Nirvana's impact musically and socially was (and is) far greater than Pearl Jam's. Nirvana was sui generis and Pearl Jam, while a really good band, is, you know, just a band. They've released some good albums and done a lot of good work, they've spawned countless deep-voiced imitators over the years and have, no doubt, made an impact on the musical and cultural landscape. But they weren't as groundbreaking as Nirvana. From the outset their music was more melodic, accessible and radio-friendly. They never really risked alienating the press - and fans - that were attracted to them by espousing unpopular opinions, they never made an album that pushed their artistry outside of their comfort zone. Pearl Jam was, in some ways, an entry point into "alternative music" for mainstream audiences that found Nirvana a little too hard to listen to. That's not to disparage what Pearl Jam does, nor their talent, just to say that they are now, and have always been, very audience-friendly.
Nirvana was the kind of band - and Kurt the kind of artist - that was going to follow his brutal muse wherever it took him, regardless of what the audience thought. Who can speculate what drives anyone to suicide (conspiracy theories aside)? But if Kurt had survived his demons rather than succumb to them I think he would have followed his creative instincts in some very interesting directions and gone on to create new sounds and offer new perspectives. I don't think Nirvana would have stayed together for 20 years, I think Kurt would have gotten restless with the constraints of the cultural moment that put his band on the map and explored new genres and territories. But who can say?
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