Editing Nirvana (band) (section)

== History ==

=== 1987–1988: Formation and early years ===
Singer and guitarist [[Kurt Cobain]] and bassist [[Krist Novoselic]] met while attending [[Aberdeen High School (Washington)|Aberdeen High School]] in Washington state.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 209</ref> The pair became friends while frequenting the practice space of the [[Melvins]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 36</ref> Cobain wanted to form a band with Novoselic, but Novoselic did not respond for a long period. Cobain gave him a demo tape of his project [[Fecal Matter (band)|Fecal Matter]]. Three years after the two first met, Novoselic notified Cobain that he had finally listened to the Fecal Matter demo and suggested they start a group. Their first band, the Sellouts, was a [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]] tribute band.<ref>{{cite news |title=Everybody Loves John Fogerty |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/09/04/217281876/everyone-loves-john-fogerty |access-date=January 4, 2020 |work=NPR |date=September 4, 2013 |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425145921/https://www.npr.org/2013/09/04/217281876/everyone-loves-john-fogerty |url-status=live}}</ref> The project featured Novoselic on guitar and vocals, Cobain on drums, and Steve Newman on bass but only lasted a short time.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 54-55</ref> Another project, this time featuring originals, was also attempted in late 1986. Bob McFadden was enlisted to play drums, but after a month this project also fell through.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 44–5</ref> In early 1987, Cobain and Novoselic recruited drummer [[Aaron Burckhard]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 57</ref> They practiced material from Cobain's Fecal Matter tape but started writing new material soon after forming.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 58</ref>

During its initial months, the band went through a series of names, including Skid Row, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss, and Ted Ed Fred.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Serra |first1=Nick |title=Live Nirvana Concert Chronology – 1987 |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/87.php |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=30 May 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206094248/https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/87.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Serra |first1=Nick |title=Live Nirvana Concert Chronology – 1988 |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/88.php |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=30 May 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206091446/https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/88.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Serra |first1=Nick |title=June 27, 1987 |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/87/87-06-27.php |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=26 March 2021 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423125131/https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/87/87-06-27.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>True, 2007</ref> The band played under the name Nirvana for the first time on March 19, 1988, at Community World Theater, Tacoma, Washington, together with the bands Lush and Vampire Lezbos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Serra |first1=Nick |title=March 19, 1988 – Community World Theater, Tacoma, WA, US |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/88/88-03-19.php |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=30 May 2023 |archive-date=November 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101232852/https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/88/88-03-19.php |url-status=live }}</ref> This concert's flyer, designed by Kurt Cobain, also mentioned all of the previous band names: "Nirvana (also known as... Skid Row, Ted Ed Fred, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss)".<ref>{{cite web |title=Nirvana March 19, 1988 concert flyer |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/images/1988/1988-03-19/1988-03-19_01.jpg |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=30 May 2023 |archive-date=November 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101233132/https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/images/1988/1988-03-19/1988-03-19_01.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> The group settled on Nirvana because, according to Cobain, "I wanted a name that was kind of beautiful or nice and pretty instead of a mean, raunchy punk name like the [[Angry Samoans]]."<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 61–2</ref> The band were initially sued by the British band [[Nirvana (British band)|Nirvana]] over the usage of the name, reaching an out-of-court settlement.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Beaumont|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/jun/29/viva-brother-name-change|title=From Nirvana to Viva Brother: what's in a name change|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=June 29, 2011|access-date=July 12, 2024}}</ref> Novoselic moved to [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] and Cobain to [[Olympia, Washington]]. They temporarily lost contact with Burckhard, and instead practiced with [[Dale Crover]] of the Melvins. Nirvana recorded its first demos in January 1988.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 67–8</ref>

In early 1988, Crover moved to San Francisco but recommended Dave Foster as his replacement on drums.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 73</ref> Foster's tenure with Nirvana was a rocky one; during a stint in jail, he was replaced by Burckhard, who again departed after telling Cobain he was too hungover to practice one day.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 76–7</ref> Foster would rejoin the band, but after Cobain and Novoselic were introduced to drummer [[Chad Channing]], the band would permanently dismiss him (although not before Foster witnessed the group play live without him).<ref>{{cite web |title=may 27, 1988 – the big pointy house, olympia, wa, us |url=https://www.livenirvana.com/concerts/88/88-05-27.php |website=Live Nirvana |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref> Channing continued to jam with Cobain and Novoselic; however, by Channing's account, "They never actually said 'okay, you're in.{{'"}} Channing played his first show with Nirvana in late May 1988.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 79</ref>

=== 1988–1990: Early releases ===
Nirvana released its first single, a cover of [[Shocking Blue]]'s "[[Love Buzz#Nirvana cover version|Love Buzz]]", in November 1988 on the Seattle independent record label [[Sub Pop]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 85</ref> They did their first interview with [[John Robb (musician)|John Robb]] in ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'', which made their release its single of the week. The following month, the band began recording its debut album, ''[[Bleach (Nirvana album)|Bleach]]'', with local producer [[Jack Endino]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 90–1</ref> ''Bleach'' was influenced by the heavy dirge-rock of the Melvins, the 1980s punk rock of [[Mudhoney]], and the 1970s [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] of [[Black Sabbath]].<ref>Fricke, David. "Krist Novoselic". ''Rolling Stone''. September 13, 2001.</ref> The money for the recording sessions for ''Bleach'', listed as {{USD|606.17|long=No}} on the album sleeve, was supplied by [[Jason Everman]], who was subsequently brought into the band as the second guitarist. Though Everman did not play on the album, he received a credit on ''Bleach'' because, according to Novoselic, they "wanted to make him feel more at home in the band".<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 91–2</ref> Prior to the album's release, Nirvana became the first band to sign an extended contract with Sub Pop.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 110–11</ref>

