Boom Radio: 90s Alt Playlist

 

90's Nostalgia: Pearl Jam - 'Jeremy'

"At home

Drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a V
And the dead lay in pools of maroon below"

I don't think anyone really expected "Jeremy" to break through quite the way that it did. Released as the third single from Pearl Jam's landmark 1991 debut album Ten, the song wasn't initially treated like an obvious blockbuster. It never received a standard commercial single release in the United States, which meant it wasn't eligible to climb the Billboard Hot 100 in the traditional way at the time. Yet somehow, it became one of the defining songs of the entire grunge era.

The reason? MTV.

Back when music television still had the power to launch songs into another stratosphere, the video for "Jeremy" arrived like a punch to the gut. Even if you only saw it once, you remembered it. The striking imagery, rapid-fire editing, and emotionally charged performance by Eddie Vedder made it impossible to ignore. It wasn't just another rock video, it felt like a short film that demanded your attention.

Vedder wrote the lyrics after reading a newspaper story about a Texas high school student who died by suicide in front of his classmates. He blended that real-life tragedy with another difficult childhood memory, creating a song that explored isolation, bullying, neglect, and the devastating consequences that can follow when someone feels invisible. Those themes were unsettling then, and sadly, they remain just as relevant today.

What made "Jeremy" so powerful wasn't simply the subject matter. It was the way Pearl Jam refused to sugarcoat it. The band paired haunting lyrics with one of the most unforgettable music videos of the '90s. Rather than relying on shock value alone, the video created an atmosphere that stayed with you long after it ended. It sparked conversations at school, around the dinner table, and among music fans who suddenly realized that rock songs could tackle subjects this heavy.

By the time the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards rolled around, "Jeremy" had become a cultural phenomenon. The video earned four Moon Person awards, including Video of the Year, cementing Pearl Jam as one of the biggest bands in the world and proving just how influential MTV could be during that era.

Looking back, "Jeremy" wasn't just another hit from Ten. It became a defining moment for an entire generation of music fans. It's one of those rare songs where the music and the visuals became inseparable. Mention "Jeremy," and chances are people immediately picture the video.

More than 30 years later, it remains one of the most powerful,  haunting songs of the decade. Not because it was everywhere on the radio, but because it made people stop, watch, and think. That's a rare accomplishment, and it's a big reason why "Jeremy" still stands as one of Pearl Jam's greatest achievements.

90s Nostalgia: Alice In Chains - 'Would?'

Back in 1992, alternative rock was exploding, but even in a sea of incredible new music, Alice In Chains' "Would?" sounded like it came from another planet.

I still remember hearing it on underground and college radio for the first time. The song didn't sound like the glam metal that had dominated the late '80s, and it wasn't quite like the punk-inspired grunge that was beginning to break through either. It was darker, heavier, more haunting. There was something hypnotic about it that immediately grabbed your attention.

The opening bass line from Mike Starr pulled you in before Layne Staley delivered one of the most distinctive vocal performances of the era. His voice carried pain, defiance, vulnerability, and power all at the same time. Then came those incredible harmonies with Jerry Cantrell, creating a sound that was unmistakably Alice In Chains.

"Would?" first appeared on the soundtrack to the film Singles before becoming one of the standout tracks on the band's breakthrough album Dirt. The song was written by Cantrell as a tribute to his friend Andrew Wood, who passed away in 1990, and that emotional weight can be felt throughout every note.

What made "Would?" so special was that it refused to fit neatly into any category. It had metal riffs, alternative rock attitude, and an almost psychedelic atmosphere. The quiet verses and explosive chorus created tension that kept listeners hanging on every word. It was heavy without being over-the-top and emotional without feeling sentimental.

More than three decades later, the song remains one of the defining tracks of the Seattle movement and one of the greatest songs of the 1990s. It still sounds fresh, still sounds powerful, and still gives me chills when that bass line kicks in.

For those of us who discovered it on underground radio in 1992, "Would?" wasn't just another song. It was a signal that rock music was changing, and Alice In Chains were leading the charge into something entirely new.

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Alice In Chains - 'Would?'

"Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way
Drifting body it's sole desertion
Flying not yet quite the notion"

The early 90's were truly one of the most depressing eras in music history. Grunge replaced hair metal and suddenly everyone was not just introspective, but fairly depressive and that's probably why the sound didn't last for very long. The great thing about grunge was that artists had found their way back to writing real songs again. Between glam rock songs about partying and hot chicks, and dance songs about partying and having a good time, the end of the 80's songwriting lacked depth. It was kind of refreshing to hear artists saying things that mattered again.

