10 Best Grunge Albums You Need To Hear

10. Gish - Smashing Pumpkins

For as much as the climate of Seattle affected the music of grunge bands, it's even more curious that one of the earliest instances of grunge came from the Windy City of Chicago. Smashing Pumpkins's debut was an impressive showing for an initially unknown band, with songs that had a perfect bite to them like "Siva" and "Rhinoceros."

Working with future grunge pioneer Butch Vig, Billy Corgan and co. created a vast landscape with their songs that sounded like an angsty version of a psychedelic band from the 60's. What keeps the band from drifting into too much of an instrumental lull is Jimmy Chamberlain, whose drumming style is an absolute powerhouse throughout every track.

Corgan's signature nasally vocal style is certainly a departure than the typical rock of the time, but works wonders when paired with the complete wall of guitars built by himself and James Iha. Across an hour of forceful rock, The Pumpkins were signaling what would become massive just a few years down the road. While the band would go on to greater conceptual pieces throughout their 90's run, Gish shows the band at their dirtiest, as if they were distant cousins of the Seattle sound.