''Bleach'' was released in June 1989, and became a favorite of [[college radio]] stations. Nirvana embarked on its first national tour,<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 111</ref><ref name="rolling stone review">Young, Charles; O'Donnell, Kevin. [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/nirvana/albumguide "Nirvana: Album guide"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704181922/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/nirvana/albumguide |date=July 4, 2014 }}. ''Rolling Stone''. April 11, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2011.</ref> but canceled the last few dates and returned to Washington state due to increasing differences with Everman. No one told Everman he was fired; Everman later said he had quit.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 115–20</ref> Although Sub Pop did not promote ''Bleach'' as much as other releases, it was a steady seller,<ref name="Azerrad134">Azerrad, 1994. p. 134</ref> and had initial sales of 40,000 copies.<ref>Price, David J. [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267712/nirvanas-bleach-turns-20-new-live-recording-coming Nirvana's 'Bleach' Turns 20, New Live Recording Coming] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130052803/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267712/nirvanas-bleach-turns-20-new-live-recording-coming |date=November 30, 2020 }}. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''. August 4, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2011. According to the source, ''Bleach'' has now sold 1.7 million copies in the United States.</ref> However, Cobain was upset by the label's lack of promotion and distribution.<ref name="Azerrad134" /> In late 1989, Nirvana recorded the ''[[Blew (EP)|Blew]]'' EP with producer [[Steve Fisk]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 123</ref> In an interview with Robb, Cobain said the band's music was changing: "The early songs were really angry... But as time goes on the songs are getting poppier and poppier as I get happier and happier. The songs are now about conflicts in relationships, emotional things with other human beings."<ref>Robb, John. "White Heat". ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''. October 21, 1989</ref>

[[File:Dave Grohl 1989.jpg|thumb|[[Dave Grohl|Grohl]] performing with [[Scream (band)|Scream]] in 1989|alt=]]In April 1990, Nirvana began working on their next album with producer [[Butch Vig]] at [[Smart Studios]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 137</ref> Cobain and Novoselic became disenchanted with Channing's drumming, and Channing expressed frustration at not being involved in songwriting. As bootlegs of Nirvana demos with Vig began to circulate in the music industry and draw attention from major labels, Channing left the band.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 138–39</ref> That July, Nirvana recorded the single "[[Sliver (song)|Sliver]]" with Mudhoney drummer [[Dan Peters]].<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 142</ref> Dale Crover filled in on drums on Nirvana's seven-date American West Coast tour with [[Sonic Youth]] that August.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 141</ref>

In September 1990, [[Buzz Osborne]] of the Melvins introduced the band to drummer [[Dave Grohl]], whose Washington, D.C. band [[Scream (band)|Scream]] had broken up.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 151</ref> Grohl auditioned for Novoselic and Cobain days after arriving in Seattle; Novoselic later said, "We knew in two minutes that he was the right drummer."<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 154</ref> Grohl told ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'': "I remember being in the same room with them and thinking, 'What? ''That''{{'s}} Nirvana? Are you kidding?' Because on their record cover they looked like psycho lumberjacks... I was like, 'What, that little dude and that big motherfucker? You're kidding me'."<ref>''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'', October 2010</ref>

=== 1991–1992: ''Nevermind'' and mainstream breakthrough ===
Disenchanted with Sub Pop, and with the Smart Studios sessions generating interest, Nirvana sought a deal with a major record label since no indie label could buy them out of their contract.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 136–37</ref> Cobain and Novoselic consulted [[Soundgarden]] and [[Alice in Chains]] manager [[Susan Silver]] for advice.<ref name="etruebio">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=byoPYMdJ150C&pg=PA191 |title=Nirvana: The Biography |first=Everett |last=True |publisher=Da Capo Press |pages=191–192 |date=March 13, 2007 |isbn=9780786733903 |access-date=January 10, 2020 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422200921/https://books.google.com/books?id=byoPYMdJ150C&pg=PA191 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="crcross">{{cite book|first=Charles R.|last=Cross|author-link=Charles R. Cross|title=Heavier Than Heaven|publisher=[[Hachette Books|Hyperion Books]]|location=New York City|date=August 15, 2001|isbn=0-7868-6505-9 |pages=486–488}}</ref> They met Silver in Los Angeles and she introduced them to agent Don Muller and music business attorney Alan Mintz, who was specialized in finding deals for new bands. Mintz started sending out Nirvana's demo tape to major labels looking for deals.<ref name="etruebio"/><ref name="crcross"/> Following repeated recommendations by Sonic Youth's [[Kim Gordon]], Nirvana signed to [[DGC Records]] in 1990.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 162</ref> When Nirvana was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2014, Novoselic thanked Silver during his speech for "introducing them to the music industry properly".<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/read-nirvanas-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-acceptance-speech-242181/ |title=Read Nirvana's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech |date=April 11, 2014 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=January 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115095336/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/read-nirvanas-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-acceptance-speech-20140411 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After signing, the band began recording its first major label album, ''[[Nevermind]]''. The group was offered a number of producers, but held out for Vig.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 164–65</ref> Rather than record at Vig's Madison studio as they had in 1990, production shifted to [[Sound City Studios]] in [[Van Nuys, Los Angeles]], California. For two months, the band worked through a variety of songs. Some, such as "[[In Bloom]]" and "Breed", had been in Nirvana's repertoire for years, while others, including "[[On a Plain]]" and "Stay Away", lacked finished lyrics until midway through the recording process.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. pp. 176–77</ref> After the recording sessions were completed, Vig and the band set out to [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mix]] the album. However, the recording sessions had run behind schedule and the resulting mixes were deemed unsatisfactory. [[Slayer]] mixer [[Andy Wallace (producer)|Andy Wallace]] was brought in to create the final mix. After the album's release, members of Nirvana expressed dissatisfaction with the polished sound that Wallace had given ''Nevermind''.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. pp. 179–80</ref>

