Home News Classic Rock News Here We Are Now: Nirvana’s “Nevermind” Turns 25

Here We Are Now: Nirvana’s “Nevermind” Turns 25

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Paul Bergen/RedfernsNirvana‘s Nevermind celebrates its 25th anniversary today, September 24. The iconic band’s sophomore album is considered a landmark of the ’90s grunge and alternative scene, as well as one of the best albums of all time.

Leading up to the release of Nevermind, sales projections were not high. However, fueled by the mega success of the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Nevermind eventually climbed to #1 on the Billboard 200, dethroning none other than Michael Jackson. It has since been certified diamond for more than 10 million copies shipped.

John Rosenfelder, who’s currently the VP of Digital Strategy and Analytics at Eleven Seven Music, worked with Nirvana’s record label promoting Nevermind to radio stations when the album was released.

“There were very few times in the industry or in the history of music that really everybody sort of came together like that around something,” Rosenfelder tells ABC Radio of Nevermind.

Along with a brand-new sound, Nirvana also tapped into a zeitgeist of teenage angst, offering a unique and unusual kind of rock star in Kurt Cobain. Additionally, Nevermind was surrounded by instantly iconic imagery, from the album’s cover to the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video’s deranged high school pep rally.

“The humor, the cohesiveness of their message really brings [‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’] forward,” says Rosenfelder. “And now you’re not just listening to an incredible piece of music, but you’re part of a movement.”

The legacy of Nirvana and Nevermind has, of course, been affected by Cobain’s suicide in 1994. However, Rosenfelder feels that Nevermind should instead be remembered by how it spoke to people, in a way comparable to how The Beatles did.

“In the ’90s, this was our Beatles, and this was our historic moment,” says Rosenfelder. “And it should be remembered in an exuberant, happy way.”

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