“What a time to be alive!” It’s an expression that you hear often these days, but it was definitely true if you were a rock music fan in 1991. On August 12 of that year, Metallica released their self-titled album, often referred to as “The Black Album.”
Over the next two months, it was followed by a mind-blowing parade of classic albums: Pearl Jam’s classic debut, Ten, Guns N Roses’ long-anticipated Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. And on September 24, Soundgarden released Badmotorfinger, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Nirvana unleashed Nevermind. By the way, a lot of other great albums came out during that span, including Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears, Mr. Bungle’s self-titled debut, Hole’s debut Pretty On The Inside, the Pixies’ Trompe Le Monde. It wasn’t just rock bands who were releasing great records: country superstar Garth Brooks put out Ropin’ The Wind and hip-hop legends A Tribe Called Quest dropped The Low End Theory and Naughty By Nature released their debut. There was something in the air, or in the water.
But for the purposes of this list, we’re sticking with Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Guns N Roses and Metallica. Â In honor of those incredible 44 days (they were tough if you were a student on a budget trying to buy all of these CDs!), we’re ranking the 44 best songs from those seven albums. We’re sure you’ll tell us what we missed and what we got wrong. But something that we can all agree on is that ’91 was a great and pretty much unprecedented time for rock music.
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44. Metallica – âThe God That Failedâ
ShareThe singles from âThe Black Albumâ (rightfully) get a lot of attention, but âThe God That Failedâ is one of the albumâs best tracks. Many songs on this list were borne of pain; thatâs certainly where Kurt Cobain, Axl Rose, Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell wrote from. And this song is one of the most painful: itâs about James Hetfieldâs mother's death. She died of cancer after refusing medical attention, believing that her faith would save her.
43. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âNaked In The Rainâ
ShareOf course, not every song on this list is angst-ridden; in âNaked In The Rain,â the Chili Peppers are simply annoyed at humanity (âCold and mean, people give me the creeps!â) and decide to hang out in a jungle instead. They love animals so much, they want to communicate with them. As Anthony Kiedis asks in the song, âDr. Doolittle, whatâs your secret?â
42. Pearl Jam – âWhy Goâ
ShareHow tough was it to make this list? So tough that one of Stone Gossardâs best riffs on âTenâ barely made the list (itâs worth noting that Jeff Ament wrote the music to this jam though). Like many of the songs on âTen,â though, it looks at dysfunctional families; the narrator laments the fate of a young girl who has been institutionalized: âIt's been two years, and counting, since they put her in this place/She's been diagnosed by some stupid f---, and mommy agrees.â
41. Nirvana – âOn A Plainâ
ShareNirvanaâs music was always a great study in contrasts -- often going from quiet to loud (a la the Pixies, one of their huge influences). Here, Kurt Cobainâs ragged vocals run right up against the sweeter backing vocals by Dave Grohl (this song was one of the first things the drummer recorded with the band).
40. Soundgarden – âSearching With My Good Eye Closedâ
ShareâBadmotorfingerâ was the bandâs most psychedelic album, and this song is a good example of that. Drummer Matt Cameron said ââSearching With My Good Eye Closedâ is one of Chrisâ greatest songs, it has so much depth.â And the song translates well, too: Americana singer Brandi Carlile recently released a great cover of this one.
39. Nirvana – âDrain Youâ
ShareKurt Cobain told Rolling Stoneâs David Fricke that "Drain You" was one of his favorite compositions, saying that he thought it was as good, if not better, than "Smells Like Teen Spirit." âI never get tired of playing it," he said. "Maybe if it was as big as 'Teen Spirit,â I wouldnât like it as much.â
38. Pearl Jam – âReleaseâ
ShareAs we mentioned, a lot of the songs on this list were born of pain. But âReleaseâ offers some catharsis. Eddie Vedder was still working through some issues from his past, while Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were still dealing with the death of their former Mother Love Bone bandmate, Andrew Wood. But âReleaseâ shines a light that possibly helped them get out of a dark place. It might do the same for you.
