The Grunge Culture of the 90s

How is it that a word associated with filth, rose to become a decade-defining subculture of the 90s? First, let's look at its origin. The first time the term "grunge" was used in this context was in a 1978 article from a British music magazine, and it was used to describe popular rock music. The term eventually evolved to describe the Seattle rock music scene, including bands like Nirvana, Green River, and Soundgarden. The messages found in grunge music are typically people expressing their dissatisfaction with mainstream culture, difficulty dealing with mental issues, and not conforming to societal expectations. But the culture didn't stop with music. Grunge culture has a very distinct fashion which includes very long and unkempt hair for both boys and girls, along with ripped jeans, and sunglasses. Many people who identified with the grunge culture would get their clothing from places like Goodwill or thrift shops. The whole idea behind the grunge style was actually to make a statement against fashion, but ironically grunge ended up becoming a large part of the fashion culture.


The reactions Americans had to grunge culture were often very polarized. Many younger people in their teens and 20s could resonate with the music and the messages being conveyed. Conversely, older generations could not wrap their head around why being "lazy and irresponsible" is a desirable and relatable trait. But regardless of how people felt about grunge one thing was undeniable, grunge was going mainstream. Grunge began to become a blanket term for rock music and many of the Seattleites who pioneered the movement became frustrated that their anti-mainstream movement was going mainstream. Although eventually, once mainstream culture had, had enough with grunge, Seattleites were able to proudly reclaim the term once more, as theirs.



Sources:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-grunge-subculture.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/15/style/grunge-a-success-story.html
https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/washington/articles/a-brief-history-of-grunge-the-seattle-sound/