Grunge

Of all of the different styles that emerged as part of the bigger picture of alternative rock, none were as immediately recognizable as the grunge scene that was developing in the Pacific Northwest. Characterized by bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the grunge sound was largely antagonistic and used distortion and feedback as signature sounds that were far from the stylings of mainstream rock. In addition, the lyrics related to the angst and apathy that were common emotions of the early 1990s.

The beginnings of the grunge movement began in the 1980s with most music historians noting that the roots of the music actually comes from the many punk bands that operated in the late 1970s. Drawing from this influence, the artists in Seattle and other Northwestern towns were able to evolve in relative isolation to the rest of the musical world. The close knit community of the bands meant that individual players were often involved in many projects, thus creating a more uniform sound to the region, the sound that would later come to be known as grunge.

As punk broke into the mainstream with the popularity of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and other bands, more attention was paid to this segment of alternative music because of the entire counter culture that it represented. The bands dressed in a specific way, commonly with flannel shirts, raggedy clothes, and boots. When the music began to be more popular, the clothing and other parts of the culture were also accepted by the country at large. In the mid 1990s, the grunge fashion could be seen and the grunge music be heard in nearly every corner of the United States. The decline of true grunge music began to appear as commercial bands, such as Bush and Candlebox, began to use the sound as a vehicle to gain financial profits.