Nirvana formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987 around Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, with Dave Grohl completing the classic lineup in 1990. Nevermind (1991) knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard 200 and made grunge a mainstream fact; In Utero and MTV Unplugged in New York complete the essential run. Shop Nirvana vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Nirvana formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987 around Kurt Cobain (born February 20, 1967, Aberdeen, Washington) and Krist Novoselic (born May 16, 1965, Compton, California). After drummer rotation, Dave Grohl (born January 14, 1969, Warren, Ohio) joined as drummer in October 1990, completing the classic three-member lineup. Their 1989 debut Bleach (recorded for $606.17, Sub Pop) established their early following in the Pacific Northwest underground. Their 1991 album Nevermind (produced by Butch Vig at Sound City Studios, with the foundational single Smells Like Teen Spirit) became one of the most commercially and culturally important albums in rock music history - displacing Michael Jackson's Dangerous at #1 on the Billboard 200 in January 1992 and establishing grunge as a mainstream genre. Their 1993 follow-up In Utero (produced by Steve Albini) was more abrasive and was widely cited as one of the most important albums of the 1990s. Their 1993 MTV Unplugged performance - released posthumously in 1994 as MTV Unplugged in New York - became one of the most important live recordings in popular music history. Kurt Cobain died by suicide on April 5, 1994 at age 27 (his body was discovered on April 8). The band dissolved with his death. Krist Novoselic has subsequently pursued political activism. Dave Grohl founded Foo Fighters in 1994. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Their foundational influence on grunge, alternative rock, and broader rock music history is widely cited as one of the most important contributions to the form.
Nirvana's sound is foundational to grunge as a recognized genre - combining grunge, alternative rock, punk rock, hardcore punk, indie rock, and noise rock with Cobain's distinctive vocal delivery (range from intimate whisper to extreme scream), virtuosic dynamic compositional approaches (the iconic loud-quiet-loud structure), and lyrical content addressing alienation, depression, gender, and broader existential themes. Their foundational influence on grunge is widely documented.
Original Sub Pop and DGC Records pressings of the Nirvana catalog are foundational items in alternative rock collecting. Multiple anniversary editions (particularly the 20th, 25th, and 30th anniversary editions of Nevermind and In Utero), audiophile reissues, and the comprehensive UMG reissue programs have been released, with collector premiums on rare pressings.
Listeners new to Nirvana typically start with Nevermind (1991) or In Utero (1993).
