Album
In Utero
In Utero is the third and last studio album by Nirvana, recorded in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studios. After the glossy finish of Nevermind, the band wanted something rougher, so they brought in Steve Albini to give the record a more abrasive tone. It came out on DGC Records in September 1993, and it was the final Nirvana studio album released before Kurt Cobain's death.
The record's path to release was not smooth. Talk spread that the label might refuse Albini's mix, and Bob Ludwig mastered it for a more radio-friendly result, while Scott Litt remixed "All Apologies", "Heart-Shaped Box" and "Pennyroyal Tea". Even so, it topped the charts in both the US and the UK, and the first two of those singles went to number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Critics singled out its lyrics and raw, unconventional sound.
In Utero on Riffology
riffology.co →
In Utero: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 41:22Tracklist
- 1Serve the ServantsKurt Cobain3:37
- 2Scentless ApprenticeCobain, Grohl, Novoselic3:48
- 3Heart‐Shaped BoxKurt Cobain4:41
- 4Rape MeKurt Cobain2:50
- 5Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on SeattleKurt Cobain4:10
- 6DumbKurt Cobain2:32
- 7Very ApeKurt Cobain1:56
- 8Milk ItKurt Cobain3:55
- 9Pennyroyal TeaKurt Cobain3:37
- 10Radio Friendly Unit ShifterKurt Cobain4:51
- 11Tourette’sKurt Cobain1:35
- 12All ApologiesKurt Cobain3:51
- Produced by
- Dale Griffin, Steve Albini
- Recorded at
- Pachyderm (Cannon Falls, Minnesota), Bad Animals (Seattle, Washington)
- Recorded
- 13–21 February 1993 *22–26 February 1993 (mixing)
- Mixed by
- Scott Litt, Steve Albini
- Engineered by
- Steve Albini, Adam Kasper
- Label
- DGC Records
- Length
- 41:22
Line-up
- Kurt Cobain · guitar, lead vocals
- Dave Grohl · drums (drum set), vocals
- Krist Novoselic · bass guitar
- Kera Schaley · cello · guest
Singles
- “Heart-Shaped Box” · 30 August 1993
- “All Apologies" / "Rape Me” · 6 December 1993
- “Pennyroyal Tea” · 19 April 2014 (20th anniversary re – release)
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 1993 | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 · 1993 | 1 |
| Australian Alternative Albums (ARIA) · 1993 | 1 |
| Greek Albums (Billboard) · 2021–2022 | 1 |
| Swedish Albums · 1993 | 1 |
| US Catalog Albums · 2013–2014 | 1 |
| US Progressive Retail (CMJ) · 1993 | 1 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1993 | 2 |
| Canada Albums (The Record) · 1993 | 2 |
| European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media) · 1993 | 2 |
All 42 charts
| French Albums (SNEP) · 1993 | 2 |
| Icelandic Albums (DV) · 1993 | 2 |
| Irish Albums (IFPI Ireland) · 1993 | 2 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 2023 | 2 |
| Brazilian Albums (Bizz) · 1993 | 3 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1993 | 3 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1993 | 3 |
| Portuguese Albums · 2023 | 3 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) · 1993 | 3 |
| Belgian Albums (IFPI Belgium) · 1993 | 4 |
| Dutch Albums · 1993 | 4 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten) · 1993 | 5 |
| Buenos Aires Albums (UPI) · 1993 | 6 |
| Finnish Albums (Official Finnish Charts) · 1993 | 6 |
| Norwegian Albums · 1993 | 7 |
| Austrian Albums · 1993 | 8 |
| Greek Albums (Billboard), Super Deluxe Edition · 2013–2014 | 8 |
| Italian Vinyl Albums (FIMI) · 2023 | 9 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2023 | 10 |
| Greek Albums (Pop & Rock) · 1993 | 13 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 1993 | 13 |
| Scottish Albums · 2023 | 13 |
| Spanish Albums (Spanish Albums Chart) · 1993 | 13 |
| German Albums · 1993 | 14 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi) · 1993 | 14 |
| Swiss Albums · 1993 | 16 |
| Polish Albums · 2021–2022 | 26 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2013–2014 | 27 |
| Italian Albums · 2013–2014 | 30 |
| US Top Rock Albums · 2013–2014 | 36 |
| Hungarian Albums · 1993 | 40 |
| Ireland 3 · 2023 | 47 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina · 2011 | Platinum |
| Australia · 1996 | 2× Platinum |
| Austria · 1994 | Gold |
| Belgium · 1995 | Platinum |
| Brazil · 1998 | Gold |
| Canada · 2001 | 6× Platinum |
| France · 1995 | Platinum |
| Germany · 1995 | Gold |
| Italy · 2023 | Platinum |
| Japan · 2000 | Platinum |
| Mexico | Gold |
| Netherlands · 1994 | Gold |
| New Zealand · 2010 | 3× Platinum |
| Norway · 1995 | Gold |
| Poland · 1997 | Gold |
| Portugal · 2025 | Gold |
| Spain · 1994 | Gold |
| Sweden · 1993 | Gold |
| United Kingdom · 2024 | 3× Platinum |
| United States · 2024 | 6× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
96.9
