolutely legendary grunge album. From the opening distortion of Once to the final placid strains of Release, this album is a masterpiece. It's no wonder this was one of the albums that heralded the explosion of grunge in 1991. If you've never listened to this album beyond the hits like Even Flow or Alive, I can't recommend listening to the whole thing enough.

What an album. Masterpiece after masterpiece. Don't think I've ever listened to this all the way through - been missing out. some new favourites. just perfect. Powerful vocals, amazing guitar playing, beautiful lyrics. Wow.

When I was in middle school, I had a music teacher that let us know that this was one of his favorite albums in the world. I really liked this music teacher, I wanted to be this music teacher. So I bought a copy of this album. I knew a few songs by Pearl Jam between Guitar Hero and the radio, but this was my first real experience listening to a whole album by them. I don’t know if I got it back then. I really wasn’t that familiar with grunge, and it just didn’t feel like the kind of music I normally listened to, but I kept listening to it over and over. Eventually I learned the lyrics, the sound of the guitar parts, the drum patterns. But I don’t know that I even got it. But listening to it for this project, I get it. The sound is perfect and the album just has the right tone. So this rating goes out to Greg M, who taught me that musical tastes need expanding.

9/10

Even Flow!!! Rufememuphemereee!! Before there was Mumble rap there was Mumble Rock and it was amazing. Love me some Pearl Jam

Amazing ofcourse

Give me all of that you got

Hell yeah

Mon secondaire se bouscule en écoutant cet album! Mes premiers pas à la radio étudiante, premier party, première blonde…

Album réconfortant pour moi.

5/5 - solid! just a really good album! I really enjoyed it!!!

Fantastic debut record. a 90s banger

What to say, it's Pearl Jam... Not that many banger tracks, but the entire record has a great vibe and amazing sound... All in all 4.5 stars

Thought it was a superb album on release, and it still holds up great today. I don't think its quite as good as Vs, although it's more of a 1a and 1b situation.

I mean, comon.

A lot of the fun of running through this list is hearing a songs, albums, or even bands that you have never heard of before. There's always something cool about discovering new music. This one doesn't fall in that camp in 2025, but it definitely did back in '91 when it came out, and it instantly grabbed me. I wore this album out when it was released right at the forefront of the 90's alternative movement. Even if over the years, I have grown tired of Pearl Jam and a lot of their more recent stuff vastly pales in comparison to me, I still am amazed by this album, as it is great from cover to cover. Tons of singles that hit like Alive, Jeremy, and Even Flow, but songs such as Garden, Porch, Once, Why Go, or others are every bit as great as the singles. Amazing that this was a debut album, as it’s truly a 5 star great record.

Definitely my favorite grunge album of all time with arguably a top 10 song of all time "Black"

What a triumph. What a blessing that they helped make the guitar solo ROCK again. Great songs.

Almost every song on this is a certified classic, and the album as a whole really shows off Vedder's unique vocals and the band's foundational alt-rock style.

Ten out of 10

What a quintessential album for the grunge era I think if Nirvana's nevermind and this album as like the stewards of grunge and alt rock! I always forget how good this album is!

Blew me away

This album did as much as any back in ‘91 to announce the death of womanizing , “ain’t nothing but a good time” hair bands, and that rock was moving in a different, emotional direction. Introspective without being whiny, and angst filled without being offputting. A bit more polished for mass consumption than their grunge brethren, Pearl Jam still set the soundtrack for much of Gen X.

I know it’s called Ten, but this one goes to eleven. Full sound and good production, but the truly impressive thing is the content: these are songs about the downtrodden and misunderstood, set in a way that we root for them. Also, the intro/outro is clever.

A bit sick of Jeremy and Alive, but they're still great songs. Most of my favorites aren't radio releases. Great album. Eddie's unique vocals are the highlight.

I don't know if I've ever listened to this album in its entirety before. It came out before I started collecting music, and I ended up just buying their greatest hits album. While I didn't love the songs on here that I haven't heard a million times already, this still gets a 5. Holds up really well for something that came out in 1991, and the highs are really high. 4.7

Genial album, gran debut. Me encanta

Great Album from the 90's - I still think they should have dropped one song so there were 10 songs (I know the Mookie Blaylock story) but then they had the hidden track so . . . oh well still one the greatest grunge album that changed music forever

Ten isn’t just an album—it’s a memory. My CD belonged to my brother, who passed away in 1994, and every listen feels like a quiet reunion. The raw emotion in Eddie Vedder’s voice, especially on tracks like “Black” and “Alive,” speaks directly to grief and resilience. It’s a poignant, powerful record that helped shape a generation—and for me, it holds the echo of someone I loved.

