Next up in Wet Thud's ongoing series of lists dedicated to ranking the discographies of our favourite musical acts of all time, it's Nirvana. With good reason to believe their best work is behind them, we take a look back at one of the most successful "underground" bands to subvert the mainstream.
Primarily based off the massive success of their sophomore album Nevermind, Nirvana, alongside a host of their contemporaries, helped pave the way for scores of experimental, "alternative" acts to snag lucrative record deals with major labels back in the early nineties. Many of those signings proved short-lived when hits didn't follow, and majors went sniffing after the next big trend, but the impact of Nirvana's relatively small discography still looms large decades later.
Over the course of just three studio albums, a smattering of singles, and a live recording that became their unintended swan song, Nirvana rose from punky upstarts playing club shows and house parties around America's northwest to one of the world's biggest rock groups, selling out sports arenas around the planet.
Compounded by the effects of severe depression and drug addiction, the band's notoriety proved too much for singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide in April 1994. Based off interviews and his own writing, the role of mythic, rock legend is not one Cobain would have been comfortable with, but his level of success combined with his untimely death have cemented his fate as a tragic figure in the annals of rock music history.
Of course, none of this would be the case if the music wasn't so good. Their debut Bleach is now regarded as a slept-on classic, and the aforementioned Nevermind, its dark follow-up In Utero, and the MTV Unplugged In New York recording are still each regularly cited as some of the finest long-players ever issued.
Without further ado, these are Wet Thud's picks for the forty best songs in the repertoire of Nirvana. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.
040. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
039. "Turnaround" (cut from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
038. "Lake Of Fire" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
037. "Negative Creep" (album cut from Bleach, 1989)
036. "Milk It" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
035. "Endless, Nameless" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
034. "Serve The Servants" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
033. "Dumb" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
032. "Love Buzz" (single from Bleach, 1988)
031. "Very Ape" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
030. "Scentless Apprentice" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
029. "Son Of A Gun" (cut from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
028. "Lounge Act" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
027. "Been A Son" (cut from the Blew EP, 1989)
026. "Molly's Lips" (promotional single from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
025. "Stay Away" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
024. "Blew" (single from Bleach, 1989)
023. "Sappy" (cut from the No Alternative compilation, 1993)
022. "The Man Who Sold The World" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
021. "Aneurysm" (b-side from the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single, 1991)
020. "Polly" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
019. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night (In The Pines)" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
018. "Dive" (b-side from the "Sliver" single, 1990)
017. "Drain You" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
016. "Territorial Pissings" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
015. "Something In The Way" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
014. "Pennyroyal Tea" (aborted single from In Utero, 1993)
013. "You Know You're Right" (single from the Nirvana compilation, 2002)
012. "Rape Me" (single from In Utero, 1993)
011. "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
010. "Sliver" (single, 1990)
009. "On A Plain" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
008. "Lithium" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
007. "About A Girl" (album cut from Bleach, 1989)
006. "In Bloom" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
005. "All Apologies" (single from In Utero, 1993)
004. "Come As You Are" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
003. "Heart-Shaped Box" (single from In Utero, 1993)
002. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
001. "Breed" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Song Title" (format from Album Title, release date)
040. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
039. "Turnaround" (cut from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
038. "Lake Of Fire" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
037. "Negative Creep" (album cut from Bleach, 1989)
036. "Milk It" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
035. "Endless, Nameless" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
034. "Serve The Servants" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
033. "Dumb" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
032. "Love Buzz" (single from Bleach, 1988)
031. "Very Ape" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
030. "Scentless Apprentice" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
029. "Son Of A Gun" (cut from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
028. "Lounge Act" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
027. "Been A Son" (cut from the Blew EP, 1989)
026. "Molly's Lips" (promotional single from the Hormoaning EP, 1992)
025. "Stay Away" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
024. "Blew" (single from Bleach, 1989)
023. "Sappy" (cut from the No Alternative compilation, 1993)
022. "The Man Who Sold The World" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
021. "Aneurysm" (b-side from the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single, 1991)
020. "Polly" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
019. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night (In The Pines)" (promotional single from MTV Unplugged In New York, 1994)
018. "Dive" (b-side from the "Sliver" single, 1990)
017. "Drain You" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
016. "Territorial Pissings" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
015. "Something In The Way" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
014. "Pennyroyal Tea" (aborted single from In Utero, 1993)
013. "You Know You're Right" (single from the Nirvana compilation, 2002)
012. "Rape Me" (single from In Utero, 1993)
011. "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" (album cut from In Utero, 1993)
010. "Sliver" (single, 1990)
009. "On A Plain" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
008. "Lithium" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
007. "About A Girl" (album cut from Bleach, 1989)
006. "In Bloom" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
005. "All Apologies" (single from In Utero, 1993)
004. "Come As You Are" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
003. "Heart-Shaped Box" (single from In Utero, 1993)
002. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (single from Nevermind, 1991)
001. "Breed" (album cut from Nevermind, 1991)
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