[[File:CastingCallSmellsLikeTeenSpirit.jpg|left|thumb|Announcement from the band encouraging people to participate in the making of the music video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"]]
Initially, DGC Records was hoping to sell 250,000 copies of ''Nevermind'', the same they had achieved with Sonic Youth's ''[[Goo (album)|Goo]]''.<ref>Wice, Nathaniel. "How Nirvana Made It". ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''. April 1993.</ref> However, the first single, "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]", quickly gained momentum, boosted by major airplay of the music video on [[MTV]]. As it toured Europe during late 1991, the band found that its shows were dangerously oversold, that television crews were becoming a constant presence onstage, and that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was almost omnipresent on radio and music television.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 203</ref> By Christmas 1991, ''Nevermind'' was selling 400,000 copies a week in the US.<ref>Lyons, James. ''Selling Seattle: Representing Contemporary Urban America''. Wallflower, 2004. {{ISBN|1-903364-96-5}}, p. 120</ref> In January 1992, the album displaced [[Michael Jackson]]'s ''[[Dangerous (Michael Jackson album)|Dangerous]]'' at number one on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' album charts, and topped the charts in numerous other countries.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 239</ref> The month ''Nevermind'' reached number one, ''Billboard'' proclaimed, "Nirvana is that rare band that has everything: critical acclaim, industry respect, pop radio appeal, and a rock-solid college/alternative base."<ref>"Nirvana Achieves Chart Perfection!" ''Billboard''. January 25, 1992.</ref> The album eventually sold over seven million copies in the United States<ref name="SoundScan sales">Basham, David. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451583/got-charts-no-doubts-christmas-gift.jhtml "Got Charts? No Doubt's Christmas Gift; Nirvana Ain't No Beatles"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516203631/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451583/got-charts-no-doubts-christmas-gift.jhtml |date=May 16, 2013 }}. MTV.com. December 20, 2001. Retrieved August 20, 2011.</ref> and over 30&nbsp;million worldwide.<ref>"[https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/470039/billboard-bits-nirvanas-nevermind-to-be-re-released-no-more-guest-stars-on-glee Nirvana's 'Nevermind' To Be Re-Released] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717032738/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/470039/billboard-bits-nirvanas-nevermind-to-be-re-released-no-more-guest-stars-on-glee |date=July 17, 2014 }}". ''Billboard''. June 27, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2012.</ref> Nirvana's sudden success was credited for popularizing [[alternative rock]] and ending the popularity of [[hair metal]].<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/>

Citing exhaustion, Nirvana did not undertake another American tour in support of ''Nevermind'', and made only a handful of performances later that year.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 256</ref> In March 1992, Cobain sought to reorganize the group's songwriting royalties (which to this point had been split equally) to better represent that he wrote the majority of the music. Grohl and Novoselic did not object, but when Cobain wanted the agreement to be retroactive to the release of ''Nevermind'', the disagreements came close to breaking up the band. After a week of tension, Cobain received a retroactive share of 75 percent of the royalties. Bad feelings about the situation remained within the group afterward.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 257–58</ref>

Amid rumors that the band was disbanding due to Cobain's health, Nirvana headlined the closing night of the 1992 [[Reading Festival]] in England. Cobain programmed the performance lineup.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 271</ref> Nirvana's performance at Reading is often regarded as one of the most memorable of their career.<ref>[https://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/44151 "Nirvana's Reading Festival gig to be released on DVD"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406213125/http://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/44151 |date=April 6, 2016 }}. ''[[NME]]''. April 20, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2010.</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages/events/alternative-rock/nirvana-headline-reading-festival/ "Nirvana headline Reading Festival"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315203807/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages/events/alternative-rock/nirvana-headline-reading-festival/ |date=March 15, 2013 }}. [[BBC Online]]. Retrieved August 23, 2010.</ref> A few days later, Nirvana performed at the [[MTV Video Music Awards]]; despite the network's refusal to let the band play the new song "[[Rape Me]]", Cobain strummed and sang the first few bars of the song before breaking into "[[Lithium (Nirvana song)|Lithium]]". The band received awards for the [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video|Best Alternative Video]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]] categories.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 276–78</ref>

DGC had hoped to have a new Nirvana album ready for a late 1992 holiday season; instead, it released the compilation album ''[[Incesticide]]'' in December 1992.<ref name="goldmine">Gaar, Gillian G. "Verse Chorus Verse: The Recording History of Nirvana". ''Goldmine''. February 14, 1997.</ref> A joint venture between DGC and Sub Pop, ''Incesticide'' collected various rare Nirvana recordings and was intended to provide the material for a better price and higher quality than [[Bootleg recording|bootlegs]].<ref name="Azerrad, 1994. p. 294" /> As ''Nevermind'' had been out for 15 months and had yielded a fourth single in "In Bloom" by that point, Geffen/DGC opted not to heavily promote ''Incesticide'', which was certified gold by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] the following February.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 296</ref>

=== 1993: ''In Utero'' ===
[[File:Patsmear.jpg|alt=|thumb|upright|Nirvana added an extra guitarist, [[Pat Smear]], for the ''In Utero'' tour.]]In February 1993, Nirvana released [[Puss / Oh, the Guilt|"Puss" / "Oh, the Guilt"]], a split single with [[the Jesus Lizard]], on the independent label [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]].<ref name="goldmine" /> For their third album, Nirvana chose producer [[Steve Albini]], who had a reputation as principled and opinionated in the American [[Independent music|indie music]] scene. While some speculated that Nirvana chose Albini for his underground credentials,<ref>DeRogatis, 2003. p. 5–6</ref> Cobain said they chose him for his "natural" recording style, without layers of studio trickery.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 317</ref> Albini and Nirvana recorded the album in two weeks in [[Pachyderm Studio]] in [[Cannon Falls, Minnesota]], that February<ref name="Gaar40">Gaar, 2006. p. 40</ref> for {{USD|25,000|long=NO}}.<ref>DeRogatis, 2003. p. 4</ref>

After its completion, stories ran in the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and ''[[Newsweek]]'' that quoted sources claiming DGC considered the album "unreleasable".<ref>DeRogatis, 2003. p. 17</ref> Fans became concerned that Nirvana's creative vision might be compromised by their label.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 332</ref> While the stories about DGC shelving the album were untrue, the band was unhappy with certain aspects of Albini's mixes; they thought the bass levels were too low,<ref name="FrickeRS1994">Fricke, David. "Kurt Cobain: The Rolling Stone Interview". ''Rolling Stone''. January 27, 1994.</ref> and Cobain felt that "[[Heart-Shaped Box]]" and "[[All Apologies]]" did not sound "perfect".<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 336–37</ref> The longtime [[R.E.M.]] producer [[Scott Litt]] was called in to remix the two songs, with Cobain adding more instrumentation and backing vocals.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 338</ref>

''[[In Utero]]'' topped the American and British album charts.<ref name="AllMusic">{{Cite web|title=Nirvana {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nirvana-mn0000357406/biography|access-date=2020-06-19|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|archive-date=July 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714001350/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nirvana-mn0000357406/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' critic [[Christopher John Farley]] wrote in his review, "Despite the fears of some alternative-music fans, Nirvana hasn't gone mainstream, though this potent new album may once again force the mainstream to go Nirvana."<ref>Farley, Christopher John. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979260,00.html "To The End Of Grunge"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424063121/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C979260%2C00.html |date=April 24, 2011 }}. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. September 20, 1993. Retrieved August 23, 2010.</ref> ''In Utero'' went on to sell more than five&nbsp;million copies in the United States.<ref name="SoundScan sales" /> That October, Nirvana embarked on its first tour of the United States in two years, with support from [[Half Japanese]] and [[the Breeders]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/jad-fair-the-half-japanese-interview/ |title=FEATURE: Jad Fair: The Half Japanese interview &#124; Features |publisher=Caught in the Crossfire |date=November 28, 2014 |access-date=March 14, 2016 |archive-date=August 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827032125/http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/jad-fair-the-half-japanese-interview/ |url-status=live }}</ref> For the tour, the band added [[Pat Smear]] of the punk rock band [[Germs (band)|Germs]] as the second guitarist.<ref>Azerrad, 1994. p. 352</ref>

In November, Nirvana recorded a performance for the television program ''[[MTV Unplugged]]''. Augmented by Smear and cellist [[Lori Goldston]], they broke convention for the show by choosing not to play their best known songs. Instead, they performed several covers, and invited [[Cris Kirkwood|Cris]] and [[Curt Kirkwood]] of the [[Meat Puppets]] to join them for renditions of three Meat Puppets songs.<ref name="diperna unplugged">Di Perna, Alan. "Behind Unplugged". ''[[Guitar World]]''. March 1995.</ref>

In early 1994, Nirvana embarked on a European tour. Their final concert took place in [[Munich]], Germany, on March 1. In Rome, on the morning of March 4, Cobain's wife, [[Courtney Love]], found Cobain unconscious in their hotel room and he was rushed to the hospital. Cobain had reacted to a combination of prescribed [[rohypnol]] and alcohol. The rest of the tour was canceled.<ref>Sanz, Cynthia. [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20107679,00.html "Hardly Nirvana"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421015039/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20107679,00.html|date=April 21, 2012}}. ''[[People (American magazine)|People]]''. March 21, 1994. Retrieved October 2, 2010.</ref>

