What made "Smells like Teen Spirit" such a phenomenal success?

[Jihad_Jesus]

Green River and Mudhoney were each ten times better than Nirvana.

Mmmmmmmm...Mudhoney.

[chevelle]

flannel

[the Greatest]

The exhaustive post above is 2nd rate drivel that can be lifted from any vh1 special on the era.  I sincerely hope that no one needs to be educated on this subject.

Oh, and I especially like the part about the f*cking internet exposing Nirvana for being mediocre musicians.  I would think that anyone who has played music would be able to discern that by listening to their songs.

Technically speaking there is nothing too impressive with Nirvana. Some Pixie rip-offs, some Boston rip-offs, and some pretty standard power chord progressions...especially on Smells Like Teen Spirit. The internet didn't expose it, it just gave people greater access to other music that was being made at the time that is far superior but got no radio play (i.e., Pixies, Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, Guided By Voices, Pavement, Flaming Lips). Now, don't get me wrong, many of the aforementioned bands had good followings in the 90's, but none of them close to Nirvana. Everybody had Nevermind. Only the cool kids had these others...until now. 

Are you going to completely wank off of the Wiki link, or were you going to cite it at some point?

And sweet Mohammad what a pathetic analysis; more like f-ing Rolling Stone of late than Lester Bangs or even Chuck f-ing Klosterman.  You'd do better to stick with the lame internet shtick than to play music critic. 

[yourlocalsuperhero]

maybe you meant to say there is nothing impressive about Nevermind. If you know anything about Nirvana, you know that album isn't even close to being the best. and you also know that kurt hated smells like teen spirit because it was sort of the sell out song.

Technically speaking, there is nothing too impressive with you

Hahahahah...you're one of those die-hard Nirvana fans. You're probably one of those second generation Nirvana fans that was in fourth grade when Nevermind came out? Going through Nirvana's extensive catalog I would rank Nevermind 2nd behind In Utero.. Bleach is good and raw, but lacks overall consistency. Their other releases (Insecticide, & Unplugged don't count because they're just covers and live takes. And if Kurt Cobain was so concerned with selling out why did he sign with Geffen? Seems like if he didn't want to sell out he would have kept the band under the Sub Pop label. Oh well, he couldn't handle the stardom that he so desperately wanted and he ended up blowing his brains out. At least it allowed Dave Grohl to develop his full potential.

Don't get me wrong. I like Nirvana and I liked them back in the day, but musically they were not that talented. It was more of a market niche that they hit upon with those unruly haircuts paired with torn jeans and nice sweaters.

"Bleach lacks consistency"
"Insecticide, & Unplugged ... [are] just covers"
"Geffen ... Sell out"

Jesus, these are not serious indictments of ability.  When I listen to Bleach, and every other Nirvana record, I still enjoy them and appreciate new things.  Refresh my memory, but didn't Nirvana guitarists come and go?  Throughout, Dave G offered spectacular drum work -- on all albums, esp on In Utero.  And Kurt's guitaring was fine, just fine.  As one example of Kurt's guitar ability, most fail at playing L2 (I think that's the name), a song on one of their cover albums.

Most importantly, they strike a chord.  Nirvana has influenced tens of millions of people, and still informs millions to this day.  That's talent:  undefinable and transcendent. 

Whether or not they played/recorded covers, signed big label or demonstrated "inconsistency," Nirvana is a fine example of talent.  I regret that, whatever the reason(s), you choose to impugn the band with analytical reasons why they are no longer good enough for you wear them on your sleeve (or wherever).

In five decades, their music will remain influential (unless the global climate crisis has his way).

[Jihad_Jesus]

The exhaustive post above is 2nd rate drivel that can be lifted from any vh1 special on the era.  I sincerely hope that no one needs to be educated on this subject.

Oh, and I especially like the part about the f*cking internet exposing Nirvana for being mediocre musicians.  I would think that anyone who has played music would be able to discern that by listening to their songs.

Technically speaking there is nothing too impressive with Nirvana. Some Pixie rip-offs, some Boston rip-offs, and some pretty standard power chord progressions...especially on Smells Like Teen Spirit. The internet didn't expose it, it just gave people greater access to other music that was being made at the time that is far superior but got no radio play (i.e., Pixies, Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, Guided By Voices, Pavement, Flaming Lips). Now, don't get me wrong, many of the aforementioned bands had good followings in the 90's, but none of them close to Nirvana. Everybody had Nevermind. Only the cool kids had these others...until now. 

Are you going to completely wank off of the Wiki link, or were you going to cite it at some point?

And sweet Mohammad what a pathetic analysis; more like f-ing Rolling Stone of late than Lester Bangs or even Chuck f-ing Klosterman.  You'd do better to stick with the lame internet shtick than to play music critic. 

What of the above comes from Wiki? The Boston reference??? If you've ever heard Boson's ultimate rock song More Than a Feeling you would instantly recognize the similarities. I recognized it as a 14 year old tripping acid in the back of a Toyota Corolloa in the KC suburbs. As for the Pixies...everyone knows that Kurt Cobain wanted to blow Frank Black and the only reason he killed himself is because he wasn't as cool as Frank Black.

[RATM2007]

These supposed similarities are faint at best.  I really dont understand why everyone always says this about the song.

[Jihad_Jesus]

UMass

That is sweet.