Album · 35 years old this year
Nevermind
Nevermind is Nirvana's second studio album, released on 24 September 1991 by DGC Records. It followed Bleach (1989) and was the first Nirvana record to feature Dave Grohl on drums. Butch Vig produced it, with sessions at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and Smart Studios in Madison during May and June 1991. The result is cleaner and more radio-friendly than the band's earlier work.
Kurt Cobain wrote most of the songs, dealing with alienation, frustration and relationship troubles, and with anti-establishment and feminist views. The sound moves between punk-edged hard rock and acoustic ballads. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" led the way, joined by "Come as You Are", "Lithium" and "In Bloom". The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 in January 1992, and it is widely credited with taking grunge and alternative rock to a mainstream audience.
Nevermind on Riffology
riffology.co →
Nevermind: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 42:38Tracklist
- 1Smells Like Teen SpiritCobain, Grohl, Novoselic5:01
- 2In BloomKurt Cobain4:15
- 3Come as You AreKurt Cobain3:39
- 4BreedCobain, Grohl, Novoselic3:04
- 5LithiumKurt Cobain4:17
- 6PollyChanning, Cobain, Novoselic2:57
- 7Territorial PissingsKurt Cobain and Chet Powers2:23
- 8Drain YouCobain, Grohl, Novoselic3:44
- 9Lounge ActKurt Cobain2:37
- 10Stay AwayKurt Cobain3:32
- 11On a PlainKurt Cobain3:16
- 12Something in the WayKurt Cobain3:53
- Produced by
- Nirvana, Butch Vig
- Recorded at
- Sound City (Van Nuys), Smart (Madison, Wisconsin)
- Recorded
- 2–28 May 1991, 1–9 June 1991 (mixing), April 1990
- Mixed by
- Andy Wallace
- Mixed at
- Sound City Studios
- Engineered by
- Nirvana, Butch Vig
- Label
- DGC Records
- Length
- 42:38
Line-up
- Kurt Cobain · guitar, lead vocals, vocals
- Dave Grohl · drums (drum set), background vocals
- Krist Novoselic · bass guitar, background vocals, bass
- Kirk Canning · cello · guest
Singles
- “Smells Like Teen Spirit” · 10 September 1991
- “Come as You Are” · 18 February 1992
- “Lithium” · 13 July 1992
- “In Bloom” · 30 November 1992
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart · 2011 | 5 |
| Australian Alternative Albums (ARIA) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (IFPI Belgium) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Brazilian Albums (Bizz) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Buenos Aires Albums (UPI) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Canada Albums (The Record) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| French Albums (SNEP) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
All 49 charts
| Greek Albums (Billboard) · 2022 | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI Greece) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Irish Albums (IFPI Ireland) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Israeli Albums (IBA) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Polish Albums · 2021 | 1 |
| Portuguese Albums · 2011 | 1 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| Swedish Albums · 1991–1992 | 1 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 1998 | 1 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| Austrian Albums · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media) · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| Norwegian Albums · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| Swiss Albums · 1991–1992 | 2 |
| US Catalog Albums · 2011 | 2 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten) · 1991–1992 | 3 |
| Dutch Albums · 1991–1992 | 3 |
| German Albums · 1991–1992 | 3 |
| Scottish Albums · 2011 | 4 |
| Zimbabwean Albums · 1991–1992 | 4 |
| French Albums · 2011 | 5 |
| South African Albums (SABC) · 1991–1992 | 5 |
| UK Network Albums (MRIB) · 1991–1992 | 6 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2011 | 7 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU) · 2026 | 7 |
| US Top Rock Albums · 2021 | 9 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi) · 1991–1992 | 10 |
| UK R&B Albums · 2005 | 11 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2019 | 12 |
| Hungarian Albums · 1991–1992 | 12 |
| Norwegian Rock Albums (IFPI Norge) · 2025 | 12 |
| Ireland 3 · 2021 | 15 |
| Danish Albums · 2011 | 16 |
| Italian Albums · 2011 | 20 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 1991–1992 | 24 |
| Finnish Albums · 2011 | 41 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 2017 | 46 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina · 2011 | 3× Platinum |
| Australia · 1996 | 5× Platinum |
| Austria · 1993 | Platinum |
| Belgium · 2022 | 8× Platinum |
| Brazil · 1998 | Platinum |
| Canada · 2001 | Diamond |
| Denmark · 2022 | 7× Platinum |
| Finland · 1992 | Gold |
| France · 1997 | Diamond |
| Germany · 1998 | 2× Platinum |
| Iceland (FHF) | Platinum |
| Italy · 2022 | 4× Platinum |
| Japan · 2002 | 3× Platinum |
| Mexico | 2× Gold |
| Netherlands · 1994 | Platinum |
| New Zealand | 7× Platinum |
| Poland · 1999 | Platinum |
| Poland · 2022 | 3× Platinum |
| Portugal · 2022 | Platinum |
| Spain · 1992 | Platinum |
| Sweden · 1998 | 2× Platinum |
| Switzerland · 1992 | Platinum |
| United Kingdom · 2025 | 9× Platinum |
| United States · 2024 | 13× Platinum |
Awards
- SNEP diamond album
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
98.0
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
29k
ListenBrainz listeners
661k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
414k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 24 September
Every year →
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The Smashing Pumpkins · 1991
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1916
Motörhead · 1991
More on DGC Records
The label →
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 24 September 1991 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 24 September 1991 | |
