Top 10 Best Grunge Bands

Grunge was one of the most influential music genres of its time.

Let's take a look at the bands that helped turn it into a legend.

The Top Ten

Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The band's most notable hits include "Man in the Box," "Down in a Hole," "Heaven Beside You," "No Excuses," "What the... read more

Nirvana will always be voted number one by this generation, and it's not like that's bad - Nirvana kicked ass. However, Alice in Chains was insane, I mean, come on. Have you heard the song Man in the Box? Alice in Chains is so beautifully dark. They just embody grunge.
Layne Staley's voice was perfect for what you would want in grunge, but also so beautiful, not to mention his harmonies with guitarist Jerry Cantrell. The power of Layne's voice just blows your mind, and his sincerity and ability to turn his feelings into sick imagery is unmatched.

Nirvana is really good, as are Soundgarden, STP, Bush, Temple of the Dog, and most other bands on the list (Pearl Jam maybe not so much, except for a few songs). However, Alice in Chains is better.
Many people associate Alice in Chains only with their breakthrough album Dirt. Dirt is an awesome album, but Jar of Flies (technically an EP), Alice in Chains, and even The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here are good albums. I highly recommend anybody give them more of a chance.
Nirvana

Nirvana was an American grunge band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. The band consisted of Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums), who joined in 1990. Nirvana disbanded following Cobain's death by suicide in 1994.... read more

The definitive grunge band. If you're from the State of Washington, I'm simply saying that Nirvana made the biggest impact on music on a worldwide scale. With their song Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana was the first to bring the grunge sound to the forefront. Check your dates and Billboard's Top 100 lists if you have any doubt. There may have been bands that shared a similar sound, but that was the song that changed everything worldwide. If you disagree with this fact, then you're denying the truth.
Google can kiss my butt. Ask Rolling Stone magazine. They have been the authority for a lot longer, and they only print FACTS. I am a fan and I was there. I can only tell the truth. I'll give time to anything that is worthy of it.
Do I think that AIC is a better band? They make bigger, deeper music. I prefer their music right now. But I have to consider that Nirvana's widely appealing, simplistic sound didn't just start the grunge revolution. People don't realize that they started another significant movement as well. They reignited a huge Unplugged revolution. Kurt Cobain's acoustic performance on MTV's Unplugged series was groundbreaking. It was so beautiful that it started a wave that swept through the entire industry. Pretty much every band around, from pop to rock - including AIC, by the way - released an Unplugged album thereafter. It's one of the only albums that I've enjoyed from beginning to end.
Soundgarden

Soundgarden was an American grunge and alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
The band was one of the pioneers of the grunge movement and released critically acclaimed albums... read more

By comparing what grunge really is, I think it's arguable to put Soundgarden at the top of the list. Pearl Jam makes a compelling argument to be at the top, and Ten is, without a doubt, one of the best albums of all time. However, when you consider what Soundgarden produced from album to album, and how they evolved and still presented their very own sound while Pearl Jam evolved away from Ten, they deserve the top spot.
As a collective, they have the chemistry that every band from the time coveted and has rarely been duplicated. When you really stop and define grunge and work from that definition, it's a no-brainer to place Soundgarden at the top of the list.
Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. The founding lineup included Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament. The band is best known for its debut album Ten, which features the hit singles "Even Flow," "Black," and "Jeremy," and was named after basketball... read more

Pearl Jam is music I like to call Eargasm or ear orgasm. They are amazing, and the best thing is, they're the only grunge band to have never broken up or faded into obscurity. Instead, they have evolved, whether the new direction is good or bad, and they have stuck with it.
And although their early grunge records, like Ten and Vs., are still their best, I also appreciate how they tried new things instead of sticking with their grunge sound because it's more comfortable. Forget the best grunge band. Pearl Jam is perhaps the greatest band in the history of music.

They still release albums, and they're the only grunge band that's still alive and kicking. Eddie Vedder has one of the best voices in the music industry, and they seem to be the only grunge band that never lost a member to heroin addiction.
People credit Nirvana as the best grunge band ever, and they are good, but Pearl Jam is way better. Their music is great, and Vedder's voice is simply better than Cobain's.
Stone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots is an alternative rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989.
The current lineup features brothers Dean DeLeo (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass), along with drummer Eric Kretz. The original lead vocalist, Scott Weiland, was with the band until 2013. After his departure... read more

Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Alice In Chains all had their own unique sounds, but Stone Temple Pilots takes this to a whole new level. They're not just a blend of those four bands, but they've dabbled in so many different sounds and styles and perfected them. Once Core was released in 1992, grunge had effectively reached its peak. All of those amazing albums from 1991 (Ten, Nevermind, and Badmotorfinger) were building up to STP's debut.

This band had amazing versatility, mixing grunge with multiple genres. I consider their grunge tone to have softened on the third album, but they still made great music afterward. Scott's voice wasn't as unique as Cobain's, but he used many different styles throughout STP's discography.
Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. The band was founded by frontman Billy Corgan and guitarist James Iha, with D'arcy Wretzky on bass and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums rounding out the original lineup. They rose to prominence in the 1990s with... read more

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of my favorite bands, considering I'm into metal. Now, Nirvana is probably the best grunge band on this list, but I think the Smashing Pumpkins deserve more credit for songs like:
- Bullet with Butterfly Wings
- Today
- 1979
- Perfect
- Zero
Just a great band, truly underrated.