37. Nirvana – âBreedâ
ShareFamously originally titled âImodium,â after the anti-diarrhea medication, itâs one of the most aggressive songs on âNevermind,â with Cobain vocals, Krist Novoselicâs fuzzy bass and Dave Grohlâs frantic drums all competing for your attention.
36. Guns N Roses – âBad Obsessionâ
ShareLike the rest of the world, weâre stoked that Slash and Duff McKagan are back in Guns N Roses, but itâs a bummer that Izzy Stradlinâ isnât part of the reunion. He brought a Stonesy, Aerosmith-y, Clash-y swagger that theyâve missed ever since he left. In fact, this song, which he co-wrote with West Arkeen (who also co-wrote âItâs So Easyâ and a few other Guns jams) could have fit on an early â70s Stones or Aerosmith record.
35. Nirvana – âIn Bloomâ
ShareAfter hearing âSmells Like Teen Spirit,â music fans might have been forgiven for thinking that Nirvana might have been a one-hit wonder (especially if they hadnât heard their classic debut, âBleach.â). But for anyone who bought the CD (or LP or cassette), they only needed to hear a few seconds of âIn Bloomâ to realize that âSmellsâ wasnât the only time lightning was striking for the band. And of course, the rest of the album is classic as well.
34. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âThe Greeting Songâ
ShareAnthony Kiedis doesnât like this song, but he isnât making this list. He didnât like his good-time L.A. lyrics, but thatâs not whatâs great about the song. Whatâs great about the song is the funky as HELL jamming by Flea, John Frusciante and Chad Smith.
33. Nirvana – âLounge Actâ
ShareThe title, apparently, comes from the fact that Kurt Cobain thought that Krist Novoselicâs opening bass line sounded like something a lounge act would play. That might be true, but ten seconds into the song, they start trashing the lounge. And hey, itâs a catchy bass line!
32. Pearl Jam – âGardenâ
ShareâI don't question our existence,â Eddie Vedder sings here. âI just question our modern needs.â And later in the song, âI don't show, I don't share, I don't need, what you have to giveâŚâ set the tone for the decisions that Vedder and Pearl Jam would make over the next few years.
31. Guns N Roses âKnockinâ On Heavenâs Doorâ
ShareThe definitive version of the Dylan classic, Guns had been performing it live for a few years before recording it for 1990âs âDays of Thunderâ soundtrack, before it came out on âUse Your Illusion II.â Semantics aside, it features some of Axl Roseâs best singing and Slashâs sweetest leads.
30. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âI Could Have Liedâ
ShareIn the â80s the Red Hot Chili Peppers werenât known for acoustic ballads or sensitive lyrics. But by the â90s, they were growing up (a bit) and producer Rick Rubin pushed them in directions they hadnât previously considered. Anthony Kiedis has said that it was based on his experience of being dumped by Sinead OâConnor, although she denies that they were ever involved. Either way: amazing song.
29. Guns N Roses – âLive And Let Dieâ
ShareIt was one of Paul McCartneyâs most ambitious solo songs, and it was one of Guns N Rosesâ most ambitious recordings as well. On McCartneyâs version, the orchestra was conducted by former Beatles producer George Martin; on Gunsâ version, Axl reproduced all of that on synthesizers, showing a huge artistic progression. GNR obviously loved âAppetite For Destruction,â but they werenât looking to repeat that album. Or at least Axl Rose didn't.
28. Nirvana – âSomething In The Wayâ
ShareBy the end of âNevermind,â Nirvana established that they were one of the noisiest bands on the planet. But they closed it with âSomething In The Wayâ which showed how powerful they could be when they played quietly. (And of course, they followed it with the very noise âEndless, Namelessâ).
27. Guns N Roses – â14 Yearsâ
ShareAnother great Izzy Stradlinâ moment: he co-wrote the song with Axl, and many fans speculated that it might have been about their friendship. The band have never confirmed that, but Izzy sang lead on the song. âIt's been fourteen years of silence/It's been fourteen years of pain/It's been fourteen years that are gone forever/And I'll never have again.â They had known each other for fourteen years at that point, and Izzy quit the band right as the âUse Your Illusionâ albums were released.
