Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit First Grunge Video Surpasses 2 Billion YouTube Views

Nirvana's 1991 grunge anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit" has become the first grunge music video to surpass 2 billion views on YouTube, a milestone it reached years after its original release and initial MTV debut. Directed by Samuel Bayer and filmed for an estimated $30,000 to $50,000, the video features a chaotic high school pep rally inspired by films like "Rock And Roll High School" and "Over The Edge," with extras including future Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell. The song itself was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2024 and remains a defining track of Generation X, also achieving billions of streams on Spotify. The video premiered on MTV's 120 Minutes in 1991 and helped Nirvana win Best New Artist and Best Alternative Group at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. The milestone places "Smells Like Teen Spirit" among a select group of rock videos with multi-billion views, alongside Linkin Park and Guns N' Roses, while most other billion-view videos belong to pop, hip-hop, rap, or country genres. This enduring popularity reflects the song's cultural impact and the fans who have kept it alive for over three decades.