I think one of the best examples to come out of the 90's is Alice in Chains' "Would". Sure it embodied the heavy sound that everyone was creating but it also touched on death, addiction and not passing judgment. Jerry Cantrell had been thinking of Andrew Wood (who had died of a heroin overdose a few years earlier) and all of the issues that his untimely death had caused, so he put it to music and people got it. 

The song itself holds up better than most other early 90's tracks. Grunge has a way of sounding dated now and only a handful of tracks seem to have held up as well as "Would?". Check out the video below.

Daily Boom Lost Hit: The Afghan Whigs - 'Gentlemen'

Soundtrack Sunday: Singles

Singles, and its soundtrack, will turn 30 in a few months. Thirty! Where has the time gone? Easily one of the most popular soundtracks of modern day pop culture. Singles hit when grunge and alternative music were the biggest thing around and the soundtrack is loaded with tracks from everyone who was anyone back then. Check it out below!

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Garbage - 'Stupid Girl'

"You pretend you're high
Pretend you're bored
Pretend you're anything
Just to be adored
And what you need
Is what you get

Don't believe in fear
Don't believe in faith
Don't believe in anything
That you can't break

stupid girl
stupid girl
All you had you wasted."

Being an unapologetic vinyl junkie I was eventually going to get my hands on Garbage's 20th Anniversary remastered double album set. It took me awhile but my copy finally arrived this weekend and I have to say, it's most definitely worth every penny. The album art, lyrics sheets and detailing alone really does up the quality and really, who doesn't love colored vinyl?

I'll admit, it has been a minute since I've listened to Shirley Manson and the guys and I really don't know why. Their tracks really do stand the test of time and are pretty ageless. I love music that you can't easily put a date on and that is Garbage to a tee. It might be a new song (new music, please???!!) or it could be a decade or two old, it's hard to tell.

This collection offers up all of Garbage's top songs like "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer" and more. Here's one of my favorites below!

90's Nostalgia: Nirvana Unplugged

It doesn't seem possible that Kurt Cobain killed himself more than 20 years ago. It really seems like just last year that I was flipping between Nirvana's album and Courtney Love's band, Hole's pretty amazing Live Through This. But it was a really long time ago and WAY back in 1993 MTV first aired Nirvana's Unplugged set. Remember how video clips from it played constantly for about a year? I haven't watched it in a really long time so taking a look at it this morning reminded me of just how cool Cobain really was.

Currently Booming: Nirvana - First Performance With Dave Grohl (Watch)

Currently Booming: Alice in Chains on MTV Unplugged (Watch)

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Hole - 'Violet'

"And the sky was made of amethyst
And all the stars were just like little fish
You should learn when to go
You should learn how to say no

Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Well they get what they want, and they never want it again
Well they get what they want, and they never want it again
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to"

I still remember the first time that I listened to Hole's Live Through This album when it was released just days after Kurt Cobain's suicide. It just clicked on the deepest level possible for me. Everything that Nirvana was to other people, Hole became to me. Cobain had reached so many people through his lyrics, but it was his wife Courtney Love, that I connected with. She fearlessly tackled feminist issues, beauty ideals and douche men in a way different from any of the rockers before her. Lyrically, Love easily became the voice for a generation of young women.

"Violet" is rumored to have been about her screwed up love affair witch Billy Corrigan of The Smashing Pumpkins. I was in my mid-twenties when the song first dropped and I totally understood the kind of situation Love was singing about. Check out the video below.

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Garbage - '#1 Crush'

Daily Boom Deep Cuts: Garbage- 'Cup Of Coffee'

Being an unapologetic vinyl junkie I was eventually going to get my hands on Garbage's 20th Anniversary remastered double album set. It took me a while but my copy finally arrived this weekend and I have to say, it's most definitely worth every penny. The album art, lyrics sheets and detailing alone really does up the quality and really, who doesn't love colored vinyl?

(Photo: Twitter)

I'll admit, it has been a minute since I've listened to Shirley Manson and the guys and I really don't know why. Their tracks really do stand the test of time and are pretty ageless. I love music that you can't easily put a date on and that is Garbage to a tee. It might be a new song (new music, please???!!) or it could be a decade or two old, it's hard to tell.

This collection offers up all of Garbage's top songs like "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer" and more. The only thing missing is actually one of my very favorites- "Cup of Coffee".  I'm actually not sure why that didn't make the cut so rather than being predictable and going with one of Garbage's critically acclaimed videos, here's "Cup of Coffee" instead.