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
21k
ListenBrainz listeners
365k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
286k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 13 September
Every year →
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A Real Dead One
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Motörhead · 1993
Live Shit: Binge & Purge
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More on DGC Records
The label →
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 1993-09-13; musicbrainz + wikidata 1993-09-21 (8 days apart, likely another territory)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 21 September 1993 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 13 September 1993 | |
| Wikidata | 21 September 1993 | |
| US release | 21 September 1993 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 21 September 1993 | earliest UK or European date |
59 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | ES | Geffen | 720642453629 | other |
| — | XE | DGC Records | 602537502950 | other |
| — | XE | Sub Pop Records | 720642453629 | other |
| 1993 | US | DGC Records | 720642460719 | deluxe |
| 1993 | US | DGC Records | 0208314671259 | other |
| 1993 | US | DGC Records | 020831467124 | other |
| 1993 | AU | Geffen | 720642453643 | other |
| 1993 | MX | Geffen | 720642453629 | other |
| 1993 | DE | Geffen | 720642453612 | other |
| 1993 | AR | Geffen | 720642460726 | other |
| 1993 | ZA | Geffen | 6001211521937 | other |
| 1993 | — | Geffen | 720642453629 | other |
| 1993 | CA | DGC Records | 77749757864902 | other |
| 1993 | AU | Geffen | 720642453629 | other |
| 21 September 1993 | US | DGC Records | 720642470527 | original |
| 21 September 1993 | US | DGC Records | 0720642460726 | original |
| 21 September 1993 | US | BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. | original | |
| 21 September 1993 | US | DGC Records | 720642460726 | original |
| 21 September 1993 | GB | Geffen | 720642453629 | original |
| 21 September 1993 | CA | DGC Records | 720642460726 | original |
| 21 September 1993 | US | Geffen | original | |
| 21 September 1993 | GB | Geffen | 720642453629 | original |
| 22 September 1993 | JP | MCA Victor, Inc. | 4988067012944 | other |
| 22 September 1993 | JP | Geffen | 4988067012944 | other |
| 23 October 1996 | JP | Geffen | 4988067025791 | other |
| January 1997 | US | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | 015775169029 | other |
| 2001 | ZA | Geffen | 6001210284734 | other |
| 2003 | GB | Geffen | 0720642453612 | other |
| 2008 | XE | Geffen | 720642453612 | other |
| 3 December 2008 | JP | Geffen | 4988005537638 | other |
| 2009 | US | Original Recordings Group | 892001002332 | other |
| 2011 | JP | DGC Records | 4988005677051 | other |
| 2013 | US | Geffen | 602537528646 | deluxe |
| 2013 | US | Geffen | 602537511648 | deluxe |
| 2013 | DE | Geffen | 602537502950 | other |
| 2013 | US | Geffen | 00602537526840 | deluxe |
| 2013 | XE | DGC Records | 602537502950 | other |
| 30 July 2013 | XW | Geffen | 00602537502950 | remaster |
| September 2013 | XW | Geffen | 602537528653 | deluxe |
| 20 September 2013 | XE | DGC Records | 602537483464 | deluxe |
| 23 September 2013 | XE | DGC Records | 602537539222 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | US | DGC Records | 602537502974 | other |
| 24 September 2013 | XW | Geffen | 00602537588039 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | XW | Geffen | 602537528677 | remaster |
| 24 September 2013 | AF | Geffen | 00602537502974 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | CA | DGC Records | 602537502974 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | US | DGC Records | 602537462445 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | US | DGC Records | 602537530007 | deluxe |
| 24 September 2013 | — | Geffen | 00602537533848 | deluxe |
| October 2013 | US | DGC Records | 600753453049 | other |
| 2 October 2013 | US | Geffen | 0602537528653 | deluxe |
| 9 October 2013 | JP | Universal Music | 4988005787668 | deluxe |
| 29 November 2013 | US | DGC Records | 602537483471 | other |
| 2015 | XE | DGC Records | 720642453612 | other |
| 25 October 2023 | XW | DGC Records | 602455178213 | deluxe |
| 25 October 2023 | XE | Geffen | 602455178572 | deluxe |
| 25 October 2023 | XW | DGC Records | 602455178503 | deluxe |
| 27 October 2023 | XW | DGC Records | 602455178589 | deluxe |
| 27 October 2023 | XW | Geffen | 00602458343144 | deluxe |
Cover art sources
itunes · native: native 1500x1500
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| itunes ✓ | 1500×1500 | native: native 1500x1500 |
| coverartarchive | 1400×1400 | upscaled |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |