15 Greatest Hard Rock Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die

Regardless of whether they want it, Nirvana has earned the title of the most definitive band of the 90's. No matter what kind of music you were into, chances are there were a few Nirvana songs that you could jam along with whenever they came on the radio. The band's opus will forever be Nevermind, but the real hard rock chops weren't fully solidified until the band's followup.

Recorded with legendary indie producer Steve Alibini, this is the sound of a band that has been given free reign to do whatever they want. While the band's earlier records juggled the tone of abstract art pieces and pop songcrafting, this is the first record where it feels like you're looking inside Kurt Cobain's head. That being said, it's not always a pleasant ride.

While the riffs on "Scentless Apprentice" and "Very Ape" are able to shake the walls, the lyrics about Cobain's own struggles with celebrity and those around him read like a man who's emotionally dead inside. With Cobain killing himself shortly after its release, In Utero is still one of the most intriguing artistic depictions we have of one's man dealings with pop culture. You'll find bigger hits on Nevermind, but In Utero shows that, above all else, Nirvana were far more than just another band; they were a living breathing entity.