Nirvana's grunge classic 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' hits more than a billion views on YouTube
The alternative rock scene lives on strong, as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Nirvana has hit one billion views on YouTube. The epic achievement happened on December 25 and must have been a momentous Christmas gift for fans of the band and Kurt Cobain around the world.
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and its music video pulled a number of awards including Video of the Year and Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The song is off the 'Nevermind" album which was the band's second studio album, released in 1991, and it wasn't until the album's release that Nirvana hit breakout success. It was the album that welcomed legendary musician Dave Grohl as drummer for the first time and on January 11, 1992, it peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200.
There has been many an argument over the past two decades and longer over what exactly is Nirvana's best song, and since Cobain's tragic death, it has seemed like the arguments have faded over time simply because the songs have just been honored as timeless and glorious musical relics of art.
Fans and non-fans of Nirvana have always reflected and pondered over the band, but especially over frontman Kurt Cobain since his tragic death in 1994. His death was ruled as a suicide, although the topic has been heavily disputed with many speculating that it was not.
Nirvana came into the industry at a time when the alternative rock scene was still trying to find footing in the industry and trying to establish hand-in-hand respect with its mainstream peers. It is hard to believe that, at that time, alternative rock, especially hard rock or heavy metal, was often regarded as "underground".
The band influenced a plethora of artists that followed them with their unique angsty grunge themes, with some claiming that the band started the grunge scene entirely, even seeping into the punk rock realm with its lack of electronic mastering and tones, focusing more on a dirtier sound recording quality, and with Cobain's catchy form of "shouting" vocals rather than the growling vocals which has become the norm in metal music today.
Krist Novoselić, founding member and bassist for Nirvana, commented on his Twitter with a "Thanks to you all!" as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' hit the massive milestone of one billion views.
Watch it here: