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Ten 1991
Album · by Pearl Jam ↗ View artist

Ten

When Pearl Jam released Ten on August 27, 1991, they weren't looking to create a generational anthem, but rather to shape a sound that resonated with the rawness of their time. Following the dissolution of Mother Love Bone in 1990, bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard began experimenting with new ideas. They were joined by guitarist Mike McCready and recorded a five-track instrumental demo. That tape, which circulated in search of a singer and drummer, reached Eddie Vedder in San Diego. Upon hearing it, he wrote lyrics for several of the songs, giving them the voice they lacked. Shortly after, Vedder flew to Seattle to join the band, completed by drummer Dave Krusen, and thus Pearl Jam was born. The album was recorded at Seattle's London Bridge Studios in March and April 1991, and released through Epic Records.

Year
1991
Songs
12
Duration
53 min 7 seg
Listen to the album ★

12 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱
01

Once

3:52
02

Even Flow

4:54
03

Alive

5:41
04

Why Go

3:20
05

Black

5:44
06

Jeremy

5:19
07

Oceans

2:42
08

Porch

3:31
09

Garden

4:59
10

Deep

4:18
11

Release

coming soon

5:04
11

Master/Slave

3:43

About the album

Ten, according to DoReSol

Although associated with the grunge sound, Ten is distinguished by a deeper connection to classic rock, sometimes evoking Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin. Its atmosphere is rich and expansive, with an almost anthemic character. The album didn't take off immediately on the charts, but by the end of 1992, it had reached number two on the Billboard 200. Three era-defining singles emerged from it: "Alive", "Even Flow", and "Jeremy". The video for "Jeremy", in particular, received heavy rotation on MTV and won several awards in 1993, including Video of the Year. This work was fundamental in consolidating the success of grunge and the rise of alternative rock in the 1990s.

Ament and Gossard's path before Pearl Jam includes their time in Green River, a pioneering grunge band. After their separation in 1987, they formed Mother Love Bone, whose trajectory was cut short by the death of their vocalist Andrew Wood in 1990. This event left Gossard and Ament in a state of reflection, but soon Gossard began composing material with a rawer energy. The connection with McCready and the subsequent arrival of Vedder, who contributed lyrics and melodies to the instrumental ideas, laid the foundation for Ten. By February 2013, the album had sold ten million copies in the United States alone, solidifying it as Pearl Jam's most successful work to date. In 2021, Ten was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.