Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ 20th Anniversary: An Update on 5 Other Albums That Are Turning 20 This Year

Let the celebrations begin!

September 24 marks the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s iconic album, “Nevermind”– and everything from a limited edition collector’s box set to a live concert of the full recording (this by Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic) are being planned to commemorate the occasion. There’s even a free tribute album download, courtesy of Spin.

But while we possibly wouldn’t have survived the 90s without “Come As You Are,” and we still have a soft spot for “Polly,” why should Nirvana’s “Nevermind” get all the attention?

Sure, it ranked high on Rolling Stone’s “Top 500 Albums of All Time” list (“Nevermind” landed at #17), but there were plenty of other notable albums in 1991, when times were simpler and cassettes still ruled!

Check out how some other 1991 albums are being commemorated on their 20th anniversary:

Red Hot Chili Peppers– “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”

The album that changed everything for this funky So Cal band, this one featured hit songs like “Under the Bridge” and “Give It Away.” And the album was even released on September 24, 1991, the same day as “Nevermind.” But what will the Chili Peppers be doing twenty years later? This September 24th the band is slated to headline the Rock in Rio festival. And while the 20th birthday of “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” may be on the minds of longtime fans, the band has a new album to promote: “I’m With You,” the band’s first album in five years, was released on August 29.

U2– “Achtung Baby”

Back in 1991, this U2 album spawned radio friendly hits like “One” and “Mysterious Ways.” Fast forward twenty years and U2 are still going strong, wrapping up a two-year stadium tour in 2011. An “Achtung Baby” 20th anniversary reissue is due out later this year and will come in various formats for the various budgets of U2 fans. Deluxe sets will include multiple CDs that will feature rare B sides and outtakes, DVDs, art prints, a hardback book and collectible badges and stickers. There will also be vinyl reissues of the album as well as a more simplified remastered single CD without all the frills.

Pearl Jam — “Ten”

If you were alive in 1991, it’s been twenty years since “Alive.” And “Jeremy.” And “Even Flow”– and all the other songs from Pearl Jam’s debut studio album that stood out amid the emerging Seattle grunge scene at the time. In commemoration of twenty years of Pearl Jam, film director Cameron Crowe is creating a documentary about the band, titled “Pearl Jam Twenty.” Forget “Behind the Music”-this one’s coming soon to a PBS station near you.

Metallica– “Metallica”

Years after their “Fade to Black” days, the heavy metal band’s famous “black” album turned the band into MTV superstars. In honor of the 20th anniversary of Metallica’s self titled album, a tribute album was compiled and made available in Germany’s Metal Hammer mag. The track listing includes Motorhead’s Lemmy covering “Enter Sandman.”

R.E.M. – “Out of Time”

A far cry from some of Nirvana’s gloom, this album boasted the single “Shiny Happy People” and the heavy rotation chart topper, “Losing My Religion.” But did the band lose their longtime Indie cult following with this commercially successful, triple Grammy-winning offering? (To the horror of some fans, “Losing My Religion” even turned up in the Brenda-Dylan breakup episode of “Beverly Hills 90210.”) Turns out this album was just the appetizer for their mega selling “Automatic For the People,” which was released a year later. March 2011 marked the 20th anniversary of “Out of Time,” and while it wasn’t commemorated with a box set reissue, In the Studio paid tribute with an interview with band members Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills, who reminisced about the album.

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