We’ve known this for years. But now science has proven it.
I could write 10,000 words about how Nirvana changed the world of rock forever with “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” but those words have been written a thousand times over. Instead, I’d like to focus on this Daily Mail piece outlining how iconic the song actually is.
University of London Computer Scientist and musician Dr. Mick Grierson used computer algorithms to rank a list of 50 all-time great popular songs, using criteria like the key the songs were written in, the chords used, beats per minute, and lyrics. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” landed on top, besting time-tested tunes like “Stairway To Heaven” and U2’s “One.” Because science.
You can dig into the research and pick through the full list here. Oh, and you can see Wu Tang Clan “cover” the song at Glastonbury last weekend over here.