=== 1994–1996: Death of Cobain and disbandment ===
{{See also|Suicide of Kurt Cobain}}

[[File:KurtCobainHouse.jpg|alt=|thumb|Cobain's house in Seattle, where he was found dead in April 1994]]
In the weeks following his hospitalization in Rome, Cobain's [[heroin]] addiction resurfaced. Following an [[Intervention (counseling)|intervention]], he was persuaded to enter [[drug rehabilitation]]. After less than a week, Cobain scaled the 6-foot wall and escaped, then returned to Seattle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title=A timeline tracing the final days of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/timeline-the-final-days-of-kurt-cobain/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US}}</ref> On April 6, 1994, it was announced that Nirvana withdrew from their planned appearance at the [[List of Lollapalooza lineups by year#1994|Lollapalooza 94]] tour due to Cobain's ongoing health problems, with reports that they had broken up.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-06-ca-42770-story.html|title=Nirvana Pulls Out of Tour Plan : Pop music: Amid reports of a breakup, the band withdraws from talks about headlining this summer's 'Lollapalooza '94,' citing singer Kurt Cobain's health problems.|first=Steve|last=Hochman|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 6, 1994|accessdate=July 17, 2024}}</ref> Two days later, on April 8, [[Suicide of Kurt Cobain|Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head]] at his home in the [[Denny-Blaine, Seattle|Denny-Blaine]] neighborhood of the city. He had died approximately three days earlier. Until the discovery of his body, Cobain had been missing since escaping the rehabilitation center.<ref>Heard, Chris. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3568909.stm "Torment of rock hero Cobain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512025431/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3568909.stm|date=May 12, 2011}}. [[BBC News]]. April 6, 2004. Retrieved August 22, 2010.</ref>

Cobain's death drew international attention and became a topic of public fascination and debate.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harvey |first=Dennis |date=June 24, 2015 |title=Film Review: 'Soaked in Bleach' |language=en-US |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/soaked-in-bleach-review-kurt-cobain-courtney-love-1201519277/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628124944/https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/soaked-in-bleach-review-kurt-cobain-courtney-love-1201519277/ |archive-date=June 28, 2018}}</ref> Within hours, stocks ran low of Nirvana records in stores,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Borzillo |first=Carrie |author-link=Carrie Borzillo |date=April 23, 1994 |title=Cobain Mourned By Fans, Industryites In Memorials, Music Stores |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1994/1994-04-23-Billboard-Page-0100.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |page=102 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213229/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1994/1994-04-23-Billboard-Page-0100.pdf |archive-date=June 2, 2021 |access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref> and Nirvana sales rose dramatically in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 23, 1994 |title=MCA puts hold on Nirvana releases |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1994/Music-Week-1994-01-08.o-IDX-627.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=[[Music Week]] |page=5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220121021/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1994/Music-Week-1994-01-08.o-IDX-627.pdf |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |access-date=December 20, 2021}}</ref> Unused tickets for Nirvana concerts sold for inflated prices on the used market. The inflation was triggered by the manager of [[Brixton Academy]], who lied on [[BBC Radio 1]] that fans were purchasing tickets as a "piece of history", in an effort to retain the money he stood to lose from ticket refunds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parkes |first=Simon |date=27 April 2014 |title=I Bought the Brixton Academy for £1 |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/i-bought-the-brixton-academy-for-1/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=[[Vice (website)|Vice]] |language=en}}</ref> A public vigil for Cobain was held on April 10, 1994, at a park at [[Seattle Center]], drawing approximately 7,000 mourners,<ref name="azerrad">{{cite book |last=Azerrad |first=Michael |title=Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana |date=1993 |publisher=[[Knopf Doubleday]] |isbn=0-385-47199-8 |location=New York City |author-link=Michael Azerrad}}</ref>{{rp|346}} followed by a final ceremony on May 31, 1999.<ref name="cross-2001">{{cite book |last=Cross |first=Charles R. |title=Heavier Than Heaven |date=2001 |publisher=[[Hachette Books|Hyperion Books]] |isbn=0-7868-6505-9 |location=New York City |author-link=Charles R. Cross}}</ref>{{rp|351}}

In 1994, Grohl founded a new band, the [[Foo Fighters]]. He and Novoselic decided against Novoselic joining. Grohl said it would have felt "really natural" for them to work together again, but would have been uncomfortable for the other band members and placed more pressure on Grohl.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mundy |first=Chris |date=October 5, 1995 |title=Invasion of the Foo Fighters |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/invasion-of-the-foo-fighers-19951005 |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220011937/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/invasion-of-the-foo-fighers-19951005 |archive-date=December 20, 2014 |access-date=November 18, 2014}} Excerpt only; subscription required for full article.</ref> Novoselic turned his attention to political activism.<ref name="goldmine" />

