Picking the very best songs from Nirvana’s three studio albums is no easy feat. When it comes down to it, each fan you ask will likely give a very different ranking. That’s part of what made Nirvana so appealing. Even though they were very much a grunge band, their discography boasted plenty of different-sounding songs, each with their own merit and unique sound. Let’s look at this writer’s personal choices for the best song on each Nirvana album!
1. “About A Girl” – ‘Bleach’ (1989)
Nirvana’s debut album Bleach had a ton of potential. Even if the band had never come out with Nevermind or In Utero, Bleach would have still been a stellar piece of work without the context of the hit albums that followed.
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There are a lot of gems on this early Nirvana record. “Blew” and “Floyd The Barber” are two killer tracks. The band’s cover of “Love Buzz” by Shocking Blue is also a stellar piece of work. However, nothing on this album comes close to “About A Girl”.
“About A Girl” is widely considered to be one of Kurt Cobain’s strongest compositions of his early career. The song was written about Cobain’s then-girlfriend Tracy Marander, though the subject herself said that Cobain never told her about it. The acoustic version of the song from Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged set is also quite stunning stripped-down.
2. “Lithium” – ‘Nevermind’ (1991)
Nirvana’s sophomore release was the album that put them on the map. Everyone and their mother has heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are”. Those are great tracks in their own right, but few considered them to be the absolute best tracks on Nevermind.
“Something In The Way” is a very strong and haunting contender. “Lounge Act” and “Drain You” are also fan favorites. But there is something about “Lithium” that just gets under your skin.
The story behind the song is similarly haunting. In a 1992 interview, Cobain said that the track is a fictional account of a man who turns to religion as a “last resort to keep himself alive” and prevent him from committing suicide after his girlfriend dies.
3. “Heart Shaped Box” – ‘In Utero’ (1993)
In Utero is considered to be Nirvana’s magnum opus, and it’s hard to disagree. It was beautifully produced and featured some of the best songs of the band’s career. It’s the pinnacle alt-rock grunge album, and it’s so deeply loved by fans over 30 years later.
“All Apologies” is one of the most recognizable songs on this album. “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle” and “Dumb” are a few fan-favorite tracks, too. But nothing compares to “Heart-Shaped Box”.
“Heart-Shaped Box” is the album’s biggest song, and also the subject of a lot of speculation. Cobain said the song was about children living with terminal cancer. However, fans have had trouble believing it is about anything other than his wife, Courtney Love of the band Hole.
Regardless of the song’s intentions, it’s one of the most iconic grunge ballads of all time. It toppled the Billboard rock and alternative charts. And it’s probably the band’s most recognizable song of their short time in the spotlight.
Photo via Cover Art for the 2004 box set ‘With the Light Out’
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