Grunge (originally known as the Seattle Sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the mid-1980s in the U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and Olympia, and other nearby cities. Grunge fuses elements of punk rock and heavy metal, and features the distorted electric guitar sound used in both genres, as well as bass guitar, drums, and vocals. Grunge also incorporates influences from indie rock bands such as Sonic Youth, Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. Lyrics are typically angst-filled and introspective, often addressing themes such as social alienation, self-doubt, abuse, neglect, betrayal, social and emotional isolation, addiction, psychological trauma, and a desire for freedom.
The early grunge movement revolved around Seattle's independent record label Sub Pop and the region's underground music scene, with local bands such as Green River, the Melvins, and Mudhoney playing key roles in the genre's development. Sub Pop marketed the style shrewdly, encouraging media outlets to describe the Seattle sound as "grunge"; the style became known as a hybrid of punk and metal. By the early 1990s, its popularity had spread, with similar sounding bands appearing in California, then emerging in other parts of the United States and Australia, building strong followings and signing major record deals. Grunge broke through into the mainstream in the early-to-mid-1990s, led by Nirvana's Nevermind in 1991, and followed by other crossover successes including Pearl Jam's Ten, Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, and Alice in Chains' Dirt. The success of these bands boosted the popularity of alternative rock, eventually making grunge the most popular form of hard rock music during the 1990s.
Several factors contributed to grunge's decline in prominence. During the mid-to-late 1990s, many grunge bands broke up or became less visible. Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, labeled by Time as "the John Lennon of the swinging Northwest", struggled with an addiction to heroin before his suicide in 1994. Although most grunge bands had disbanded or faded from view by the late 1990s, they influenced modern rock music, as their lyrics brought socially conscious issues into pop culture and added introspection and an exploration of what it means to be true to oneself. Grunge was also an influence on later genres, such as post-grunge.
View More On Wikipedia.org