Greatest Nirvana Songs

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The Top Ten

1
Smells Like Teen Spirit
the best ever, so famous and one of the top sounds in music history... with amazing kurt's voice...
Kurt Cobain is like the Greek son Of Orpheus god of music because smells like teen spirit is masterly I don't think anything can even touch this song long live NIRVANA!
I think that its pretty obvious why this song one! If you don't already know, it's cause it TOTALLY ROCKS!
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2Come As You Are
Can everyone stop voting for the overplayed Smells Like Teen Spirit? We all know it's great, but Nirvana have more than just 1 good song. This deserves way more than 9 percent! VOTE!
well.. Come As You Are is an awesome song! and I love the lyrics..
the guitar riffs are just AWESOME and you can actually feel the songs meaning..
of course Smells Like Teen Spirit is the BEST.. but I would vote for this cause this is epic too!
Smells like teen spirit is overrated! This has such a cool mellow sound
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3Heart Shaped Box
Great song. Seriously underrated. By the way, when it's played backwards, ''forever in debt to your priceless advice'' sounds like ''I'm suicidal, for your mistake you have been warned''
HEY! WAIT! I got a new complaint... Forever in debt to your priceless advice... YOUR ADVICE.

Legendary song.

DalglishIsBack

This is the song that made me aware of Nirvana and download nearly every song I could find. It's quite depressing but somehow, I can listen to it no matter what mood my PMS has bestowed upon me. Nirvana is just so universal, these top three songs are absolutely addictive.
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4Lithium
Like my favorite Nirvana song! Very deep lyrics as well... "... I'm so ugly, but that's okay cause so are you... "
My favorite, yes, over teen spirit. Most of the people who voted it, haven't listen to many other songs.
My favorite <3 Though Heart Shaped Box is up there, too.
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5The Man Who Sold the World
yeah a great song even though it's a cover song originally done by David Bowie Kurt Cobain makes it even better

sUx2Bu

How can one not just love this great song. Kurt is amazing as always, the guitar piece is mesmerizing. Many people say that Smells Like Teen Spirit is overrated, I don't think so. I don't hate any of their songs. But this one's my favorite:

Oh no, not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world

These lyrics makes me ecstatic. Nirvana fan for life..
wonderful song, I love it, so calm yet catching, try it, I don't know much about nirvana but this was a top level of its kind
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6In Bloom
most amazing song I've ever heard; wish I could have heard it live.
Every song they made was amazing but this one is my favorite!

falling4usucks

Plain Perfection. If only, Kurt Cobain was alive right now there would be hundred's of song's in this list and the entire rock scene would be different.
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7Rape Me
Such an underrated song that I feel is one of their best
Fantastic Sound, Amazing Guitaring, Bashing Vocals, This should be way above!
Listening to it continuously since past 3 days... Can't stop listening to it... On cell on pc nirvana
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8All Apologies
Kurt Cobain's restrained voice, coupled with the amazing guitar line, easily makes this song their best. The end sequence for this song is one of the best I've heard.
So many great songs but of their songs All Apologies gets my vote. Not including any of their many great covers from leadbelly to the vaselines, the meat puppets or bowie etc. Kurt you are truly 1 of the greats & it's sad that music hasn't been the same since you've passed. The music you wrote will live on forever! R.I.P. Kurt
The acoustic version on MTV Unplugged in New York is simply amazing, Kurt's vocals are beauty personified and the guitar line is just wow. Great song by a great band. Hats off.

