Grunge lived and died in the 1990s. That’s one way the genre stands out among others. It certainly had its heyday. Grunge turned into post-grunge, which bled straight into the 2000s. Many of the defining rock bands of the new millennium directly credit 90s grunge. These underrated grunge songs from the early 90s accidentally created 2000s rock.
“pretty penny” by stone temple pilots
Stone Temple Pilots were a genre-bending grunge band compared to their peers. On their 1993 sophomore release, Purple, STP penned a soft-acoustic track. Vocally, Scott Weiland sings in a clear voice that’s oddly reminiscent of Tommy Shaw of Styx. “Pretty Penny” solidified the band and Weiland’s range in styles. Alt-rock bands such as Incubus penned similar tracks in the early 2000s, a decade later. Brandon Boyd’s vocals are similar to Weiland’s clean vocals on certain Stone Temple Pilots tracks. Not to mention Stone Temple Pilots’ massive influence on Linkin Park. STP is among the most influential on the 2000s rock sound.
“don’t follow” by alice in chains
This track has begun to get the recognition it deserves. It’s an Alice in Chains acoustic masterpiece showcasing Jerry Cantrell’s exceptional songwriting ability. Cantrell takes lead vocals on the first verse and perfectly harmonizes with lead singer Layne Staley on the rest of the track. The two together were a dominating force in grunge. 2000s rock bands such as Alter Bridge, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, and Avenged Sevenfold cite Alice in Chains as a major influence.
“dumb” by nirvana
When Puddle of Mudd’s sophomore album, Come Clean, began to chart, many compared the group to Nirvana. Vocally, lead singer Wes Scantlin sounded eerily similar to Kurt Cobain. Naturally, the band absorbed a Nirvana fan base due to this, while simultaneously receiving some negative feedback. Most specifically, Puddle of Mudd’s style is similar to Nirvana’s In Utero album. “Dumb” is an underrated Nirvana track simply because the band has many other notable tracks. It’s lesser-known and foreshadowed the post-grunge sound of the early 2000s.
“garden” by pearl jam
It’s no surprise there are comparisons between Creed and Pearl Jam when the band broke in the late 90s. Scott Stapp admits to sharing vocal influences with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder. Many vocalists of the 90s imitated Vedder’s baritone voice, so Stapp isn’t the only one with comparisons. But to me, I hear a bit of Creed’s guitar in the Pearl Jam track “Garden”. This leads me to believe Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti was a Pearl Jam fan. This was confirmed in an interview with Guitar World, where the guitarist detailed his love for 90s grunge.
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