Vs.

I am sort of a Pearl Jam naysayer, at least to a certain extent. I consider that they have been overrated by my generation, most especially their debut *Ten*, which I find hackneyed, forced, badly produced, not to mention by the book and unmemorable on a melodic level. It's filled to the brim with predictable chords sequences and unbearable, long-winded arrangements, which are also almost totally devoid of punk elements -- a serious crime in my eyes for that sort of record and the scene it came from. And Vedder is often so self-indulgent in his meandering vocal performance in this first LP, as skilled as he is. Even if he is a good dude on a general level, I just can't forgive him for that! In short, I hate this record. For me, the only merit of this album is to have landed at the right place (Seattle) and the right time (early nineties). And contrary to Nirvana's *Nevermind* (who also matched that requirement), the lack of distinct features in the music of this debut (apart from Eddie Vedder's performance, which, as I suggested, is a very acquired taste for me) makes its popularity for nostalgic gen-X listeners a total mystery for me or my ears. Why them, and not, say, Screaming Trees? Or The Posies? I can find way more memorable and dynamic songs in the latter bands' early discographies than what I can find on this debut. In other words *Ten* was basically "dad rock" for listeners who professed to reject dad rock. Oh the irony. And of course, it is very much dad rock *today* -- not that it's necessarily a problem, I can dig dad-rock if I want to. But this is where said original irony is doubled down for me in 2026. That said, I am quite pleased to find *Vs.* in the list today. Contradiction? Not necessarily. For me each and every element in Pearl Jam's music is at least twice better handled in this sophomore LP. If not *ten* times better (see what I did here?). The sound is better. The production of Brendan O'Brien does its job right this time around. The drums are better, more dynamic. The riffs are more infectious. The artistry is indeed more abrasive on many songs (without going to some of the wtf? dead-ends of subsequent LP *Vitalogy*). Punk or near-punk intents are a little more defined. You still have a couple of hackneyed nineties "groove rock" cuts ("Rats" and "Leash" maybe?), but the groove is indeed good on tracks "Go", "Animal", and "Glorified G." (and the latter tackles a subject that's still pivotal today). As for "Daughter", its chorus is memorable and, frankly, quite moving. Oh, and the very end of that song goes to interesting "shamanic" places owing to "global music", which are then heard again on "W.M.A." (maybe also partly inspired by Talking Heads' rhythm section?) As for "Rearview Mirror", it ironically goes forward in a very driven fashion. And "Indifference" is an inspiring, oneiric, atmospheric closer that ticks all the right boxes such a closer should tick. One last thing pleases me in this inclusion: the five-star review currently topping this section. You can feel nostalgic while still displaying critical insight and being fair in your retrospective assessment of a band or album. Some people should take a page out of this here, I think .. So you see, I'm not necessarily *against* Pearl Jam. As in "Vs. Pearl Jam". Rimshot! No, in all seriousness, I am against *Ten*. Hope the difference is made clear now. Peace to all dad-rock fans out there! ✌🏼 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 for the musicianship and production values + 3.5 for the artistry) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 122 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 143 (including this one) Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 315 ---- Salut Émile, Tu pourras lire ma dernière réponse sous le *Little Criminals* de Randy Newman. A+.

One of the biggest rock acts ever? Of course we should have more of their stuff on this list. Now, I know I may be against the grain, but I think this is possibly their strongest album, so kudos to the person who picked this. This album just fucking rocks. You can't blame them for all the vowel warblers that came after. Best Tracks: Animal; Daughter; Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

Back in the 90s I would have largely ignored Pearl Jam. I liked 'Jeremy' but otherwise didn't pay them any attention. If pressed, I would have said that they sounded too commercial compared with the more abrasive, cool and experimental grunge of Nirvana. But I've really come to appreciate them with time and this is really an amazing album. There are a few familiar songs, particularly 'Daughter' which I like a lot more than I remembered. I definitely need to listen more.

I am completely unable to be free of bias here. I play guitar because of this record. I even spent $10* (in 1993 money) to spend an hour on the internet at the local library downloading and printing text versions of the tabs. On a 28.8k modem. And the printouts were 20 cents per page! *apparently that's $23.40 in Australian Dollars adjusted for inflation. $23 an hour for the internet... man...

Really good better then Ten in my view.

Bland.

