# 3 Neil Young Songs From the 1970s That Every Grunge Fan Should Know

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/3-neil-young-songs-from-the-1970s-that-every-grunge-fan-should-know/
- Published: 2026-11-03T23:15:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T08:52:01+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/3-neil-young-songs-from-the-1970s-that-every-grunge-fan-should-know/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Neil Young’s 1970s sound helped shape grunge.
- “Hey Hey, My My” reached No. 79 in 1979.
- “Cortez The Killer” and “Powderfinger” also stand out.

## Summary

The article highlights three Neil Young songs from the 1970s that it says help explain his influence on grunge. Young became known as the “Godfather of Grunge” and later collaborated with Pearl Jam, while his distorted guitars, dark atmosphere and storytelling anticipated qualities associated with 1990s grunge.

“Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)” peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, and the article compares its riff and rebellious spirit with Nirvana and early punk. It also points to the dramatic solos and darker mood of “Cortez The Killer” from *Zuma*, and describes “Powderfinger” as sounding strikingly contemporary more than 40 years after its release.

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