IT’S HARD TO believe for some of us of a certain vintage (ahem) but it’s true – Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind was released 20 years ago today.

Nobody could have anticipated the phenomenal success of the album, including the record label, which pressed just 45,000 copies in 1991.

Twenty years later, 30 million copies have sold.

The band – Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic – shot to global fame after Nevermind’s release and, with them, brought the Seattle grunge scene to the world stage. Frontman Cobain was labelled “the spokesman of a generation” and suddenly the streets were plagued with moody teenagers wearing black-and-yellow T-shirts.

However – after just a few short years of runaway success – Nivana’s end came as abruptly as its beginning, with the suicide of Cobain in 1994.

Tragic endings aside, Nirvana’s music still holds its charm. So, break out the flannel shirts and teenage angst – it’s time to get misty-eyed and wonder why you ever chopped off all your lovely, long hair…