Plans for a live Nirvana album, ''[[Verse Chorus Verse (Nirvana album)|Verse Chorus Verse]]'', were canceled as Novoselic and Grohl found assembling the material so soon after Cobain's death emotionally overwhelming.<ref>Ali, Lorraine. "One Last Blast". ''Rolling Stone''. October 17, 1996.</ref> Instead, in November 1994, DGC released the ''MTV Unplugged'' performance as ''[[MTV Unplugged in New York]]''. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' charts and earned Nirvana a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album|Best Alternative Music Album]] at the [[38th Annual Grammy Awards|1996 Grammys]]. It was followed by Nirvana's first full-length VHS live video, ''[[Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!]]''.<ref name="goldmine" /><ref>Pareles, Jon. [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/29/arts/rookies-win-big-in-the-38th-grammy-awards.html "Rookies' Win Big in the 38th Grammy Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701024949/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/29/arts/rookies-win-big-in-the-38th-grammy-awards.html |date=July 1, 2017 }}. ''The New York Times''. February 29, 1996. Retrieved December 3, 2010.</ref> In 1996, the live album ''[[From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah]]'' became the third consecutive Nirvana release to debut at the top of the ''Billboard'' album chart.<ref name="goldmine" />

=== 1997–2005: Conflicts with Courtney Love ===
In 1997, Novoselic, Grohl and Love formed the [[limited liability company]] Nirvana LLC to oversee Nirvana projects.<ref>DeRogatis, 2003. p. 32–3</ref> A 45-track box set of Nirvana rarities was scheduled for release in October 2001.<ref name="Heath">Heath, Chris. "The Nirvana Wars: Who Owns Kurt Cobain?". ''Rolling Stone''. June 6, 2002.</ref> However, shortly before the release date, Love filed a suit to dissolve Nirvana LLC, and an injunction was issued preventing the release of any new Nirvana material until the case was resolved.<ref>DeRogatis, 2003. p. 33–4</ref> Love contended that Cobain was Nirvana, that Grohl and Novoselic were sidemen, and that she had signed the partnership agreement originally under bad advice. Grohl and Novoselic countersued, asking the court to remove Love from the partnership and to replace her with another representative of Cobain's estate.<ref name="Heath" />

The day before the case was set to go to trial in October 2002, Love, Novoselic, and Grohl announced that they had reached a settlement. The next month, the best-of compilation ''[[Nirvana (Nirvana album)|Nirvana]]'' was released, featuring the previously unreleased track "[[You Know You're Right]]", the last song Nirvana recorded.<ref>Stout, Gene. [http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Courtney-Love-former-members-of-Nirvana-settle-1097350.php "Courtney Love, former members of Nirvana settle suit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006110422/http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Courtney-Love-former-members-of-Nirvana-settle-1097350.php |date=October 6, 2014 }}. September 30, 2002. ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer''. Retrieved July 19, 2011.</ref> It debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' album chart.<ref>Susman, Gary. [https://ew.com/article/2002/11/07/eminems-8-mile-soundtrack-debuts-no-1/ "'Mile' Marker"] . ''Entertainment Weekly''. November 7, 2002. Retrieved November 14, 2010.</ref> The box set, ''[[With the Lights Out]]'', was released in November 2004. The release contained early Cobain demos, rough rehearsal recordings, and live tracks. An album of selected tracks from the box set, ''[[Sliver: The Best of the Box]]'', was released in late 2005.<ref>[https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/61350/track-list-set-for-nirvana-compilation "Track List Set For Nirvana Compilation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526180801/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/61350/track-list-set-for-nirvana-compilation |date=May 26, 2020 }}. ''Billboard''. September 20, 2005. Retrieved November 14, 2010.</ref>

=== 2006–present: Further reissues and reunions ===
[[File:Krist Novoselic.jpg|alt=|thumb|upright|[[Krist Novoselic]] in 2011]]
In April 2006, Love sold 25 percent of her stake in the Nirvana song catalog to [[Primary Wave (company)|Primary Wave]] for an estimated {{USD|50 million|long=No}}. She sought to assure Nirvana's fanbase that the music would not simply be licensed to the highest bidder: "We are going to remain very tasteful and true to the spirit of Nirvana while taking the music to places it has never been before."<ref>Vineyard, Jennifer. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528625/20060413/love_courtney.jhtml?headlines=true "Courtney Love Sells Substantial Share Of Nirvana Publishing Rights"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625000051/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528625/courtney-sells-portion-nirvana-rights.jhtml|date=June 25, 2012}}. MTVNews.com. April 13, 2006. Retrieved September 5, 2007.</ref>

''Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'', was re-released on DVD in 2006,<ref>Cohen, Jonathan. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071021071419/http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003190379 "Nirvana Concert Film Making DVD Debut"]. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''. October 3, 2006. Archived from [https://web.archive.org/web/20061005120631/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003190379 the original] on October 21, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2010.</ref> followed by the full version of ''MTV Unplugged in New York'' on DVD in 2007.<ref>Cohen, Jonathan. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080430090430/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048591/nirvanas-unplugged-finally-heading-to-dvd "Nirvana's 'Unplugged' Finally Heading To DVD"]. ''Billboard''. October 4, 2007. Archived from [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048591/nirvanas-unplugged-finally-heading-to-dvd the original] on April 30, 2008. Retrieved August 24, 2010.</ref> In November 2009, Nirvana's performance at the 1992 Reading Festival was released on CD and DVD as ''[[Live at Reading]],''<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=https://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/47122 |title=Nirvana 'Live At Reading Festival' DVD finally set for official release |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810031609/http://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/47122 |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |website=NME |date=September 3, 2009 |access-date=August 24, 2010 |first1=Adam |last1=Bychawski }}</ref> alongside a deluxe 20th-anniversary edition of ''Bleach.''<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |url-status=dead |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/36229-sub-pop-to-reissue-nirvanas-ibleachi/ |title=Sub Pop to Reissue Nirvana's ''Bleach'' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816083113/http://pitchfork.com/news/36229-sub-pop-to-reissue-nirvanas-ibleachi/ |archive-date=August 16, 2009 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=August 14, 2009 |access-date=November 27, 2010}}</ref> DGC released a number of 20th-anniversary deluxe packages of ''Nevermind'' in September 2011, which included the ''[[Live at the Paramount (video)|Live at the Paramount]]'' show,<ref>{{cite web |url-status=live |url=http://www.upvenue.com/article/1432-details-of-nirvana-s-nevermind-reissue.html |title=Details of Nirvana's Nevermind Reissue |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505134057/https://upvenue.com/article/1432-details-of-nirvana-s-nevermind-reissue.html |archive-date=May 5, 2021 |website=UpVenue |access-date=May 19, 2013 |first1=Darlene |last1=Nikki }}</ref> and of ''In Utero'' in September 2013, which included the ''[[Live and Loud (Nirvana video)|Live and Loud]]'' show.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|title=Inside Nirvana's Rarities-Packed 'In Utero' Reissue: Demos, Live Cuts, and a Found Track |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=August 13, 2013|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/inside-nirvanas-rarities-packed-in-utero-reissue-20130813|access-date=August 23, 2013|archive-date=August 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826043152/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/inside-nirvanas-rarities-packed-in-utero-reissue-20130813|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, Grohl, Novoselic, and Smear joined [[Paul McCartney]] at [[12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/dec/12/paul-mccartney-kurt-cobain-nirvana "Paul McCartney to replace Kurt Cobain in Nirvana reunion"]. ''The Guardian''. December 12, 2012. Retrieved on December 12, 2012. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916150610/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/dec/12/paul-mccartney-kurt-cobain-nirvana |date=September 16, 2016 }}.</ref> The performance featured the premiere of a new song written by the four, "Cut Me Some Slack". A studio recording was released on the soundtrack to ''[[Sound City (film)|Sound City]]'', a documentary film by Grohl.<ref>[http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/12/nirvana-reunite-with-paul-mccartney-record-new-song-cut-me-some-slack/ "Nirvana Reunites with Paul McCartney, Record New Song "Cut Me Some Slack""]. [[Consequence of Sound]]. December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909065907/http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/12/nirvana-reunite-with-paul-mccartney-record-new-song-cut-me-some-slack/ |date=September 9, 2013 }}.</ref><ref name="allmusic-sound-city">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen|title=Sound City: Real to Reel – Original Soundtrack|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sound-city-real-to-reel-mw0002480578|work=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|access-date=March 26, 2013|archive-date=October 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016104317/http://www.allmusic.com/album/sound-city-real-to-reel-mw0002480578|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 19, 2013, the group played with McCartney again during the encore of his [[Safeco Field]] [[Out There! Tour|"Out There"]] concert in Seattle, the first time Nirvana members had performed together in their hometown in over 15 years.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/paul-mccartney-playing-with-nirvanas-surviving-members-was-powerful-20130722|title=Paul McCartney on Playing With Nirvana's Surviving Members|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|date=July 22, 2013|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=January 27, 2014|archive-date=February 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228014112/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/paul-mccartney-playing-with-nirvanas-surviving-members-was-powerful-20130722|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.seattlepi.com/local/slideshow/Paul-McCartney-at-Safeco-Field-66721.php/ "Paul McCartney at Safeco Field"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720181317/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/slideshow/Paul-McCartney-at-Safeco-Field-66721.php |date=July 20, 2013}}. ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]''. July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013.</ref>

In 2014, Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]. At the induction ceremony, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear performed a four-song set with guest vocalists [[Joan Jett]], [[Kim Gordon]], [[St. Vincent (musician)|St. Vincent]] and [[Lorde]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/76724|title=NME News Krist Novoselic says female-fronted Nirvana shows 'conjured spirit of the band'|publisher=Nme.com|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=April 23, 2015|archive-date=October 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026063822/http://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/76724|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/KristNovoselic/status/454485425697341440|title=Krist Novoselić on Twitter: "Thank you @joanjett @lordemusic @KimletGordon @st_vincent for joining @nirvana tonight".|publisher=Twitter.com|date=April 10, 2014|access-date=April 23, 2015|archive-date=October 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002063435/https://twitter.com/KristNovoselic/status/454485425697341440|url-status=live}}</ref> Novoselic, Grohl and Smear then performed a full show at Brooklyn's St. Vitus Bar with Jett, Gordon, St. Vincent, [[J Mascis]] and [[Deer Tick (band)|John McCauley]] as guest vocalists.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-inside-story-of-nirvanas-one-night-only-reunion-20140416#ixzz2z5N8SUja|title=The Inside Story of Nirvana's One-Night-Only Reunion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 16, 2014|access-date=October 26, 2014|archive-date=November 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101171246/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-inside-story-of-nirvanas-one-night-only-reunion-20140416#ixzz2z5N8SUja|url-status=live}}</ref> Grohl thanked Burckhard, Crover, Peters and Channing for their time in Nirvana. Everman also attended.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/12/he-left-nirvana-because-he-had-cooler-things-to-do-like-going-to-iraq.html|title=He Left Nirvana Because He Had Cooler Things to Do. Like Going to Iraq.|first=Jacob|last=Siegel|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=April 12, 2014|access-date=May 5, 2016|archive-date=May 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504080720/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/12/he-left-nirvana-because-he-had-cooler-things-to-do-like-going-to-iraq.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

At Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party in 2016, Novoselic and Grohl reunited to perform the [[David Bowie]] song "[[The Man Who Sold the World (song)|The Man Who Sold the World]]", which Nirvana had covered in their ''MTV Unplugged'' performance. [[Beck]] accompanied them on acoustic guitar and vocals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.relix.com/blogs/detail/beck_fronts_the_surviving_members_of_nirvana_on_the_man_who_sold_the_world |title=Beck Fronts the Surviving Members of Nirvana on "The Man Who Sold the World" : Blogs |website=Relix.com |date=February 16, 2016 |access-date=March 14, 2016 |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322133535/http://www.relix.com/blogs/detail/beck_fronts_the_surviving_members_of_nirvana_on_the_man_who_sold_the_world |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2018, Novoselic and Grohl reunited during the finale of the Cal Jam festival at [[Glen Helen Amphitheater]] in [[San Bernardino County, California]], joined by Jett and [[Deer Tick (band)|John McCauley]] on vocals.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Watch Foo Fighters Stage Nirvana Reunion With Joan Jett, Deer Tick's John McCauley at Cal Jam |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/foo-fighters-nirvana-reunion-joan-jett-cal-jam-733961 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 16, 2019 |date=October 7, 2018 |archive-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127132332/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/foo-fighters-nirvana-reunion-joan-jett-cal-jam-733961/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2020, Novoselic and Grohl reunited for a performance at a benefit for the [[The Art of Elysium|Art of Elysium]] at the [[Hollywood Palladium]], joined by Beck, St Vincent, and Grohl's daughter [[Violet Grohl|Violet]].<ref>{{cite web |date=January 2, 2020 |title=Surviving Nirvana members to reunite for benefit concert |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/01/dave-grohl-nirvana-reunion-heaven/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304161137/https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/01/dave-grohl-nirvana-reunion-heaven/ |archive-date=March 4, 2020 |access-date=January 5, 2020 |website=[[Consequence of Sound]]}}</ref>

For the 30th anniversary of ''Nevermind'', in September 2021, the [[BBC]] broadcast the documentary ''[[When Nirvana Came to Britain]],'' featuring interviews with Grohl and Novoselic. That month, a 30th-anniversary edition of ''Nevermind'' was announced, containing 70 previously unreleased live tracks from four concerts and a Blu-ray of ''Live in Amsterdam''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|date=2021-09-23|title=Nirvana Pack 'Nevermind' 30th-Anniversary Reissue With 4 Unreleased Concerts|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nirvana-nevermind-30th-anniversary-reissue-1231124/|access-date=2021-09-23|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> For the 30th anniversary of ''In Utero'', DGC reissued it in several formats on October 27, 2023, which included the full 1993 show at the [[Great Western Forum]] in Los Angeles and the 1994 show at the [[Mercer Arena|Seattle Centre Arena]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Deaux |first=John |date=September 5, 2023 |url=https://allabouttherock.co.uk/nirvana-in-utero-30th-anniversary-multi-format-reissues-arrive-october-27-2023/ |title=Nirvana In Utero: 30th anniversary multi-format reissues arrive October 27, 2023 |work=allabouttherock.co.uk |access-date=February 17, 2024}}</ref>

On January 30, 2025, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear reunited for the first time in five years to perform at the [[Fire Aid]] benefit concert in Los Angeles. They were joined by [[St. Vincent (musician)|St. Vincent]] for "Breed", [[Kim Gordon]] for "School", [[Joan Jett]] for "Territorial Pissings", and [[Violet Grohl]] for "All Apologies".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aswad|first=Jem|url=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/nirvana-reunion-fireaid-st-vincent-kim-gordon-joan-jett-violet-grohl-1236292208/|title=Three-Fourths of Nirvana Reunite for Bruising FireAid Set With St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Violet Grohl|publisher=[[Variety (publication)|Variety]]|date=January 30, 2025|access-date=January 31, 2025}}</ref> For the 50th anniversary celebrations for ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' on February 14, Novoselic, Grohl and Smear reunited to perform "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with [[Post Malone]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Spencer|url=https://consequence.net/2025/02/post-malone-nirvana-reunion-snl/|title=Post Malone Fronts Nirvana Reunion at SNL 50th Anniversary Concert: Watch|publisher=Consequence.net|date=February 14, 2025|access-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Molley|first=Laura|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-nirvana-reunite-with-post-malone-on-vocals-at-snl50-gig-3838279|title=Watch Nirvana reunite with Post Malone on vocals at 'SNL50' gig|publisher=NME|date=February 15, 2025|access-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref>