Kurt Cobain
In 1991, Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and its single 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' exploded, and in January 1992 the album knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard 200. Almost overnight Kurt Cobain became the reluctant voice of Generation X and grunge's defining figure.
Pacific Northwest Roots
Kurt Cobain was born in 1967 in Aberdeen, a small logging town in Washington state. A restless teenager drawn to punk rock, he formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in 1987.
Grunge Breakthrough
Nirvana's 1991 album 'Nevermind' and its single 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' brought alternative rock to the mainstream. Cobain's raw songwriting made him an unlikely icon for a generation.
Brief, Lasting Influence
Struggling with fame, addiction and depression, Cobain died in 1994 at age 27. His brief career profoundly reshaped rock music, and Nirvana entered the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Career Timeline
- 1967Born February 20 in Aberdeen, Washington
- 1987Forms Nirvana with Krist Novoselic
- 1989Debut album 'Bleach' released on Sub Pop
- 1991'Nevermind' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' arrive
- 1992'Nevermind' tops the Billboard 200
- 1992Marries Courtney Love
- 1993Nirvana releases album 'In Utero'
- 1993Records landmark 'MTV Unplugged' set
- 1994Dies April 5 in Seattle, aged 27
- 1994'MTV Unplugged in New York' released
- 2014Inducted into Rock Hall in first year eligible
Biggest Hits
- 'Nevermind' famously displaced Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' from number one in January 1992.
- Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, its first year of eligibility.
Portrait: Embassy of the United States, Bern · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons