Nirvana

Emerging from the Seattle grunge scene at the end of the 1980s, Nirvana had an immediate impact on the music industry. Some would say they actually defined the grunge movement, though you should probably avoid the topic when talking to Pearl Jam or Stone Temple Pilots fans. Nirvana’s impact was particularly evident with the release of their album Nevermind, which became an immediate phenomenon in 1991. Unfortunately, Kurt Cobain took his own life in 1994 and Nirvana only released three albums in their seven years as a band.

Nevermind would actually rise to the number one spot in album sales, knocking out none other than Michael Jackson, but the band never achieved a number one single. Unsurprisingly, Smells Like Teen Spirit was the band’s closest call, hitting sixth place in December of 1991. Today the band has sold over 75 million records worldwide.