What's the best Grunge song?

Torcida said:Of course it's a Nirvana song. The fact that Bowie wrote it doesn't change anything. He wrote it specifically for them.

😕 Are you actually like this, or are you just pretending? 😁

What did he write for them? That song came out in '71, right when Cobain was just starting kindergarten.

hollowseal33 said:😕 Are you actually like that, or are you just putting on an act? 😁

What did he write about them? That song was released back in '71, right around the time Kurt Cobain was probably just starting preschool.

If we simply ignore him, he might just wander off. 😛
It’s quite obvious he’s merely fishing for attention and attempting to derail the conversation.

Personally, I don't mind that How You Remind Me track by Nickelback. It’s alright.😬

Jeffrey Green16 said:I actually dig that How You Remind Me track by Nickelback.😬

Hahahrgh! 😬

Anyway, I remember watching this solid documentary about Grunge back on SLO2, where Geezer Osbourne had plenty to say about how much the Melvins actually contributed to the whole scene. 🙂
The reality is, what we used to call Grunge doesn't really fit the label anymore because someone will always jump in with a counter-argument. So, what even is Grunge?

np - Mudhoney - No One Has

William Rodriguez36 said:Hahahrgh! 😬

Anyway, I recall there being a solid documentary on SLO2—one where Geezer Osbourne had quite a bit to say regarding the Melvins' influence. 🙂
The reality is that what we used to call grunge doesn't really fit that label anymore... people will just throw a counterargument at you instantly. So, what actually defines grunge?

np - Mudhoney - No One Has

The term 'grunge' feels like a futile attempt to box a whole musical movement into strict definitions (ha, if that makes any sense...). 😁
Debating whether a certain band is more or less 'grunge' is pretty pointless—after all, there isn't a single band that truly embodies the absolute essence of the genre.

William Chavez74 said:Calling it 'Grunge' is just a desperate attempt to squeeze an entire musical movement into some tight little box—yeah, I think I nailed it there. 😁
Arguments over which band is more or less 'grunge' are totally pointless because there isn't one single group out there that actually embodies the whole damn genre.

Exactly! Though maybe you shouldn't have said it out loud. 😁

William Chavez74 said:The term 'Grunge' is just a clumsy attempt to box a whole musical movement into some strict, arbitrary definition (ha, maybe I'm overthinking that one!!). 😁
Arguing about which band is more or less 'grunge' feels pretty pointless—mostly because there isn't really one single band that serves as the perfect blueprint for the genre.

Then again, what is there even to debate? 😁

Grunge is primarily Seattle—a city defined by its struggle with addiction.

It’s a guitar vibe that ties together Nirvana (with that pop production), Soundgarden (carrying those Indian influences), Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains (who always insisted, "we're a metal band"), and everyone else.

You've also got Stone Temple Pilots, Silverchair, and honestly, who knows how many others.

Maybe Limp Bizkit is the true successor to grunge. 😉

And Soundgarden definitely isn't a Zeppelin clone; Zeppelin were hippies. 🙂

A little more on the nature of grunge itself—1) it's always melodic, and often quite heavy.
Grunge isn't noise, and it isn't punk.

In that documentary mentioned above, Geezer Osbourne complained about teaching everything he knew to a spoiled Kurt Cobain. Seems a bit pathetic, if you ask me.
Anyway, I caught him a few weeks back at a Fantomas show. He's still got it—sounds healthy, headbanging along to Mike Patton's conducting and all that. 🙂

It seems we have wandered quite far from our original topic.

In your estimation, which stands as the definitive grunge anthem?👋

pušačica said:Guys, you've completely lost the plot here.

The ultimate grunge track👋

Well, we’ve already listed plenty of songs.

Now it’s time for the usual: "What actually defines grunge?", "Grunge lives!", "Who's still around?", "Was Kurt Cobain some kind of pop-Jesus?", and "Why does everyone blame Layne Staley for how he was found in that tub?" 😉

Top lists... I guess the more I read through this thread, the more old favorites I start remembering...

Soundgarden - Birth ritual, from the "Singles" soundtrack

Alice in Chains - Them Bones, Mother Love Bone - Dam That River, Rooster, Mad Season - Would, Again

Mad Season - Wake up, Lifeless Dead, Long gone today

Oh! Here's another one for the list:

Pearl Jam - Release me

Man, that one is pure euphoria. mmmmMRRAAAAAAAAAK!

👋

coastalorca3 said:Mad Season - Wake up, Lifeless Dead, Long gone today

A-ha! Here are a few more...

Pearl Jam - Release me

Man, that track is pure euphoria. mmmmMRRAAAAAAAAAK!

👋

Hallelujah, someone actually remembered Mad Season... 🙏
and one addition to my previous list:
Pearl Jam - Indifference

Some of my absolute favorite Grunge tracks: "Would" and "Angry Chair" by Alice in Chains, plus "Drain You" by Nirvana.🙂

Even though I wouldn't call myself a hardcore Grunge fanatic...

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam, Black

Nirvana - All Apologies (I wrote that wrong... honestly, I can't be bothered to Google it), Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam (not even their song, but it sounds incredible on Nirvana Unplugged)

As for Bush, they have a few decent mellow tracks lying around—maybe "Glycerine" or something similar, I haven't listened in ages.

It looks like quite a bit has gone down here while I was away! 😉

Regarding lonegardener14's comment about "Pearl Jam - Last Kiss"—actually, that isn't originally a Pearl Jam track 😉. It’s more of an older song that Eddie Vedder just happened to love so much that he decided to record a studio version of it. (There are actually a few other gems like that which people often mistake for original Pearl Jam songs, but they're such lovely covers, like: Throw Your arms around me, Soldier of Love, The kids are alright, or Gimme some truth... lalala.)

As for picking a top five list, of course, it's nearly impossible to satisfy everyone! Everyone has their own specific flavor of Grunge that hits home, so I’m really curious to know which bands the rest of you gravitate toward most. 😉 😛

Now, don't get me wrong—I'm not saying anyone's input will change my mind about a band. I know all of them inside and out; I've been studying their discographies and following their careers for years now... but!!

Listen closely, because here is the BUT!!! I am totally open to suggestions! Whether it's discovering a new band or remembering one I might have accidentally overlooked, I would absolutely love to dive into something fresh!

THANKS, catch ya later! 🙂 😉

I've got Mudhoney's Love Buzz stuck in my head right now... I honestly can't decide which grunge track hits hardest for me🙄 , there's just no way to choose.

😎

I'm also really feeling Down in a Hole and Angry Chair... and yeah, even Smells Like Teen Spirit, so go ahead and crucify me if you want... I just love it all, seriously.

😁

Brian Foster2 said:it looks like quite a bit has happened here since I was last around...😉

Regarding s.a.y.'s comment—"Pearl Jam's 'Last Kiss' isn't actually their own song"—that's right. It's just an older track that Eddie really connected with, so he did a studio cover. There are a few other little gems people mistake for original Pearl Jam tracks, mostly covers they play for fun, like: Throw Your arms around me, Soldier of Love, The kids are alright, or Gimme some truth... 😉 THANKS, catch ya later!
🙂 😉

And then there are all those songs the Jam fans love hearing at shows as homages to their idols—things like Growin', Baba O'Riley, Fortunate Son, Know Your Rights, or Rockin' in a Free World...

coastalorca3 said:🙂 🙂 Grunge lives on 🙂 🙂
(tears of joy)

After agonizing over this and tossing out plenty of genuinely great tracks just to force this list down to five picks:

1 - Soundgarden - The day I tried to live

2 - Alice in Chains - Nutshell

3 - Nirvana - Lithium

4 - Alice in Chains - Rooster

5 - Temple of the Dog - Times of trouble

I don't even feel like typing much, but this is about as close as I'll get to what I’d actually pick.
hm.
no excuses
Dammit, there are way too many good songs.
It's impossible—how can you possibly choose just one BEST track?

1. Alice in Chains - Would
2. Temple of the Dog - Say Hello 2 Heaven
3. Pearl Jam - Wishlist
4. Mad Season - Wake Up
5. Alice in Chains - Heaven Beside You

I really don't want to offend anyone, but this whole thread is honestly a bit of a mess. Trying to pick just one "ultimate grunge song" is impossible—how can I name one without totally ignoring all the others when they're all freaking incredible?
.......The absolute best grunge heavyweights: Alice in Chains
Pearl Jam
Soundgarden
Temple of the Dog
Mad Season
.........Every single one of these bands delivers absolutely phenomenal music and killer songwriting...........

What’s the deal with bands like Skin Yard (Jack Endino), Love Battery, Green River, and My Sister's Machine?😢
Is Blind Melon even Grunge?🤔

Mostly... Alice in Chains are the gold standard.

Screaming Trees - Bed of Roses ...how did they know they were going to be so good... pure Weltschmerz. Honestly, peak Weltschmerz right there.
👍