10 Underrated 90s Bands That Deserved More Than the F*ckin' Spotlight Gave ‘Em

 

Everyone drools over Nirvana, but they ain’t shit without the bands that carved the path before them. Here's 10 that should've owned the 90s but didn’t get their dues.

1. Mother Love Bone

Before Pearl Jam was cashing in, Mother Love Bone was the heart of Seattle. Andrew Wood’s voice? Pure rock star energy. But his tragic death before their debut meant the world never got to see what they could’ve been. They weren't just part of the scene—they were the scene. Without Wood’s flamboyant charisma and lyrical genius, there’s no Pearl Jam, no grunge explosion. Remember that.

2. Mudhoney

Mudhoney was grunge before it had a name, and they damn well didn’t get the credit they deserved. If you haven’t heard “Touch Me I’m Sick,” go do yourself a favor and dive headfirst into their dirty, distorted sound. These guys basically set the tone for Nirvana and Soundgarden, but unlike those bands, Mudhoney stayed in the underground, staying true to their roots while others sold out. Grunge without Mudhoney is like punk without the Ramones—it just doesn’t exist.

3. The Pixies

Here’s the band that Kurt Cobain openly admitted to ripping off. That quiet-loud-quiet dynamic? All The Pixies. With Frank Black’s snarling vocals and Kim Deal’s iconic bass lines, they created an off-kilter sound that was too weird for the mainstream but exactly what the underground needed. Surreal lyrics, distorted guitars—everything that made alt-rock what it was. If The Pixies had gotten half the attention Nirvana did, they’d be gods by now.

4. Bikini Kill

Punk as f*ck and unapologetic, Bikini Kill was the band that gave women a voice in a male-dominated scene. Kathleen Hanna didn’t just scream her lyrics—she blasted the system with every word. Riot grrrl wasn’t just a movement; it was a revolution, and Bikini Kill was its soundtrack. While the grunge bros were singing about angst, Hanna and her crew were burning the whole damn thing down. Feminism, punk, and DIY ethos all wrapped into one loud-ass package.

5. Helmet

Heavy, aggressive, and more technical than your favorite band, Helmet was the thinking man’s metal. They mixed hardcore, metal, and noise-rock in a way that nobody had seen before, and while everyone else was trying to ride the grunge wave, these guys stayed in their own lane. Their riffs hit like a sledgehammer, and they brought a level of precision that set them apart from the sloppy grunge scene. How they never blew up bigger is one of the 90s’ biggest mysteries.

6. Black 47

Mixing rock with Irish folk and punk attitude, Black 47 was a political machine that didn’t get nearly enough love. Their songs tackled Irish history, war, and poverty, delivering them with an infectious energy that few bands could match. They didn’t care about fitting into a mold; they smashed it. For anyone who thinks rock can’t be political, these guys prove you wrong—loudly and with a pint in hand. They deserved to be a lot bigger.

7. Fugazi

If punk had a conscience, it was Fugazi. DIY kings and staunchly anti-commercial, they refused to sell out, even when it could’ve made them household names. Their post-hardcore sound was raw, stripped down, and brutally honest—no frills, just passion. Ian MacKaye and crew embodied everything punk should be. While others cashed in, Fugazi stayed punk to the core, influencing generations of bands without compromising for a single damn second.

8. Maktub

What happens when you mix soul, funk, and alternative rock? You get Maktub. These guys flew under the radar, but their unique sound was ahead of its time. Lead singer Reggie Watts (yup, that Reggie Watts) brought a vocal range and power that could knock you off your feet. They brought the groove back to rock and never got the credit they deserved. Call it soul-rock or whatever the hell you want, but they were on a whole different level.

9. Slint

Post-rock pioneers who never got their due, Slint’s album Spiderland was a quiet revolution. Their sound was minimal, haunting, and so far ahead of its time that most people didn’t get it—until years later. They were the band your favorite band was listening to in secret. They didn’t need loud guitars or flashy solos to leave a mark; their eerie, brooding sound did all the talking. You want to get deep into 90s alternative? Start here.

10. Bam Bam

You wanna talk about the roots of the Seattle sound? You have to talk about Bam Bam. Fronted by Tina Bell, one of the first Black women in grunge, they were doing the heavy, dirty sound before Seattle even became a thing. But guess what? They never got the credit. Bam Bam was there at the birth of grunge, shaping the sound that bands like Nirvana would later ride to fame, but the scene wasn’t ready for a Black woman to lead it. They were straight-up robbed of the recognition they deserved.