By 1990, grunge had established itself as a viable commercial sub-genre within alternative music. While still a niche audience, the record labels saw enough value to sign bands such as Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and The Screaming Trees to major label contracts that would eventually be lucrative. Nirvana, led by Kurt Cobain, signed with DGC Records in 1990 after leaving their previous label, Sub Pop.
Released on September 21, 1991, over a year after signing their contract with DGC, Nirvana hoped that at best, their second album "Nevermind" would be a minor hit. Instead, it ended up becoming a phenomenon. Knocking off Michael Jackson’s "Dangerous" from the top of the Billboard charts, "Nevermind" changed the way the major labels and the media looked at grunge. No longer a fringe element of a niche genre, Nirvana singlehandedly made alternative music economically viable for better or worse.
A month before the release of "Nevermind," another Seattle band, Pearl Jam, released their debut album "Ten." While not a big seller out of the gate, within a year Pearl Jam began to hit their stride, eventually outselling Nirvana’s "Nevermind." Their sound had more in common with the classic rock of the '60s and '70s, making it more appealing to mainstream audiences. Of all the bands to come out of the grunge era, Pearl Jam has been the longest-lasting and has had its fair share of imitators.
By 1993, grunge had completely infiltrated the public consciousness. Pearl Jam and Nirvana were preparing to release their follow up albums "Vs." and "In Utero" respectively. When released, both were noted for their abrasive and harder sounds, a clear response to the sudden media attention and fame. Meanwhile, clothing companies began to take note of grunge fashions, charging high prices for what had once been a cheap means of buying clothes. Even the film industry latched onto the grunge culture with films like "Singles," detailing the movement with on-location filming in Seattle, complete with members of the Seattle music scene.
When Kurt Cobain passed away of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1994, the movement that had been so popular found itself without its unofficial spokesman. While his death was shocking, it was unsurprising. Nirvana disbanded in the aftermath, with drummer Dave Grohl going on to front the hugely popular Foo Fighters. In Nirvana’s wake and Pearl Jam’s refusal to embrace the spotlight, a number of bands aping the grunge sound appeared. Stone Temple Pilots, Candlebox, and Collective Soul were only a few of the bands that became popular in this void, forming a new sub-genre called post-grunge. In the meantime, Soundgarden finally had mainstream success, before disbanding in 1996. By the end of the decade only Pearl Jam remained, soldiering on into the 21st century when the other Seattle bands had fallen by the wayside.