I just can’t do their vocals. I’m not sure exactly what it is but something about them is so cringe to me. Instrumentally it’s decent though. I dig grunge.

Best Song: Leash. I really liked the palpable anger in this one. Worst Song: Indifference. I kept waiting for Eddie Vedder to let himself loose, and he never did. Overall: A better album than I remembered. I found myself actually enjoying the lesser known tracks more than the hits, which have a little too much radio play and don't actually encapsulate the wild energy that the better Pearl Jam tracks have. This was fun.

I'm not a big fan, and this isn't their best.

ugh, can’t stand Pearl Jam - 5/10

Banger

I don't know why I haven't really listened to a lot of Pearl Jam. I feel like it's the type of music I would have the potential to get into. This was a good point for me to get their fame. I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, but I would like to give more chances. It is classic, and understandable.

On a Tuesday in 1993 I waited in line before midnight at Tower Records to buy this album (and Rush's Counterparts) on day-of-release. Yeah the good old days really was quite fun - a social gathering of young GenXers all congregating for a common interest while looking suspiciously at one another. I miss those days. This album delivered - kicks ass and with the highest highs even exceeded their debut. I think I like it even better today. The band were never the same for me after this one but that's ok [they were so much better than Nirvana - death does wonders for a reputation...], and even if this album didn't necessarily push the genre to different places it's still a most enjoyable throwback listen. And 2 all-time great albums to start a career is a rare feat indeed. Best track: Rearviewmirror. 10/10 5 stars. IMO: Belonged in the book? No.

Gets 5 on nostalgia alone, bit mostly holds up. Some of their greatest songs, but maybe some of the political ones haven't aged that well.

I think I liked it better than Ten. Still a very overrated band, IMO.

Ohh, I've always missed this one. This and Vitalogy. I knew of people and friends who listened tot his record a lot, but I jumped from Ten directly to Yield and kind of never looked back. I do like it now, though.

Like reconnecting with an old friend — we have a physical copy of this and it was high rotation back in ye olde iPod days. Ten was on the OG list and I gave it a 4; this one gets a nostalgia bump to 5. Standout tracks: Go, Daughter, Glorified Pelican, W.M.A, Rearviewmirror, Leash, Indifference. Hmm, 7 of 15 — maybe it's a 5 on its own merit after all!

I have more nostalgia for "Ten" so this doesn't land quite as hard for me. It's solid, though. Fave tracks - "Dissident", "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town"

Tycker nästan att det räcker med Ten på listan. Plattan är inte dålig men inte riktigt i min smak.

This deserves a full listen. Solid lyrics and music that draws you in.

Alkoi lupaavan raskaana mutta sitten tulikin kevyttä rockia. 3/5

A fascinating follow-up to Pearl Jam's Ten for a few reasons. First, it was forced to compete with Nirvana's In Utero, released just a month prior, which has left a far more long-lasting legacy. The recording of Vs. also represented a tortuous process for frontman Eddie Vedder, who reportedly hated the small Californian town where the studio was located. Then, in total defiance of the music press, they eschewed many promotional efforts in favor of letting the album speak for itself. The result was nearly a million units sold in the first week, which allowed it to attain platinum certification in no time. Clearly, the band felt that Vs. was an acceptable followup to Ten. And what a followup it is! While there's only one clear hit single this time around with Daughter, Vs. is loaded with way more energy, piss, and vinegar compared to Ten. It certainly still sounds like a Pearl Jam (complete with Vedder's yarling), but this grunge noise is seemingly more focused and captivating. I also appreciate how the closing track Indifference provides a quiet meditation that gives the album space for meaningful reflection. Consider me impressed. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Despite Vs. selling well and topping the charts, it's legacy still lives in the shadow of the more fondly-remembered Ten. It's hard to justify this album's inclusion then the one that came before it is the one everybody knows the band for.

I never really gave Pearl Jam the time of day when I was younger because I was a huge Nirvana fan, and I didn't understand the concept that I could like more than one thing. Anyway, this album is wall to wall great songs, most of which were huge hits. Nice work Pearl Jam 4/5

When pearl jam landed in the early '90s, my head was in a very different space musically and I thought they were derivative and a bit dull. Never really changed that view, it just doesn't excite me - it's fine but I can't see that I would ever choose to listen to it

Arguably superior to Ten so glad to see this get added.