I was expecting a Grunge album, but this is classic Rock that reminded me a bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd in places. Loved it.

Esplendido. Maravilloso y tremendo debut, grandes Pearl Jam. Jeremy spoke in class todayyyy 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥

Nostalgia. This was one of the first CD's I ever owned and it kick started my love of rock and roll. It's also a stone cold classic. One of those albums where you can just press play and not have to worry about any skip-worthy songs coming on.

I like it a lot. The big 3 on it are the best imo. But amazing sounding album.

Day 10! Crazy getting this so early on. My favourite album by my favourite band containing my favourite song of all time in Black An easy 10/10 for Ten on day 10. Hard to pick highlights as there’s not a skippable track on here but I’ll say Alive Black Garden

I am already very familiar with this album. It's one of the best albums of the 1990s. While the bigger hits got major airplay, like Even Flow, Jeremy, Alive, and Black, every song on the album is solid. There isn't a single skip. I could listen to this album every day.

Definitely misbranded as “grunge” 😂 Pearl Jam at this stage is definitely a 70s classic rock band more than a grunge or hard rock band. And hey, thats cool. The sound is still unique. So much more approachable than grunge to the masses and its not like there isnt an edge. Veder is super raspy, overdrive is set to 11, drums are bangin’, lyrics are crazy Overall, this is LOADED with hits. I listened to Jeremy and Even Flow back to back my entire commute home. Release is an underrated cut that I havent heard before. 4.5 stars for me.

The same grade school teacher who did a whole quarter on Elvis and made/let us watch an “Elvis is Alive” conspiracy doc - also had a license plate PJAM. So, I’ve known about PJAM for a long time, but for most of my childhood associated them with one of the biggest radio hits of all time: Last Kiss (OH WHERE OH WHERE COULD MY BABY BE?!?!) Never really got into PJ later in life, but was always buddies with guys who adored them, so have always been interested in diving in. Coming in really only knew Even Flow, Alive, and Jeremy. Black is obviously a hit, but new to me, love it. A little tapered off at the end of the album, but overall incredible combo of songs. High on the bucket list for live shows to catch.

And with this, I have finally talked about an album from every band in the big 4 of grunge! Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains have all gotten their time to shine (though Nirvana does still have 1 more with the Unplugged album), and now it's Pearl Jam's time. No surprise here, I love this album just as much as the others. It's excellent. Somehow, this was the band's debut album! Unfortunately, that does kind of put Pearl Jam in the same camp as other artists and bands like Nas and Boston where the rest of their discography kind of lives in the shadow of the debut, but I digress. Ten is fantastic. Everything is put together so well to create an outstanding debut album. Pearl Jam's sound is top-notch here. The double guitar work from Stone Gossard and Mike McCready does a lot to enrich the sound of the music, with Dave Krusen's drumming and Jeff Ament's basslines supplementing the guitars excellently. You've got strong riffs and solos spread throughout this album and it's great. Of course, a band like this thrives on a great singer. Fortunately, Eddie Vedder puts his soul into these songs and I love it. Of all the big grunge vocalists, Eddie Vedder is definitely the most polarizing of the bunch, but I love his style. But there's another thing that Eddie Vedder brings to this album I think I love even more. You see, we've got to talk about what makes Pearl Jam stand out in comparison to their contemporaries. Each band of the Big 4 has their own masterful elements that come together to form 4 very different bands that help form a singular label of sorts. Nirvana has its aesthetic and angst that captivated the youth so effortlessly, Soundgarden has arguably one of the greatest singers to ever live, Alice in Chains masters melancholy through its more metal-esque sound and harmonized vocals, and I think Pearl Jam's stand-out element is their remarkably mature songwriting. Other bands of the time have a sense of youthful angst to them that works very well in the cases of bands like Nirvana, but Eddie Vedder's lyrics paint him more as a storyteller than anything. Take a song like "Even Flow" for instance. First of all, amazing song. It's never failed to get me hyped up. It's another one of my palette cleanser songs I use whenever I involuntarily hear garbage music. Secondly, though the song may just seem like a fun romp at first, there comes a time when you analyze the lyrics and you're like, "Damn. This song's about homelessness." It kind of makes you appreciate the band even more for writing these sorts of songs. Many of the album's other stand-out tracks do the same thing to similar results. "Jeremy" is probably the most comparable to "Even Flow" in execution. I've always loved that bass intro, and the writing does a great job of blending a haunting story and an energetic instrumental. Then you have some of the songs that put more of those emotions into the instrumentals as well. "Alive" is great. I think this song does a great job of showing off Eddie Vedder's vocals at its best. But if you want to talk about songs that pull at your heart-strings, you can't do better than the masterpiece that is "Black." Oh my goodness. This song. This might just be the best breakup song I've ever heard. That ending really hammers it home and I love it. Of course, those songs have all stood the test of time and become iconic over the decades, but even the deep cuts help to flesh the album out without feeling like filler. Shout-outs to "Oceans." That one's great. So yeah, Pearl Jam really hit it out of the park with their first album. Maybe I should use a basketball metaphor instead since they originally named themselves after a basketball player. Pearl Jam really hit a slam dunk with their first album. That's better! 5/5. Or, perhaps, you could say that this is a Ten out of Ten? I'd say so.

Fire

Damn back to back 5/5

Quintessential

Nirvana's Nevermind gets all the praise for being arguably the greatest grunge album ever. I hate that buzzword grunge. All of those bands at that time weren't playing the same music like boy bands or hair metal, but we've got to classify it somehow. I digress. Pearl Jam's Ten is probably the best grunge album at least the best debut album of that period of time. Each song has meaning and weight. The songs still hold up today as Alive, Evenflow & Jeremy sound just as fresh and vital as when they first came out. It’s hard to believe that 99% of people haven't already heard this album but for those who haven't, it's a must listen.

Great overall

Absolute classic

One of the best albums of all time

best

A landmark grunge record, songs are powerful, lyrics hit like a punch, energy is off the charts. Love it, love it, love it. 10/10

The easiest 5-star for me so far. I loved this album when it came out and I’ve loved it ever since.

I know every second of this album, and it has remained a favorite through the years. I'm pretty sure this makes me extremely uncool, but I've always preferred PJ to Nirvana. There were many years there where PJ was my favorite band, so being objective with this album might be tough. I will say, the 'shabba dabba, wittamovabalfertomovalytikAYYY' vocals run a little too close to the Chilis for my taste and pretty much date this one to about a 2 year period. But c'mon, Black is an all-timer, and the riff from Alive can raise the dead. I've never understood grunge as a genre - it seems more like a 'from Seattle' descriptor more than anything, as PJ definitely skews more into classic rock territory than the other grunge bands, who take more from punk and/or heavy metal, but I digress (again). Ten is fantastic, and while I understand others not liking it as much, it's a 5 for me.

Better than I remember it

I mean, I am not a but-rock guy. I really look at who Pearl Jam likely inspired and am not at all a fan. But "Ten"? "Ten". "Ten" is as close to a perfect album as it gets. Fantastic and memorable songs. Set the tone for the next wave of musicians. Part of a bigger movement. "Ten" man, fuck.

Love it. Pearl Jam is directly responsible for seeding some of my favorite acts of the 90's like they're some sort of Mother Vampire. Plus, their band is named after cum n jizz hahahahahahahahahhaahhahahaahah

Hits, doesn't get better, can't out PJ guitars Alive Even flow Black Jeremy

EVEN FLOOOOWWWW

goated album

I have a ton of nostalgia linked to this album, so it might be difficult to give an unbiased assessment here. The album may just still absolutely rip though. Still rips. This is the least "grungy" grunge album if that makes any sense. The guitar riffs from Mike McCready here remind me of more of what you'd hear in classic rock from the 70's/80's. Yet the sound is rich and modern due to the recording and how the entire group is captured collectively. This is an alt rock classic, led by Eddie Vedder's passionate and vulnerable lyricism. It all sounds so anthemic with the emotion displayed in each track. The run from "Once" to "Oceans" is unparalleled. Maybe a little top-heavy when critiquing the album as a whole, but this was no doubt influential to rock n' roll and where the genre was heading in the early 90's.

Add this to written on my brain forever albums

This album blew my mind!

It’s easy to forget just how amazing and how important this album is. Start to finish, it’s so, so good.

“Once” is like the pathos of my wailing rebellious soul. I love this album

Such a great grunge album

bangers

Awesome. Not much else to say. With such beloved songs like Alive, Jeremy, and Even Flow, this is a damn good album. Pearl Jam rules.

Solid

This is one of the best! I have listened to this album 1000 times and it still gets better with age.

THE “grunge” era must own album. Nevermind Nirvana, Pearl Jam proved from the first riff of Once that they were the voice of a generation.

Fuck it, 5 Stars. Excellent grunge with so much nostalgia factor, some of Pearl Jam's biggest hits, a a wide range songs from hype to somber, ties to Rock Band 2, an iconic album cover (imo), the clip in my head of Jesus skateboarding through the sky with Even Flow playing, and how hard Black hits.

