Nirvana are a band that will always be remembered. Not only because the lead singer, Kurt Cobain, killed himself, but also because their music was so passionate, meaningful, and influential. They founded grunge with their first album, Bleach, and their second album, Nevermind, was praised enormously by the music industry as a whole.

Nevermind was a much more commercial album (although it was never intended to be when written), and featured two hit singles (Smells like teen spirit, and Come as you are). It is Nirvana’s best-selling album, and is heralded as one of the best albums of all time.

On that note, lets take a look at the music on this album, song-by-song:

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit

A teenage anthem with the name taken from a perfume brand (Kurt was unaware of this at the time). It is a fast, powerful rock tune with one of the catchiest riffs of all time (mainly because it is so easy to play on the guitar). Ask anyone to name a grunge song and this is what he or she will come up with, a top ten single when it was released, and a superb song worthy of this.

2. In Bloom

A slightly slower pace hits the album now, though still keeps the heavy, powerful guitars. Kurt uses dark vocals on this song to give it a sinister edge “Sell the kids for food”. Many say it is a song about Kurt’s drug addictions, and how he needs them over everything.

3. Come As You Are

The second smash hit from this album, “Come As You Are” is a much less rockier, more grunge style song. Kurt’s vocals pick up greatly from the last song and are more forceful and coarse. It is an attack on society’s making people do things before thinking about them.

4. Breed

The album really picks up speed here, with a fast, anger-fuelled song. A fast, distorted guitar riff starts this song off, before Kurt’s coarse vocals take effect once more. Although this is still a great song, it is one of my personal weaker songs from the album.

5. Lithium

My favourite song on Nevermind (and I know many people agree with me). It is much softer than the songs before, with a clean guitar verse, and distortion only kicks in as the chorus takes over. Kurt’s singing sounds much less coarse, and prettier even, on this track. A superb song, one of Nirvana’s best ever.

6. Polly

This is a song based on the true story of the kidnapping, and rape, of a 14-year old girl. It is quite slow paced, and the vocals, and instruments, are kept clean throughout. I think it is one of Nirvana’s most meaningful, and beautiful, yet most depressing song.

7. Territorial Pissings

Just as you are getting used to the softer side of Nirvana, this powerful track emerges. Kurt pushes his voice to the max with intense screams in this song. A fully distorted, simple, grunge guitar riff dominates this whole song. Not for the feint-hearted :)

8. Drain You

As quickly as the album got fast, it gets slow and peaceful again (this is one of the many reasons why this album is so good, because it is so varied). In a similar style to lithium, although this song has a much darker chorus, a complete change to the bouncy verse.

9. Lounge Act

One of the weaker songs on the album, although still great. A soft-ish song although still contains powerful guitars, and deep vocals.

10. Stay Away

A much heavier song than the previous two, with the verse showing off Kurt’s dark, deep vocals again. It is an attack on the music industry trying to make everyone step into the limelight to make more money and be more popular. “I’d rather be dead, than cool”

11. On A Plain

Another one of the weaker songs, though it is still a nice, calm listen. A very soft, clean song with Kurt putting his vocals in coarse mode again. Dave Grohl (Nirvana drummer, now lead singer of the Foo Fighters) does backing vocals on this song which fit perfectly with Kurt’s to really bring out the singing on this track.

12. Something In The Way

A sad, depressing song to end the album. Kurt wrote it when he was chucked out of the family home, and lived under a bridge. It features slow guitars, with a slightly faster chorus. You can really feel Kurt’s voice shaking on this track as it is so deep and emotionally.

The album also features a secret track, Endless, Nameless, which just features Kurt screaming randomly over strange, twisted, guitars and drums. It shows how full of anger Kurt Cobain really was even when he wrote the softer songs for this album.

Hope my opinion was useful to some of you and you haven’t fallen asleep yet, and hopefully I’ve persuaded some of you to go buy this album now.