Throwback Album Review: Nevermind by Nirvana

Nirvana’s release of “Nevermind,” the band’s second second studio album, in Sept. 1991 catapulted the group to fame and success. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in 1992 and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album Diamond after it sold 30 million copies. 

I began listening to Nirvana in the summer of 2022. While reading a manga there was a reference to their song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and it caught my attention. I went to Spotify and started listening to their music. Every since, I’ve had their songs on repeat. 

My favorite songs are “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Lithium.” “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was released as a single on Sep. 10, 1991 and is the #1 track on the album. The music video shows the band performing in the middle of a high school gymnasium with students in the crowd, cheerleaders on the sideline, and a janitor dancing in the background. I really like the lyrics and how energetic it is. In my opinion, I believe it is one of the best songs on the track list. 

“Lithium” is track #5 on the album. I think it is the second best song on their album. I liked the contrast with the other songs and how it is really slowed down in certain parts and then really picks up. I also like the direction they took the music video. In the video, the lyrics such as “I’m not gonna crack” contrast with a person in the background hitting their head against a speaker and some scenes show someone smashing a guitar. They also utilize different visual effects such as a dissolve and fade in. 

Overall, I think that “Nevermind” is one of their best albums and it is definitely worth checking out. The remastered version was released in 2011. You can listen to Nirvana’s music on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms.