Nirvana could turn a simple guitar figure into a huge chorus, then hold your attention with a nearly whispered acoustic song. These 20 picks cover the band’s familiar singles, heavier album tracks and quieter performances, including its distinctive version of a David Bowie song.
Contents
- 1. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
- 2. “About a Girl” by Nirvana
- 3. “Come As You Are” by Nirvana
- 4. “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana
- 5. “Lithium” by Nirvana
- 6. “All Apologies” by Nirvana
- 7. “In Bloom” by Nirvana
- 8. “Drain You” by Nirvana
- 9. “The Man Who Sold the World” by Nirvana
- 10. “Lounge Act” by Nirvana
- 11. “Dumb” by Nirvana
- 12. “Breed” by Nirvana
- 13. “Something in the Way” by Nirvana
- 14. “Sliver” by Nirvana
- 15. “Aneurysm” by Nirvana
- 16. “On a Plain” by Nirvana
- 17. “Pennyroyal Tea” by Nirvana
- 18. “School” by Nirvana
- 19. “Blew” by Nirvana
- 20. “You Know You’re Right” by Nirvana
1. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
The four-chord guitar opening gives “Smells Like Teen Spirit” an immediate sense of momentum. The band pulls back for the verses, then Dave Grohl’s drums help drive the chorus into a much bigger sound.
Kurt Cobain’s rough delivery and the clean guitar between the loud sections make the changes feel especially sharp. It is an easy starting point for hearing how Nirvana combined a memorable tune with a restless performance.
2. “About a Girl” by Nirvana
“About a Girl” has a bright, repeating guitar pattern that holds its shape even when the words turn toward an uneven relationship. Its compact verses and clear chorus reveal the pop songwriting underneath the band’s heavier sound.
The MTV Unplugged performance lets you hear the acoustic strumming and the small changes in Cobain’s voice. It works well early in a playlist, before moving into the louder recordings.
3. “Come As You Are” by Nirvana
A wavering guitar riff gives “Come As You Are” its recognizable opening. Krist Novoselic’s bass helps keep the groove steady while the vocal moves through an invitation that sounds increasingly uncertain.
There is plenty of space in the verses, making the louder passages feel heavier when they arrive. Listen for the way the guitar effect keeps the song slightly unsettled even at its most relaxed.
4. “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana
“Heart-Shaped Box” opens with a twisted, slow-moving guitar figure. Cobain sings quietly over the verse before the chorus brings a strained vocal and a broad wall of distorted guitar.
The uneasy images resist a tidy explanation, so the sound is a useful way into the song. Its dragging rhythm and abrupt bursts of volume create a feeling of being drawn toward something difficult to escape.
5. “Lithium” by Nirvana
The springy bass and clean guitar of “Lithium” leave room around the opening vocal. When the chorus arrives, the same basic pulse becomes a much rougher group shout.
Its changing mood moves between relief and instability. The repeated vocal phrases make it easy to follow, while the band’s sudden changes keep the performance from settling into one emotional register.
6. “All Apologies” by Nirvana
“All Apologies” turns a circling melody into a weary reflection on expectations and belonging. The MTV Unplugged version gives the guitar and cello room to answer Cobain’s voice.
The ending lingers on a repeated phrase rather than pushing toward a showy finish. That gentle insistence makes it a strong choice for listeners drawn to the band’s quieter performances.
7. “In Bloom” by Nirvana
“In Bloom” pairs a broad, catchy chorus with words about someone who enjoys a song while missing its meaning. The band gives that uncomfortable idea a tune that practically invites a singalong.
The bass has a sturdy presence beneath the guitar, and the backing vocals make the chorus sound fuller. Hear it alongside “Lithium” for two different uses of the quiet-verse, loud-chorus approach.
8. “Drain You” by Nirvana
“Drain You” moves quickly, with an eager melody set against strange images of closeness and dependence. The guitar and vocal stay tightly connected through the opening sections.
The live Paradiso performance makes the middle stretch especially tense: the band lets the noise build before snapping back into the song. It is a good pick when you want a familiar melodic hook with a less predictable turn.
9. “The Man Who Sold the World” by Nirvana
Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” places a curling guitar line at the center of the arrangement. Cobain delivers its mysterious encounter in a low, measured voice.
