# What song was number one when Nirvana released ‘Nevermind’ in 1991?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/what-song-was-number-one-when-nirvana-released-nevermind-in-1991/
- Published: 2026-08-03T02:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-25T15:46:39+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-song-that-was-number-one-when-nirvana-released-nevermind-in-1991/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Nirvana's "Nevermind" reshaped mainstream music when released in 1991.
- Bryan Adams' ballad was UK number one at the time.
- The album helped alternative and grunge music go mainstream.

## Summary

An article explores how Nirvana's 1991 album "Nevermind" transformed rock music by pushing grunge and punk sensibilities into the mainstream, ending an era dominated by more polished commercial pop and rock. The piece argues that this shift set the tone for much of the decade's alternative music boom, influencing later British bands such as Oasis, Radiohead and Blur, even as their success stemmed from their own distinct qualities.

The article highlights that when "Nevermind" was released in September 1991, the UK number one single was Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," a ballad tied to the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" that exemplified the commercially driven music of the time. Despite Adams' song remaining popular, Nirvana's album is credited with challenging that commercial model and paving the way for alternative music to achieve mainstream success throughout the 1990s.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.