Nirvana

The iconic American band that formed in the mid-80s is an example of the sudden rise and unexpected end of the alternative rock band of the late 20th century.

 As befits rock musicians of the day, guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic first met at Aberdeen High School in Washington State. The guys immediately became friends, and Kurt offered to try to create a new rock band; however, Krist did not answer, which lasted for several years. Then, he accepted Kurt's proposition, and the guys started experimenting with the sound, which happened in 1987. It is worth noting that the guys had problems finding a suitable drummer. So, the group changed five drummers, until in 1990, between the release of the first and second studio albums, they did not find Dave Grohl, who remained in the drumming position until Kurt's death. As the musicians recall, Dave established himself at first sight, and literally, two minutes later, he was already accepted into the group as the drummer.  

The group almost immediately joined the then-popular movement of grunge musicians in the Northwest of the USA. This movement was especially popular in Seattle, the largest city in the home state of musicians. The group's first success was a single release - the song recorded by Nirvana, which was a cover of the song Love Buzz written by Shocking Blue. This cover was released by the independent Seattle label Sub Pop. Immediately after that, the band began recording their first album, Bleach. The musicians spent just over $ 600 out of their own pockets for the recording of the album. Although the album would later be called dubious, it still allowed the band to sell their first dozen thousands of copies, get on the playlists of local college rock radio stations, and then go on their first national tour. The album did not become a bestseller but gave the group a kind of impetus and contributed to the initial recognition of the band. 

Soon after the release of their first album, the band began looking for a new major publisher to satisfy the band's requests. DGS Records became such a label, which was a very successful decision. The band immediately began recording the new Nevermind album. 

The very first single, Smells Like Teen Spirit, became a bestseller almost immediately, bursting abundantly on worldwide television and radio. In fact, the release of the second album allowed the group to break into the list of mainstream artists. The group began to squeeze all the performers from the top of both the American and world charts. So, more than 400,000 copies of the album were sold already by Christmas, and ultimately, Nirvana sold 30 million copies of Nevermind all over the world. 

At the same time, the band embarks on their first European tour. In turn, the musicians abandon the American tour in support of their new album Nevermind, justifying the accumulated fatigue. Further, against the background of popularity and the first real commercial successes, the first serious disagreements appear between the musicians. Despite rumors spread by fans of the group, Nirvana plays one of her most memorable concerts in Reading, presenting two new singles: “Rape Me” and “Lithium”. Although the publisher expected a new album by the end of 1992, Nirvana is limited to releasing a Compilation Album using old unreleased material. The band recorded a new album, In Utero, on an independent label in Minnesota further in September 1993. It immediately took first place in both the US and UK charts. Despite the fear of some fans, the band did not go mainstream, and the third album fully retained their original alternative sound. 

The band embarked on a European tour in early 1994. Nirvana played several concerts in major European cities, but alas, the European tour was interrupted by the worsening psychological state of the band's frontman Kurt Cobain. The group returned to Seattle, after which Kurt, although he tried to undergo drug rehabilitation, was unsuccessful. He returned to his alcohol and heroin addiction, and on April 8, 1994, he was found dead near his house. The cause of death was a shot from a gun, later recognized as a suicide. At that moment, the existence of the group was interrupted for many years. The remaining members, Krist and Dave, did not try to find a replacement for Kurt but concentrated on publishing material that was not included in the previous albums. Nevertheless, the band earned a place of honor in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was then that the band played their first concert after Kurt's death for the first time in 20 years, bringing in several new members. The group still gives rare concerts delighting loyal fans. 

A separate topic for conversation is the musical style in which the band performed. Nirvana is usually determined as a grunge-rock band by most of the musical critics. Grunge, or in other words, the Sound of Seattle, is an indie music genre that took shape and developed on the West Coast of the United States. The dirty guitar sound, the volume drops, and the dark lyrics are the main features of this style. Nirvana did not become the founder of this style, but their album Nevermind became the most successful grunge album ever. Although the genre actually dissolved in the early 2000s, it left its mark on a vast array of group followers who adopted certain grunge elements. So, among the performers inspired by Nirvana, one can find Weezer, Wavves, Mac DeMarco, FIDLAR, 30 Seconds to Mars, and other performers. As a musical movement, Grunge directly influenced even individual representatives of the nu-metal scene, for example, KoЯn.