KurdtKobain94

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9You Know You're Right
kurt voice sounds amazing on this song!
gives me chills as I listen to each chord along with kurts pain in his voice
Best on this list. WHY IS SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT ON THE TOP! Even Kurt didn't like that song.
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10About a Girl
The Guitar solo that starts from the middle of the song.. that's what I am talking about!

goutkris

My favorite Nirvana song. The unplugged version is even better, and if you like acoustic you will love this. All in all, this song is listed as one of the greatest love songs above Heart Shaped Box, so why is it not above it here?
The beginning.
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The Contenders

11Breed
I think that this song need to be in top 10. this song had good riffs and Kurt sang it very well. its so great listen it. this is my opinion. and this forum its to people give them opinion. am I right?
One of the greatest songs ever! Good intro to a song
'We can plant a house, We can build a tree'
Such great lyrics. Should definitely be in the top 10. The best song in nevermind alongside Drain You and Endless Nameless. R.I.P Kurt Cobain
Come on this is an amazing song! How could it be so low, and honestly all people who vote for smells like teens spirit could vote for something else, we already know it is their most famous and overplayed song. Doesn't need 33%.
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12Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Amazing song, starts off slow, and then Kurt's vocals explode; really stirring song
When cobain burst at the last phase of the song, pain in his voice, in his eyes, for a moment it seems like he found his long lost passion for music
So much emotion in the lyrics and in Cobain's voice! I love MTV Unplugged so much, and this is a great last track.
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13Something in the Way
I don't understand why this song is No. 22, this song is my favorite alongside with You know you're right. Please vote this song up, more people need to be aware of this song.
Kurt Cobain's rough voice plays an important in the song's mood
Guys PLEASE stop voting for Teen Spirit. It's a great song, we all know it but don't be such a poser and vote for it just because that's the only Cobain song you've ever heard. Try out other songs and you'll realize that Teen spirit's just a little Overrated. Don't you think?
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14Lounge Act
Crazy Song, but great nevertheless

bhargavsai

This song is at the no. 17 position in the top grunge songs of all time on the same website. Man, please get it up it's an awesome pieces of s**t!
Oh come on! This song is way better than territorial pissings and negative creep. I know it's not very famous, but should be at least in top 15...!
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15Drain You
Not the best, but the part after the 2nd chorus (that with the guitar explosion at the end) is my favorite moment of Nevermind. Kurt said he likes it more than Teen Spirit.
Kurt Cobain liked this song more then Teen Spirit for a reason. Don't get me wrong, Heart Shaped Box, Lithium, Come As You are.. All are fantastic songs, but I'll have to say, this is my favorite song by the greatest grunge act there was, is, and ever will be.
Haha this song is cool. I love all their song but I can listen to this longer than smells like team spirit. Kinda catchy song
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16Pennyroyal Tea
goosebumps! one of my fave song... have a cup of tea guys. This song shows the powerful voice of kurt.. long live
Ok, I can understand that some of my favorite songs are not on the top ten, because I like A LOT MORE than 10 nirvana songs. I agree with 9 out of the ten songs included in the top ten, except for breed, I mean, it just doesn't belong there. There's two songs that deserve to be on the top ten, and those are: 1. About a Girl: Bleach was characterized as being a "dirty sounding" album, but about a girl is simply the masterpiece in there. It's their first great song (followed closely by blew and school). 2. Pennyroyal tea: Ok, do I even have to explain to you why this is one of the songs that should replace Breed in the top ten? It's a perfect balance between the rather edgy and sharp sound of Heart Shaped Box and the greatly melodic All Apologies. It's just a perfect song, not my favorite, but one of them; it definitely is one of the 2 songs that deserve to replace breed in the top ten
Absolutely thrilling! Love that song, best one from Nirvana
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17Dumb
"I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone,
But I have a light
The day is done,
I'm having fun
I think I'm dumb
Or Maybe just happy

Think I'm just happy"

There is a reason this was in the greatest hits album. Get this in the top 10 ASAP!
This is Nirvana's most beautiful song, both lyrically and musically. Maybe not their best, but definitely my favourite.
Come on, this should at least be in the top ten! It's both beautiful musically and lyrically!

FOB2012

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18Aneurysm

This song is one of my favorites and I LOVE smells like teen spirit. True Nirvana fans likes all their albums and songs.

