1

Brittany Sannino
English,Mr.Ramos
Paper #1

In the early 1990s, a Seattle sound band horrified network executives resulting in a movement that redefined an era and influenced future artist. Driven by their disobedience and media defying personality, the band connected to a wide variety audience, an accomplishment no other artist could have done. Through many plunges in commercial failure ,Nirvana, a
Washington State trio, Produced a groundbreaking album that transformed them from a little­known band to a worldwide known band with their album
Nevermind.
The band became the voice for millions who dared to challenge everyday society. From chord progressions to drum techniques
Nevermind
changed the course of music and has yet to be challenge or outmatched to this day. This study will delve into the production, iconic packaging critical acclaim along with the albums unit sale of
Nevermind
, that will prove to many as to why it is among one of the most classic rock albums. Lets begin with how all albums are made: production. Production of nevermind
.

Nevermind is a mix of slow, dark songs and fast paced grunge rock songs. With its grinding guitars, pounding drums, and lead singer, Kurt Cobain's distinctive voice. Nevermind found a distinctive way to fuse alternative punk with 70's rock. Nevermind represented a quantum lead for nirvana both musically and career­wise(di perna).When the group decide to make a second

6

album , Jonathan Poneman suggested Butch Vig for the production of album(VH1 classical album); Butch Vig was a green producer, he understood what the group wanted, resembling a beatle like sound with a 1,2,3,4 beat. The beatles were used as a model throughout the entire album(Kurt Cobains idol was John Lennon)(VH1 Classic Album): By Vocals were layered,
Beatles­style (even the background singing was given two tracks) and keeping the drumming simple the accomplished their goal.(Vh1 Classic album).Most of the tracks were recorded previously to be on their first album,Bleach : But didn't make it to the album(di perna). The albums was produce in sound city studios , in Van Nuys, California. The bands initial budget was $65,000 but, the actually budget was 120,000 (double the amount of the initial budget)(di perna). Like all classical albums, nirvana ran into problems; one major problem was, cobains blowing his voice while recording lithium which led to all recording of Nevermind to get shut down recording for 4 weeks. Upon the release , September, 24th, 1991, they sold over 7 million copies: within a few week of the release the album went platinum(montgomery). The music from this album has lived through many generations hence why it is a classic album; Nonetheless , the albums art continues the story.

Nevermind is a seminal work that, in the early 1990s, propelled music towards a more honest, college­radio­friendly place, thereby killing off the pretentious “glam rock” that preceded it. The albums cover is a picture of a newborn baby boy underwater reaching for a dollar bill on a hook ; this symbolizes how society’s money importance is ignored at early age ; The newborn symbolizes the innocence. the hook and money symbolize the corruption of society and , the dollar bill representing american soicety. All together neverminds cover wanted to convey

6

american society being corrupt and driven by the power of money.
Nevermind
was never meant to change the world, but you can never predict when the Zeitgeist will hit, and
Nirvana
's second album turned out to be the place where alternative rock crashed into the mainstream (di perna). “Nevermind” has been credited over the years with commercializing grunge and alternative rock, ushering in a more serious era of hard rock, helping to kill off hair metal and establishing Seattle as a musical force (even