The veder voice is so good, and I'm struggling to place what makes their instrumentation effortlessly awesome, but it is

Pearl Jam were never really my thing, but I did like Ten and gave it 4/5 when we had it. Vs isn't as good but has its moments, I really liked Rearviewmirror, that song goes fucking hard, but otherwise it's a little bit samey and grungey for my preferences, like the bass work is stellar but too dominant imo, a good albu, but not a very good one, higher 3/5.

basic 90s grunge

While it didn’t reach the rare-air heights of their debut album, this was by no means a sophomore slump. I have very fond memories of hours of Castle Wolfenstein (3D!) accompanied by the soundtrack of this really grungy disc. I love the nostalgia and I’m only knocking off a star to allow for Ten’s superlative glow.

It's always a pleasure to listen to Pearl Jam, and while not all their tracks are "collector's items," they're always a guarantee of good music and great vocals from Eddie Vedder. My all-time favorite from this album is Dissident.

This is a really great album. Overshadowed only by the one that preceded it. The songwriting, lyrics, instrumentation, and vocals are all fantastic. Lot of good hits on here. Not much to complain about. The energy we know they have isn’t as large, but it’s still there. The album is possibly more cohesive than Ten, but maybe that’s negated by the messier lyrics. Still great, just not sure it’s worth a five out of five. Real close, though. 4/5

The sopranos guys have based politics. Who knew?

While Ten might have put Pearl Jam on the map, Vs. cemented their place in the pantheon of generational musicians whose work would shape entire lives. Granted, I'm a little biased, as this was an album that helped me get through some very dark times as a younger human.

Bog standard rock album without any stand out tracks. More stuff to play loudly 20 years ago in USA dorm rooms by men.

Another on that I need to flag as a personal favourite from my teenage years so my judgement is clouded by the importance of this record to my development as a music lover. Bought this the day it came out on cassette and listened to it in the car while my brother drove me and some friends to a high school dance. My copy was one of the ones with the Vs title on it. Front to back a great record. They avoided the temptation to just make Ten part two. The sounds push into different sonic territory and very throughout the record. Truly a masterpiece.

This was the first CD I bought, back when I was 12 and it was brand new. It wasn’t the first CD I had, but it was the first that wasn’t a gift and the first that I asked my parents take me to the mall to buy. My Aunt Pam gave me 20 bucks for Christmas in ‘93 and wrote in the card “buy yourself a CD, I hear the new Pearl Jam record is good”. So, that’s exactly what I did. My music taste at that point wasn’t really formed and even though I knew Pearl Jam and liked them, the thought of buying one of their CD’s (or any other artist’s albums) hadn’t really occurred to me. I wasn’t a music obsessive at 12 and was kind of content just to listen to the radio and whatever came out of the speakers there. That changed pretty quickly after I bought Vs. I started buying Import Pearl Jam CD singles, so I could have the b-sides and rarities and they were probably the first band where I felt a need to be a completist. That obsession soon followed to other bands and even today, there are a bunch of bands I am a bit an obsessive completist for: Guided By Voices, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth… The Pearl Jam obsession was pretty short-lived, as I kind of lost interest after Vitalogy, but they were the cornerstone for future behavior, I suppose. It’s kind of interesting to have taken that trip back through the past and kind of pinpoint the genesis of a piece of my personality. When listening today, I had a similar response to this record as I did with the Beastie Boys’ “Ill Communication”, where I started to think about how that era in America felt so promising, like it was the dawn of something new, but that promise has now completely evaporated. Ironic and infuriating that some of the songs here tackle the same issues that we are still struggling with today: Police Brutality (WMA), Gun Violence and Gun Control (Glorified G), Inequality (Rats, even if the metaphor is a little muddy). Nothing changes, we’ve been singing the same songs for 30 years and then some. And we’ll probably be singing them for another 30 years. Well, that’s bleak. Let’s see if I can turn this around and end on a more positive note… One thing that also hasn’t changed over the last 30 years is that I still think Rearview Mirror is Pearl Jam’s best song. Combine that with this being one of the most formative albums of my life and you’ve got an easy 5 from me, even if I still don’t like “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town”.

AI generated grunge

Tiis is more for hard core grunge fans than the casual listener, but it does what it does well.

