7 things you may not know about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana

By Violaine Schütz.

Published on 24 September 2021. Updated on 7 April 2026.

Nirvana’s Nevermind, an unexpected shockwave in the world of rock

When Nirvana released their second album, Nevermind, in 1991, grunge was not yet the powerful aesthetic it would soon become. This blend of punk, metal, indie rock, and inherently anti-establishment music was anything but commercial. As a matter of fact, Geffen Records, the band’s label, did not expect such staggering sales figures. Bleach (1989), Nirvana’s debut album, only sold 40,000 copies before the explosion of the Seattle sound. If Nevermind had sold 250,000 copies, like Goo (1990) by Sonic Youth, also released by Geffen, the label would already have been satisfied.

But Nirvana’s album achieved a groundbreaking feat by speaking to a generation as disillusioned as its frontman. Embodying the discontent of 1990s youth, Nevermind went on to sell over 30 million copies, despite being made with a budget of €65,000. The record thus outperformed Michael Jackson’s Dangerous (1991) from the top of the charts a year after its release. However, what could have been excellent news for an ordinary band marked the beginning of the end for Kurt Cobain. This troubled, shy former teenager never pictured himself as the spokesperson for an entire generation and certainly not, in his own words, “a mass-consumption product” broadcast in heavy rotation on MTV.

A strong link between Kurt Cobain and feminism

Not only did he wear dresses in public, but the husband of powerful, rock icon Courtney Love never hesitated to denounce homophobic and sexist remarks whenever he had the chance. The singer once declared: “If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of a different color or women, please do this one favor for us — leave us the fuck alone! Don’t come to our shows and don’t buy our records.” Quite a rare stance taken at a time when the world of rock was very macho. Keeping that in mind, the album Nevermind maintains a strong connection with the riot grrrls, those feminist punk musicians of the 1990s.

Several songs, including Drain You and Lounge Act, were inspired by Kurt Cobain’s former girlfriend, Tobi Vail, who was a member of the riot grrrl band Bikini Kill. As for Smells Like Teen Spirit, the phrase was suggested to him by Kathleen Hanna, the frontwoman of Bikini Kill and a girl-power icon. After a late-night discussion with Kurt Cobain about anarchism and feminism, she had tagged on a wall: “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit.” She was not referring to adolescence, but to Teen Spirit, a brand of women’s deodorant worn by Tobi Vail.

Nevermind‘s controversial cover at the center of a lawsuit

In 2021, Spencer Elden, the “Nirvana baby” who appeared on the album cover for Nevermind, filed a lawsuit against Nirvana over the use of his image without his consent. The case was dismissed in 2022. But the cover had already raised concerns at Geffen Records in the early 1990s. Label executives and record retailers had suggested placing a black sticker over the child’s genitals.

Kurt Cobain reportedly replied that, in that case, they should also add the disclaimer: “If you’re offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile.” According to legend, the singer was fascinated by water births and pregnancy, and initially wanted to use an image of childbirth for the album cover — one that would likely have been even more controversial.

Somewhat overt influences

The brooding riff of Come As You Are defined the teenage years of the 1990s. For those well-versed in 1980s new wave music were struck by its resemblance to the track Eighties (1985) by British gothic band Killing Joke. Following Kurt Cobain’s suicide, the group chose not to pursue legal action. In 2003, former Nirvana drummer, Foo Fighters frontman and devoted Killing Joke fan Dave Grohl agreed to play on one of the band’s albums free of charge. Other influences on Nirvana include the Beatles, Sonic Youth, R.E.M., The Vaselines and the Pixies.

The punk release party for Nirvana’s Nevermind

Nirvana was supposed to be the highlight of the release party for Nevermind organized by their label. Yet, the party, held in a small bar in Seattle in 1991, quickly got out of hand. Intoxicated, the band members launched into a food fight, complete with a watermelon filled with salad dressing. Feeling stuck and uncomfortable in that social setting, the three musicians were ultimately shown the door. A decidedly punk turn of events that perfectly reflects the group’s nonconformist spirit. At the height of their success, the trio continued to show their rejection of the idol status imposed on them by smashing guitars in front of packed concert halls.

A talented visual artist, like his daughter

Kurt Cobain was behind the angel on the cover of In Utero (1993), as well as the striking collage featured on the back of the album. The artist used to paint, draw and produce numerous tortured collages. In 1992, he had even come close to giving up his music career to devote himself to a career in visual arts. The daughter of the Nirvana singer and Courtney Love, Frances Bean Cobain, 32, is following in his father’s footsteps today. Very private, she turned down a role in a Tim Burton film, posed as Marc Jacobs‘s muse, and exhibited paintings under a pseudonym that are just as dark, unsettling, and accomplished as those made by her genius father.

The song Heart-Shaped Box sparks a clash between Courtney Love and Lana Del Rey

During a show in Sydney in 2012, Lana Del Rey covered a Nirvana song, Heart-Shaped Box, originally released on the album In Utero (1993). However, that performance was far from being a tribute, according to Courtney Love. “Did anyone tell Lana what the song is actually about?,” Kurt Cobain’s former partner and Hole’s singer commented on Twitter (now X).

A question that was left answered by the American singer. Nevertheless, the two stars would appear in public together, as if they were friends. “You do know the song is about my vagina, right? ‘Throw down your umbilical cord so I can climb right back.’ On top of which some of the lyrics about my vagina I contributed. So, next time you sing it, think about my vagina, will you? Lol,” Courtney Love eventually tweeted, irritated.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015), available on Canal VOD.