Goes along with anything just crank it up and rock.

Since I first listened to this song a year ago, it has been my all time favourite Nirvana song. Just so powerful, and grey! Come on over and do the twist...

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19Sliver
Are you KIDDING me? This may not be the best nirvana song, but it is MUCH better than #25, if any of you are Nirvana fans, then I would suggest you vote for it, and if you don't wanna vote for it, at least LISTEN to it, all it is is Curt Kobain singing grandma take me home'
Not the best song, but it breaks my heart to see, that it is so underestimated by people. This song is still one of Nirvana's best, extremely powerful, and sustained by genius lyrics
Really 'out of this world' song. The guitar riffs, the bass and the lyrics are so very awesome that I listen to this song again and again. Please get it up on the list guys, the is the real Nirvana!
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20Lake of Fire
even though songs have better lyrics... this is still the best one for me... just... can people be so deaf? this has to be AT LEAST in the first 15!
Fantastic and underrated track

Where the bad folks go when they die
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
la la la
How is it possible? Lake of fire is such an amazing song! It has to be in the top 6 AT LEAST! Smells like Teen Spirit is an amazing song, but not worth the 1st place. What would be correct would be..
1. Dumb 2. Heart shaped box 3. Lithium 4. Where did you sleep last night 4. The man who sold the world 5. Lake of fire 6. Rape me 8. Drain you 8. Something in the way 9. Penny Royal Tea 10. Come as you are 11. About a girl 12. All apologies 13. Silver 14. School 15. On plain 16. Paper cuts 17. Polly 18. Stay away 19. Negative creep 20. Moist vagina!
Kurt Cobain made a difference to the music world. A big difference. RESPECT! <3
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21On a Plain

What I like about this song is that, although Kurt wrote it in a couple minutes, and only to "fill" the album, there's something about the rhythm and the lyrics that's somehow catchy.

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22Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle

Amazing song with very good lyrics. 'To come back as fire to burn all the liars and leave a blanket of ash on the ground'. Just everything in this song sounds so perfect.R.I. P Kurt Cobain

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23Polly
Incredible song, sung by Kurt in this soothing voice that gives the song a sort of comforting feel to spooky lyrics. Can't believe I needed to scroll down the list this far to see it.
This is underrated on this website this is a song where kurt actually sat down to write a song and you can hear this from his voice
Haunting lyrics. Catchy lyrics. What's not to love? Super awesome. Wooh
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24Sappy
It has THAT depth
The greatest song I've ever heard of about a turtle.
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25Serve the Servants
This is not in the top ten? What! This song is god dude! Love it! It's way better than a lot of these other songs! Must be put in the top ten dude, must! It's one of there best! Sick rift!
This song is the best and should in the top ten list
Album in utero is the true nirvana style.
Love this song it should be top 10 this is also a really catchy song
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26Milk It

Highly underrated, milk it is by far one of Nirvana's top songs. Powerful ass, high energy chorus which gives you that 'feel awesome' feeling. Should be way up there!

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27Stay Away
Deserves to be in the top 10 at least! This is like Breed 2.0 and rocks just as hard as that song so get this up there immediately!
Very underrated, one of the best songs from one of the best albums of all time!

Monkey see, monkey do (I don't know why)
I'd rather be dead than cool (I don't know whyy)
Every line ends in rhyme (I don't know whyy)
Less is more, love is blind (I don't know whyy)

Stayy
Stay awayy

Get this in the top 10 people!

FOB2012

I love this song it makes me feel happy. Rip kurt
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28Territorial Pissings

SO PUNKY! Gr! When I WAS AN ALIEN!
Awesome song! >. Awesome when they played it on jonathon ross show in 1991. They were suppose to play lithium But didn't wanna!

This song is so awesome, heaps of energy.
it should be at least top 12
And why is Teen spirit at the top? Its not even that great,
most of Nevermind is better than it

Yeah, teen spirit is probably my favourite but if you've seen the video for this you'll know that it shows the TRUE nirvana!

