Pearl Jam - The best of alternative rock
After the hair bands and glam rock of the late eighties, the music scene went through a major change by the early nineties, with bands such as Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam leading the way. The band formed in 1990 with lead vocalist Eddie Vedder at the forefront. The band recorded their debut album, “Ten,” which was released in August 1991. It is in the early nineties that Pearl Jam found its greatest success and popularity.
In 1992, “Ten” really took off and record sales skyrocketed. This is thanks in part to Nirvana, who made the grunge sound mainstream with their song “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The music of Pearl Jam was filled with anger and angst and produced hit singles “Jeremy,” “Evenflow,” and “Alive,” which were huge on the radio as well as on video on MTV.
Although Pearl Jam could now be called rock and roll superstars, the band refused to succumb to the accepted conventions of the music industry. The group refused to release any videos or singles from their second album, “Vs.” released in 1993. Nevertheless, it was another multi-platinum success, debuting at number one and selling nearly a million copies in its first week of release. On their spring 1994 American tour, the band decided not to play the conventional stadiums, choosing to play smaller arenas, including several shows on college campuses. Pearl Jam canceled their 1994 summer tour, claiming they could not keep ticket prices below $20 because Ticketmaster was pressuring promoters to charge a higher price. The band took Ticketmaster to the Justice Department for unfair business practices; while fighting Ticketmaster, they recorded a new album during the spring and summer of 1994.
While battling Ticketmaster, the band recorded and released “Vitalogy” in late 1994. The album went tot he top of the charts and quickly went multi-platinum. Pearl Jam continued to battle Ticketmaster in 1995, but the Justice Department eventually ruled in favor of the ticket agency. In early 1995, the band recorded an album with Neil Young. The members of the band also embarked on solo projects.
In late summer of 1996, Pearl Jam released their fourth album, “No Code.” Although the album received positive reviews and debuted at number one, it’s experimental nature left fans dissatisfied and disappointed and the album quickly fell down the charts. The record’s performance was also hurt by the band’s inability to go on a full-scale tour, due both to their battle with Ticketmaster and a reluctance to spend months on the road. Pearl Jam spent most of 1997 out of the spotlight, working on new material. By the end of the year, the band had completed a new, harder-rocking record called “Yield.” The album received great reviews upon its release in February 1998; however it wasn’t as commercially successful as previous albums.
In 1999, Pearl Jam scored an unlikely radio hit with their cover of the J. Frank Wilson oldie “Last Kiss.” Demand from fans and radio programmers made it become the band’s highest-charting pop hit to date, peaking at number two and going gold. Pearl Jam returned in 2000 with the release of “Binaural,” followed by “Riot Act” in 2002, which received rave reviews.
The band’s eighth studio album simply titled “Pearl Jam” was released on May 2, 2006. The band itself feels it is their best work to date, and they have just embarked on a world tour.
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