Damn! You just keep giving me gold here! Haha

I obsessed over this album when it came out. I wore out multiple copies on tape before I managed to get a cd player. I must have listened to it hundreds of times. Too many times maybe as I put it down for decades, with zero desire to revisit it. It was done. It was kind of nice to have a forced opportunity to revisit this absolute classic gem. More polished and safe than contemporaries of their time and drawing heavily from a blues based, classic rock cannon produced an album for the ages and questionably the defining album of the grunge era. I may have to give it another spin. Maybe in my room with the lights out, minus a lava lamp and the ember of burning incense. Make my 14yo self proud.

Thank you Pearl Jam for exposing us to grunge.

One of my favorite albums of all time front to back

A fantastic album! I really loved this band and was fascinated by Eddie Vedder's vocals, their lyrics and their sound. I enjoyed listening to them so much that they became my favourites and I put aside a lot of the stuff I was listening to at the time (80s and mostly mainstream pop and electronic bands at the time). It reshaped my taste, opened my mind to other genres and I believe it partly brought me to the music listener I am today. The singles here are all spectacular, from the first to the last, real bangers <3 10/10

This album is one of my personal favorites. In my opinion it’s one of the greatest debuts of all time. The tracklist from Once to Porch is one of the greatest runs in history for me. While it does fall off a little bit after porch, that just means the tracks are less amazing than the previous ones. My one gripe about the album is the mix, however, I just listen to the Brendan O Brien mix if I want to listen to this album.

Sing along everybody

Still brilliant and one of my favourite albums of all time

One of my all time favorites

I’m a fan of Pearl Jam. I knew a decent amount of these songs. Great album

So many amazing, classic 90s songs. More importantly, I enjoy listening to the whole album.

One of the best albums ever

Amazing!!!!

5/5

Lots of hits - classing Pearl Jam sound

This has been one of my top 20 albums of all time for the last 29 years and will continue to be forever. Perfect grunge record no notes

AAYYYYEEYEYYE IIIIII I MMM SSTILL ALLICEE OOOOOOO YEAH IIIII OOOO IM STILL ALLLIVEE YEYEYAYWEUUWUAUEAU GEETAR SOLOOOO 10/10 probably my most listened to album oat

You ever listen to an album 5 times in a day and not get sick of it (teacher I share a classroom with CANNOT relate) Pearl Jam is the best grunge band eat my shorts

That was just great

A classic. The 1st half of the album is practically a greatest hits, and the 2nd half is super underrated. The song Porch especially. Ten might not be as "heavy" as the other albums from the big 4 of grunge but I feel the term grunge refers more to a vibe/look than the actual music.

Nostalgia? Probably. I can still smell the campfires, Icehouse beers, and schwag weed when I listen to this. It smoked in the 90s and hasn't aged a day since. Sally, the same can't be said for me, but whatever. Still a great album.

Lovely. Non relatable.

My desert island disc. I turned 21 the year this came out. Absolutely blew me away from those first bits of syncopation and Ament's fretless bass to the coda at the end. There's not a song on this where I don't recognize every note. Just a perfect hard rock album from start to finish. I can't tell you how many miles I drove with this as a soundtrack -- me screaming the lyrics out into the night. Gossard and McReady are magicians -- and Eddie was the frontman we never knew we needed. This album got me through a lot. I can't be objective. It's a part of me.

This album is an old favorite of mine from my early high school days. Returning to it several decades later, 'Ten' holds up surprisingly well, especially the first half, which is bolstered by a strong opener ("Once") and a series of great singles. I enjoyed listening to this again so much, I immediately had to hear it again. Standout tracks: Once, Porch, Garden

I did not expect to like this so much. I was really bopping.

Iconic love her. Childhood rock album

I don't have to listen to this one again to give a 5/5 but I will be anyway. Banger after banger. Classics. A band still going to this day and still putting out great music. A tent pole band and album since at least high school.

I missed this album when it was released (apart from what was on the radio). So no real emotional attachment to it. But wow. So great to be able to discover it now

Sounds like Creed. Pretty lit.

One of the best albums of the early 90's! Each song is a banger. Love, love, love this album!!!!!

Loved this when it came out... still love it. Jeremy - shocking to me at the time - seems to have foretold the rise of school violence/shootings.

All time favorite!

Great album I never listened to all the way through, so glad I did. Awesome statement for rise of grunge.

My little grunge heart grew three sizes when I saw this as my next generated album. One of the most perfect albums of all time. There are no bad songs on this.

Classic

david foster wallace

I wore this CD out. I was and still am a big Pearl Jam fan. This album takes you on such an incredible journey. Grunge had such a huge impact on my listening preferences. Fantastic album.

Banger.

