Nirvana was an American alternative rock/grunge band that most-famously consisted of lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer and percussionist Dave Grohl.

Formed in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington by Cobain and Novoselic, the group went through several different drummers in their early years. They finally relocated to Seattle in 1988 with the drummer Chad Channing and signed with the independent label Sub Pop. Their debut album Bleach was released in June 1989 and was a moderate success, reaching number 89 on the US Billboard 200 and the Top 40 in the UK and Australia. It went on to sell over 1.7 million copies in the US alone and produced one single: Love Buzz. However, it was their second studio album that would catapult them to mainstream fame.

Nevermind, recorded with Grohl on drums for the first time, was released on 24^th September 1991 and was an instant success. It shot to number one on the Billboard 200, as well as reaching the Top 10 in charts around the world, and went on to sell over 26 million copies – making it one of the most successful albums of the decade. It is also credited with bringing alternative rock into the mainstream. The album produced a total of four singles – Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come as You Are, Lithium and In Bloom – and is now widely considered to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

The group’s third studio album In Utero was another big success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200, selling over ten million copies worldwide and producing the singles Heart-Shaped Box, All Apologies/Rape Me and Pennyroyal Tea. However, it was to be their last album as Cobain’s ongoing heroin addiction led to him committing suicide on 8^th April 1994.

Nirvana’s record label subsequently released the posthumous live album MTV Unplugged in New York. The release, which included now renowned cover versions of songs like David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold the World and The Vaselines’ Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, reached number one and won the group a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.