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Nevermind at 25: why the grunge classic still matters today

Nirvana-approved biographer Michael Azerrad on the landmark record that rocked the 90s and still resonates today.
Before September 1991, Kurt Cobain and his American grunge band Nirvana were relative unknowns. That changed with their smash hit 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. ((Frank Micelotta/Getty))

Music lovers in the 1990s were "starving" for teen spirit, says Michael Azerrad.

The journalist and biographer recalls Nirvana's landmark album, Nevermind, changing the landscape seemingly overnight — rocketing the relatively unknown Seattle grunge band to the top of the charts.

"People could not wait for something like this. It had been bottling up for over 10 years," he says, adding that fluffy pop was the musical staple in 1991.

"People were starving for something that spoke to them at a deeper level."

Azerrad, the only biographer to get the band's blessing, joins guest host Candy Palmater on the 25th anniversary of the record to discuss its lasting impact and influence.

"This was the advent of a new generation and Nirvana was heralding that."