Remember Whensday – Kurt Cobain

This week, we are celebrating the life of Kurt Cobain as he would have turned 50 on Monday. The legendary front man of Nirvana helped establish one of the greatest music eras known to man…. Grunge. Coming out of Seattle, Grunge took the states by storm and would dominate the 1990’s and bring rock n’ roll out of the glam of the hair metal scene from the 80’s and into a more down to earth and heart-wrenching genre.

 To pinpoint one song of Nirvana’s that stands out amongst the rest would be cruel to Cobain’s memory because they were all incredible in their own ways. However, the anthem of “Smells like Teen Spirit” was the hit that skyrocketed his career. He had said the song was his attempt to “write the ultimate pop song.” He used elements from his favorite artists like the Pixies and John Lennon to write “Teen Spirit.” Even though this song put him on the map, before he committed suicide in 1994, he was sick of playing it and said, “There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better” (Rolling Stone). What started as a cry of originality and anti-corporate, turned into a mainstream melody that lost meaning in his eyes.  

So to remember Kurt Cobain, here’s something other than “Smells like Teen Spirit.”

 

About Cassandra Smith

Hey all! I’m Cassandra Smith and this is my first year with WPGU. I am a junior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. I love reading, music, and binge-watching TV shows while eating glorious take-out food.

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