I grew up in the 90s with grunge in my bloodstream. Ten was one of the great pillars of that era for almost everyone, so coming back to Vs. should have felt like home. It never really has for me. This is a heavier and edgier record than Ten, but it doesn’t feel like a band naturally getting heavier or edgier. It feels like weight they were carrying. The anger is there, but it isn’t the wild, feral anger of the first record. It’s clenched. It’s directed inward. It’s pressure rather than release. You can hear a band that suddenly found itself massive. A band that was all of a sudden classed as one of the official stewards of “grunge," trying to live up to everything the world expected from them. There’s still plenty to enjoy here. WMA and Rats hold up well, and Rearviewmirror remains the best song Pearl Jam have ever recorded. But most of the album sounds like a group who lost their fun and their looseness in the rush of becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet but also not repeat Ten. In later years, Pearl Jam learned how to relax into themselves again. Vs. is the uncomfortable moment in between: important historically, but emotionally strained.

Like all 90s rock, it wildly overstays its welcome, but honestly way better than I was expecting from them

For me this is 1 star album. I'm sure they invite folk and rock into their music but for me, this isn't necessarily working as a genre of music.

September 25, 2025 HL: "Go", "Daughter", "W.M.A.", "Rearviewmirror" Pearl Jam? More like SQUIRREL Jam, because, uh- these songs are so good it's nuts -_- Once again, Pearl Jam pops up on this website and I have nothing really to say. The last PJ I listened to in full wasn't Ten, but Vitalogy, which had a lot more bells and whistles to mention- not that it made it a superior album. "W.M.A" and "Glorified G" do demonstrate a righteous fury I forgot this band was capable of, so that's pretty noteworthy!

A masterpiece.. My 3rd favorite Pearl Jam album behind Ten and Binaural. A no skip album. Favorite top 3 songs 1.Animal 2.W.M.A. 3.Rats To bad they didnt put Hold On to the album. And its stil the Go-Animal combo the best duo openers of all Pearl Jam albums. Love it

My second favorite Pearl Jam album!

This is PJ’s go to album for me. Raw. Energetic. Enveloping. Not a weak track among them. It’s telling that Better Man was recorded during the Vs. sessions and couldn’t make the album. I would sub it for Rats, but I’m nitpicking.

Grunge, alternative rock, hard rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Grunge, alternative rock, hard rock. Pearl Jam puro y duro. La canción Daughter es la primera que conocí de él. No soy su fan.

What can you say about a masterpiece! These early Pearl Jam albums are pieces of art.

For better or for worse, this is exactly how you'd expect a second Pearl Jam album to sound like. Rawer, heavier and edgier than "Ten", mirroring Nirvana's evolution from "Nevermind" to "In Utero". Not as consistent as their debut, but "Rearviewmirror" might genuinely be the best song they've ever done. Strong 3/5.

Legends.

I kinda forgot this album existed, and when I listened to it I could see why. Pretty dull, almost like outtakes from the Ten sessions.

This is a good album, stand alone I’d have it on the list, but it really isn’t in the same league as ten, so when I’m in the mood for pearl jam, that’s the album I’ll be going for.

The ballads and folkier cuts hold up better than the rockers but what a delight to hear again a recrod that meant so much in '94. A band that seems to have retained its integrity and remains easy to enjoy/like and admire in the post-rockist era. Vedder's always been a proper rock frontman/demi-god.

Pretty good

Nowadays I hear a lot of smack talk directed at Pearl Jam, which is unjustified because these guys rock! This and their debut are both great pieces of grunge

This was a left turn from 10 but also more modern to my ears. Been a while.

This is a really good album, one that really doesn't immediately come to mind when I think of this era, but is absolutely worth consideration. Starts out heavy as a hammer and maintains a pretty consistent energy throughout. Most of the best songs are loaded on the front half, which does make the middle part feel a bit dull by comparison. The lyrics are a bit simplistic and repetitive for my taste, but musically the band is on point, sometimes viscerally so. Eddie Vedder is in his prime as a vocalist here as well. I gave a 4 to Ten, so I'm going to have to go high 3 with this one. Fave Songs: Daughter, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Go, Animal, Dissident, Rearviewmirror, Indifference

Classical pearl jam sound

Definitely plenty of pearl jam magic here. It becomes a bit more challenging than ten, but still a ton of really solid tracks.

