Ten

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.

Going from Metallica to this wasnt going to do well, and it doesn’t really grip me at all.

In high school in 2008, I had to interview the girls running coach and she said Pearl Jam was her favorite band and I thought it was funny.

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.

Divorced Dad rock/grunge

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 don't know to what point all the memes and mockery of Eddie's singing has affected me, because I didn't feel anything. For me, this album did little to nothing interesting in both times I listened to it, but without being obnoxious, at least.

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

Good heavy, I understand why Neil Young wanted them as a comp band. A strange thing about listening (maybe it was something with the voice) made me really long to listen to "She Talks to Angels" by The Black Crowes again. But, that's me.

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

Classic Grunge rock album.

90's emo rock. fine, but ... whatever

I see the popularity, I was there so I'm sorta over it because it was sooooo overplayed but it aged well.

Shit Jam more like!

It's been a difficult 7 albums or so in 1001 World and against the odds the only ones I enjoyed were US but very much Zepp influenced Rock albums - this and Janes Addiction. This one is a lot less fun than JA but getting to the same score - rounding up vs. rounding down.

I don’t get why Pearl Jam were so popular. I find their music so bland. Struggling to both listen to the entire album and find reasons to give it more than 2 stars. I’m almost OD’ing on this run of shouty American Rick received lately

Sounds like Creed. Pretty lit.

Positiv overraskelse!

All vowels no consonants

Vedder’s voice is a force of nature. A lot of raw emotion on this one

Overrated. Some boring stuff on this album. Saved by a couple of good songs

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!

n sou do grunge

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

My brother got me this album (along with Nevermind) in 8th grade. It definitely still rips, but kind of meandering at the end. I'd take Vs or Vitalogy over Ten. It's got some great sneaky "fucks" that got on the radio (Once, Even Flow, Jeremy) and one of my favorite gratuitous "fucks" (Why Go).

Classic album. I wish it was more consistent. Liked Songs Added: Evenflow Alive Black Deep

Standouts: deep, black, release Overall Meh experience, like some others (probably), his voice is a tough listen for me but the music itself is pretty solid

I quite enjoyed this album. The music is well crafted and has a distinct and compelling sound. My only criticism is a lot of the lyrics don't particularly call to me, or tell a captivating story. They are still quite good, they just aren't quite my style.

The rocking second half and the superb guitar partnership saved this album for me. Some iconic vocals as well of course.

Das rockt alter🤘 tat gern 3.5 gebn

gonz nett

aber starke drei sterne. 4 kann ich aber leider doch nicht machen.

Du rock un peu trop vieu pour moi

It’s not bad but I was expecting it to be a bit more emotive for me, I know Black and I love that single but the others didn’t hit for me.

A solid one, one of the best grunge albums ever recorded. The first half is perfect and explosive, but the second half goes a bit dull by the last songs.

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.

this type of music just sounds like nothing to me. like an anonymous object moving through air. the sound of one hand clapping. absolutely nothing.

i just don't really like grunge

first time listen. Like Perl Jam. Doesn't disappoint. Jeremey finally said something!!

Classic

Eh.

Know every word. And yet I don’t think I need to hear this ever again. Can’t say I dislike it, it is a quality rock album but…

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.

Decent, not really my thing though. Torn between a 2 and a 3, overall didn't grate me when listening though so going for a 3. Couldn't get bill Burr's impression out of my head when listening to even flow so extra point for that.

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.

A lesson in tedium. The opening and closing bass lines of the album are the highlights. Whiny vocal throughout does nothing for me.

The beginning half of the album is really strong, but towards the second half I felt that it started to lose my interest a little bit. It felt just like more of the first half, mostly in a repetitive way. Not enough to detract by more than a star. Plus the guitar at the end of Alive absolutely rips, though.

It was OK, it kinda felt like noise mostly, but decent noise.

Not my jam at all

Pivotal grunge album. Great synthesis of the bass, guitar, and drums with the standout vocals of Vedder. Even Flow is a perfectly emblematic song, which is a classic for a reason. Alive, another classic in its own right, follows and shows the slower, ballad-esque tendencies of grunge. Love the bass line and Vedder’s more growly delivery on Why Go. Like most grunge, for me it overstays its welcome a bit at the back side of the record.

3.5

Bit same-same . Even Flow is a good song.

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.

Mmmm... grungy.

10 of 10

DNF

Not how I like my music but I realy really like "Black".

Once

Overall: 6/10 Honestly, I've never been a big fan of Pearl Jam. At one point in time they were the band I hated the most. I've mostly gotten over that hate, but I still don't enjoy their music. I think the biggest hurdle I need to get over to actually liking Pearl Jam is Eddie Vedder. As a person, he seems great. He seems charitable and aligns with my politics, but I can't stand his voice. To me, he sounds like he gargles glass for 20 minutes before he steps foot in the recording booth. His lyrics tend to be hit or miss for me too, with songs like Even Flow and Jeremy being beautiful poetry, but a song like Porch being kind of lame. The best thing about Pearl Jam is every other musician in the band. I couldn't name any of them if I'm being honest, but their bassist and drummer are especially good. Their guitarist(s?) is good too but I'm not a fan of their guitar tone. Overall, there's some great songs and some stuff that I enjoy, and I would definitely say it's the best Pearl Jam album I've listened to. However, this time listening to it didn't change my opinion in any way and I still don't think it's as great as everybody else seems to think it is. Fav Song: Even Flow Least Fav Song: Porch

Never listened the album, I was only familiar with the hits. Sometimes it is great and beyond, and sometimes it is a bit less than that.

Pearl Jam’s Ten arrived in 1991 as a brooding, stadium-sized statement of purpose, helping define the grunge era with its slick production, emotional intensity, and arena-rock ambition. Unlike the raw edge of Nirvana or the sludgy cool of Soundgarden, Ten is unabashedly earnest—anchored by Eddie Vedder’s weighty baritone and lyrics that tackle trauma and alienation with dramatic flair. While tracks like “Oceans” offer moments of quiet grace and “Porch” injects some much-needed looseness, much of the album leans heavily into its own seriousness, occasionally to its detriment. Still, it’s hard to deny the emotional payoff of a track like “Release,” and despite feeling overplayed with time, Ten remains a landmark—flawed, towering, and deeply felt.

Man, the Big Four of Grunge are so good. Maybe the only knock on this album is it’s a little top heavy, with the post Jeremy songs not being as strong, but cmon, that first half is godly. 4.5 stars.

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.

Some of the songs really do rock, but I just don’t have a strong connection or desire to go out of my way and listen to— enjoyable XRT fodder

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

When I was 14 I thought I was so cool and worldly by purchasing the “No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees” album. The first track of that album is Last Kiss by Pearl Jam. That’s probably the only Pearl Jam song I can name, but they’re one of those bands whose music I know without knowing I know it. I recognized a couple songs on Ten but never would have been able to name the song titles. 3.5 rounded up to 4

Never been a big fan of this group. Don’t care for Eddie’s voice. A few songs I know here that are OK, plus one fabulous track, “Jeremy”, which has a great music video. That track gets a 2 to a 3.

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.

Nirvana were fresh, melodic, exhilarating, exciting and emotional. Pearl Jam were overwrought and dull. I recognised lots here, listening to the whole album didn't make me like them any more.

God this is so boring, how is it so popular?? Singer sounds like a ripoff Chris Cornell.

Immediately recognisable as early 90s. Pretty good but somehow not grungey enough for a grunge album.

Some absolute classics, but not a needle mover for me.

Rocky you have to be in the mood but at least 3 or 4 great songs on there. Even flow, Alive and Jeremy especially good. its just a bit over long and a little self indugent for a rock album.

I’ve never been much of a Pearl Jam fan although I do enjoy doing an Eddie Vedder impression whenever I get the chance. I still knew half of this album even though I’ve never sat down and listened to it. It has a legacy for sure. It’s just not my thing. 2.5/5

Me no care

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

Pearl Jam is a band I have listened to a lot but never a whole album. 3 songs were already on some of my playlist and while Eddie Vedder had a great voice about half of the songs don't speak to me as much. It was fun listening through it but I will probably stick to my favorites.

Favourite songs: Black, Alive, Jeremy

Favourite songs - Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy

Pretty good.

Peer pressure is a hell of a drug... After avoiding this for years, I was inspired to listen after reading some of the fanatical reviews extolling the virtues of Vedder and the band. And I'll admit the whole Ticketmaster thing was noble. The music behind the voice is tolerable, even good. I love the intro to Black and Release, but at the end of the day, all Pearl Jam is Eddie Vedder. Either you like his presence and voice or you tolerate it. Regardless, I enjoyed listening to this more than I thought I could. And though I certainly don't hate it, it's not music that I find myself searching for.

I don’t even know where to start. I’ve been waiting on this review for one thousand and fifty-nine albums, and now that it’s here I have too much to say. I’m not going to argue that this is the best album on the list. Or that it is the album most demanding of being listened to before you die. But it is my favorite album on the list. It is formative for me. As a white male American born during the bridge between Gen X and Millenials, it was kind of required. Pearl Jam was my first favorite band. And they still are. Pearl Jam debuted with “Ten” four days before my 11th birthday, and they have been consistently going strong for 34 years now. It’s a run that few artists in history can claim, and I’ve grown up with them. I’ve seen them struggle with stardom, push back against it, fight their own industry, and then retreat, but still continue making amazing music. Because of that push back and retreat, I don’t think they get nearly the credit they deserve. They have outlasted all their contemporaries and created a legacy and longevity that is only rivaled by very few in the history of rock music. And because of all that, more than any stand I will take on the 1001 list, Pearl Jam should have more than one album of representation. In fact, while it is my favorite album on the list, it isn’t always my favorite Pearl Jam album. Depending on the year and my mood, it might be “Vs.” And just as worthy is “Vitalogy.” Pearl Jam has been consistently good for 34 years, but those first three albums are on another level. Not just on their individual merits, but also because they each bring a unique variation on the band’s sound. So many people just wanted them to repeat “Ten,” but they didn’t. (Repeating it might have made them more popular, but not repeating it made them better artists.) I don’t think any other song Pearl Jam has ever recorded sounds like it would fit on “Ten.” “Vs.” and “Vitalogy” are similarly unique. Some of the B-sides and other “Lost Dogs” (as the band later named them) come close, but none are quite right. Or maybe I have just listened to those three albums so much that they are ingrained in my brain and anything else feels out of place. Post-“Vitalogy,” PJ hits a groove in their matured sound that doesn’t waver a whole lot over the next two decades. But that isn’t to take anything away from those albums. “Yield,” “No Code,” and “Binaural” in particular are excellent, and there have even been moments when I wondered if the latter two were my favorites. And then there’s the aforementioned “Lost Dogs” - 30 B-sides, singles, and other assorted non-album tracks. There’s a few weird ones, but you could easily make two 10-song albums from that material that I think would rank up there with the band’s best. And that doesn’t even include “Breath” and “State of Love and Trust” from the “Singles” movie soundtrack, which at times are my favorite PJ tracks. All this to say - the depth and quality of their material is unmatched. Pearl Jam’s live shows bring another level to their legacy. Again, 34 years of never resting on their laurels, with worldwide tours filled with deep and never repeated set lists. Two-and-a-half hour plus shows, even now in their 60s, filled with deep cuts, lengthy encores, and mind-melting guitar solos by Mike McCready. As for “Ten” itself - absolutely incredible. What a way to make a debut. So much energy and passion. The hits get so much credit, but it's the depth of “Ten” that cements it as one of the best ever. “Jeremy” is actually my least favorite song on the album. Where it really hits another level is on the last four tracks - “Porch,” “Garden,” “Deep,” and “Release.” Twenty-one minutes of some of the best hard rock ever written. Vedder gets the attention, but it's a full group effort (with the same lineup for the last 27 years). Five against one. I’ll ride their wave, wherever they take me.

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.

Someone at work once asked me if I was stuck on a desert island with an ipod with only one artist loaded, who would it be? It would have to be someone with a deep catalog and a sound that varies so I can listen to it in any mood. Pearl Jam is the only band I can think of that fits that bill and it all begins here, with Ten. Ten is arguably one of the strongest debut albums ever with no bad tracks. Jeremy might be my least favorite track on Ten and it's one of their most popular. Eddie Vedder's growl as he starts Once gets me pumped and by the time I get to him screaming why in Black, I am emotionally exhausted. The guitars of Stone Gossard and Mike McCready are more classic rock/Led Zepplin than the punk/heavy metal sound of some of the other standard bearers of grunge like Nirvana or Soundgarden. Even though Once and Black are great tracks, the back half of the album is actually my favorite with Porch through Release being an incredible stretch of 4 tracks and a tiny microcosm of the band's varying levels. Hearing a whole stadium of the most dedicated fans sing along to Release is powerful and I would be remiss not to mention how in awe I am of PJ's live shows and the incredible fan base they have built over 35 years. I have seen PJ shows in 3 separate decades now and of the 6 shows I have been to across 3 decades, PJ has never played less than 25 songs. Thanks to industrious and dedicated fans, there is an app that tracks setlists so I know I have only seen 9 songs repeated at more than half the shows I attended. I have never seen less than 6 new songs that I have never heard played live (and that is only because I went to two show on the same tour, but even then less than 1/2 of the songs were the same). The memory and energy PJ has (at 60 years old!) to play for 2.5+ hours and vary the set-lists as much as they do is just unbelievable. I know I sound like some kind of a super fan but believe me, I got nothing on some of PJs long time fans like my husband. All this to say, 5 stars: great album, great band, great people, great shows, great fans.

I was once preparing a wedding speech for a friend who is obsessed with Pearl Jam. My original idea was to form the entire contents of the speech using PJ lyrics. So I went through their whole catalogue transcribing passages about love to use as building blocks. Through the exercise I also noticed that Eddie uses passages related to the ocean quite often. Having grown up in San Diego next to the Pacific, and being a surfer, it makes sense. Of their catalogue at the time of my wedding speech (190+ songs), they had 51 songs (27%) that have at least one lyric that references something related to the ocean and 6 (3.1%) entirely using ocean related lyrics. Dude is obsessed. ChatGPT says, “Pearl Jam frequently uses ocean-related imagery as both literal and metaphorical devices in their lyrics. The ocean serves multiple symbolic roles in their work—representing freedom, emotional depth, spirituality, danger, and escape.” I also recently tried to get ChatGPT to write a wedding speech entirely built from PJ lyrics because I never got there. The ChatGPT version was disjointed and choppy so maybe it’s not possible. On to Ten, it’s a really good album where the first half carries and the second half falls off some. IMHO Vs is the better PJ album that should be in the 1001 if only one can be included. Although I think both are deserving.