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Pearl Jam - 'Jeremy'

"At home

Drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a V
And the dead lay in pools of maroon below"

I don't think that anyone really expected Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" to break through quite the way that it did. It was the third single off of their 1992 album Ten, but it was never given a widespread release. In fact when MTV first began airing the video it wasn't even charting on Billboard's Hot 100. That video helped to turn this into one of the most memorable songs of the decade. Lead singer Eddie Vedder penned the lyrics after reading an article about a high school kid that killed himself in front of his classmates and the visuals, well, they leave a lasting imprint. The kind that was strong enough to earn Pearl Jam four VMA's in 1993.

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Garbage - 'Stupid Girl'

"You pretend you're high
Pretend you're bored
Pretend you're anything
Just to be adored
And what you need
Is what you get

Don't believe in fear
Don't believe in faith
Don't believe in anything
That you can't break

stupid girl
stupid girl
All you had you wasted."

Being an unapologetic vinyl junkie I was eventually going to get my hands on Garbage's 20th Anniversary remastered double album set. It took me awhile but my copy finally arrived this weekend and I have to say, it's most definitely worth every penny. The album art, lyrics sheets and detailing alone really does up the quality and really, who doesn't love colored vinyl?

I'll admit, it has been a minute since I've listened to Shirley Manson and the guys and I really don't know why. Their tracks really do stand the test of time and are pretty ageless. I love music that you can't easily put a date on and that is Garbage to a tee. It might be a new song (new music, please???!!) or it could be a decade or two old, it's hard to tell.

This collection offers up all of Garbage's top songs like "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer" and more. Here's one of my favorites below!

Currently Booming: VH1 News Special: Grunge

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Hole - 'Violet'

"And the sky was made of amethyst
And all the stars were just like little fish
You should learn when to go
You should learn how to say no

Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Well they get what they want, and they never want it again
Well they get what they want, and they never want it again
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to"

I still remember the first time that I listened to Hole's Live Through This album when it was released just days after Kurt Cobain's suicide. It just clicked on the deepest level possible for me. Everything that Nirvana was to other people, Hole became to me. Cobain had reached so many people through his lyrics, but it was his wife Courtney Love, that I connected with. She fearlessly tackled feminist issues, beauty ideals and douche men in a way different from any of the rockers before her. Lyrically, Love easily became the voice for a generation of young women.

"Violet" is rumored to have been about her screwed up love affair witch Billy Corrigan of The Smashing Pumpkins. I was in my mid-twenties when the song first dropped and I totally understood the kind of situation Love was singing about. Check out the video below.

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Alice In Chains - 'Would?'

"Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way
Drifting body it's sole desertion
Flying not yet quite the notion"

The early 90's were truly one of the most depressing eras in music history. Grunge replaced hair metal and suddenly everyone was not just introspective, but fairly depressive and that's probably why the sound didn't last for very long. The great thing about grunge was that artists had found their way back to writing real songs again. Between glam rock songs about partying and hot chicks, and dance songs about partying and having a good time, the end of the 80's songwriting lacked depth. It was kind of refreshing to hear artists saying things that mattered again.

I think one of the best examples to come out of the 90's is Alice in Chains' "Would". Sure it embodied the heavy sound that everyone was creating but it also touched on death, addiction and not passing judgment. Jerry Cantrell had been thinking of Andrew Wood (who had died of a heroin overdose a few years earlier) and all of the issues that his untimely death had caused, so he put it to music and people got it. 

The song itself holds up better than most other early 90's tracks. Grunge has a way of sounding dated now and only a handful of tracks seem to have held up as well as "Would?". Check out the video below.

Currently Booming: Nirvana Released 'Nevermind' 27 Years Ago Today!

Take another listen!

Daily Boom Deep Cuts: Garbage- 'Cup Of Coffee'

Being an unapologetic vinyl junkie I was eventually going to get my hands on Garbage's 20th Anniversary remastered double album set. It took me awhile but my copy finally arrived this weekend and I have to say, it's most definitely worth every penny. The album art, lyrics sheets and detailing alone really does up the quality and really, who doesn't love colored vinyl?

(Photo: Twitter)

I'll admit, it has been a minute since I've listened to Shirley Manson and the guys and I really don't know why. Their tracks really do stand the test of time and are pretty ageless. I love music that you can't easily put a date on and that is Garbage to a tee. It might be a new song (new music, please???!!) or it could be a decade or two old, it's hard to tell.

This collection offers up all of Garbage's top songs like "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer" and more. The only thing missing is actually one of my very favorites- "Cup of Coffee".  I'm actually not sure why that didn't make the cut so rather than being predictable and going with one of Garbage's critically acclaimed videos, here's "Cup of Coffee" instead.