Wow - to follow on from yesterday's review, this is also in the top three albums of 1991. I'm really not a 'grunge' person but this is the best I've heard of it. The first minute is one of my favourite album openings, and 'Black' is one of the best tracks I've ever heard.

There are very few albums I've listened to as much as this one, to the extent that it's lost some freshness but cemented a place in my musical soul. Hugely important to me.

10 of 10

Once

Best grunge album of all time (and yes, that does include Nevermind). Jeremy and Black are all-time greats and deeper cuts like Once and Why Go would be hits for a lesser band. The biggest issue is this album set the bar way too high as I've given up listening to other Pearl Jam albums and just mainly stick to this one.

I’ve never considered myself much of a Pearl Jam fan but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a full album before, either. Honestly, this went fuckin insane

My memory of this album, which I owned as a child, was that tracks 1-6 are a surefire 5-star side A, and side B is forgettable. But lemme tell you, once the chorus hit on Garden, I knew this was getting rounded up from the 4.5 it probably is. Oh, and Release is great too! Side B is fine! It may not have Even Flow, Alive, Black, and Jeremy, but who does?

Am I rating this a 5 because it's good, or because I'm so familiar with it that the songs automatically sound good? There's lots of things I don't really like about the album. PJ were always the most trad-rock of the grunge crew and never hit me the same way Soundgarden or AIC did. The warbly bass tone on songs like Oceans just doesn't work for me, and I find some of the guitar solos a bit empty. And yet. At least half the songs are undeniable classics. The others are all 'pretty good'. Lyrics mostly stand up, and Vedder has an absolutely perfect 'classic rock' voice. I might have issues with this particular style of music, but I don't think it's ever been done better.

The soundtrack of my final high school years. My best friend and I wore out at least 4 copies of this on cassette.

Amazing from start to finish. One of the greatest rock albums ever.

This pacing of this album is nearly perfect. This is my favorite album of theirs because it is the one album of theirs was not afraid to use reverb. I loved that sound. The importance of this album is that it accelerated the mainstream acceptance of the alternative rock genre through the rest of the decade, particularly here in the United States and particularly after Kurt Cobain's death. Trying to imagine how mind blowing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour was with openers Pearl Jam (supporting TEN) and Nirvana (supporting NEVERMIND) must have been in the Fall of 1991. People can quibble about which grunge albums belong on this list, but this album and Nirvana's NEVERMIND are the only two absolute unquestioned must haves.

I drifted from PJ over the years, but man this first one is great.

Favourite songs: Black, Alive, Jeremy

Favourite songs - Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy

To me, this is the quintessential grunge album. I find Ten to be musically more complex and emotionally deeper than albums by Nirvana and Soundgarden. While not a concept album, per se, it always takes me on a cathartic journey and I feel better for having listened to it. Strange though that with such a prolific career and numerous albums, their debut should hold up as the best of their work.

## In-Depth Review of Pearl Jam’s *Ten* Pearl Jam’s *Ten* (1991) is a cornerstone of the grunge movement and a defining album of the early 1990s. Its impact extends far beyond its era, resonating with listeners through its raw emotion, powerful musicianship, and unflinching exploration of personal and societal struggles. Below is a comprehensive review focusing on the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## **Lyrics** Eddie Vedder’s lyrics on *Ten* are deeply personal, introspective, and often dark. The album delves into themes of loss, love, isolation, trauma, and existential angst[1][2][7]. Vedder’s storytelling is vivid and emotionally charged, frequently drawing from his own experiences and observations of the world. - **"Alive"**: The opener of the so-called “Mamasan Trilogy,” this track tells a story of family secrets and survival, blending autobiographical elements with universal questions of identity and resilience[2][7]. - **"Jeremy"**: Inspired by a real-life tragedy, this song addresses bullying, alienation, and violence in schools, delivered with haunting imagery and a climactic chorus that underscores the desperation of its protagonist[2][7]. - **"Black"**: A poignant meditation on lost love and longing, its poetic lyrics evoke a sense of heartbreak without resorting to cliché[2][3]. - **"Even Flow"**: Focuses on homelessness, painting a vivid portrait of a man struggling to survive on the streets, reflecting Vedder’s empathy for society’s marginalized[7]. - **"Why Go"**: Critiques the psychiatric system and societal indifference, told through the story of a young woman institutionalized against her will[7]. Throughout the album, Vedder’s delivery is as important as the words themselves-his voice is raw, urgent, and capable of shifting from a whisper to a roar, amplifying the emotional weight of each song[1][3]. --- ## **Music** Musically, *Ten* is a fusion of grunge, classic rock, punk, and hard rock influences[2][5][7]. The album is defined by its dynamic interplay between guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready, Jeff Ament’s melodic bass, and Dave Krusen’s solid drumming. The arrangements are both accessible and sophisticated, balancing anthemic choruses with intricate instrumental passages. - **Guitar Work**: McCready’s solos are heavily influenced by classic rock and blues, adding melodic flair and emotional depth to tracks like "Alive" and "Black"[5]. Gossard’s rhythm guitar provides a gritty, driving foundation, especially prominent on "Even Flow" and "Porch." - **Bass and Drums**: Ament’s bass lines are melodic and often serve as a counterpoint to the guitars, while Krusen’s drumming, though understated, anchors the band’s sound and adapts to the album’s varied moods[5]. - **Vocals**: Vedder’s baritone is instantly recognizable, delivering both aggression and vulnerability. His phrasing and dynamic range are key to the album’s emotional impact[3][5]. - **Songwriting**: The album’s structure is front-loaded with its most iconic tracks, but even the deeper cuts like "Oceans," "Garden," and "Release" showcase the band’s range and ability to create atmosphere[3]. --- ## **Production** *Ten* was produced by Rick Parashar at London Bridge Studio in Seattle. The production is polished yet manages to capture the band’s raw energy and live chemistry[2][5]. Parashar’s approach was to enhance the band’s sound without overproducing, resulting in an album that feels both immediate and expansive. - **Sound Quality**: The album is noted for its clarity and warmth, with each instrument given space to breathe[3][4]. The mix highlights the interplay between the guitars and Vedder’s vocals, creating a lush sonic landscape. - **Balance**: While the production is more refined than some of Pearl Jam’s later work, it maintains enough grit to avoid sounding sterile. However, some critics argue that the polish comes at the expense of the rawness associated with grunge, making the album sound more mainstream than its contemporaries[4][6]. - **Legacy Edition**: Later remixes and remasters have attempted to restore some of the original edge, but the album’s initial production remains a defining aspect of its sound[6]. --- ## **Themes** Thematically, *Ten* is an exploration of pain, alienation, and the search for meaning in a troubled world. It reflects the disillusionment of Generation X, grappling with personal demons and societal dysfunction. - **Alienation and Identity**: Tracks like "Alive" and "Black" explore the struggle to find oneself amidst chaos and loss[2][7]. - **Societal Critique**: "Jeremy" and "Why Go" address issues of violence, mental health, and institutional failure, giving voice to those often ignored or misunderstood[7]. - **Hope and Resilience**: Despite its often bleak subject matter, the album is not nihilistic. Songs like "Release" and "Alive" ultimately suggest the possibility of survival and redemption[2]. --- ## **Influence and Legacy** *Ten* is one of the most influential albums of the 1990s, shaping the sound of grunge and alternative rock for years to come[2][5][7]. It propelled Pearl Jam to international stardom, selling over 13 million copies in the U.S. and over 20 million worldwide[5]. Its impact can be seen in the countless bands that tried to emulate its sound, for better or worse[6]. - **Cultural Impact**: The album became a touchstone for a generation, capturing the angst and uncertainty of the early ’90s[2][5]. Its success helped bring alternative rock into the mainstream and paved the way for other Seattle bands. - **Critical Acclaim**: *Ten* is frequently cited among the greatest albums of all time, appearing on numerous “best of” lists and earning a spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[1]. - **Enduring Appeal**: Tracks like "Alive," "Even Flow," and "Jeremy" remain staples of rock radio and live performances, continuing to resonate with new listeners decades after their release[5]. However, the album’s influence is a double-edged sword. Its success spawned a wave of imitators, leading to a glut of derivative post-grunge acts that diluted the genre’s original spirit[6]. --- ## **Pros and Cons** | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Profound, emotionally resonant lyrics that tackle serious themes[1][2][7] | Some tracks have been overplayed, losing impact for longtime listeners[4] | | Powerful, memorable guitar work and strong musicianship throughout[3][5] | Production is polished, which may lack the raw edge of live performances or later grunge releases[4][6] | | Eddie Vedder’s distinctive and passionate vocal delivery[3][5] | The second half of the album is less impactful compared to the front-loaded hits, leading to an unbalanced feel[3][6] | | Cohesive blend of grunge, classic rock, and punk influences[2][7] | The album’s mainstream appeal and influence led to a wave of less inspired imitators, affecting its legacy[6] | | Timeless anthems ("Alive," "Even Flow," "Jeremy," "Black") that remain relevant | Some critics find the album plays it safe and lacks the adventurous spirit of later Pearl Jam works[4] | | Enduring cultural and musical influence, shaping the sound of a generation[2][5] | | --- ## **Conclusion** Pearl Jam’s *Ten* is a masterclass in emotional honesty, musical craftsmanship, and cultural relevance. Its songs are as powerful today as they were upon release, thanks to Vedder’s searing lyrics, the band’s dynamic performances, and Rick Parashar’s balanced production. The album’s influence is both a testament to its greatness and a source of controversy, given the wave of imitators it inspired. While some may critique its polish or the overexposure of its biggest hits, *Ten* remains an essential listen-a touchstone for anyone interested in the evolution of rock music and the enduring power of art to confront pain and inspire hope.

