It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since notorious Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain took his own life in 1994. Cobain was one of the founders, along with band mates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, of the most notable band of the 90s, Nirvana. Nirvana was responsible for some of the best songs of the decade and a lot of their songs still remain just as popular today. To commemorate the ultimate band, here is a Top Five list of some of their most noteworthy songs.

At number five is All Apologies, this song was released in 1993 on Nirvana’s album In Utero. Cobain dedicated the song to his wife, Courtney Love and their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain. The feeling from the song is almost peaceful and calm as it starts off with the bass guitar, but once the drums kick in you can finally hear the distinctive voice of Cobain.

Song number four is Lithium, the song about a man who has a multitude of conflicting thoughts. The man turns to religion after the death of his girlfriend, to turn off ideas of suicide, perhaps based on Cobain’s real life. Nirvana released this song in 1992 on their album Nevermind. Nevermind is the band’s most renowned album possibly due to all of the incredible songs featured on it, as well as the cover art, a naked baby floating in water.

“Hey wait!” Coming in third is Heart-Shaped Box. This song was also featured on the band’s third album, In Utero. Wife Courtney Love remembers hearing Cobain coming up with the riff for the song, in their closet. The song was written about sick children, primarily those diagnosed with cancer. As one line corroborates, “I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black.”

In second place, is the song Come As You Are, also released on the album, Nevermind. The music video for this song has a recurring theme of water and even reveals a gun floating in water at various points in the video, perhaps foreshadowing Cobain’s death a couple years later from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. The music video was inspired by the album’s artwork. Cobain said that the song was about people and their expectations for how others should act, this contradicts the title of the song Come As You Are. Cobain himself noted the contradictory nature of the song.

Nirvana’s number one song should not come as a surprise to anyone it is of course…Smells Like Teen Spirit. This song is another track off the album Nevermind and also has a very intriguing music video accompanying it. The video depicts cheerleaders, janitors and other school staples during a school pep rally. As the song builds so does the event, steam enters the room and the kids begin to rock out to the song. This song is widely viewed as a teenage anthem and whether it was meant to be or not, will always live on as Nirvana’s greatest and most recognizable song.

Nirvana is widely regarded as one of the greatest bands of all time and even though their time in the spotlight has come and gone, they still hold a special place in the hearts of many. Kurt Cobain was a brilliant songwriter who was able to captivate countless people with his unique voice. It’s a shame that Cobain left this world before he had a chance to show us all that he could do, however his memory will always live on in his music and through the many things he was able to accomplish in his short life.

 – Jessica Pagano

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