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29Negative Creep

DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL AIN'T A GIRL NO MORE!
many people don't know about this one, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM!

rock2metal

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30Love Buzz

Best Nirvana RIFF! Making it one of my favorites!
AMAZINGILY UNDERRATED!
I have their 3 albums and I can Honestly say this one is in my top 3.
So go hear it I PROMISE you'll love it.!

Such an awesome song.. Why is it, for God's sake, numer 31? It should be at least top ten. Especially the riff is really good and catchy. As said already, it is amazingly underrated.

MOST UNDERRATED NIRVANA SONG EVER! OPENING BASS LINES ARE SO CATCHY AND SO IS THE CHORUS. KURT'S VOICE IN IT IS REALLY GOOD. DEFINITELY ONE OF MY TOP 5 NIRVANA SONGS

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31Endless Nameless

Eternal demonstration of Nirvana's power and rough sounds. Underrated because of being a secret track, but it's really awesome.

When I saw them play this live, I knew music was what I wanted to do for my life

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32Plateau

You must be kidding me! This song is one of the best songs I've ever heard! There are so many qualities, I can't even dare to pretend that I can list them all. The most obvious are: Kurt's incredible voice, great lyrics (the chorus sounds SO GOOD), and mind blowing guitar... just listen to it!

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33I Hate Myself and I Want to Die

Oh my god this is the top song of nirvana..46th you guys kidding me.. Listen to this song man!... Then you'll know the truth of Kurt Cobain...

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34Oh the Guilt Listen to sample

35Scentless Apprentice
Quite clearly the best song, no idea why it's at the bottom. Amazingly underrated and amazing drum beat... Love the scream in the chorus.. R.I.P Kurt Cobain
The most underrated nirvana song ever! Great drums beat. Great base guitar. Great chorus with Kurt's screams and after all great lyrics.
A great song... It should be in top 10...
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36Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam

This Song > Smell like teen spirit, one of the bests song I've ever heard in my life, Nirvana ROCKS.

rubenescaray

This is one of their best songs! It should at least be in the top 20!

Listen to sample

37Radio Friendly Unit Shifter Listen to sample

38Curmudgeon Listen to sample

39Old Age Listen to sample

40Floyd the Barber Listen to sample

41School

Hey this should be in the top ten at least man it explains seattle in it

School in 54th place. U mad or something? this is the third best song of Nirvana after Lithium and Come as you are (Smells like teen spirit is 4th :))

Listen to sample

42Tourette's Listen to sample

43Sifting Listen to sample

44Blew
Blew on 38th position? Really? This song should be at least on the 15th position, where it's more deserving.

"If you wouldn't mind I would like to blew
If you wouldn't mind I would like to lose
If you wouldn't care I would like to leave
If you wouldn't mind I would like to breathe"

Come on dudes, this song rocks!
41... First time I've listened to it and it definitely deserves a better
Spot than this.
Listen to sample

45Hairspray Queen
Just listen that song one more time and feel ashamed for not adding this one -this piece is clearly one of best

Trampampulis

This song is the best song by Nirvana but the reason it didn't beat smells like teen spirit is because its not on Nevermind. Most people in this world listen to Nevermind music instead of good old late 80's Nirvana
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46Anorexorcist Listen to sample

47Paper Cuts

Kurt said that paper cuts and smells like teen spirit are the two songs that describe nirvana. Definitely one of the best songs of nirvana!

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48Son of a Gun Listen to sample

49Been a Son

This song is ironically funny. It may have had nothing to do with his daughter francis but the situation in general is funny, because those parents believe they are disgracing themselves and their family by the things they do. But in reality are just trying to express themselves and their parents can not except that cause they had to leave themselves behind because they never found ones true self.