Classic classic album. So good. Every song is great. I have very specific memories listening to this album when I was younger. It brought back good memories. I don't think Pearl Jam was ever really able to recreate this sound and dynamics of this album in future releases. I don't think they're a one album wonder by any means, but I don't think they ever made anything like this again.

eveorj;asrjis;df yeahyeahyeahfuckitup

Sure, I'll listen to this one again. 5/5

It's just an undeniable album, isn't it

Can't argue with that

Ten stars

"Even flow" is great, of course. "Alive", as well. ...and "Jeremy". The rest is pretty good, but not to the level of the hits. Over all a VERY good album! 5/5

So cool to revisit this album I WORE OUT in the 90s. There is no let up and I preferred it to Nirvana at the time--although I might have swung the other way since. Perfect album, no notes.

A grunge classical. No more words to say about it. 5 stars.

Enjoyed a lot mostly here for the singles but the whole thing is great

Fantastic debut album.

Eddie Vedder has one of the finest voices in rock music. This is a standard setter for everything that came after. Despite been a massive step away from Nevermind they complement one another brilliantly

Classic album

Heard it before. Oh I've heard it so many times. A truly life-changing album for me and I'm forever grateful I met my best friend in the world thanks to Pearl Jam 5/5

The Good: We’ve got jam! The Bad: It isn’t strawberry… The Ugly: Fill in the blanks… Ah, to be young again… and that is not the first time that I started a review this way. Though I was not on the PJ bandwagon when it hit town, I had plenty of friends who were, while I was, I guess, still trying to get into the whole rock n roll kind a thing. So, grunge… I love me some grunge! I hate me some grunge too! And, when you think about it, there is a reason that grunge only lasted as long as it did… who wants to stay angry all the time, and find a need to hide in a spoon full of h? Eddie V’s vocals are second only to Chric C, in my humbles of opinions, and both of them huge frontmen during the grunge scene. Then there’s the band… just awesome… Then there’s the hits… when you’re freshmen effort lands you 5 massive hits, you know you’re on to something good! So, though I would not rank this album a 10… it sure is getting 5*

That is great album! Love it! 👍👍👍

Masterpiece

I was surprised by how much I loved this. Feels kind of like harder, grungier Radiohead. Yes.

10/10 always loved this album , middle to the back end is incredible

Classic album

They knew what they had when they titled this album. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ x2

Grunge with a little extra. Outstanding Debut Album with so so many hits. Still great in 2025.

Favorite Track: Even Flow

Great vocals, great guitar. An incredible debut album from a new line up, that feels fully formed and hasn't dated all that much in the last 30+ years. They had their own sound from the start, that blended a whole lot of influences and was obviously very influential in turn. One of the reasons I've shied away from Pearl Jam in the past is that there were so many "Vedder-style vocalists" in 90s music and I developed an aversion to that whole subgenre of vocal style. But this was the original Vedder-style vocal, and so well-executed. The rest of the album doesn't quite live up to Alive for me (I have simple tastes), but what a song Alive is. That transition from the "yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" to the solo is top tier. And what a solo. And the rest of the song. Just brilliant. The second solo is possibly even better. I'm not surprised they let it go on for half the song. Imagine being there in 1991 and hearing this album, alongside all the other incredible new music coming out at that time. I don't usually listen to songs like Porch or Garden when I listen to Pearl Jam, but they are also very, very good. McCready's guitar is such a standout throughout the entire album. So raw and beautiful. The whole thing is grunge, obviously, but so melodic and pleasing to listen to in a way that a lot of other grunge wasn't.

so many great songs. for even flow and alive alone this album deserves 5 stars

Banger after banger here. Fantastic from beginning to end. Deserving of its GOAT-level status.

it was good, not a single consonant in the whole album

Nearly perfect album. I don't know that they've ever topped this debut. Fav song has got to be "Black."

Siinä sai flannellipaidan liepeet kyytiä, kun kuultiin repullinen hittejä siltä toiseksi suositummalta grunge bändiltä. Me likey! Vedderin laulanta myös 🤌🏻

Damn

A pivotal album in music history that helped define the alternative music’s grunge scene. This band and sound was the one that imitators often tried to emulate. A true classic.

