Smells Like Teen Spirit

The unexpected success of this song propelled Nirvana and Nevermind to the top of several albums charts at the start of 1992, an event often marked as the point when grunge entered the mainstream. It was Nirvana's biggest hit, charting high on music industry charts around the world. It was met with wide critical acclaim, and described as an "anthem for apathetic kids". Nirvana grew uncomfortable with the mainstream and commercial attention the song brought to them, but listeners and critics continue to praise Smells Like Teen Spirit as one of the greatest songs of all time. It won two MTV Video Music Awards and was in heavy rotation on MTV during the 1990s. MTV's programming department, claimed the video changed the entire look of MTV by giving the channel a whole new generation to sell to. In 2000, the Guinness World Records named the song the Most Played Video on MTV Europe. The title derives from a phrase written on Cobain's wall by his friend Kathleen Hanna, "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit.”

Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington. Founded by lead singer / guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notably Chad Channing, before recruiting Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture. In the late 1980s, Nirvana established itself as part of the Seattle grunge scene, releasing its first album, Bleach in 1989. They developed a sound that relied on dynamic contrasts, often between quiet verses and loud, heavy choruses. Characterized by their punk aesthetic, Nirvana's fusion of pop melodies with noise, combined with their themes of abjection and social alienation, brought them global popularity. Nirvana disbanded following Cobain's suicide in April 1994.

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