helped introduce to the mainstream. Nine Inch
Nails is also well known for its remix material.
Impact Nine Inch Nails combined techno beats
and hard rock guitar and brought this sound to
mainstream acceptance, while connecting with fans
through introspective and risqué lyrics. Trent Rez-
nor proved to be an intriguing front man: tortured,
withdrawn, and explosive on stage.
Further Reading
Huxley, Martin.Nine Inch Nails. New York: St. Mar-
tin’s Press, 1997.
Udo, Tommy.Nine Inch Nails. London: Sanctuary
Records, 2002.
Alan Haslam
See also Alternative rock; Electronic music; Grunge
music; Lollapalooza; Marilyn Manson; Music; Wood-
stock concerts.
Nirvana
Identification Alternative rock band
Nirvana and grunge icon Kurt Cobain initiated the alter-
native music explosion in the early 1990’s.
Nirvana in its ultimate incarnation featured singer-
guitarist Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and
drummer Dave Grohl. After the independent re-
lease of 1989’sBleach, Nirvana signed with Geffen
Records and recorded the hugely successfulNever-
mind(1991).WhileBleachwas heavily influenced by
punk rock,Nevermindfused grunge-era guitar rock
with pop hooks and melody.Nevermindwas more
polished and accessible thanBleach, and though
the band expressed some dissatisfaction with the
postproduction of the album, its radio-friendliness
was a main factor in its widespread popularity.
Nevermindshifted popular rock music away from
the glam and arena rock of the 1980’s toward alter-
native rock.
In January, 1992,Nevermindwas selling about
300,000 copies per week, and the album reached
number one on theBillboardcharts. The album’s
popularity was boosted by heavy rotation on MTV of
the music video for the hit single “Smells Like Teen
Spirit.” The music video begins in a surrealistic high
school pep rally where Nirvana plays to uninterested
students and cheerleaders wearing anarchist sym-
bols and ends with the students destroying the set
and the band’s equipment. Nevermind spawned
three other hit singles and music videos that ce-
mented the grunge look and sound into the public
consciousness.
In 1993, amid much hype and press, Nirvana re-
leasedIn Utero, and listeners were shocked as they
were introduced to a radically different Nirvana.In
Uteroharked back to Nirvana’s punk roots, almost an
intentional move to alienate Nirvana’s brand-new le-
gion of fans as quickly as they had come. The album
was raw, dissonant, and difficult, yet featured
many of Nirvana’s hallmark melodies and hooks. In
September, 1993,In Uterodebuted at number one
on theBillboard200 but did not enjoy the lasting
power ofNevermind.612 Nirvana The Nineties in America
Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.(AP/Wide World Photos)