## 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.

This is the 90s!

Grunge e metal não é meu tipo de coisa mas eu sempre aprecio o poder dessa galera que faz esse som. O vocalista do Pearl Jam tem uma das melhores vozes no rock, não preciso noticiar ninguém sobre isso, mas é só que eu fico supreso mesmo, não escuto a banda mas reconheço em segundos a voz dele, coisa que pouquíssimos cantores conseguem fazer. A guitarra é outro ponto de destaque, mas de novo, não to no meu lugar de fala.

Classic rock sounds for Gen X. Another album that's deeply engrained in my formative musical memories - each song stands out, yet the album manages to be a cohesive whole. Vedder's social and personal observations are set off against lush layers of guitars, fretless/12-string bass and crisp drums. It's a saturated, old fashioned sound with massive character which begs to be turned up. Favourite songs: Once, Alive, Black, Jeremy, Garden

Okay, nothing special though

Really awful, how this lot were lumped in with grunge when they're clearly metal is a mystery. I wish I could give it no stars.

-this and Soundgarden have been the beginning of my foray into grunge. I did really enjoy this album, I absolutely love the combination of the guitar and Eddie Vedder’s voice -there were def a few tracks that were at best uninteresting and at worst a bit corny tbh. the highlights were phenomenal tho, im glad i finally got a chance to listen to this band -Favorites are Once, Why Go, and Jeremy

Back to my roots

Big music that sounds like it was meant to ring across full stadiums. Gives Rock Star energy yet is full of stories about discarded and neglected men, women, and children. Has enough empathy and respect for them to avoid crossing into “we live in a society- the joker” mode, for the most part.

Didn’t like it then , don’t like it now. Not even a sense of nostalgia from this. Eddie is just horrible.

great album, all tracks are fenomenal

1. Once - 8.6/10 2. Even Flow - 9/10 3. Alive - 9/10 4. Why Go - 8.4/10 5. Black - 9/10 6. Jeremy - 8/10 7. Oceans - 7/10 8. Porch - 8.5/10 9. Garden -8.2/10 10. Deep - 8/10 11. Release - 7.5/10 8.5/10

mid

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.

Great album

Not my style, kinda boring

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

Arms up head to the sky, gets a little repetitive but very cool

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

gud

Not usually into this kind of music but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Catchy riffs, good singer, some surprisingly funky tunes and the songs are interesting throughout. Definitely worth a re-listen.

Doesn’t sound too grunge which is nice

There's not a ton on here that excites me. There's stuff I know - and know well - but do I really ever want to reach for it and put it on? Eh, kinda not at this point, beyond just a kick of nostalgia.

Listenable.

Great debut album. I'm surprised how solid this is. Great voice, great playing and style.

I was surprised by how much of this album I was familiar with. Impressive debut studio album. There are some great compositions, but I am not sure where I land on Eddie Vedder's grunge scat. I would like to hear the vocals replaced with a harmonica. Without jest, there is some really great music here but it would be disingenuous for me to give this a 5. This album would pair well with being drunk on beers with good company in a kitchen.

I’ve never cared for Pearl Jam much so I’m giving this album an extra star to offset my bias.

90s

Crazy how an album instantly brings back memories of friends and people

Dire

The familiar hits (alive, even flow etc) are fun to sing along with, and Eddie Vedder has a great growly voice, but the rest of the album was not very interesting.

Fantastic debut album.

7.5/10 This was a lot better than I expected. I knew the big songs & that it is considered peak grunge, but honestly is it even pure grunge? Felt like fairly straight up hard rock and very well executed. Well played, well sung. This style has a ceiling for me so was as good as it could have been. Best: Even Flow

Better than expected, but not hooked

Was not crazy crazy bad. Maar vond hem ook echt niet echt leuk.

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

Solid 3 out 5, with some absolute standouts. Jeremy and Alive obviously, but I've never heard Porch before and loved that. Release is pointlessly 9 minutes long.

Alright

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

Same song over and over, very dated rather than timeless imo

Really fun. Seems like a lot of people took from that album. Tons of hits

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

This album is just rock anthem after rock anthem. I think it perfectly encapsulates the feeling of a 90s rock album. I don't know if it did too much to drive the conversation forward with what it does on this album, but really enjoyable listen to anyone who is a fan of the genre.

