The Most Iconic Punk Rock Album of the '90s Was Only Ranked Ninth Best All-Time
Some albums are so iconic, they instantly spring to your mind just by mentioning a specific genre of music. When the topic turns to grunge rock and punk rock, Nirvana's Nevermind is often the first ablum that will be associated with them. The ablum is most famous for its single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which has over two billion views on Youtube and has sold nearly 17 million copies (good for third highest sales of the 1990s.)
Despite all of that success, Rolling Stone only ranked Nevermind the ninth-best punk album of all time in a list published this morning. Albums ranked higher included The Clash's self-titled debut album, Germfree Adolescents by X-Ray Spex, and the Ramones self-titled debut album.
The publication still raved about the effect Nevermind had on punk and the way the band catapulted the category into the mainstream.
"Nevermind went off like a grenade in the American mainstream, turning junior-high dances into mosh pits with music that embodied [Kurt] Cobain's dream of punk rock that the metal kids he grew up around in rural Washington could love. On songs like "In Bloom," "Breed," and "Territorial Pissings," he took the punishing sludge of the Pacific Northwest underground rock scene and made it into something relentlessly catchy, powerfully opaque, and weirdly empathetic."
Music opinions are obviously subjective, but it's hard to imagine any other rock album that elevated a niche genre into something completely conventional in the same way Nevermind did. Nirvana's sound came to redefine rebellion, the '90s spirit, and entirety of Gen X's feelings on growing up in that era. Nirvana was that era's version of The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin.
Artistically, the album's influence even extended to its famous cover. The naked baby in the swimming pool is instantly recognizable and symbol of the 1990s.
Regardless of any ranking, Nevermind is always going to be as famous and well-loved as any punk piece ever recorded.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 6:57 PM.