What impact did Nirvana have on the state of rock music?
Nirvana’s coup d’etat of the Billboard charts in 1991 changed EVERYTHING about music, as if things could be so simple. Of course, it takes an understanding of what most folks visualize when discussing popular music’s landscape around this time. Here’s a short summary: 1) Pop music and pop (hair) metal rule the charts; nothing of substance sells; boo 2) Nirvana & alt-rock / grunge kick those soulless bastards in the nuts with true ART; yay 3) Nirvana is gone; alt-rock & grunge follow suit; oh no 4) Pop music and pop (rap/nu) metal rule the charts; nothing of substance sells; boo Nirvana was able to seek refuge in two camps, with one foot tenuously dipped in the waters of grunge, and one grimy boot firmly set in the world of punk rock. Of course, most folks remember that, following Nirvana’s success, other bands from their area of Washington realized success as well. Since the majority of these groups shared vaguely similar physical and sonic characteristics, major media outlets were mor