It's so hard to choose. There are so many fantastic grunge bands. Smashing Pumpkins has to be my favorite for one reason: they evolved over time. Now, maybe that's blasphemous since they ventured into techno-ish music and lighter music, and kind of left grunge behind after Mellon Collie, but they stayed relevant (for the most part) and continued to put out fantastic music regardless of the musical genre. The only album I would say was "bad" was Zeitgeist. Even that one deserves a listen from time to time.
Mudhoney

Mudhoney is an American grunge band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988. The band emerged following the breakup of the group Green River, a key influence in the early grunge movement.
The lineup includes singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison... read more

Mudhoney is so underrated. This band should have gotten a lot more attention. I'll never understand why they didn't make it into the mainstream. Shaking my head.

Mudhoney should be number 2 or 3. How could you even put Bush or Foo Fighters on this list?

Almost every grunge band owes Mudhoney credit. This band transcends the whole grunge scene, and the Superfuzz Bigmuff EP was extremely influential on the grunge scene.
The Melvins

The Melvins are an American rock band that formed in 1983. They are typically known for performing as a trio. In recent years, they have also performed as a four-piece, featuring two drummers to expand their live sound.

Bush should not be in the top ten. They are a cheap post-grunge band. Foo Fighters are a good band but shouldn't be there either.

The Melvins are great. The guitar-drum synergy is really cool, and the lyrics make no sense but are cool also.

Grunge probably wouldn't exist without them. Plus, they invented sludge metal, which is an awesome genre too.
Temple of the Dog

Temple of the Dog is a rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1990. The band was created by Chris Cornell of Soundgarden as a tribute to Andrew Wood, the late vocalist of Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. The group included Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, both former members of Mother Love Bone... read more

Temple Of The Dog consists of two of the best grunge bands of all time, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Absolutely every song on their self-titled album, their only album, is a work of art! In my opinion, Temple Of The Dog is the best grunge band of all time.

This is amazing simply because it combines three great bands - Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and even Mother Love Bone to an extent.

How come there are no comments here? Chris Cornell's collaboration with Eddie Vedder is more than great!
Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters are an American alternative rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. The band was founded by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl after Kurt Cobain's death and Nirvana's breakup. The current lineup consists of Dave Grohl (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, primary songwriter), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar... read more

Great band. Monkey Wrench, Hero, and Everlong are great songs. By the way, how are U2, Linkin Park, Green Day, and Thirty Seconds to Mars not in the top 20? The person who made this list should listen to the songs of the bands and not just rank them because of their popularity.

Amazing band, but it has a lot of Nirvana in it because their drummer, Dave Grohl, is Foo Fighters' vocalist.

I love Dave Grohl, and I loved this band's earlier stuff, but I just find this band too commercial.

The Newcomers

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Dinosaur Jr

Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984. Originally named Dinosaur, the band added Jr. after a legal dispute with another group. The classic lineup features guitarist and vocalist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow, and drummer Murph.
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Blind Melon

Blind Melon is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in March 1990. The original lineup included musicians who had moved from Mississippi and Indiana. The band became known for their neo‑psychedelic alternative rock style and achieved mainstream success with their hit song No Rain... read more

The Contenders

Screaming Trees

Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bassist Van Conner, and drummer Mark Pickerel. The band was part of the early grunge movement and gained popularity in the 1990s with the album Sweet Oblivion. They... read more

Have you ever had the chance to listen to their album Sweet Oblivion? It's a masterpiece, on the same level as Dirt, Ten, Vs., Superunknown, or Nevermind. They were not conventionally appealing: quite a quirky band name, the Conner brothers were not typical rock-star material, and Mark Lanegan was challenging to deal with, even compared to other singers. So the media didn't like them, but forget everything and just listen.
Lanegan's voice is recognizable right off the bat. The songs are well-written, with a bluesy undertone.

Screaming Trees is a very good band. Very successful. Mark's voice is very good, compatible with grunge music. Witness, Traveler, Black Sun Morning, Who Lies in Darkness... The songs are very good. If you like the grunge style, you should listen to this band. If you like Mark too much, you can listen to Mark Lanegan's music. This music is alternative.
Mother Love Bone

Mother Love Bone was an American alternative rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. The band remained active until 1990, when it disbanded following the death of lead singer Andrew Wood. Wood's charismatic personality and poetic lyrics helped elevate the group in the emerging Seattle... read more

Mother Love Bone was a great band, and they were around when grunge was first getting started. They greatly influenced the sound of grunge, even though they never really sounded like other grunge bands. Pearl Jam and Temple of the Dog would never have existed without Mother Love Bone.
Tragically, Mother Love Bone never got to be a part of the golden age of the music they helped to create. Their lead singer, Andrew Wood, died in 1990. Wood was the David Lee Roth of grunge. He was a great frontman and had tremendous talent and charisma. His voice suited Mother Love Bone's funky sound perfectly. If he had not died, MLB would probably have gone on to be as great and famous as Nirvana or Pearl Jam.
According to Alice in Chains' lead singer, the song "Would" is about Andrew Wood. "So I made a big mistake, try to see it once my way" is a reference to Wood's death by overdose. If anyone is interested in getting into Mother Love Bone, I recommend "This is Shangri-La" and "Thru Fade Away." Those are my favorites.
Bush

Bush is a British post-grunge and alternative rock band formed in London in 1992. They gained widespread popularity with their debut album Sixteen Stone, released in 1994. The album was a commercial success and has been certified six-times platinum by the RIAA.

