It was thirty-five years ago last month that Nirvana released Nevermind. It was preceded by the release of the first single, which was, of course, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on August 27, 1991. But that song was not supposed to be a hit.
Nirvana, their management, and their record label thought it would act as a simple introduction to the group to a wider audience. The REAL hits were supposed to be “Lithium” and “In Bloom.”
Even Dave Grohl didn’t believe that “Teen Spirit” would have any legs. “I thought it was just another album cut,” he said. “Lithium” and “In Bloom” weren’t even picked for the second single. That went to “Come As You Are.”
It just goes to show you that even with all kinds of research and gut instinct, the public can still surprise you.
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