| Wikidata | 24 September 1991 | |
| US release | 24 September 1991 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 24 September 1991 | earliest UK or European date |
94 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XE | Geffen | 720642442524 | other |
| — | ZA | Geffen | 6001211426638 | other |
| — | CA | Geffen | 602527809045 | deluxe |
| — | AU | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| — | US | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| — | XE | DGC Records | other | |
| — | AR | Universal Music Group | 720642442524 | other |
| — | XE | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| — | XE | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| — | CA | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| — | XE | Geffen | 720642442524 | other |
| — | CA | Geffen | 00602527854090 | other |
| 1991 | SA | DGC Records | 720642442548 | other |
| 1991 | US | BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. | other | |
| 1991 | CA | DGC Records | 77749749200602 | other |
| 1991 | GB | DGC Records | 0720642442517 | other |
| 1991 | XE | Sub Pop Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 1991 | CA | DGC Records | 777497492006 | other |
| 1991 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| 1991 | CA | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 1991 | DE | Geffen | 720642442524 | other |
| 1991 | US | DGC Records | 720642442548 | other |
| 1991 | XE | Sub Pop Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 24 September 1991 | US | DGC Records | 720642442517 | original |
| 24 September 1991 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442524 | original |
| 24 September 1991 | US | Geffen | 0720642442524 | original |
| 24 September 1991 | US | DGC Records | 720642442524 | original |
| 24 September 1991 | US | DGC Records | 720642442524 | original |
| 24 September 1991 | AU | DGC Records | 720642442524 | original |
| 7 November 1991 | JP | DGC Records | 4988067002709 | other |
| 1992 | ES | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 1996 | JP | DGC Records | 015775125810 | remaster |
| 12 March 1996 | US | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | 015775166622 | other |
| April 1996 | US | DGC Records | 015775125810 | remaster |
| 1997 | SA | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 1999 | ZA | DGC Records | 6001210152330 | other |
| 2001 | XE | DGC Records | 0720642442517 | other |
| 2002 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 2007 | JP | Geffen | other | |
| 2007 | JP | USM JAPAN | other | |
| 20 October 2008 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| 3 December 2008 | JP | Geffen | 4988005537614 | other |
| 2009 | US | SanDisk Corporation | 619659000394 | other |
| 2009 | US | Original Recordings Group | 093624969556 | other |
| 2009 | US | Original Recordings Group | other | |
| 30 March 2009 | FR | Sub Pop Records | 720642442524 | other |
| 3 November 2009 | US | Universal Music Special Markets | 093624969556 | other |
| 2011 | US | Geffen | 602527795959 | other |
| 2011 | AO | Geffen | 602527874609 | other |
| 2011 | GB | DGC Records | 602527851983 | other |
| 2011 | XE | DGC Records | 602527779089 | other |
| 2011 | XE | Sub Pop Records | 602527779034 | deluxe |
| 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527809045 | deluxe |
| 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527874609 | other |
| 1 January 2011 | US | Geffen | 00602537498659 | other |
| 22 September 2011 | XE | Geffen | 602527779089 | remaster |
| 23 September 2011 | AU | Geffen | 602527779089 | deluxe |
| 23 September 2011 | DE | DGC Records | 602527779089 | other |
| 23 September 2011 | US | Geffen | 602527829463 | deluxe |
| 23 September 2011 | AF | Geffen | 00602527856865 | remaster |
| 23 September 2011 | XE | DGC Records | 602527779041 | deluxe |
| 26 September 2011 | AF | Geffen | 602527856889 | deluxe |
| 26 September 2011 | AF | Geffen | 602527856896 | deluxe |
| 27 September 2011 | US | Geffen | 00602527805641 | other |
| 27 September 2011 | XE | DGC Records | 602527779034 | deluxe |
| 27 September 2011 | US | Geffen | deluxe | |
| 27 September 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527779034 | deluxe |
| 27 September 2011 | US | Geffen | 0602527779058 | deluxe |
| 27 September 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527795973 | remaster |
| 27 September 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527779089 | other |
| 27 September 2011 | CA | DGC Records | 602527779034 | deluxe |
| 4 October 2011 | US | DGC Records | 602527779041 | other |
| 11 October 2011 | DZ | Geffen | 00602547866967 | remaster |
| 11 October 2011 | DZ | Geffen | 602547866950 | deluxe |
| 12 October 2011 | JP | DGC Records | 4988005677013 | other |
| 12 October 2011 | JP | Universal Music | 4988005677013 | deluxe |
| 24 October 2011 | DZ | Geffen | 00602547866912 | deluxe |
| 2013 | DE | Geffen | 720642442517 | other |
| 2013 | US | Universal UMC | 600753423844 | other |
| 2013 | XE | DGC Records | 600753423844 | other |
| 4 June 2015 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| 2017 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| 2020 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| 2021 | XW | Universal | 602438625314 | deluxe |
| 11 November 2021 | US | Geffen | 602438461882 | deluxe |
| 12 November 2021 | XW | Geffen | 0602438970858 | deluxe |
| 12 November 2021 | AF | Geffen | 602438888900 | deluxe |
| 12 November 2021 | — | Geffen | deluxe | |
| 12 November 2021 | XE | DGC Records | 602438625314 | deluxe |
| 12 November 2021 | — | Geffen | other | |
| 12 November 2021 | US | Geffen | 602438625314 | other |
| 11 December 2021 | US | DGC Records | 602438461882 | deluxe |
| 2025 | XE | DGC Records | 720642442517 | other |
| — | — | — | 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 |