26. Metallica – âSad But Trueâ
ShareThe riff always reminded this writer of âHarvester Of Sorrowâ from Metallicaâs prior album, 1988âs â...and Justice For All.â But thereâs nothing wrong with that, both are among James Hetfieldâs mightiest riffs.
25. Pearl Jam – âJeremyâ
SharePearl Jam were one of the most radio-ready bands out of Seattle - at least they were on âTen,â if not their subsequent albums - but they werenât afraid to go to dark places. âJeremyâ was based on two stories of gun violence in schools -- one that Eddie Vedder read about, and the other that he experienced when a junior high school classmate shot up a classroom. Itâs still chilling to listen to today.
24. Nirvana – âLithiumâ
ShareIs the song pro- or anti-religion? The title references a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, suggesting that religion is like a drug (or a disorder). On the other hand, Cobain said in an interview that the song was inspired in part by his experience living with a friend and his born-again Christian parents. He later said in an interview, "I've always felt that some people should have religion in their lives ... That's fine. If it's going to save someone, it's okay. And the person in [the song] needed it.â
23. Pearl Jam – âEvenflowâ
ShareEddie Vedder writes a lot about his own experiences (âAliveâ), but heâs also powerful when writing about others, as was the case here, where he wrote about a homeless Vietnam vet struggling with mental illness. Musically, itâs one of the bandâs most powerful, pushed by one of Stone Gossardâs funkiest riffs and Mike McCreadyâs firey lead guitar playing, which he admitted was directly influenced by the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
22. Soundgarden – âRoom A Thousand Years Wideâ
ShareOne of the few Soundgarden classics that Chris Cornell didnât write or co-write. Guitarist Kim Thayil wrote the lyrics, while drummer Matt Cameron wrote the music. Itâs wild, itâs psychedelic, itâs scary and thatâs before the bonkers-saxophone solo kicks in.
21. Guns N Roses – âYesterdaysâ
ShareIn which Axl looks back⌠not with anger, but not quite fondly, either. The music video shows footage of the âUse Your Illusionâ era touring band, including then-new guitarist Gilby Clarke, interspersed with photos of the âoldâ GNR, including former members Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlinâ.
20. Metallica – âNothing Else Mattersâ
ShareMetallica shocked fans on 1988âs â...and Justice For Allâ with âOne,â a song that started out like a ballad⌠and it even had a music video! (As hard as it is to believe now, Metallica were famously video-averse in their first few years.) But âOneâ was about a casualty of war, which still felt like Metallica territory. âNothing Else Mattersâ was a straight up love ballad. It was a huge risk, and it surely pissed off a lot of metal purists. But really, it paid off: itâs a classic song that has been covered by artists from R&B (Macy Gray) and country (Chris Stapleton).
19. Pearl Jam – âAliveâ
ShareâAliveâ is intrinsically tied to Pearl Jamâs origin: Stone Gossard composed the music while he was still in Mother Love Bone. He, Jeff Ament and Mike McCready recorded a demo of the song, which found its way to Eddie Vedder. Vedder wrote lyrics that were partly fiction, but partly based on his experience of thinking that his stepfather was actually his father. It was the first single from the bandâs debut album, and it took off relatively quickly. Within a year of the release of âTen,â they had shot an episode of âMTV Unpluggedâ (which typically only worked with older acts), toured on Lollapaloozaâs main stage, appeared in the film âSingles,â and were on their way to stadium headlining status (and a hiatus from touring).
18. Guns N Roses – âDust Nâ Bonesâ
ShareAnother song featuring Izzy Stradlinâ on lead vocals; he co-wrote the song with Slash and Duff. Axl contributes backing vocals and piano. Itâs another of the bandâs Stonesy-est moments but also has a touch of Aerosmith: Slashâs voice box recalls Joe Perryâs playing in âSweet Emotion.â
17. Soundgarden – âJesus Christ Poseâ
ShareWhen âBadmotorfingerâ was released, Soundgardenâs members were not yet rock stars. Their earlier music was a bit too radical for primetime MTV and radio play (although Chris Cornellâs vocals on the Temple of the Dog album pointed towards his aptitude for more conventional tunes). âJesus Christ Poseâ mocked posturing rock band frontmen (including, allegedly, Axl Rose⌠who would later invite Soundgarden to open for Guns N Roses). Ironically, the song and album helped catapult Soundgarden to greater fame, leading to younger (and less successful bands) making the same criticism of Cornell himself.
16. Pearl Jam – âPorchâ
ShareAnother song that was crucial to Pearl Jamâs origin: it was the only song that Eddie Vedder brought to the band when he went to Seattle to meet them; it showed that he would not only be a great frontman and lyricist, but a great songwriter. It was a highlight of their early shows; it was usually during âPorchâ that Vedder would climb the rafters and jump into the audience. Itâs still a highlight today, minus that rather dangerous bit of audience interaction.
15. Soundgarden – âOutshinedâ
ShareSoundgardenâs first song that got real traction at rock radio, possibly because Chris Cornellâs vocals were a bit less abrasive (and only a bit less) than usual. The line, âIâm looking California and feeling Minnesotaâ is one of his best.
14. Guns N Roses – âNovember Rainâ
ShareAs weâve mentioned, Axl Rose got reaaaaaaly ambitious on the âUse Your Illusionâ albums, and it paid off. Guns N Roses had the cultural currency to do pretty much whatever they wanted to do and Axl definitely took advantage of it. So this Axl-penned orchestral ballad clocked in at nearly nine minutes, and it dominated radio and MTV. The song, which predated âAppetite for Destruction,â features some of Slashâs greatest playing.
13. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âUnder The Bridgeâ
ShareItâs hard to imagine now, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers used to seem too weird to fit into the mainstream. They were this weird, quirky, fun and funky band but they didnât seem like an arena rock group, and you wouldnât have bet that theyâd be rocking arenas in the 2020s. âUnder The Bridgeâ changed that: it was soulful, confessional and an obvious hit, even on top 40 radio. Anthony Kiedisâs lyrics were a poem he wrote about his experiences with drugs, but he didnât think it was appropriate for the band; fortunately, producer Rick Rubin changed his mind about that.
12. Nirvana – âCome As You Areâ
ShareYes, it sounded like Killing Jokeâs âEighties,â but âEightiesâ never got much radio play, so few Nirvana fans caught the similarity. Anyway, after the massive success of âSmells Like Teen Spiritâ it was a wise choice as a followup single. Years later, Dave Grohl played drums on Killing Jokeâs self-titled 2003 album⌠and allegedly, refused to accept payment, possibly to attempt to make up for the âEightiesâ schism.
11. Metallica – âEnter Sandmanâ
ShareBased on a riff that Kirk Hammett wrote - and which was, allegedly, influenced by Soundgarden - James Hetfield thought it was catchy. Maybe a bit too catchy. So he wrote disturbing lyrics to offset its potential commercial sound. Again, before âThe Black Album,â Metallica was extremely wary of the mainstream. Anyway, the song is pretty directly responsible for Metallica becoming one of the most popular bands of all time.