Get this higher! Really underrated band. The only reason why they're this low is that they're often labeled as post-grunge. But to be honest, I disagree. They mirror Nirvana a lot in plenty of their songs, including some of their biggest hits like "Glycerine" and "Swallowed."
Post-grunge, in my opinion, started with the Foo Fighters and transformed into bands like 3 Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd, Creed, and (gulp), Nickelback. The riffs of Bush are much harder than all those bands except maybe Foo Fighters, but Gavin Rossdale's vocals are delivered in a more "lazy" tone than Dave Grohl, which gives them the classic grunge sound.

Bands higher on this list are undeniably great, but they're not grunge bands per se. Therefore, and because Bush is awesome, Bush should be higher on this list.
Mad Season

Like it's been said, Layne Staley on vocals (from Alice in Chains), and there are two songs in which Mark Lanegan (from Screaming Trees) sings too. Mike McCready (guitarist from Pearl Jam) is also part of the lineup. You can't go wrong.

Christ, seeing this so far down is like a sharp knife cutting into my heart. It's Layne Staley, people! This deserves so much more...

I think it should be close to first place, but because it's a one-album/one-season band, I'd be happy seeing Mad Season in the 15th-ish place. Layne Staley, Mark Lanegan, etc.
Hole

Hole was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1989 by singer and guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The band gained fame with its albums Live Through This and Celebrity Skin. Hole became known for its blend of punk and grunge influences and Love's... read more

Nirvana is the obvious pick for this list and for good reason, but we have to mention Kurt's wife's band. Hole is one of the most underrated bands I have ever seen! Courtney Love is an amazing singer as well!
Silverchair

Silverchair was an Australian rock band formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle. The original lineup included Ben Gillies on drums, Daniel Johns on vocals and guitar, and Chris Joannou on bass guitar. They gained international success with their debut album, Frogstomp, released... read more

Nirvana is the best, of course, but these guys! I really believe Silverchair was an amazing band in the grunge scene. The first three albums are great.
If you like Nirvana or grunge and don't know these guys, listen to their albums.
P.S.: You won't regret it.

Just because they were late on the scene doesn't mean you can overlook them. Frogstomp and Freak Show are the best grunge albums of all time.

So underrated. Freak Show was the heaviest grunge album, in my opinion.
Green River

Since Nirvana is already number one, I'll help out another great, lesser-known band. Green River created the heavy sound that would inspire the rest of the Seattle bands to start going down that road. When they broke up, their members would go on to found Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, and Pearl Jam.

I think they deserve to be on top. Nirvana is an amazing band, but Green River pioneered the genre and gave it great meaning.

They created the genre for God's sake!
Candlebox

Candlebox is an American rock band that originated in Seattle, Washington in the early 1990s. They gained national recognition with their self-titled debut album in 1993, which featured hit singles like Far Behind and You. The band was associated with the post-grunge movement and has continued to release... read more

Candlebox was by far my favorite of the grunge era. Kevin's voice is amazing, and their lyrics so empathized with the struggles of that generation.
Audioslave

Audioslave was an American rock supergroup formed in 2001 in Los Angeles, California. The band consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, along with Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello on lead guitar, Tim Commerford on bass and backing vocals, and Brad Wilk... read more
L7

L7 is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1985 to 2001. They reformed in 2014 and have continued to perform and release new music. Known for their heavy sound and feminist messages, they are often associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early... read more

Soundgarden is my favorite, but L7 is an amazing band that should be ranked higher. While their roots are firmly planted in my personal favorite genre, punk rock (riot grrrl if we're being specific, though I prefer ska punk), their grunge music is some of the best out there.

L7 was all about real grunge! This isn't a real list if they're not in the top 10. Come on, people.

L7 is great. Pretend We're Dead is one of the best songs I've ever heard.
Collective Soul

Collective Soul is an American rock band originally from Stockbridge, Georgia. The band is now based in Atlanta and continues to record and perform. Its current lineup includes lead vocalist Ed Roland, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, drummer Johnny Rabb, and lead guitarist Jesse Triplett... read more
Live

Live is an American alternative rock band from York, Pennsylvania, consisting of Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer, Chad Gracey, and Chris Shinn. The band's original lead singer, Ed Kowalczyk, left in November 2009 but rejoined in December 2016. They are best known for their 1990s albums such as Throwing... read more
Seven Mary Three
Paw

Very underrated band! Thank goodness for Road Rash, or I might have missed them completely!
Sponge