Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (Video Tutorial & Sheet Music Bundle)

In Aberdeen, Washington, singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic formed Nirvana. It was an American rock band formed in 1987. They went through a heap of drummers, the longest-lasting being Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990. Having only released three full-length studio albums in their seven-year career, Nirvana came to be regarded as one of the most influential and important alternative bands ever. In 1994, the band ended after the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain. After all the time which has passed, their music continues to maintain a popular following.

In the late 1980s, Nirvana established itself as part of the Seattle grunge scene, releasing its first album, Bleach, for the independent record label Sub Pop in 1989. They came to develop a sound that relied on dynamic contrasts, often between quiet verses and loud, heavy choruses. After signing to major label DGC Records, Nirvana found unexpected success with “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, the first single from the band’s second album Nevermind (1991). Nirvana’s sudden success widely popularized alternative rock as a whole, and the band’s frontman Cobain found himself referred to in the media as the “spokesman of a generation”, with Nirvana being considered the “flagship band” of Generation X. In response, Nirvana’s third studio album, In Utero (1993), released to critical acclaim, featured an abrasive, less mainstream sound and challenged the group’s audience.

Since its debut, the band has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. In 2014, Nirvana was immediately inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in its first year of eligibility.