The only grunge group that Mick Jagger likes and it’s not Nirvana

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones have reinvented their sound on a number of occasions during their long career, being influenced by a whole host of musical styles, from rock and roll and blues, to soul, hard rock and psychedelic pop.

Making different genres of music was their way of paying tribute to the vast array of artists who have inspired them over the years. However, one of the few they have steered clear of is grunge, an alternative rock genre and subculture which originated in Seattle in the 1980s, identifiable by the use of distorted electric guitars and stripped-down drums.

In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone magazine (reportedly named after the Bob Dylan song “Like a Rolling Stone” rather the band), Jagger revealed he had never been a grunge fan, also taking aim at Nirvana, the biggest grunge band at the time up until Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994.

Jagger picks Pearl Jam over Nirvana

“I’m not in love with this type of music right now,” Jagger said. “I was never keen on Nirvana, their sound was too distressing for me”.

There was, however, one grunge act that did catch his attention for the right reasons. “I like Pearl Jam. I prefer them to a lot other bands,” the frontman claimed.

Jagger readily admitted, though, that such bands played an important role in the rock music scene in the 1990s. “Four people playing guitars means there’s a heavy 1960s influence. It might seem like they are playing the same thing or that they all look the same on MTV, but the nuances are different.”

Pearl Jam: members, records sold...

Pearl Jam were formed in Seattle in 1990 and are still going strong more than 30 years later. Four of their founding members, Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar, backing vocals), Stone Gossard (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals) and Jeff Ament (bass, backing vocals), were joined in 1998 by drummer Matt Cameron, while Kenneth “Boom” Gasper (keyboards, piano, organ) has been a touring/session member of the bands for over 20 years.

Since their foundation, they have sold more than 70 million records worldwide, which includes “Even Flow,” “Alive,” and “Last Kiss,” some of their best-known singles.

Pearl Jam’s Ticketmaster feud

Over the years, Pearl Jam have also become synonymous with their “alternative” approach to how they market their music.

For instance, they refuse to use Ticketmaster to sell tickets for concerts after being furious at the ticketing platform for adding a service charge.

A few years into their career, they also chose to stop making music videos and made the decision to appear in fewer interviews on television and radio to promote their work.