The outbreak of grunge due to the success of Nirvana starting in 1991. Commonly compared to the outbreak of punk in the late 70s caused by the Sex Pistols. The key difference is that the Sex Pistols achieved fame from being intentionally chaotic public figures whose goal was to create controversy. They wanted the fame, because they wanted to piss Britain off. Nirvana, particularly Kurt Cobain, did not want any fame whatsoever and wished for grunge to stay underground. Their success was an accident, one that calls back to their tour with Sonic Youth. Sonic Youth had recently signed to a major record label, DGC, but with the intent of keeping their trademark noise rock and to basically sabotage and manipulate the mainstream from within. Kim Gordon then invited Kurt to have Nirvana join DGC, and though reluctant at first, they eventually went for it, growing tired of Sub Pop and assuming they could do the same as SY. Kim's fatal mistake was forgetting that Nirvana was a much younger band that did not know how to keep their success on the down low like Sonic Youth could. The mainstream, tired of new wave and hair metal, saw Smells Like Teen Spirit on MTV all across the nation and decided this was the next big thing, completely ignoring what Nirvana stood for and blindly consuming the music without thought. Thus, the grunge explosion. Only lasted about 3-4 years before being killed off by sellout post-grunge bands following what unfortunately became a mainstream trend.
Already existing bands that gained popularity during the grunge explosion include what became the big four (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains), Mudhoney, Temple of the Dog, Mother Love Bone (posthumously), Screaming Trees, the Melvins, and outside the Seattle area, Hole, Babes in Toyland, and L7. Some more than others. Then there's Stone Temple Pilots, who had a good first album, but then sold out big time, resembling post-grunge instead.
by 1 2 X U December 3, 2014
Get the Grunge explosionmug. A female who is involved in the old grunge style. She has created a rough yet stylish look of her own. Dark denim and bed-head is always very common in their look.
by Melty August 8, 2005
Get the grunge femmemug. White suburbs teenage girls who wear classic rock, metal or grunge band shirts paired with black skinny jeans that may have rips in them and black boots or black tennis shoes. They even wear flannels either around their waist or normaly. They have long hair that's bone straight that has unnatural hair color in it. They run blogs that contain content like bruises/hickeys on a white women's body, gore, NIRVANA, 5sos, a sad auote, anything related to depression or mental illness. They claim they know what grunge is but if you ask em they'll say 5sos or the only band they know that is grunge, Nirvana. They talk about Kurt Cobain like they knew him personally and aim to look like his DAUGHTER Frances Bean Cobain. They like to say 5 Seconds Of Summer is punk rock. They listen to shit like Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, and 5sos. They'll wear band shirts like Greenday and if you ask them what their favorite song is they'll say American Idiot. Basically the scene kids of today.
Soft Grunge Girl: *wears black band shirt with black skinny jeans, flannel around waist, and black shoes* IM SO GRUNGE I HAVE NIRVANA SONGS ON MY PHONE !!111!
Normal Girl: cool, no one cares. *listens to L7*
Normal Girl: cool, no one cares. *listens to L7*
by Hungry For Stink October 21, 2015
Get the Soft Grungemug. The broadest musical category ever. Essentially created for the lazy ass music critics so they don't have to say what specific kind of music a band has.
by pdr1017 August 12, 2007
Get the Post-grungemug. A genre of music that basically describes any music inspired by grunge bands but isn't grunge. Usually post-grunge guitar is less distorted and the music is a little more pop inspired. This music has unfortunately dominated modern rock radio since about 1995.
Seether, Staind, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Three Days Grace, Matchbox 20, Candlebox, Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Creed.
Stone Temple Pilots had a grunge sound on Core however, their later albums were post-grunge.
Stone Temple Pilots had a grunge sound on Core however, their later albums were post-grunge.
by bobman4 August 4, 2008
Get the Post-Grungemug. when a girl wakes up and can't/doesn't feel like looking nice that day. usually said in a warped pride, to friends.
"i'm going to look like trash after pulling this all-nighter, but i'll just rock the grunge bunny look tomorrow!"
by krissy vegan March 30, 2007
Get the grunge bunnymug. (adj); The sweaty, dirty vagina you encounter on a lady who has just been to a rather active gig. Often both parties of the encounter are too fucked off their faces to care about the obvious hygiene implications involved.
Hairdresser: Have you had a good weekend, sir?
Customer: Why yes, I tell you, I went to a gig and got some proper Grunge Clunge. Scrubbed for hours when I got home. When I close my eyes, I can still smell it. I swear, you could almost see the stink-lines. But oh well, a clunge is a clunge.
Hairdresser: Oh, sir, you do have the most OUTRAGEOUS stories. Now, how long would you like your dreadhawk?
Customer: Why yes, I tell you, I went to a gig and got some proper Grunge Clunge. Scrubbed for hours when I got home. When I close my eyes, I can still smell it. I swear, you could almost see the stink-lines. But oh well, a clunge is a clunge.
Hairdresser: Oh, sir, you do have the most OUTRAGEOUS stories. Now, how long would you like your dreadhawk?
by PublicJoe December 20, 2010
Get the Grunge Clungemug.