The lightly amplified guitar keeps a grainy edge around the acoustic instruments. This cover offers a change of pace while showing how naturally the band could make another songwriter’s material fit its own sound.
10. “Lounge Act” by Nirvana
Novoselic’s bass opens “Lounge Act” with a climbing line that immediately gives the song a distinctive shape. The rest of the band joins with a quick, driving rhythm.
Cobain’s delivery becomes more forceful as the relationship tension develops. The Reading performance is particularly useful for hearing how much the bass contributes beneath the louder guitar.
11. “Dumb” by Nirvana
“Dumb” uses a plain, gently swaying melody to explore the gap between feeling content and feeling detached. Its restrained pace gives small vocal inflections more room to stand out.
The live Reading version has a lean band sound, so the song’s underlying melody is easy to hear. It belongs beside “All Apologies” if you prefer Nirvana at a slower, more reflective pace.
12. “Breed” by Nirvana
A fast, churning riff sends “Breed” forward almost immediately. Grohl’s drumming keeps the momentum high as the guitar moves between tightly repeated figures and a looser, noisy break.
The Paramount performance captures the song’s physical energy. Put it near the middle of a rock playlist when you want a short burst of speed after several more measured tracks.
13. “Something in the Way” by Nirvana
“Something in the Way” lowers the volume to a murmur. A slowly repeating acoustic part and a subdued vocal create a feeling of isolation, with the cello adding weight to the arrangement.
The recording rewards a quiet listen. Its few musical changes make the pauses and sustained notes matter, offering a striking contrast to the sharp drum hits and bright choruses elsewhere on Nevermind.
14. “Sliver” by Nirvana
“Sliver” tells a small childhood story through a bouncy bass line and an increasingly impatient vocal. Being left with grandparents becomes a much bigger event from the child’s point of view.
The repeated plea in the chorus gives the frustration an almost comic directness. Its short length and everyday setting make it a useful introduction to Nirvana beyond the best-known album singles.
15. “Aneurysm” by Nirvana
“Aneurysm” takes time to wind up, using an instrumental opening that lets the guitar and drums build pressure together. Once the vocal enters, the rhythm feels both heavy and quick on its feet.
The Reading performance gives the repeated sections plenty of force. Listen for the stops and returns: the band’s control over those changes is as much a part of the appeal as the volume.
16. “On a Plain” by Nirvana
“On a Plain” has one of Nirvana’s most buoyant melodies, supported by a steady bass part and bright backing vocals. Cobain’s phrasing makes its self-questioning words sound unexpectedly easy to sing.
The live Reading recording keeps the tune clear through the rougher guitar sound. It is a strong choice for anyone who likes the melodic side of Nevermind and wants to move beyond its opening tracks.
17. “Pennyroyal Tea” by Nirvana
The MTV Unplugged rehearsal of “Pennyroyal Tea” leaves Cobain’s voice and acoustic guitar exposed. The repeated chord changes carry a tired, troubled mood without needing a full-band chorus.
This version lets you hear how he stretches and strains the ends of phrases. Place it after a louder performance to appreciate how much of the song’s tension is already present in the melody.
18. “School” by Nirvana
“School” makes a small amount of material go a long way. A circling guitar riff and a few repeated lines turn a familiar setting into something cramped and frustrating.
The Reading performance keeps the arrangement direct, with the drums pushing each return of the riff. It is a good route into the heavier, more repetitive side of the band’s early songs.
19. “Blew” by Nirvana
The low bass opening of “Blew” gives it a thick, dragging sound before the guitar takes hold. The melody stays simple, leaving the weight of the rhythm to do much of the work.
At Reading, the rough guitar solo briefly breaks away from that steady pattern. Choose this one to hear the darker, heavier sound that sits alongside Nirvana’s more tuneful singles.
20. “You Know You’re Right” by Nirvana
“You Know You’re Right” begins with small, ringing guitar sounds before settling into a tense verse. Cobain’s voice moves from restraint to a strained refrain as the band opens up behind him.
The quieter passages make each heavy return feel more abrupt. It closes this selection with the combination of a strong melodic outline and an uneasy performance that runs through so much of Nirvana’s music.
Featured Image Credits (Top): P.B. Rage, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Featured Image Credits (Bottom): Alice Wheeler.
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