Where Does Grunge Come From?

Grunge was born of the local Punk scene of the Pacific Northwest, most notably Seattle, Washington, in the late 1980s. At a time when Glam Rock and Hair Metal were popular nationally, a group of young Punk bands in Seattle began to experiment with an aesthetic that was less flamboyant. These musicians were influenced by a local band, The Melvins, that played Heavy Metal with slower and heavier riffs. A local scene sprung up with this sound, as did the first Grunge record label, Sub Pop Records.