Banger after banger. Some hard hitting stuff on here that reminds me of like a mix of blood sugar sex magik and Metallica in the best ways possible. Was most impressed with how consistent it stayed till the end. But man I just can’t fully accept Eddie vedders voice that’s really the only thing that drags it down for me

Pearl Jam are another band who I knew of but never listened intentionally to their music. There’s so much of it around much more to my taste. If truth be told and without any evidence at all, I always thought that they were a hip hop combo so another reason why I thought they were best avoided. Putting all that to one side I listened to this with fresh ears hoping for the best. The first two or three tracks really resonated and I wondered if I had misjudged this band all along. However, by track 4 I had become a bit numb to it all and was bored. It’s all a bit MOR rock to my ears and stuff I’ve heard hundreds of times before. At least I’ve discovered it’s not hip hop so I will take more notice of them in future. 2.2/5 19/4/25

Never really got into pearl jam for some reason. It sounds alright, I feel like I would like it much more if I listened to it in my high school days

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

WHY MOMMY WHY?!?!

Guitarist is really pulling their weight. Overall really good, but not really my taste. There weren’t any songs that were catchy or rememberable melodies, but the overall musicianship was fantastic.

Verstehe leider die lyrics kaum 😅 Nicht schlecht, aber auch n bissl eintönig, oder?

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

Favorite Track: Even Flow

I'll probably always wish I liked Pearl Jam more. But a fun time capsule that makes me feel nostalgic.

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.

I was born in ‘93 and have never sought out Pearl Jam and yet I know half of these songs in my bones.

Another excellent debut. Gosh grunge was a great thing. Had only heard the singles until now but Garden, Deep & Why Go are now on high rotation.

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."

4/5 On kovaa settiä. Albumia ei oo varmaan koskaan tullu kuunneltua alusta loppuun ennen, vaikka monet hitit tuttuja onkin.

Tämä oli mulle vierasta, mutta tykkäsin! Mieleen painuvia melodioita, ja soitto ei jää tasaiseksi massaksi, vaan sieltä erottaa hyvin eri soittimia.

Pääosin aivan loistava levy, mutta muutamaa kappaletta en jaksanut kuunnella loppuun. Kuinka moni 2000-luvun ensimmäisen kymmenyksen laulaja onkaan ottanut mallia tästä laulutyylistä. Omaperäinen soundi ja grunge-genren parhaimpia edustajia.

Kyllähän tämäkin tuolta Cdlaarista löytyy mut enpä muista millon kuunnellut viimex. Nyt kuulosti oikeenkin hyvältä vaikka aikoinaan ei kolissut kovinkaan kovaa. Hyvä levy!

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

Hyvää melodista slow rockia! Pari biisiä olikin jo tuttuja.

Haven't been a Pearl Jam fan, but this album was a nice listen

Damn

4/8

Not my thing

Mehh kinda lame

The hits

30 years on and I still can’t make out most of what Eddie Vedder’s saying. I liked it, I can hear it’s good, I’m just not that moved by big arena rock (as arena rock as grunge gets.) Points to the heartbreak lyric: “I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life. You’ll be a star in someone’s sky. But why, why, why not mine?”

Love even flow

I could never to this album and I think it is Vedder’s voice. He just bellows away. There’s no nuance and it makes everything sound a bit dull and samey. The song that played immediately after, Just Breathe from 2009, is a different story, and suggests this is something he has developed over time

4/5 ⭐ que álbum gostoso de ouvir, classic rock de qualidade impecável

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.

Tho the genre has virtually lost all meaning in the thick of far too many subgenres, 'rock' is the aptest descriptor of this record. Vocally, Eddie Vedder sings w/ a powerful and drawling attack, a register that has now achieved classic status. Musically, it seems every track features a guitar solo, which is at times eventful and justified, others not so much, while the drumming is mostly straightforward and ordinary. I guess what makes it a 'grunge' breakthru is the sensitivity of the lyrics: 'She's been diagnosed by some stupid fuck / And mommy agrees'; 'Clearly I remember pickin' on the boy / Seemed a harmless little fuck.' That 'sensitivity' is mostly believable but at the same time leaves me doubtful and surfeited w/ mawkish honesty.

Pretty biased on this one. Never like Eddie's voice. Lots of popular songs on this album. Good rock and I can appreciate for the time this sounding pretty different, but the voice kills a lot of it for me

Definitely a cool range of vibes for a grunge era band. Some songs I love the singing but some come off as annoying. Even Flow is definitely the highlight for me, def a reason it’s such a huge radio song

Good stuff. Not a dud on here. Solid songs throughout. Singers voice is memeworthy but I honestly didn’t mind it.Even flow is a jam no pearl yuh. 7/10

dang actually pretty good. Expected it to just be cringey dad-rock but it sounds pretty sick. Besides the singer, but honestly it works

Perfect album, one of my all time favourites.

