Grunge is an alternative rock genre and subculture which emerged during the mid-1980s in the U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of punk rock and heavy metal. The genre featured the distorted electric guitar sound used in both genres, although some bands performed with more emphasis on one or the other. Like these genres, grunge typically uses electric guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals. Grunge also incorporates influences from indie rock bands such as Sonic Youth. Lyrics are typically angst-filled and introspective, often addressing themes such as social alienation, self-doubt, abuse, neglect, betrayal, social and emotional isolation, addiction, psychological trauma and a desire for freedom.
L7 is an American all-female rock band founded in Los Angeles, California, first active from 1985 to 2001 and re-formed in 2014. Their longest standing lineup consists of Suzi Gardner, Donita Sparks, Jennifer Finch, and Dee Plakas. L7 has released seven studio albums and has toured widely in the US, Europe, Japan, Australia, and South America. "Pretend We're Dead" was heavily played on US alternative radio and entered the top 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart in 1992.
Alternative rock is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grunge, shoegaze, and Britpop subgenres in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. During this period, many record labels were looking for "alternatives", as many corporate rock, hard rock, and glam metal acts from the 1980s were beginning to grow stale throughout the music industry. The emergence of Generation X as a cultural force in the 1990s also contributed greatly to the rise of alternative rock.
Siamese Dream is the second studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993, on Virgin Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan. Despite its recording sessions being fraught with difficulties and tensions, Siamese Dream debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, and was eventually certified 4× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the album selling over six million copies worldwide, catapulting the Smashing Pumpkins to mainstream success and cementing them as a significant group in alternative music.
Meantime is the second studio album and major label debut by American alternative metal band Helmet. It was released on June 23, 1992, through Interscope Records.
Badmotorfinger is the third studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991, through A&M Records. Soundgarden began the recording sessions for the album with new bassist Ben Shepherd in the spring of 1991. The album maintained the band's heavy metal sound, while featuring an increased focus on songwriting compared to the band's previous releases. AllMusic considered the album's music to be "surprisingly cerebral and arty"; alternative tunings and odd time signatures were present on several of the album's songs, and lyrics were intended to be ambiguous and evocative.
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge is the second studio album by American rock band Mudhoney. It was recorded in 1991, at a time when the band was thinking of signing to a major record label, but decided to release the album on Sub Pop. The album shipped 50,000 copies on its original release. It is credited with helping to keep Sub Pop in business.
My Own Prison is the debut studio album by American rock band Creed, released in 1997. The album was issued independently by the band's record label, Blue Collar Records, on June 24, 1997, and re-released by Wind-up Records on August 26, 1997. Manager Jeff Hanson matched Creed up with John Kurzweg, and My Own Prison was recorded for $6,000, funded by Hanson. The band wrote several songs, trying to discover their own identity, and in their early days, the members had jobs, while bassist Brian Marshall got a degree. Creed eventually got a record deal with Wind-up and began recording music. After its release, the album was distributed to Florida radio stations.
Stoner Witch is the seventh studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on October 18, 1994, by Atlantic Records.
L7 is the debut studio album by American rock band L7, released in 1988 by Epitaph Records. It demonstrates the band's punk rock origins, although there are traces of the heavier grunge sound that dominated their later work.
Happy Hour is the fifth studio album by experimental music band King Missile, and released on December 15, 1992, by Atlantic Records. The album is exactly one hour long, hence its title.
Gumbo Millennium is the second album by the American rock band 24-7 Spyz, released in 1990.
Smell the Magic is the second studio album by American rock band L7, released in 1990 by Sub Pop. Originally issued as a 12" EP containing only the first six songs, it was reissued on CD in July 1991, expanded to album length with three more tracks: "Packin' a Rod," "Just Like Me," and "American Society." The opening track "Shove" was released as the band's first single.
Paw was an American rock band from Lawrence, Kansas, that was formed in 1990. The band's original line-up consisted of vocalist Mark Hennessy, guitarist Grant Fitch, bassist Charles Bryan, and drummer Peter Fitch. They released two studio albums – Dragline and Death To Traitors, the B-side and outtake collection Keep The Last Bullet For Yourself and the EP Home Is a Strange Place before disbanding in 2000. On a couple of occasions they have reunited.
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band is Lyle Lovett's third album, released in 1989. Lovett won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for the album.
Phaseshifter is a 1993 album by the American rock band Redd Kross. Three singles were released from the album: "Jimmy's Fantasy", "Lady In The Front Row" and "Visionary".
No Deliverance is the third studio album by Toadies. It was released in 2008 on Kirtland Records. No Deliverance is the band's first album seven years after the band's previous album, Hell Below/Stars Above, and the first since the band's reunion in 2006. It is also the band's only album without an official bass player, with bass duties being handled by Vaden Todd Lewis.
Death to Traitors is the second studio album by the American grunge band Paw. It was released in 1995 through A&M Records. While the album received favorable reviews from the press, sales quickly fizzled due to a lack of promotional support from the band's label. Paw was dropped by A&M in 1996, before their contract was fulfilled.
Home Is a Strange Place is a mini album by the American grunge band Paw. It was released on August 22, 2000, through Koch International. The album is currently out of print. Paw disbanded shortly after the album's release. No singles were released from the album.
Purplemetalflakemusic is an album by the American alternative rock band the Fluid, released in 1993. It was the band's first album for a major label. The Fluid named the album after their music publishing company.
[1] 
