30 artists who wouldn’t exist without Kurt Cobain
You can count on one hand the amount of artists who have had an eternal impact on the complexion of society. One who certainly has is the late Nirvana leader, Kurt Cobain. Trailblazer is a word that gets bandied around far too much, but with his musical impact, societal influence and personal choices, Cobain was everything the word means and more.
Although Nirvana had already established themselves as an exciting cult act with their 1989 debut Bleach, almost overnight after ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ arrived in September 1991, culture began to metamorphose. With their masterpiece Nevermind leading the charge later that month, their Seattle grunge peers followed them into a life-changing struggle, wherein they quickly swept away the outdated musical and societal status quo, and hair metal and other outdated elements became spectres of the past.
Following the release of the era-defining 1991 album, culture broke off from its past in a way that hadn’t been experienced since Cobain’s childhood heroes, The Beatles, burst onto the scene three decades prior. Just like the Liverpudlian quartet had done, Cobain singlehandedly changed the context of a band and the motivations behind it.
While he might have pilfered Frank Black of Pixies’ formula of quiet-loud-quiet dynamics and fusion of pop melodies with the raw fury of punk, he did so with authenticity, blending it with his bleak but often comical outlook. Furthermore, his approach to the guitar was so different from the standard that it was widely impactful, coveting passion over technical peacocking, utilising crunching chords and effects such as distortion and mirroring his work with songwriting, changed the way many musicians viewed their sonic output.
Cobain was also a philosophical force outside of music. In a welcome break from the hair metal trends that had preceded him, he wasn’t a misogynist looking for sexual gratification and a continuous ego massage. He was an unrelenting artist, purely because of his love of the craft. An exemplary figure, he fought many righteous battles outside the studio and, in tandem with his many musical accomplishments, changed the complexion of a rockstar and popular musician forever.
Accordingly, on the 30th anniversary of his tragic suicide, we’ve listed 30 artists from across the musical spectrum who wouldn’t exist without the late Nirvana man. The sonic reach on show clearly displays how deeply he pierced the cultural fabric.
30 artists who wouldn’t exist without Kurt Cobain:
DIIV
In their early days, DIIV might have been pigeonholed with the krautrock or dream pop tags, but as their career has continued and their craft has developed, they’ve become much heavier, with crunchier guitars and a more resounding rhythm section. However, they have always had a substantial link to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, including the grungy hipster aesthetic, the oscillating dynamics, offset guitars, and the tangible darkness of the music. When considering their original name was Dive, a reference to the Nirvana song of the same name, there can be no real surprise that band leader Zachary Cole Smith is a disciple of the late grunge pioneer.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2013 as part of a piece exploring what Nirvana meant to different artists, the New Yorker said: “I feel like I’ve always had this connection to Kurt Cobain. I named my band after one of his songs. I read his journals obsessively. It’s spelled out there – starting a band from concept through to execution, and then the fall-out. The way he approached his own music was so meticulous, it was inspiring to me.”
Dubbing Cobain the “ultimate rock star” in light of rejecting mainstream ideals and asserting his authentic personality in his music, Smith feels that the Washingtonian really was his generation’s voice despite publicly despising the tag. Additionally, DIIV’s recent incisive social commentaries with songs such as ‘Brown Paper Bag’ and ‘Soul-net’ from Frog in Boiling Water and their website sharing the latter’s name are steeped in Cobain’s Stygian but salient humour.
Nothing
Dominic Palermo’s Philadelphia outfit Nothing were at the forefront of the shoegaze revival a decade ago and have continued to be a cult favourite ever since, with several widely influential releases. They might utilise swirling effects and be one of the most clangorous bands live, but from the quiet-loud-quiet dynamics they’ve often employed to the vocal delivery, it’s clear that Kurt Cobain impacted them.
Whether it be scintillating early moments such as ‘Dig’ and ‘July the Fourth’ or a later staple such as ‘Famine Asylum’, the spirit of Cobain’s songwriting courses heavily through their work. For any doubters, in 2015, the band covered the perennially depressing ‘Something in the Way’ as part of the tribute compilation Whatever Nevermind: A Tribute To Nirvana’s Nevermind, which also featured the likes of Cave In, Touche Amore, and other notable acts indebted to the trio covering classic songs from the 1991 masterpiece.
Alex G
As one of the most compelling contemporary musicians who embodies the modern spirit by drawing on a host of different influences, including Elliott Smith, Pavement, and Aphex Twin, Alex G is a hard man to pin down. Yet, for every aspect similar to Smith, there are those that evoke Cobain, including de-tuned guitars, a penchant for strong melodies, and a boatload of honesty.
Growing up in suburban Pennsylvania, Alex G – real name Alexander Giannascoli – quickly grew bored of the piano lessons he begged his parents for when still in primary school, with the guitar becoming his weapon of choice. After being introduced by his sister, a big music fan, to his first “cool bands” Nirvana and Radiohead, he would start his journey to becoming the influential artist he is today. In his early teens, rock acts such as the above and fiddling around on his computer inspired by Aphex Twin would provide the basis for his stellar future work.
Teenage Wrist
Teenage Wrist are one of the group’s on this list that are most clearly beholden to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. There are many stylistic resemblances, spanning from the grunge aesthetic to the chorus-drenched guitar tones. They’re another group that started in a shoegazing realm before moving into a more outwardly grunge area, after Marshall Gallagher became the band leader after Kamtin Mohager left.
You could look at formative moments such as ‘Stoned, Alone’ and ‘Swallow’ for the spiritual influence of Cobain, with the latter steeped in the Nirvana formula. Then, later ones following Mohager’s departure, such as ‘New Emotion’, an absolute ripper of a track with a very underrated guitar solo, and ‘Sunshine’ from 2023’s Still Love, also confirm that the late Nirvana man made a significant mark.
Deftones
Deftones are often wrongly lumped in with the nu-metal scene. Although they might bear some similarities to it with their slamming, Meshuggah-inspired riffs and almost total aversion to the blues – a form that was part and parcel of grunge – they are connected in the sense that Deftones and the other prominent groups tied to this era are majorly indebted to Cobain by the sea change he enacted. Nirvana opened the gates for essentially all guitar music that followed them in the 1990s, from the good to the very worst, and instilled a penchant for real darkness, something that Deftones and the associated acts from this period heightened.
Whether it be Chino Moreno’s vocal range, which bounces between shouting and melodic bursts, Stephen Carpenter’s prominent riffs or the slamming drums of Abe Cunningham, there are also stylistic similarities, even if only by proxy. Furthermore, when speaking on Virgin Radio, Moreno said he was “taken back” by Nevermind’s sound quality and overall vibe and said it “still is one of the greatest records”.
Mannequin Pussy
Philadelphia legends Mannequin Pussy have always done some refreshing with the grunge-adjacent formula. You might label it alternative rock inflected with hardcore, shoegaze, and other textures, but from the inception until their 2024 masterpiece I Got Heaven, the righteous fury of Cobain and Nirvana can be felt. The alignment is there whether it be ‘Cream’, ‘Control’ or the chef-d’oeuvre ‘I Got Heaven’.
Furthermore, in a quarantine playlist for SPIN, vocalist Marisa Dabice included Nirvana’s ‘Aneurysm’, saying: “Is there such a thing as an underrated Nirvana song? If there is, then this is it. And why is it so underrated? I’ve heard a lot of people put Nirvana on in the car or at a party or play it on the radio or where the fuck ever, and they NEVER put on this song. What’s wrong with people?”
Yves Tumor
Yves Tumor has always pushed boundaries with their sounds. However, there is a discernible grunge element in their more rock-oriented moments, including the dark lyrics, palpable ambience, and searing guitars. The Floridian might mix the formula up, but it’s evident that Cobain affected them in their formative years.
By their own admission, they weren’t totally ensconced in music when they were young, with their first album being Weird Al Yankovic’s Bad Hair Day. However, they told Another that despite the record brimming with hilarious parodies, it was through these iconic impressions of bands that they discovered the likes of Nirvana and Green Day. In short, they said it “changed my life.”
This then opened them up to a period of musical discovery, listening to everyone from Slayer to The Velvet Underground and a lot of emo, which can also certainly be heard in their music. Strengthening the connection to Nirvana even more, Cobain’s widow, Hole’s Courtney Love, is now a fan of Tumor.
Basement
Call them what you want, post-hardcore, alternative rock or even emo, but Ipswich’s Basement are also worthy of being called a grunge band. While this might not be in the heavy blues sense like Alice in Chains, it is via the frontman Andrew Fisher’s raw delivery and the bite of Alex Henery and Ronan Crix’s guitars that it is possible to make this comparison.
On a more forensic level, I’d point to Fisher’s growl at the climax of ‘Promise Everything’ – straight out of the Cobain playbook – and the dynamics of ‘Disconnect’ as two pieces of evidence. However, the resounding exhibit is that in 2016, for Robotic Empire’s Record Store Day tribute to debut album Bleach, Doused In Mud, Soaked In Bleach, – the same label who undertook the Nevermind compilation – Basement covered ‘School’.
Interpol
The opening verse of Interpol’s ‘Obstacle 2’ is as such: “I’m gonna pull you in close, gonna wrap you up tight / Gonna play with the braids that you came here with tonight / I’m gonna hold your face and toast the snow that fell / Because friends don’t waste wine when there’s words to sell”.
Following that, I defy anyone to argue that it and much of the band’s best material is not laced with the artistic scent of Kurt Cobain. Yeah, they might be one of the sharpest-looking bands around and prefer intricate dovetailing guitars over elemental chords, but Interpol frontman Paul Banks is a lifelong Nirvana fan and has openly discussed Cobain’s influence. While he loves Nevermind, its 1993 follow-up, In Utero, is “the greatest record they ever did” for him.
“I discovered and became obsessed with them,” Banks told Pitchfork in 2020 of his obsession with Nirvana. “I remember listening to Nevermind with my brother and my mom, and she was as into it as we were. Nirvana helped me understand that music was what I wanted to do with my life. When guidance counsellors called me in and asked what my plans were, I’d say, ‘I want to be a rock star.'”
Drug Church
Albany’s Drug Church are a group that are dubbed post-hardcore, but through the muscular chord progressions of Nick Cogan and Cory Galusha, as well as the former’s knack for penning assertive riffs and his use of the chorus effect, there is a twist of Nirvana that is present in their work. Of course, the group are more punk than anything, but there is a definitive alternative rock feel, a genre which, of course, would be nowhere without the ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ group.
Furthermore, vocalist Patrick Kindlon writes some of the most wry social commentaries out there, and this, in tandem with the music, heavily implies that the band are spiritual ancestors of Kurt Cobain. The group have also admitted this themselves. Speaking to MySpace in 2015, guitar hero Cogan named Nirvana among their biggest influences: “In regards to bands that have a big influence on Drug Church, I would say Seaweed, Jawbreaker, The Pixies, and Nirvana would be among the more important ones.”
Describing their music later, he said: “This is always a tough one. When I attempt to explain our sound to parents or folks who are slightly out of touch, I just say we sound like a fast version of Nirvana with a dog barking as vocals.”
Arctic Monkeys
It wouldn’t seem too much of a stretch to suggest Nirvana as a strong influence for the iconic Sheffield quartet. Both bands master the art of balancing heavier, more considered rock ‘n’ roll elements with authentic, oftentimes on-the-nose songwriting, thanks to the natural poetic minds of frontmen Kurt Cobain and Alex Turner. However, Nirvana didn’t just indirectly impact Arctic Monkeys’ sound, they also dictated the indie band’s direction when searching for the ideal approach for their fourth studio album, Suck It And See.
While the band’s preceding album, Humbug, would seem more appropriate as a direct nod towards Cobain’s darker sensibilities, Suck It And See shared more of a defining proximity to Nirvana’s Nevermind, literally, as they recorded it in the same location that the iconic grunge album came together. Not only that, but they also took on the exact same approach, with the Yorkshire four-piece attempting to replicate the album’s live element. “That was a big draw,” Turner said, recalling the magic of paralleling Nevermind. He also said that they worked with an engineer who was also working around the time the album was recorded, which meant making a conscious effort not to “break out into messing around with any Nirvana covers.”
Halestorm
Lzzy Hale had to succumb to the brutal world of rock ‘n’ roll pretty quickly when she decided to occupy the main stage. Not only was she a woman trying to navigate the male-dominated world of rock, but she also felt an urge to hold her own and prove others wrong. “You get this whole defiance that becomes your fire where it’s, “Well that’s ridiculous. I’m going to do it anyway,” she once said, echoing similar sentiments taught to her by the grunge attitude.
As a guitarist, many of Hale’s tropes mirror that of Cobain’s – whether it’s her ability to oscillate between louder and faster sounds to quieter, more understated ones in the blink of an eye, or adopt a cleaner approach that still feels raw, her channelling of the late grunge icon is clear. Moreover, her authenticity appears in perfect keeping with Cobain’s honest lyricism. In ‘I Miss The Misery’, for instance, is a power-punk anthem that tackles the toxicity of desiring a harmful relationship – a brutal honesty that only a small few could pull off, including Cobain.