I've always deemed this band as poppy or boring, but to be honest, I never listened to the whole record (prejudices, huh?). Don't get me wrong, I love some late 80s, and early 90s hard rock artists like Rage Against the Machine, Mudhoney, Alice in Chains, etc. However, due to the popularity of Pearl Jam, I assumed they were the poppiest. Man, was I wrong was! This is rocker than I thought, and have a good bunch of singles. Great one! Gotta listen to it more (I know it feels weird to talk in these terms of such a renowned album, but I'm just being honest).

Masterpiece. One of my all-time favorites.

I remember really liking this album it’s therefore a little weird to listen to it now and have it sound so boring, so derivative, so blah. I had it on cassette tape. I remember it vividly. It was a clear cassette tape and I would listen to it in my yellow, bulky Sony Sports walkman, while I sat on the bus on my way to figure skating. And I would just keep flipping the tape over and over and over again. I don't think I took the album out of my walkman for weeks. At the time, I thought that my taste in music was superior to other people (read: other figure skating girls) who liked, say, Bon Jovi or Aerosmith or other white man rock bands that were popular at the time. I remember thinking, with disdain, of the girls on my skating team that loved the song "Bed of Roses". I thought the lyrics of that song were garbage. Quick example: "Know I'll be thinking about you / While my mistress she calls me to stand in her spotlight again / Tonight I won't be alone, But you know that don't mean I'm not lonely". Like come on. Are you serious? For me Pearl Jam sounded more sensitive, realistic, gritty and different. Maybe it was back then, but when I’m listening to it now it really just seems to sound like that same old white man rock (I suppose we call it "classic rock" now) that I didn’t like listening to at the time or at least I thought I didn’t like listening to. All this to say that it’s really weird to hear this record and feel like I’m supposed to find something new and different. I mean Eddie Vedder‘s voice is not terrible. There are some bits of guitar I like, the production is good and there are a couple moments that make me remember that bus trip through downtown Whitby, through the Psychiatric Hospital that we called the "Psych" and would drive through late at night to scare ourselves.

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.

These guys sounds like they're trying really hard to be cool, but they really aren't cool.

👍

This music does not sound bad but it can be a little repetitive at times. Low 4/5

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).

pretty good.

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

It was good, but alot of the same. Not really my jam, but I understand why people like it

Alright, I'll give this one 4 star for the awesome fucking instrumental. The vocals suck tho

I like the wah & chorus parts. The guitars overall are great as this is arguably the golden age of this kind of harder rock when it wasn't really dated. Solos are some of the best bits, and some bits are really creative. I think his voice seems like a parody of itself. I'm not keen on the ballad ones WHICH ARE SO POPULAR WHAT ON EARTH. Favourite songs: even flow, why go, oceans, porch, garden, deep. Overall around 7/10

...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four... three...two...one...blast off!

Bardzo dobre, kilka klasyków wartych zapisania. Na pewno nostalgiczna płyta.

Highlight: Jeremy

As one gets older one maybe slides slightly away from nirvana and towards the inevitable Pearl Jam.

Already have it in my collection

Oh My God

Me: (not being able to under stand a single lyrics) Hell yeah, brother

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

i just... do not like this kind of musiccccc all the songs sound the same to me i need to listen to the Into the Wild soundtrack now as a cleanse

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.

Peak middle-school album, for me, with direct memories linked to Jeremy (on the radio in my Grade 7 math teacher's class), Even Flow (Guitar Hero III all-timer) and Black (feeling as if I understood being heartbroken). The whole first half of this album is unimpeachable. The B-side is merely very good. I'm not going to pretend this doesn't rip.

Didn’t mind this

Stacked with the hits; preferred the 2011 remaster with the modern drum sound.

Not as cohesive as some of their later records, but it definitely felt like they were announcing their presence as a heavyweight in the grunge scene moving to the forefront of contemporary music. There are some great tracks individually, but they were still just finding their sound.

It’s hard to be objective about one of your favorite bands of all time. I fell in love with Eddie and crew as a teenager and though it comes and goes, Pearl Jam remains one of my faves. It’s frustrating that Ten is their most recognized and acclaimed album, since it’s far from their best. It was made in a rush, the sound muted and rough, and the songs full of lore that may have been better served on an EP elsewhere. And yet, even with that, the energy here is undeniable. The band is mixing classic rock, funk and punk into a potent mix that has so much going on in so many directions. Eddie is on fucking fire, hitting all sorts of emotional peaks and valleys. And if the band isn’t their best, they’ve undeniably got something special, something heavy but vulnerable, which would mark their work for years to come. I’d love if the list included their stronger work but I have to give the dudes a solid 4 stars for this one which still packs a punch.

alright pearl jam i kinda doubted your game. Alright pearl jam even flow rips. alright pearl jam i kinda doubted your game again this one is cool. alright pearl jam i don’t like this one as much. alright pearl jam i fell asleep for the rest of the album

Decent

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.

Standard overplayed 90s, truly great songs tho...

Cum sauce. 9/10

What lead paint does to an mf

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.