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âThe Power Of Equality/If You Have To Askâ
ShareSure, theyâre two separate songs, but so are Led Zeppelinâs âHeartbreakerâ and âLiving Loving Maid (Sheâs Just A Woman).â They are linked in the minds of millions of fans and they create an explosive opening to the Peppersâ breakthrough album. âPowerâ sees the band railing against racism while âIf You Have To Askâ is a bit more laid back, taking its name from a quote by Louis Armstrong: âIf you have to ask what jazz is, youâll never know.â
9. Pearl Jam – âOnceâ
Share8. Guns N Roses – âYou Could Be Mineâ
ShareThe âUse Your Illusionâ albums had a lot of great songs, but letâs be honest: not many of them hold up to the songs on âAppetite For Destruction.â âYou Could Be Mine,â written during the âAppetiteâ era, is an exception to that rule. Itâs as powerful as anything that they ever did, so itâs no surprise that Arnold Schwarzenegger personally asked the band to use the song in âTerminator 2.â Fun fact: the line âweâve seen that movie tooâ is a reference to Elton Johnâs song âIâve Seen That Movie Too.â
7. Soundgarden – âSlaves And Bulldozersâ
ShareIt was never a radio hit but Soundgarden die-hards love this nearly 7 minute jam, co-written by Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd. Many fans believe that this song was a vent against the music industry.
6. Metallica – âThe Unforgivenâ
ShareIt wasnât as popular as âEnter Sandmanâ or âNothing Else Matters,â but itâs still the highlight of âThe Black Album.â And it was so powerful that even the fans who complained about acoustic guitars and ballads couldnât deny the songâs power, and even the power of James Hetfieldâs singing (as opposed to his yelling and growling). Like âThe God That Failed,â this is a very personal look at his upbringing in a religious home.
5. Guns N Roses – âCivil Warâ
ShareReleased a year before the âIllusionâ albums on a compilation âNobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal,â itâs the only song on the albums that features original drummer Steven Adler. The songâs length and epic gave fans a taste for the ambitious songwriting that GNR were working on. It was also one of their more political songs, sampling a clip from the 1967 film âCool Hand Lukeâ (â
4. Soundgarden – âRusty Cageâ
ShareSoundgardenâs prior album, 1989's âLouder Than Love,â got them a lot of attention, but they didnât use that momentum to try to cater to the mainstream. âRusty Cageâ was as brutal and relentless as a Motorhead jam. But the times were changing, and somehow, the mainstream came to Soundgarden, and embraced âRusty Cage,â which would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. But the song worked without Soundgardenâs audio chaos: a few years later, Johnny Cash recorded a cover of the song, backed by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
3. Pearl Jam – âBlackâ
ShareA ballad featuring producer Rick Parasharâs adult-contemporary sounding electric piano, Epic Records wanted to release the song as a single, which made sense. But Pearl Jam started being rebellious early, and wouldnât allow it: they felt the song was a bit too personal to be on top 40 radio. Eddie Vedder apparently called radio stations to verify the labelâs claims that they didnât, in fact, release it to radio. Whether or not they did, it became a massive hit. And itâs an enduring one: you can watch a number of âreaction videosâ on YouTube to watch people hearing âBlackâ for the first time. Weâll recommend RogueRxyceâs. Youâre almost jealous that youâre not getting the experience that sheâs having, but you might remember how hard the song hit you the first time you hear it.
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers – âGive It Awayâ
ShareThe first single from the Chili Peppersâ fifth album. It needed to be good - even though they had just signed with a new record label, labels tend to lose interest in older bands who havenât started selling lots of records. âGive It Awayâ had a lot of heavy lifting to do, and it did it, going on to become the bandâs biggest hit at the time. Itâs also one of the funkiest songs about generosity. The song changed Anthony Kiedisâs life, and not just because it increased his starpower. As he wrote in his autobiography, âScar Tissue,â when he was dating punk rocker Nina Hagen, he was going through her closet and saw a jacket that he liked. She told him to keep it. She took âsharing is caringâ pretty seriously, saying, "if you have a closet full of clothes and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small. But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place."
1. Nirvana – âSmells Like Teen Spiritâ
ShareYeah, yeah, itâs an obvious choice, but name another song that seemed to change culture overnight. After âSmells Like Teen Spirit,â âNevermindâ knocked Michael Jackson off of the top of the Billboard album charts and the rules seemed to immediately change. â80s pop metal and adult contemporary acts needed to pivot to a new era, and most of them couldnât, and all of the sudden you were hearing guitar-driven rock bands all over the radio and MTV. Which was amazing, while it lasted.