Lambrini Girls
Lambrini Girls are a much-needed, fresh iteration of Riot Grrrl acts such as Bikini Kill and L7, and the band have accrued a reputation as one of the most exciting new talents for a reason, the biggest one being they really couldn’t care less about niceties. In fact, much like Kurt Cobain, Lambrini Girls are more concerned with brutal honesty than neatly packaged misconstrued messages, which comes across as a modern reminder of the enduring power of punk and grunge.
Nirvana also spearheaded an entire scene in the 1990s by being completely fearless and unapologetic, which rings true for Lambrini Girls’ approach in the current landscape – the band effectively demonstrates the value in standing up for what you believe in and making music that reflects the brokenness of the times.
Veruca Salt
Among the various similarities to Nirvana’s sound, Veruca Salt’s Steve Albini-produced EP, Blow It Out Your Ass It’s Veruca Salt, seems like a direct offshoot of In Utero. Veruca Salt was one of the first female-fronted bands to gain widespread popularity after Nirvana’s reign, so it’s no surprise that many of their attributes are significantly indicative of the iconic grunge band’s sound and image. With Albini also producing In Utero there was likely a significant layover of crossover, even if it appeared subconsciously.
The songs on Blow It Out Your Ass It’s Veruca Salt are abrasive yet moody in execution, with vocals and hooks that seem to mirror the exact intonation of the late Nirvana frontman. All in all, many of Veruca Salt’s songs seem to epitomise the dark roots of some of Nirvana’s deepest cuts, reaching into the depths of punk-pop and power-punk to create something uniquely nostalgic.
Paramore
Among the influx of quintessential emo bands of the early 2000s, Paramore stood out a shining beacon of hope. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and even Panic! At the Disco created a safe space for all the lonely, sad teenagers to feel a lot less alone, but Paramore brought something new to the table as Hayley Williams repurposed everything Kurt Cobain and Nirvana sought to give to the world.
Although Williams once admitted to watching reruns of Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged, she also regards their sonics and those of artists who came after as some of the most important contributions to the music world. As another artist who can effortlessly navigate both buzzsaw guitar parts and cleaner sounds, Paramore embodied Nirvana’s musical tropes in many ways, crafting soundscapes that added a fresh layer for a brand new generation of rock lovers.
Wednesday
1990s-inspired American rock and shoegaze music has foundations largely rooted in much of what grunge made possible, with storytellers like Kurt Cobain and the value of music as a conduit for childhood traumas becoming a major factor in Wednesday’s sound. Karly Hartzman grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and was first inspired to pick up a guitar after watching Mitski’s Tiny Desk Concert. After this, she combined her musical intuition with her love of bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Drive-By Truckers to create an authentic retelling of her experiences in Greensboro.
Hartzman ultimately stands on the shoulders of the great rock and country storytellers that came before her, emulating much of the same poetic lyricism and narrative intricacies that Cobain embedded into his own songwriting. Wednesday pulls from various genres to create their uniquely endearing sound, but it’s difficult to refute the influence of Nirvana on their refinement and reputation as one of the most unfiltered bands of the modern age.
Billie Eilish
Described by Dave Grohl as the reason why rock ‘n’ roll isn’t dead, Billie Eilish has become a modern staple of ingenious mainstream pop music. Her approach may seem unconventional, but her sheer talent and artistry prove that there’s a place for darkness and post-punk tendencies in popular music, even if her subject matter encroaches into more sinister pathways. They say that suffering produces great art, which probably explains Eilish’s fascination with late great heroes. In the case of Kurt Cobain, his pain remains of significant interest to her because of her inability to resonate.
“He was such a pure person and talent, and I feel very, very, very deep pain for him, his life, and where he went,” she explained to LA Times, discussing the musician’s suicide note. “In the letter, he says: “I have everything in the world and I hate it.” He was so embarrassed that he didn’t enjoy it. And I understand why he felt that way. “It’s just not what you think it’s going to be.” In fact, revisiting Cobain’s heartbreaking note informed her thinking when writing the popular Barbie track ‘What Was I Made For?’, which enabled her to channel a similar feeling of despair amid great affluence. Her reinvention of Cobain’s artistry poses the interesting question: if we have everything we could possibly ever have, why is it that we feel empty inside?
St Vincent
When Kurt Cobain died, it left a hole in the hearts of many – including St. Vincent’s. Upon learning the news of his passing, the musician became subjected to a grief that wouldn’t dissipate for years. “I wish [he] was still alive,” she once said, alluding to his songs as perfect wholes that no one could ever emulate. However, St. Vincent’s love for the late musician goes far beyond mere musical enjoyment: in her eyes, his music was for the outsiders.
“It really did feel like Nirvana was a band for [them], that just happened to reach millions and millions of people. I always felt like a weirdo, and I was,” she said. In a way, this makes complete sense, considering St. Vincent’s own penchant for creating music that resonates with each and everybody. Her music is immensely varied, meaning that anyone from pop music lovers to rock and grunge outsiders can find resonance, whether it’s in her innovative sounds or poignant lyricism.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is never afraid to cover songs. Over the years, she’s reimagined big showstoppers, from Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’ and Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’, to Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Although some may regard her covers as marmite, it’s hard to ignore her incredible talent and energy as one of the most endearing artists of the 21st century.
Like Cobain, Cyrus has more than succeeded at capturing an entire nation with her twinkling spirit and unrelenting passion for music. Although her story might not always have been plain sailing, she has earned respect repeatedly for her dedication and ability to maintain integrity.
Moreover, Cyrus doesn’t restrict herself when it comes to following her musical instincts. Although she grew up surrounded by country greats, including the magical touch of Dolly Parton, she transitioned into more popular territories before enjoying her own melting pot of influences. After adopting more rock ‘n’ roll tropes in both her sound and demeanour, it’s easy to spot the Nirvana influence as she continues to build on her storied career.
Cage the Elephant
A lot of Matt Schultz’s experiences and personality traits seem to be reminiscent of Kurt Cobain’s. The Cage the Elephant frontman had a difficult upbringing and continues to experience various mishaps in his adult life, but with each hurdle and setback, he becomes more open and honest about his own shortcomings. Like Cobain, Schultz doesn’t try to hide his anguish, instead making a significant point of reference in his songs. ‘Aberdeen’, for instance, was written about the singer’s difficulties growing up while in a rock band.
“I had this personal revelation,” Schultz said, discussing the song. “I’d continue to see myself go back to the same thing that enslaved my life; over and over, putting my hands in the fire, even after I realised what I was doing to myself and the people around me.” Furthermore, Thank You, Happy Birthday was significantly influenced by punk and grunge bands like Nirvana as the band navigated angsty and raging against the system in a way that reflects the enduring appeal of the Seattle scene.
Weezer
Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo has no doubt made a name for himself in his own right, as the sound the band have managed to achieve over the years is unique and doesn’t rely too heavily on outside influences. That being said, there is no escaping that Nirvana played an important part in his musical upbringing, if anything, to reaffirm that he was on the right path.
“It felt so close to what I wanted to do,” he said when discussing hearing Nirvana for the first time. “I thought, ‘I can write chord progressions like that. I can write melodies like that. This is something I can do.’” He even credited Nirvana with inspiring big tracks like ‘The World Has Turned and Left Me’ and ‘My Name is Jonas’. “It’s impossible to avoid the conclusion that Nevermind really inspired us to go for it.”
Lana Del Rey
“You do know the song is about my vagina, right?” Tweeted Courtney Love the moment she saw Lana Del Rey covering Nirvana’s ‘Heart Shaped Box’. Though you might hear Del Rey’s music and not immediately make the connection between her and the grunge pioneers, their ideologies certainly align. Del Rey has even said her unwavering nature as a musician and a lyricist comes directly from Nirvana.
“I thought he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen,” she said, reflecting on the first time she saw Nirvana performing ‘Heart Shaped Box’ on MTV. “I really related to his sadness… [his music has] continued to be my primary inspiration – in terms of not wanting to compromise lyrically or sonically.”
The Cribs
The Cribs are arguably one of the most important bands to emerge from the British buzz that took over in the 2000s. They had a unique sound and a poetic approach to their music that still appealed to many, and their attitude towards writing openly, getting behind their sound even when others weren’t as keen and experimenting with various tones, using effects and altering their guitars, came from Nirvana. “They piqued our interest in offsets. I saved up all one summer washing dishes at a golf club and bought my first proper guitar, a Fender Jag-Stang when it first came out,” said Ryan Jarman.
Not only that, but later on in the band’s career, when communication between them and management broke down, The Cribs were swept up in a legal tidal wave that nearly brought the band to an end. Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl came to the rescue backstage at a show, reminding them why they made music in the first place and inviting them to record an album at his studio.
Momma
Momma aren’t shy about offering up just how much of an influence Nirvana have always been in their music and lifestyle. “When we were in the eighth grade, loving Nirvana was the outcast’s rite of passage,” they said. “If you smoked weed, pretended like you smoked cigarettes and listened to Nirvana, you were immediately cool.”
