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Nirvana (Nirvana album)

by Nirvana

Released: October 29, 2002

Grunge, alternative rock

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

The Album

The compilation features tracks from Nirvana's three studio albums—Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero—as well as selections from their live album MTV Unplugged in New York. "Nirvana" is a greatest hits album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on October 29, 2002. It serves as the third album released after the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain in 1994.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The release came after a legal settlement between…

The release came after a legal settlement between Courtney Love, Cobain's widow, and surviving band members Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl.

Love had blocked the release of "You Know…

Love had blocked the release of "You Know You're Right," arguing it should be part of a single-disc compilation rather than a rarities box set.

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Explore the Album

Nirvana - Nirvana (Nirvana album)

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Then

Reception

Notably, it includes the previously unreleased track "You Know You're Right," recorded during the band's final studio session in 1994, alongside a version of "Been a Son" and the Scott Litt remix of "Pennyroyal Tea." The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 234,000 copies in its first week and eventually achieving over one million copies sold in the US and two million in Europe by 2007.

Now

Legacy

The album's announcement followed the resolution of this dispute, marking a significant moment in the band’s legacy.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Nirvana" is a greatest hits album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on October 29, 2002. It serves as the third album released after the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain in 1994. The compilation features tracks from Nirvana's three studio albums—Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero—as well as selections from their live album MTV Unplugged in New York. Notably, it includes the previously unreleased track "You Know You're Right," recorded during the band's final studio session in 1994, alongside a version of "Been a Son" and the Scott Litt remix of "Pennyroyal Tea."

The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 234,000 copies in its first week and eventually achieving over one million copies sold in the US and two million in Europe by 2007.

The release came after a legal settlement between Courtney Love, Cobain's widow, and surviving band members Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. Love had blocked the release of "You Know You're Right," arguing it should be part of a single-disc compilation rather than a rarities box set. The album's announcement followed the resolution of this dispute, marking a significant moment in the band’s legacy.