There are a handful of '90s grunge songs that will forever define the pivotal movement and iconic sound of the now-classic rock genre. The "Big Four" of grunge – Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam – all remarkably hailed from one location: Seattle, Washington. Several "deeper cut" grunge bands also emerged from the area, such as Tad, Mudhoney, and Melvins.

Some grunge pioneers also merged to form what would become iconic collaborations, such as Temple of the Dog, which featured both Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Grunge combines a variety of rock subgenres, particularly punk, metal, and alternative, to create an updated and youthful version of a classic sound. Other bands from outside Seattle, like Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins and San Diego's Stone Temple Pilots, often get thrown under the grunge umbrella.

Rooted in non-conformity, grunge is inherently rebellious and anti-establishment, as seen most notably in Nirvana, but can also be introspective and poetic, heard in many a Pearl Jam and Soundgarden song. At the same time, Layne Staley, the lead singer of Alice in Chains, once revealed that "There’s no huge, deep message in any of the songs. We recorded a few months of being human." In this light, grunge can be considered as inherently unapologetic, raw, and ultimately human.

10 Rooster

Alice In Chains, 1992

Of all the breakout songs on Alice In Chains' 1992 record Dirt, "Rooster" carries a certain weight and build like no other. Despite Laney's aforementioned statement, "Rooser" certainly has some personal meaning to the band, as it was the nickname of guitarist Jerry Cantrell's father, who suffered from PTSD based on his experiences in the Vietnam War. Lyrical impact aside, the song is explosive and somewhat dreary, with Staley's haunting vocal sound matched with a brooding bassline that makes it one of the most profound and replayable songs to come out of the '90s grunge movement.

9 Lithium

Nirvana, 1991

One of the most legendary and famous Nirvana songs ever made, "Lithium" paints a blended portrait of apathy and instability. Both structurally and lyrically simple, Cobain's quiet, confessional singing pulls the listener in, only to erupt in a head-thrashing anthem backed by Dave Grohl's precise drumming.

Other Nirvana classes like "Come As You Are" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are certainly more full-bodied and representative of Nirvana's cultural impact. That said, the stripped-down and volatile "Lithium" encapsulates the attitude and outlook of peak '90s grunge. Contradictory, hypnotic, and self-deprecating lyrics raised eyebrows for some and hit home for others.

8 Black Hole Sun

Soundgarden, 1994

A select few songs of the '90s not only defined grunge but the entire decade of alternative rock music and beyond. Frontman and songwriter Chris Cornell of Soundgarden broke new ground with his massively popular hit "Black Hole Sun" off of the band's instant classic 1994 LP Superunknown. Featuring other fantastic radio hits like "Spoonman" and "Fell On Black Days," Superunknown elevated grunge music and alternative rock altogether.

Regardless of genre, "Black Hole Sun" is one of those songs that is unlike anything else before it. There are certainly better examples of Soundgarden's grunge sound on earlier projects like 1991's Botorfinger, but those just getting into grunge have to experience "Black Hole Sun," if they have somehow not heard it already.

7 Alive

Pearl Jam, 1991

Speaking of one-of-a-kind talents, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam may just have the most unique style out of all the Seattle-based grunge bands. A storyteller at heart, Vedder and Pearl Jam's greatest songs bring a bit of folk and classic rock into their fold, where the lyrical content is just as forceful as the sound.

Pearl Jam's Ten, one of the best albums ever made, period, belongs on the Mount Rushmore of grunge albums. Any of the tracks on the front half of Ten, from "Even Flow" to "Jeremy", could make this list. "Alive", however, may just be the most timeless and replayable of the bunch.

6 Plush

Stone Temple Pilots, 1992

Hailing from Southern California, Stone Temple Pilots are still highly influential figures in the grunge movement. Their 1992 song "Plush" off their debut studio album Core gained them a national spotlight, which brought forth accusations that the group was shamelessly hopping on the grunge bandwagon. Scott Weiland could belt just like Vedder, and even sounds a bit like him on his Grammy-winning song, "Plush."

For those who want to classify Stone Temple Pilots as ambulance chasers, there's arguably no better "copycat" grunge group to come out of the early '90s than them. The acoustic version of "Plush" is even better.

5 Hunger Strike

Temple of the Dog, 1991

What could possibly be more '90s grunge than Cornell and Vedder on the same song? Well, how about a whole album? Grunge "supergroup" Temple of the Dog released their self-titled album in 1991, which combined two bandmates of grunge pioneer group Mother Love Bone with Soundgarden (and eventually Pearl Jam) drummer Matt Cameron and future Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. Cornell and Vedder offer an incredible duet on "Hunger Strike" after Cornell invited Vedder on during a rehearsal. The pair's vocals elevate and complement each other on the beautiful grunge track.

4 Cherub Rock

The Smashing Pumpkins, 1993

The Smashing Pumpkins may be a bit too alternative to be truly grunge but there's no denying that their mesmerizing, speaker-busting "Cherub Rock" is at the very least grunge-inspired. Of their other notable tracks off 1993's Siamese Dream, such as "Today" and "Disarm," "Cherub Rock" is arguably the most immersive and catchy of them all. Inspired by classic rock groups like Rush and The Jimi Hendrick Experience, The Smashing Pumpkins certainly contributed to the thriving alternative rock scene of the early '90s starting with their impressive 1991 debut album Gish.

3 Would?

Alice in Chains, 1992

Every Alice In Chains fan has their particular favorite, some deeper cuts than others. If there could only be one song to define Alice In Chains' sound, "Would?" feels like its best offering, leaning on a hard rock foundation and industrial percussion to deliver a truly epic sound. Staley's larger-than-life vocals on the chorus matched with guitarist Jerry Cantrell singing the verses hold listeners in a chokehold over a crisp 3-minute and 28-second runtime. Interestingly, Cantrell wrote the song in remembrance of Andrew Wood, the lead singer of Mother Love Bone, who died in 1990.

2 Heart-Shaped Box

Nirvana, 1993

So many Nirvana songs would fit perfectly fine here, but "Heart-Shaped Box," with its unforgettable guitar riff and explosive chorus, works well to show a bit of Nirvana's evolution since 1989's Bleach and 1991's Nevermind. A standout on 1993's In Utero along with "All Apologies" and "Dumb," "Heart-Shaped Box" is believed to have been inspired by Cobain's relationship with Courtney Love while they lived together in Hollywood Hills in 1992. Love, who was the lead singer for her LA band Hole, later claimed on Twitter in 2012 that the song was about her genitalia, although she would go on to delete those tweets.

1 Creep

Stone Temple Pilots, 1992

Stone Temple Pilots tapped into the introspective aspects of grunge often heard in Cornell and Cobain's lyrics with his "Creep." Not to be confused with the smash Radiohead hit, STP's "Creep" sounds like a precursor to 2000s alternative rock bands like Staind and Seether, who blended polished hard rock with emotional ballad-like lyrics.

"Creep" sounds like a dark country song at times, offering some poignant lyrics such as, "Feeling uninspired, think I'll start a fire" and "I'm half the man I used to be." These reflective lyrical themes, weary tone, wailing guitar riffs, and hard-hitting choruses are all definitive qualities of some of the best '90s grunge songs.