30 years ago on September 24, 1991, Nirvana released their groundbreaking album “Nevermind” that defined the so-called Seattle Sound of the 90s.

Nirvana started out as a garage band in the Seattle area in 1987. The band gained a local following through their performances, and they released their first album: “Bleach” in 1989. After going through a series of drummers, Nirvana finally found Dave Grohl and headed to the studio to record “Nevermind.”

“Nevermind” is Nirvana’s second studio album, and its success is what put both their band and the grunge genre on the map. 

The album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. It became certified gold and platinum in 1991, and was certified diamond in 1999. “Nevermind” became the number one album on the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 Charts in January 1992, replacing Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” for the top spot.

“Nevermind” became the voice of a generation, and includes the anthems “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, “Come As You Are”, and “Lithium.” “Smells Like Teen Spirit” earned Nirvana a heavy rotation on MTV, and the song is still very popular today. 

“Nevermind” displays a wide variety of genres: there are slower acoustic staples like “Polly” and the closing track “Something In The Way,” grinding punk rock can be found on the tracks “Breed” and “Territorial Pissings,” and pure teenage angst is shown on numbers like “Stay Away” and “Drain You.”“Nevermind’” jump started the rise of alternative rock and culture, and turned the music industry on its head as the world went crazy for grunge music.