The swimming baby is all grown up and that dollar bill he's chasing is worth about 60 cents. Nirvana's blockbuster album Nevermind—you know, the one that brought us “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are”—was released 20 years ago, on Sept. 24, 1991. Bust out those old Doc Martens and throw on an oversized T-shirt, because here are 20 reasons why Nirvana is still great.
(VIDEOS: 20 Years of Nevermind)
1. Nirvana popularized grunge, which in turn popularized flannel shirts. Thanks to them, the early '90s were really comfortable.
2. They also helped America overcome its debilitating 1980s synthesizer affliction.
3. The cover of David Bowie's “The Man Who Sold the World” rivals the original.
4. The band was so good that drummer Dave Grohl's songwriting skills weren't even needed. He had to wait until the Foo Fighters before he could really show off.
5. That loveable, fuzzy, ugly green cardigan.
6. Before settling on a permanent band name, Nirvana was briefly known as Pen Cap Chew. This is kind of funny. Wait, was Nirvana funny?
7. This story, told by Le Tigre's Kathleen Hanna.
8. The band members were reportedly thrown out of their own record release party for Nevermind because they started a food fight.
9. Sometimes Nirvana wore dresses.
10. It reportedly cost $606 to record Bleach.
11. In one version of “I Hate Myself And I Want to Die,” Cobain recites a “Deep Thoughts” quote from SNL's Jack Handy in the middle of the song. He says, “Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can make a child look like a deer.” This is also funny. Hey guys! Nirvana was funny!
12. Nirvana did two shows with with Bobcat Goldthwait. This isn't funny, this is just weird.
13. That one time Kurt Cobain performed in a Barney costume.
14. Frances Bean Cobain grew up to be pretty badass.
15. I mean, have you listened to “All Apologies” recently?
16. Kurt Cobain's Bette Midler impression.
(PHOTOS: Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' No Longer A Teenager)
17. Is that a rubber duck noise in “Drain You?”
18. When MTV forbids Nirvana from playing “Rape Me” at the 1992 Video Music Awards, the band does it anyway. Well, briefly.
19. They inspired this Weird Al song.
20. Nirvana released only three studio albums. Twenty years later, we're still talking about them.