Perfect album, one of my all time favourites.

Masterpiece. One of my all-time favorites.

Loved it Pearl Jam is one of my favorites

Absolutely loved this one

A lot of bangers on here, but I’ve never bothered to listen to it from start to finish. It really is cohesive and love the last track and the now elusive secret track.

On my 500th listen, this album is still as exceptional, perfect and important as it was back in 1991.

This album is 100 per cent great, front-to-back, no track skipping. Classic all-rounder. My only question is if the re-mix version (less reverb) is better than the original (waaay more reverb).

имба.

Great album some easy grunge classics in there. Last song is a two parter. Gives a nostalgic vibe

Greats singles on this album and even better b sides

For some reason Pearl Jam has an outsized space in my pop culture brain. But honestly I think this might be their only good album. I like what they stand for and I like Eddie Vedder. I’ve never really been able to listen to any other album than this one. That said, I’ve listened to this album A LOT. A seminal piece of my childhood. And sure, if grunge isn’t your thing, then this album isn’t your thing. But I love it.

Such good memories. It’s easy to forget how much everything changed in 91/92 when Seattle hit the mainstream, how different this was from what was being played on the radio. This was an easy 5 for me, it was in constant rotation back in 91/92

Highlight: Jeremy

Already have it in my collection

Oh My God

I own this album and loved it for years! The odd part is I listened yesterday before I joined this!

5.5 - Legendary

I’m so biased, but this is such a classic. It should be up in a museum. No wonder every rock vocalist wanted to be Eddie Vedder for a decade after this! Ten gets a Ten out of Ten.

Ja det är ju kanske det mest uppenbara 5:an. Ett av världens bästa album genom tiderna. Antagligen nummer 1. Det är riktigt bra musik. Allt är perfekt. Musiken är melodisk, den är hård, mjuk och varierad. Jämfört med tex the Hives, som tuggar på på samma sätt utan utsvävningar (vilket förstås kan vara något man diggar i sig) så är detta nästan en symfoni. Magi.

Det finns femmor och så finns det femmor. Den här hör till den senare kategorin. Topp tre bästa album som någonsin gjorts.

I won't find any additional words to all the praise and acclamations made so many times by so many people. Great album, great music, one of the big ones.

Cum sauce. 9/10

This is such a good album and a quintessential 90s, and grunge album. I can't believe this is their debut. I think so many bands have been inspired by this album and have tried to copy its sound but no one has come close. There are so many great songs on this one. I think the production is maybe a bit dated but overall it's so solid.

This freaking album. One of my all time favorites. I got this one in 8th Grade and was obsessed with it. Its super unique. The vocals, the lyrics, the really heavy drums, overly loud bass and then just insane guitar work. Its so well produced and mixed for 1991. I know Nirvana is often credited as "grunge" but it really feels more like hardcore and punk to me. This, however, feels like true grunge. This is its own thing entirely. The heavy minor melodies and low vocals. It has elements of soul and blues, but also I'm hearing Black Sabbath and Black Flag at the same time. I love every song on this record. Alive, Jeremy, Black, Even Flow, Release, Why Go and Once are all my favs. Though, Alive and Black are the obvious winners of the record. This record also just has so much energy. Its almost relentless in what its putting out. I love it. So grateful for this one.

I was longing for this to appear on this list and after 274 albums here it lies before me. A masterpiece of an album that I had on repeat from the age of 13 to 15 and has been on regular rotation ever since.

All the hits but also some good tracks I didn’t know so well, I’ve always kinda liked vedders silly voice plus the band can definitely rip! The guitar solo at the end of alive is actually one of my all time favorites. Top 3 Black, Porch, Alive

Ten out of 5

As good as ever

Love Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is undeniably a powerhouse of the 90s rock scene, Ten has to be up there for one of the best debut albums! I love a bit of Pearl Jam and really enjoyed seeing them live for the first time a few months ago on their Dark Matter tour in Melbourne - an unforgettable experience! I think even after all these years I'm still a little bit in love with Eddie Vedder. This isn't my favourite album of theirs and probably closer to a 4.5, so I'll just quickly mention Vs. with Crazy Mary as my favourite album/track because we sadly only get 1 Pearl Jam album in the 1001 list. Fave track on this album is Black (I wish they'd played it live!) I know someday you'll have a beautiful life I know you'll be a star - In somebody else's sky But why, why can't it be mine (always gives me shivers)

5/5. I can rate this without listening. Amazing album.

One of the greatest albums of the 90s

10/10, it's about absolute masterpiece. Adult Alex would choose this over Nevermind, teenage Alex would go the other way.

No review here. Just 5*s