Two thousand eleven marks the 20-year anniversary since grunge music first debuted. This year we have witnessed the reformation of Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam went on tour to promote its new musical documentary, "Pearl Jam Twenty". So, one could say the genre of music is most certainly making a comeback. These two bands not only helped grunge become a household word, but also made Seattle, Washington, the 'grunge capital' of the world.
Granted, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were not the only two groups to develop the grunge music genre. Nirvana and Alice in Chains are also iconic grunge bands in their own right. Unfortunately, with the untimely passing of both Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley, Nirvana and Alice in Chains were not able to move forward as their peers did in the music industry. Soundgarden also experienced a disbanding period, in which lead singer Chris Cornell formed Audioslave with the remaining members of Rage Against the Machine. Cornell made his way back to Soundgarden in 2010, and according to his Twitter and Facebook pages, the group is just about finished with its new album.
There was never really a rivalry between the top four grunge bands. They were all respectful of one another's accomplishments, musical directions and most definitely reveled in the grunge movement their hometown of Seattle provided to them. Soundgarden and Pearl Jam have been more like the 'brothers in arms' of grunge music. The two bands have worked together on several occasions, both personally and professionally. One brilliant collaboration effort by the two bands was forming Temple of the Dog. While the collaboration was short-lived, members of both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam made an unforgettable impression in the music industry and on fans worldwide.
Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden, and Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam's front man, have also had successful solo careers. This is yet another show of just how influential these two artists have been in the rock music genre. Vedder's first solo album was a soundtrack for the movie "Into the Wild". It gained worldwide recognition, making Billboard's 2007 Top 200 album list at number 11. Additionally, Vedder has worked on other artists albums, and released one additional solo album in 2011. Cornell's solo efforts have ranged from writing and singing theme songs for a variety of well-known movies, as well as producing three solo albums throughout his 27-year career.
Whether you love it or hate, it is safe to say, grunge music is here to stay. Bands such as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden have seen to that. Alice in Chains regrouped as well, enlisted a new lead singer, William DuVall, and released the 2009 album entitled, "Black Gives Way to Blue". This was the band's first new album in 14 years. AIC received Grammy nods for 'Best Hard Rock Performance' in 2010 and 2011. Nirvana's music has held its own over the last 20 years. While not everyone adored Cobain's angst, millions did and still do. As a tribute to the fallen hero of grunge, The Seattle Music Experience opened an exhibit in 2011, that showcases Cobain's never-before-seen paintings, sheets of lyrics, band pictures, and pieces of the front man's first-ever, broken guitar.
Not only do the fans keep this music style alive by continually playing hits from 20 years ago, but also it seems the music industry has finally realized grunge will never go away. Honestly, who would want it to? Not all of the lyrics from grunge music were angry. Some of them were obviously full of agony, yes, but who doesn't identify with those inspirational lyrics at some point in their lives? The revival of grunge music in 2011 has been eye-opening for some and memorable for others. Hopefully, this is a sign of much better things to come in the rock music industry.
Comments