Setting aside its importance in the history of popular music, Nevermind still stands a high watermark if only for its songs. Looking back, it’s not so groundbreaking after all. Amplified post-punk, something that's been paved over time and time again way before Nirvana exploded onto the scene. But that’s not why it’s praised. Song for song, with the exception of “Stay Away”, almost all of them single-worthy, in the way Thriller’s songs were. It’s one of those few records with no misses or added pretensions, and it’s all so user-friendly. This is guitar-pop, despite its seemingly anti-radio attitude. It’s also one of those records people will try to downplay because of its simplicity. A record with so much praise that it will inevitably have its detractors. But it does fit the criteria to stand the test of time. Catchy melodies, pristine choruses, a feel for dynamic contrast (shout-out to Pixies for that), and an angst that will appeal to so many distressed and depressed teenagers for years to come. The ultimate alt-rock record, the best album of the 90s, and the start of modern rock n’ roll. And none of it was intentional.
Alt-rock boomed in ’91, but that trend started with punk in the late 70s. In the 80s, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, The Smiths, and Pixies all flourished in the underground indie scene. And then rock took the mainstream by force with “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Of course, it’s overplayed, but that’s to be expected anyways. It’s as much as classic as “Hey Jude” or “Johnny B. Goode”. Like those songs, it works well on its own, but it’s also a staple of its time. Every grunge or alternative band that followed in the first half of the 90s seemed to rip-off or ride off its success. It’s true that Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were around before Nevermind, but they only found mainstream success after it. And like any other great milestone, no rip-off could capture the original brilliance of its original purveyors. Grunge is not a good subgenre of alt-rock, but all Nirvana did was create a somewhat original sound while many attempted to follow. Even pre-greatness Radiohead climbed onto the grunge bandwagon with “Creep”. In retrospect, those bands were responsible for the term, not Nirvana. And when Cobain passed, the genre faded as well. And it will stay gone until the next singer-songwriter genius revives it. But they may never happen again.
In the early 90s, rock n’ roll was still next in line behind pop and R&B in terms of chart potential. Hip hop wouldn’t take the mainstream until the late 90s. It was still possible for (great) bands to chart within the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Fast forward to the 2000s, where Jack White of The White Stripes was the only viable rockstar in the age of landfill indie. And their defining moment of fame only climbed to no. 76 on the Billboard. Post-Nirvana, The White Stripes were the only band that ever came close to achieving the quality and superstardom of bands like Nirvana, R.E.M., etc. And even then, The White Stripes only ever had “Seven Nation Army” and “Icky Thump”, with the latter climbing to no. 26 on the Billboard. The only other candidates for that kind of rock n’ roll popularity would be Chris Martin of Coldplay and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, and given their recent (or all of their) output, no sane person is really comfortable with putting them alongside era-defining rockstars like Cobain, Hendrix, or Lennon. It goes to show that the last true rock star was Cobain, and we should be pretty comfortable with that.
Some may decry Cobain as a sellout or false rock messiah, but these contrarians are too often given credibility. Cobain was no sellout, as proven by In Utero, an album contrarians probably never even bothered to listen to. Cobain was not anti-mainstream, but he was not about to compromise his sound, which is why In Utero had such an abrasive sound and was also a sigh of relief for those who wanted Nirvana to live up to their hype. Not only is it the music Cobain wanted to make, but it acted as a counterargument to his detractors. Nevermind may also sport aggressive, fuzzy guitars, but they also fall within conventional pop structures, and the choruses stick like any Billboard top 10 hit. Two years later, and In Utero would have a song titled “Rape Me”, the scream-fest that is “Milk It”, and raw production handled by Steve Albini, the mastermind behind PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, The Breeder’s Pod, and Pixies’ Surfer Rosa. And while I may risk hyperbole, Cobain just may be the last rock messiah. He was capable of so much, and he did it in so little time. His song forms could be as tender as they were ear-piercing. The Beatles were as much an influence on him as the Pixies were. “About a Girl” is a highlight on Bleach, but was immortalized on Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged set, his unexpected coda. Same goes for “All Apologies”. Live albums, especially MTV Unplugged specials, are usually cash-ins, but this one was essential. The covers weren’t just astounding; they may have actually improved upon the originals. Little did we know how well he could actually sing as opposed to his angsty howl. Not an ideal voice when you think of great singers, but there is more emotion there than a thousand Whitney Houston’s. As Robert Christgau (Dean of American Rock Critics) once said, “The vocal performance he evokes is John Lennon's on Plastic Ono Band. And he did it in one take.”
Nevermind could’ve just as easily been an accidental masterpiece. So many one-hit wonder-albums, from Television’s Marquee Moon to the Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. But as it turned out, Cobain had more to say; In Utero proved that. Still, there was so much untapped potential for him. A modest genius; he was the slacker-type, but the music was that of a perfectionist. Depressed, but showed hints of redemption. He didn’t want the title of being rock’s next savior, but it was handed to him anyways. He was a punk rocker, so naturally, he downplayed every title everyone anointed him. And everything that happened eventually got to him. A martyr for the genre, but I believe he never wanted any of it. All he wanted was to rock out with no expectations handed to him.
As it stands, there were only two great ones and a good one from Nirvana. What happened, happened. Let’s be happy that this music exists. And even if you aren’t amazed by his music, be glad he and his boys almost single-handedly pulled us out of the oversaturated market of 80s hair metal. That’s an achievement in itself. Rest in peace you short-lived, rock messiah.