Listen to sample

50(New Wave) Polly Listen to sample

51Dive
! It is on 50th Position.
Listen to sample

52Oh Me

I'm astounded that this song is not on the list! The top ten list are all good songs, but I don't believe they are as profound or as moving as this one!

jMag220

Well em not sure which 1 to vote all the songs in the list are songs that I just can't stop listening to
Nirvana forever man haven't heard anything as good as nirvana m/
Em gna vote em all

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53Token Eastern Song Listen to sample

54Very Ape

Great riff, and the only nirvana dong with a synthesizer. I don't know why this is so low, just listen and you will love it. It has a great beat to dance to.

Personally, this is not my favorite song on this list, but I am voting for this to restore balance. This is a fantastic song by Nirvana, and defiantly deserves to be higher on this list.

If you have not heard this song before, I defiantly recommend listening to it.

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55Turnaround Listen to sample

56Beeswax Listen to sample

57Aero Zeppelin
Best nirvana song. Period.
The lyrics, the drums, the voice... And above all, the guitar...
Kurt really shows his guitar skills on this one.
Oh come on!.. Its rock poetry goddamit!
Listen to sample

58Big Long Now
Listen to this song and you will understand what Kurt Cobain can do with his musical brain. Listen to the mood that this song brings and you will find yourself in love with that song.
Can we show our faces now?
Listen to sample

59Mollys lips Listen to sample

60Mexican Seafood Listen to sample

61Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip

This is the hidden track on in utero. I don't much about it... But it is a pretty good song. ^_^ nirvana forever!

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62Marigold
The song has a very good (a bit sad) vibe to it that always gets me thinkin'
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63Do Re Mi

This and Old Age are so underatted! The lyrics to this song totally get me every time I hear it. I'm so glad I found this song because I know this will be played at my funeral

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64Spank Thru Listen to sample

65Moist Vagina Listen to sample

66Stain Listen to sample

67Seasons In the Sun

68Downer

This is actually an excellent song. It is the paragon of grunge.

sickening pessimist
picketing masses
conservatist communist
apocalyptic bastards

Listen to sample

69Scoff Listen to sample

70D-7 Listen to sample

71Verse Chorus Verse
This song has COBAİN'S CLEAR VOİCE LİKE THE OTHER NİRVANA SONGS
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72My Sharona

73Clean Up Before She Comes Listen to sample

74Vendetagainst

75High On the Hog

76Here She Comes Now
This doesn't only deserve to be included in the top 10. It should be the first. The guitar is euphoric and the way it goes up and down gives me an adrenaline rush. Download a high quality version and you won't stop repeating it.
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77Mr. Mustache

The best punky depiction of Nirvana's early (most expressive) work

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78Swap Meet Listen to sample

79Marijuana

80Even In His Youth Listen to sample

81Miss Me

"Miss me" is supposedly an acoustic demo that Kurt did along with an "Old Age" demo. Although only being about a minute long, it is quite a haunting piece of work by Cobain. It is a very much unknown piece but in my opinion it is brilliant.


82Return of the Rat Listen to sample

83In His Hands

84The Eagle Has Landed

85I'm a Mountain

86Baba O'Riley

87Alcohol

88The End

Your welcome for adding 30+ songs on this list(: Nirvana forever! R.I.P. kurt cobain. Some of my favorites are lounge act, drain you and you know your right.


89Ain't It a Shame Listen to sample

90Big Cheese Listen to sample

91Opinion Listen to sample

92The Money Will Roll Right In Listen to sample

93They Hung Him On a Cross Listen to sample

94If You Must Listen to sample

95Sad

96Come On Death

97Help Me, I'm Hungry Listen to sample

98Nobody Knows I'm New Wave

99Suicide Samurai

100Pay to Play Listen to sample

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List Info

This list was created 5 years, 80 days ago and has been voted on over 6,000 times. This top ten list contains 109 items, has been remixed 39 times.

Updated Sunday, May 19, 2013


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