Excellent. Total dad rock, even helped me connect to my dad more. Pearl Jam 🤝 Red Hot Chili Peppers 🤝 Dave Matthews Band Stand outs: Alive Garden Oceans Once

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

I'm not the biggest fan of Pearl Jam because Eddie Vedder's voice sometimes tries too hard I find. It came to a positive surprise that this album is very solid. I didn't need to listen to it but it's an experience all rounded off with some songs could've stood out more. "Oceans" and "Black" might be two highlights.

Just... fine. It's just... fine. 5/10

Love Pearl Jam

In my preparation for attending the 2025 Peral Jam Dark Matter tour, I endured the cinema release of their new album Dark Matter. The whole album was played twice through, and after the first round, a lot of people left, including me. I didn’t end up going to the concert but I did hear lots about it through friends and family. Their new album actually put me off wanting to go! I’m glad I had the opportunity to listen to this album, it reminded me that in the day, they were an awesome band (even if they do sound a bit too country sometimes)

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)

I've never really listened to Pearl Jam. Perhaps as they fell between other bands I do like (Nirvana, QOTSA) without particularly appealing to me. Having said that, I think they are OK and I didn't mind listening to this a couple of times.

Not my favorite genre of rock, but a surprisingly enjoyable listen. It does have that effect of a lot of classic albums where it was so influential that it doesn't land quite as well as it did on release, due to everyone emulating it.

Musically quite cool but not for me overall

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

Very good rock record. 4/5

Hørres ut som Creed. Får lyst til å spilla guitar hero

more like Seven by Pearl Jam. let me rate things with half stars!!!

One of the greatest albums of the 90s

I’ve never been a big Pearl Jam fan, I must admit. Actually, I always say I’m not a fan of 90s US alt-rock, but then I end up having to clarify that with so many exceptions that I think it’s fair to just say I’m not a Pearl Jam fan and leave it at that. Eddie Vedder’s voice annoys me. So that said, I was really surprised to find myself quite enjoying this. I’ve heard Even Flow, Alive and Jeremy before, obviously, but I found myself enjoying them more in context, especially Even Flow. I still think almost every song could have 30-60 seconds shaved off it without losing much (do we REALLY need a fifth chorus) and I did find my attention wandering by the end - but I guess I can’t honestly say I hate Pearl Jam any more. So that’s a win, I guess?

A staple

Pretty good, I’m old so Pearl Jam is new to me though of course I’ve heard of them

Overrated

Ten is a really great album but for whatever reason, something about it is preventing me from giving this album 5 stars. Pearl Jam is one of the big two grunge powerhouses (the other being Nirvana) so it does of course have that typical grunge sound that i was expecting and it does sound very good throughout all of the songs. The guitars on the songs are what mainly steal the show as they do sound amazing in a lot of the songs. A lot of the other aspects about the album are great too and of course none of the songs are bad either. I really do like this album but not as much as i feel i should. Best Song: Jeremy Worst Song: Oceans

I don’t super love Pearl Jam or even this album, but Eddie Vedder does have a great voice.

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

Seems a little fishy that this album was generated just a few days after Nevermind. Naturally, that means they must be pitted against each other. Nevermind is the better all around album but I prefer Ten’s big singles. Pearl Jam sounds like a better band of musicians and Vedder’s dinosaur roar-style or singing is preferably to Kurt. Ten also benefits from having Mike McCready lay down slick guitar solos, while Kurt’s solos usually just follow the verse vocal melody. But, Ten loses the battle because I would say “Oceans”, “Garden”, and “Deep” are all filler tracks and Nevermind is great the whole way through. PJ should’ve swapped two of those songs out for “State of Love and Trust” and “Yellow Ledbetter”.

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this record all the way through, but I could sing along (or growl along) to most of it. Pearl Jam has never been my jam. I don’t get how they were put in the same genre as Nirvana and Soundgarden. Nothing here is especially exciting, even if they play it with a lot of chutzpah. I bet a live show woulda been badass in the 90s.

Nice, high 4

Decent music, meh vocals.

Classic 90s

No review here. Just 5*s

Easily one of the greatest albums ever. 5-stars

Not my voice, but nice jamming

grunge/rock classic

Wow another nineties blockbuster. This is a great album even though I’m not the biggest Pearl Jam fan. Let’s take a fresh listen. I….. don’t know. I mean I was never a fan of Pearl Jam, finding them dull and tedious. This album is a certainly a Pearl Jam album, dull and tedious. I mean the songwriting and musicianship is fine, it’s just all so samey and boring. It all muddles together and even though you know the songs it just sounds like one song that keeps dragging on. This can’t be less than three stars since it’s iconic and must be on such a list, but I just don’t like it.

10/10. Total grunge awesomeness. This album is so cool! I don't really know what more to add right now.

Too much classic rock for me, from the voice to the style. Nothing is really new, but still well served

This is a joke, right?

I like Pearl Jam, like that nerve, like that voice.

Only great songs.

