1991 Grunge Hit Ranked Among Greatest Drum Solos of All Time

Grunge took over the musical landscape in the early 1990s and left everything else way behind. Hair metal what? That's what people were asking when bands such as Warrant and Skid Row went from playing packed arenas to shows that had cardboard cutouts in the audience to make the seats look filled. Not that there's anything wrong with hair metal, because it's a genre with fantastic guitar solos and spectacle, but grunge just took over.

Grunge drummers were rarely in the spotlight during the early 1990s boom, but they were important. The rhythm section of the drummer and bass guitarist set the mood for grunge music, and when those two players were in the pocket, anything was possible.

Now, one 1991 grunge hit has been ranked among the greatest drum solos of all time. It's a pick that makes sense.

A 1991 Grunge Favorite Has a Drum Solo That Gets Better With Time

When it comes to grunge drummers, Dave Grohl of Nirvana, and now Foo Fighters, stands out. Now, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" has bene named one of the greatest drum solos of all time in a list released by Stefan Joubert of the London Drum Institute.

"Dave Grohl's drumming in 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' isn't a traditional solo, but it's just as iconic," Joubert states in the piece. "His heavy, pounding beat and explosive energy helped define Nirvana's sound and the grunge movement itself."

He adds that "Grohl's simple yet powerful drumming shows that sometimes, all you need is raw energy to make a lasting impact."

It's certainly the case that what Grohl had in Nirvana was pure, high-octane, raw energy. He was, and still is, pure fire behind the drum kit. As someone who has even written a book about the genesis of grunge, I can say that Grohl's drumming is partly what shaped the grunge sound.

This whole presentation so different at the time, Grohl being an imperfect drummer with messy hair and an unkept look, just letting all of his inhibitions go on the stage. That's what helped sent the grunge movement apart, and that's what makes "Smells Like Teen Spirit" such a classic.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 3:59 AM.