Nevermind

Nirvana recorded Nevermind with Butch Vig, bringing their sharp changes in volume and Kurt Cobain's melodies into a fuller studio sound. The guitars can feel enormous, but the bass and drums keep the songs moving with a clarity that makes the noise easy to enter.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is the obvious doorway; “Come as You Are,” “Lithium” and the acoustic “Polly” reveal how much variety surrounds it. Heard as an album, its quieter passages make the sudden bursts of force more effective.