Great example of an album where the term “dated” can be used as a positive. I don’t think I’ll be revisiting very often, it’s just not my kind of music. But know that every time Alive comes on in public and people make fun of Vedder’s voice it’s because they secretly love this stuff, no matter how corny they insist it is.

10/10 Generation-defining album. Intense debut album blending grunge with classic rock. Thirty years later, it still sounds fresh.

I mean yeah

Finally I get an epic grunge masterpiece from this generator. The funny thing is, growing up I was a huge Soundgarden and Alice in Chains fan, and Nirvana to a lesser extent, but only really knew the Pearl Jam singles. I've gotten more into the latter in the years since, though. Four of these are genre defining, and for me Even Flow and Alive are transcendent grunge classics. Jeremy and Black are merely excellent. But the album as a whole is not just the four singles. There isn't a dud here--the other six tracks are slept on for sure but still good. Porch and Garden are really growing on me over the years, for example. Release is a great kicker song.

i already know it's gonna be great yippee

30 years ago I'd rate this a 5. Didn't age well

A classic, obviously. This album is so influential it's almost overwhelming to listen to. Going back and hearing the deep cuts shows that this band was not only commercially viable, but that they were one of the leaders of the grunge movement. “Oceans” and “Porch” are classics.

This is one of the best and most complete albums that came from the early grunge scene. In my opinion, it's at least 75% thanks to Eddie Vedder. He elevates every song on this album, making quite boring tracks instrumentally, like Alive, into a world famous hits. Black and Jeremy have such an emotional package, that it's hard to listen to it twice. The album itself slightly dips in quality on side b, but the number of hits from the first side of LP make it one of my favourite rock album ever.

This is a very complicated decision for me. I came in with bias- my dad being a fan of this bad immediately makes me feel they deserve credit, however after listening there’s just something with his voice that pains me a little to listen to, I can’t lie. If I put the voice aside, there is no doubt the music and instruments and everything else is undeniably both impressive and incredible. His voice is just slightly intolerable. So, given my slight bias and curiosity, I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

Late summer 1991: lying around the house sometime at night watching MTV when they make a big deal of premiering a video from this new band (those of that era can also corroborate it was kind of an exciting thing) - and then they cut to black and white and reveal an actual live performance video and the whole thing coalesces into this big ending and I'm like what the hell *was* that? Followup: taking a bus downtown to Tower Records (RIP) to buy the CD (along with Black Sabbath's debut - I remember where I bought most of my albums but not where I put my winter gloves last night) and played the hell out of it all winter. TL;DR: great/stunning/unique debut with haunting lyrics that matched the more-complex/creative-than-it-seemed-on-the-surface music. The album always felt too reverb-heavy even for the time (and I just found out there's a remix...I'm curious) and it tends to drag just a bit at the end (really just the song "Deep" which is the only potential skip for me), not enough to knock it down tho. Loved their next album yet not much after that but this still has a big place in my memory. Don't tell me Nirvana was the "poster band for GenX" because this band lapped them 10x over with this release alone (of course I know why - Eddie Vedder didn't off himself. Good on him - he eventually got to see his Cubs win the Series). I don't know if life was truly better in 1991 (although....) but this album is a guaranteed time machine every time I listen to it and was formative for my next new wave of music. 9/10 5 stars.

85% Best: Once; Even Flow; Alive; Black; Jeremy; Garden; Release Must-Hear? Sure

-Once is a good intro, nice guitar riffs but that's all it is. -Even Flow into Alive and Why Go are moody and hook your attention immediately with the lyrics, but you stay for the Guitar solos. -In the song 'Black' it sounds like Randy Marsh is singing sometimes, not complaining either. -Jeremy is my favorite song on the Album, Alongside Even Flow. Not a hot take, but it is what it is, these songs clearly stick out among the rest. -Oceans is like a movie romance, very cool and cinematic track. -Porch has great repeatability, love the energy and guitar solo, of course. -Garden is just so damn cool, the whole track is amazing -Deep can hit different depending on how you are feeling, this could resonate to your core or seem like too much. -Release sends the album out in a emotional pit of despair, much like the feeling of listening to The Doors 'The End' its long but it needs to be to extend these large musical sections. I dig it, very cool song.

I'm not usually the biggest fan of Grunge, but I appreciated some of the classical rock influnces in this one. I'd say I enjoyed it more than I did "In Utero", so I think I'd give this a 3 out of 5. Favorite Track: Black

Fresh & energizing! Not so heavy anf depressing as I thought!

Amerikanske powerballader for alle penga. Ganske kult egentlig, litt same’y men kunne lett satt på plata på nachspiel eller når det skal drikkes øl og whiskey

Large sounds. Good tracks is black other than Alive

The typical album that’s good from the beginning to the end.

3 Never mind

Kinda fun really

Tons of undeniable classics, great riffs, and an excellent vocalist. I have no complaints.