Nirvana Re-Release 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

Nirvana is officially re-releasing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as part of a bid to reach the top of the UK charts this Christmas, twenty years after it first appeared on "Nevermind."

It was announced on the official Nirvana Facebook page, after an online campaign to make the song a Christmas number one gained huge popularity in the UK.

The song will be re-released on 7" vinyl as a special edition, and continues to be available for purchase on digital stores.

The trend to revive rock songs for the Christmas chart began in 2009 as a response to Simon Cowell's X Factor winner always achieving the most sales over the holiday period.

As a result, some metal fans - namely Jon and Tracey Mortor, a couple from England - started a Facebook campaign to get the Rage Against The Machine song "Killing In The Name" to number one. It succeeded, and raised tens of thousands for charity. It also broke a world record for being the first song to reach number one based on digital sales alone, with over 500,000 sales in one week.

"We are very, very ecstatic about being number one," said frontman Zach De La Rocha upon hearing the news in 2009. "It says more about the spontaneous action taken by young people throughout the UK to topple this very sterile pop monopoly," he added.

The Nirvana song is now the favorite to reach number one this year.

Do you support this kind of campaign, or is it just another consumerist turn that Kurt Cobain might have disliked?

Comments

[thenextkirk92]

inb4 Courtney Love.

[ali.guitarkid7]

Definitely do support this. Although, I'd support it more if it was a more modern band, as in someone who's releasing stuff now instead of an old song.

Preferably my music, thank you.

[kinslayerSOA]

This destroys what Kurt wanted out of Nirvana. He hated mainstream, he didn't particularly like this song.

I refuse to take part in this purely because of Kurt's outlook on music and his band. Make it another rock song.

[Guitar_Jester]

I support this. I don't care what Kurt would think. I have an opinion of my own.

[j_link13]

ya cuz kurt cobain reallly gave two shits about the number one song during the holidays, its truely all he wanted out of his music career

[CydoniaKnight95]

I'm less inclined to take part in this, considering who's organizing it this time
I mean, for Killing in the Name, it was spontaneous and a hell of a lot cooler
Also, is this going to be donated to charity like most of the money from the KitN sales? Coz if not, there is no way in hell I'm taking part

[PIMO]

oh god here we go with all of the other posters preaching they knew Kurt and what he wanted when they probably werent even in the nutsack when Nirvana was around...

[metallica-#1]

The original single is officially being re-released 20 years later as part of a campaign to top the Christmas chart. But would Kurt Cobain mind?

no? he's dead

[death eater]

No one can really tell what Kurt would have wanted. He has sadly been gone for 17 years and his opinions on things may have changed. No one can really tell. But I think in support of MY PERSONAL favorite band, I would push it too the top.

[Iliekgitaz]

metallica-#1 wrote:

The original single is officially being re-released 20 years later as part of a campaign to top the Christmas chart. But would Kurt Cobain mind?
no? he's dead

Look at the headline "Nirvana Re-release Smells like Teen Spirit".. apparently NIRVANA IS BACK TOGETHER!! Apparently Kurts ashes have came together and created a zombie. The real question is will Kurts return on stage as a zombie freak people out?"

[drummerjmp]

Would Kurt mind?? Are you kidding me? He would turn in his grave if he knew that people would still be trying to capitalize off his music nearly two decades after he died.

[alx305]

They should have done this with "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter".

[InfernalFender]

Yeah, let's get a song that dominated the charts for months on end to "destroy" the mainstream! I've always had a soft spot for Nirvana, but absolutely sick to death of hearing Teen Spirit.

Couldn't they try this with a band like Cage the Elephant? I think they deserve much more recognition.

[theused101]

while theyre at it we should dig up lennon and parade him around a noth american arena tour. soddin idiots.

[btfbonzo]

The only thing he cared about was making money. People are so blind to how big of a sell out he was. He said he didn't want his music to be commercialized but then he *****d himself out to MTV at every possibility.

[Maiden95]

I do get that this might not be what Kurt wanted, and I respect that. But I think if the opportunity is presented to get people to listen to actual good music we should pounce on that chance.
Good luck Nirvana

[Rebel_Onslaught]

So Courtney Love wants more money eh? i wonder if Dave will get another car.

[boris6491]

why...

[NBarry19]

at least pick any other Nirvana song that's NOT Smells Like Teen Spirit..

[smouch3]

RAPE ME FOR #1 !!!!!

[FaceTomorrow]

I heard the earnings will go to a charity with the same name as a group in x-factor. So that makes it a bit less "about the money". That 7" shouldn´t be too limited if it has to help a song get to number one 1. Otherwise just as well leave it at the mp3.

[slaveskinJACKET]

Courtney Loved this idea.

[WhoAMEye]

kinslayerSOA wrote:

This destroys what Kurt wanted out of Nirvana. He hated mainstream, he didn't particularly like this song.

I refuse to take part in this purely because of Kurt's outlook on music and his band. Make it another rock song.

I agree re Kurt hating the song this isn't anything new but the whole point of the campaign is that it is a reaction to the mainstream manufactured pop bollocks that swamps the media.

In spirit it is exactly what Nirvana was all about.

[desimate]

smells like teen spirit?? really?? boring. corey taylors X-M@$ instead, its festive and says **** you at the same time =) as well as being for charity

[angrymop24]

People are forgetting the real reason people are doing this... There was a charity that had the same name as a x factor band, and x factor got very snotty about it. this is payback for people, namely Simon Cowell, being *******s.

[GrungeHippie26]

death eater wrote:

No one can really tell what Kurt would have wanted. He has sadly been gone for 17 years and his opinions on things may have changed. No one can really tell. But I think in support of MY PERSONAL favorite band, I would push it too the top.

Still, even though he's not around, we could at least show respect by not fighting over his music like vultures. I say we leave it to rest and just enjoy the music. Nirvana is my favorite band in the world, but nothing would kill that more than Nirvana being cool again. Even though i like them, I would never live in the 90's with so many posers who just skip every track on the cd except Teen Spirt. I wouldn't want to immiedately associated with mainsteam *******s. If that was to ever happen again, and i saw football players who make fun of me for listening to "old music", LISTENING TO THE SAME THING....i'd blow my own damn head off.

[MonsterOfRock]

Not a Nirvana fan, neither do I look at Kurt Cobain as some kinda musical hero (in that same breath, Layne Staley is a better hero to me). But I support it nonetheless. Because SLTS is way better than anything today to top the chart. And X Factor is a shitty excuse for Cowel's label to make money and discard their cash cow (winner) in a week.

Simon Cowell your days are numbered; owls will get you while you slumber!!!

[rafey]

Wow, the lot of you are completely missing the point. This campaign is not about "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or even Nirvana. The song was chosen purely because it's the opposite of whatever the X-Factor comes out with. Whether you love it or hate it, the song is definitely iconic and recognizable to most, therefore it's the perfect symbolic gesture.