“Kurt smells like Teen Spirit”. This is the phrase that resulted in the title of Nirvana’s most successful song and arguably the most famous piece of music to come out of the state of Washington in the 90s; however, it was actually Kathleen Hannah, a member of the revolutionary Riot Grrl movement, who initially wrote the phrase.
A very brief history of Riot Grrrl
Originating in Olympia, Washington, the Riot Grrrl movement was a DIY feminist movement that aimed to make the male dominated 90s alternative rock scenes more inclusive. Through zines, politically charged lyrics, and just being unabashedly themselves, bands such as Bikini Kill and Bratmobile helped shift the 90s alt rock scene and popularize a more woman inclusive environment.
So, without further ado, here are four albums to introduce you to the genre of Riot Grrrl.
Album 1: The First Two Records by Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill and their lead singer Kathleen Hannah are the pioneers of the genre, and this compilation of their first two records is an excellent collection of exactly what the Riot Grrl genre sounds like and stands for. Between the DIY punk influenced sound and the consistently strongly worded feminist lyrics, this collection of songs was foundational to the short-lived but revolutionary Riot Grrrl movement.
Album 2: Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
Most of the Riot Grrrl bands of the 90s disbanded before the decade was even over, but Sleater-Kinney was one of the few bands that survived the turn of the century. This album in particular helped ensure their continued success as it was their break into the mainstream. Admittedly it has lost some of the DIY charm of earlier Riot Grrrl releases, but it is an excellent choice for those who want a slightly more polished rendition of the genre.
Album 3: gasoline by Baby Guts
The typical sound associated with the Riot Grrrl scene is more akin to the rest of the 90s alt rock sound; however, on this release, Baby Guts’ instrumentation infuses influences from hardcore punk. Despite this shift to a more punk sound, they still maintain the distinct Riot Grrrl sound by utilizing the iconic squealed vocals while shouting politically charged feminist lyrics.
Album 4: Maggot by Dazey and the Scouts
Maggot, the most recently released album on this list, has distilled the learnings from the last 30 years of Riot Grrrl music into a single nearly perfect no-skip album. Despite being less than 30 minutes, this album contains a variety of fun, politically conscious, and deeply emotional songs. Although all of the albums on this list are great, and several of them are quite culturally important, this album is my most highly recommended and in my opinion, a must listen. My only criticism is that this is the sole release by Dazey and the Scouts, so there unfortunately isn’t more amazing music from this group.