10 Music Artists Who Released Their Best Album Last
3. In Utero - Nirvana
Though so much of Nirvana's legacy has come from 1991's Nevermind, the band from the pacific northwest have a far wider catalogue of music than those thirteen stellar tracks. The album that followed, 1993's In Utero, was a far less radio-friendly affair, featuring a more abrasive sound than previous records that remained in the forefront throughout.
Featuring now-beloved songs like Heart Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies, In Utero was the 'difficult' third album done right, establishing an identity for the band that reached far wider than so many had previously expected.
Equal parts grunge, and hardcore punk, In Utero was an album that one journalist would state "forced the mainstream to go Nirvana", as its brash thrashings were met with critical, and commercial acclaim. Coming at a time when the likes of Soundgarden, Creed, and Stone Temple Pilots were taking grunge into a more melodic direction, Nirvana's final studio album is a window into a time that would see the genre fade into the post-grunge scenery.
In Utero's legacy is one that pales in comparison to its predecessor, but those who cherish every second of its 41-minute runtime do so with the belief that Nirvana never got better than that 1993 release.