When a band forms such a big part of your upbringing, the desire to make music comes second nature, and that grunge influence can be heard clearly in Momma’s indie rock sound. “For the both of us, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment we discovered Nirvana.”
Post Malone
Post Malone’s whole aesthetic, whether on his early hit album beerbongs & bentleys or recent LPs such as Twelve Carat Toothache, has had rock at its heart. Sure, the music is rap and often has more of a trap / R&B sound, but the lyricism and the way Post Malone performs speak for itself.
His love for Nirvana really shone through in lockdown when he performed a 15-song set of classic Nirvana tracks. Playing the likes of ‘Heart Shaped Box’ ‘About a Girl’ and ‘Very Ape’, Malone managed to raise $500,000 for people suffering due to the pandemic. Before opening his set with ‘Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle,’ he said, “We’re gonna play some Nirvana for you, and have some fun, and hopefully, I don’t fuck it up… Thank you to the gentlemen who wrote these beautiful songs.”
The Dandy Warhols
When you play a hit like ‘Bohemian Like You’, though singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor might be a bit less emotive in his vocals, the chord sequences, use of fuzz and guitar hits can all be traced back to Nirvana’s songwriting style. The Dandy Warhols managed to take the kind of music Nirvana was championing and put their own spin on it.
The fact that influence lingers is no surprise, given Taylor-Taylor has admitted he pines for the time when Cobain was still alive. “[It’s] a huge chunk of my life that is gone. All sorts of sadness and longing for someplace I can never go back to are associated with that fuggin guy.” He goes on to reflect on how much of a presence the band were, whether people recognised it or not, “That band dominated popular culture for what at the time seemed like a helluva long time,” he said, “Omnipresent while I lived through a lot of changes as a young man.”
Kid Cudi
Given how intrinsically linked punk and grunge are with hip-hop, there are a number of parallels that can be drawn between rappers and Kurt Cobain. Kid Cudi leaned right into those similarities, acknowledging Nirvana’s influence on him by copying one of Cobains looks during a performance of ‘Sad People’ on SNL. Later in the show, he performed ‘Tequila Shots’ wearing a cardigan that was also in tribute to Cobain as it bore a striking resemblance to the one he wore on MTV Unplugged.
“Virgil designed the dress for me,” said Cudi, taking to social media following his performance. “I told him I wanted to show love to Kurt [with] a floral print sundress, and this man made a masterpiece.” Cudi has also sampled Kurt Cobain’s ‘Burn The Rain’ on the final song, ‘Cudi Montage’, of his collaborative album with Kanye West, Kids See Ghosts.
Killer Mike
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, a lot of artists were releasing protest music, but it was Killer Mike’s verse on ‘Walking in the Snow’ that got the attention of the public at large. Laying out an intrinsic verse on racism, he concluded with, “You so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me / Until my voice goes from a shriek ‘I can’t breathe’”.
Mike’s attitude towards highlighting societal injustices in his music, as well as calling out violence and misogyny in his crowd, is massively in line with Kurt Cobain’s ethos. Not to mention, the rock-heavy, grunge-like beats he and El-P choose to rap over on Run The Jewels albums firmly plants them both as lovers of the kind of music Cobain was making.
Linkin Park
It’s hard to pin down Linkin Park’s influences given that their music was so unique and they could take from many different genres while still making something cohesive. They had electronic music, metal, punk and rap elements wrapped into a neat package. Their pioneering nature means accurately drawing a line from A (their inspiration) to B (them) is tricky.
That being said, Chester Bennington was always vocal about how much the music of Nirvana meant to him. “That was like right at the peak of my musical inspiration, you know?” He said when talking about the band. “The best show I’ve ever been to, I went to see Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Red Hot Chilli Peppers playing together… Nevermind happened to be the record that Nirvana was touring… It was amazing; they were so different.”
Denzel Curry
Finally, rapper Denzel Curry clearly appreciates Nirvana and Kurt Cobain, given how much he references them in his song ‘Clout Cobain’, naming the singer specifically and dressing as him for the music video. However, his relationship with Cobain is trickier than just pure idolisation. While he adores the music and cites it as a significant influence on him, he dislikes how Kurt Cobain is often remembered.
“Everybody looks up to Kurt Cobain for the wrong reasons,” he said, “He’s a legend for what he did, playing with Nirvana and everything, but the whole thing for his depression and suicide feels almost glorified.” He praised the music, saying, “Grunge, it’s grunge culture, but what he did with Nevermind, that album was very impactful for its time, and I listened to the album, I bought the album.”