Fantastic album from the kings of 90s rock!

I could write pages about what Pearl Jam means to me, and judging by their enduring fanbase, I know I'm far from alone. But I'll keep it short. After the seismic impact of Ten, I genuinely thought they had already reached their peak. Then came Vs.: rougher around the edges, more urgent, less concerned with radio play, yet somehow even more compelling. Most importantly, it was an entire album of new Pearl Jam songs! And every single one felt essential. Fresh, exciting, and not yet played into the ground by MTV. That sense of discovery is still forever attached to this record for me. From start to finish, Vs. is a powerhouse. A snapshot of alternative rock in the '90s at its absolute peak (yes, I'll reluctantly use the word: grunge). I loved it then, and I absolutely love it now. And somehow, they weren't even done. Vitalogy would go on to do to Vs. what Vs. did to Ten. Those first three Pearl Jam albums may well be my favorite opening trilogy by any band.

Whatever, just not my thing

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Go, WMA, Rearviewmirror

Ok this was put on but a big Pearl Jam fan who feels there should be more of theirs on the list. I respect that although they aren't one of my favourites. It's functional and represents the genre perfectly.

Not really a Pearl Jam fan so this music doesn't do much for me. It's fine and slightly better than average. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

I enjoy Pearl Jam when I listen to them, but I don’t ever want to listen to them voluntarily.

Never a huge fan - I don’t dislike the band, but found them.always to be on the more dark/self-serious side of the grunge spectrum, while I preferred the funnier, more oddball product. But it can't be denied that the musicianship, writing and performance are all very high tier. I'll bump it a point above my strict preference for showing up early and sticking it out for the long haul.

Didn't think I'd like that but was good

I can only picture Eddie Vedder sitting on the toilet moaning "mmmehhh eeehhh"

Ten is a hard album to follow up on. Between the great songwriting and hard rock it’s one of the best grunge albums made. In Vs Pearl Jam went in a little different direction. Their best song on the album is a much softer song that still rocks. Pearl Jam had a wider range of ability and in Vs they show that off even if it isn’t the hard grunge style everyone fell in love with. 7.2/10

Excellent album by an excellent band. 4 stars.

Just complete grunge perfection. Instant nostalgia. I still prefer the polish of Vitalogy, but this is pretty much just as good.

Nice rock album by Pearl Jam. It is certainly not their best, but songs like "Daughter", "Dissident" and "Rearviewmirror" make it 4 star worthy.

Actually good Not what I expected from Pearl Jam 4

Kinda torn on this one. Ten is one of the greatest albums of all time, and the first 3 PJ albums overall are all pretty good. But Vs is definitely the point where Eddie Vedder started to get annoying, and their songwriting started getting kinda iffy. They held it together for this album and most of Vitalogy, but after that they just started outright sucking. I think a lot of that is due to Vedder taking on a lot more songwriting. You can hear the beginning of it here. The Aerosmith-ish influence that made Ten (and Mother Love Bone) so cool is mostly gone. It's not that they turned to shit, it's that they were obviously trying to *mature* and you can hear the contempt for their greatest stuff in the sound here. I hate the production, basically. Thankfully there are still things in here that made Ten cool: that thick bass sound, a bit of a funky edge in places, guitar solos that haven't really left the 80s, etc. And rearviewmirror is one of rock's most underrated songs. Some of the songs wouldn't be THAT out of place on Ten if they'd been given the same arena rock production (which was categorically fucking BETTER). I dunno, this is either a 4 or 5, but I'll have to think about it until tomorrow.

An album that has lived in my DNA since 1993. I hadn't listened to the album, or much Pearl Jam, in the last few years, but I sang along to every lyric and guitar fill when I listened to this again. Definitely their creative peak, with such a great blend of the melodic and the raw. Each subsequent album from here on had less and less of that fire and fury. I'd have given this a 5 back in the '90's, but these days it's a 4.

Grunge, alternative rock, hard rock. Ni fu ni fa.

[Eddie Vedder voice]

Gen X culture is so aggressively lazy and dull and boring and Jesus Christ I already had to live through this once why are you making me do it again

A side of Pearl Jam I hadn't heard before, reminded me of Primus in a few spots with the typical Vedder twang. Did run a bit long for my liking, but it was nice to hear some solid 90s hard rock for a change here.