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Of the four Seattle bands that broke through in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam is the one that never stopped. More than three decades after Ten, they are still making albums, still filling arenas and still changing their setlist every night. They are the great survivors of grunge, and one of the most trusted live bands in rock.
| Formed | 1990, Seattle, Washington |
| Members | Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron |
| Genres | Alternative rock, grunge, hard rock |
| Breakthrough | Ten (1991) |
| Hall of Fame | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2017 |
Guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament had already been through Green River and Mother Love Bone. When Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood died in March 1990, the band ended just before its debut album came out.
Gossard and Ament kept writing with guitarist Mike McCready and passed around an instrumental demo. A copy reached Eddie Vedder, a surfer and gas station attendant in San Diego, who wrote lyrics and vocals for three of the songs. Those recordings became “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps.” Within weeks, Vedder had flown to Seattle and the band, briefly called Mookie Blaylock, was born. Drummer Dave Krusen played on their debut.
That same year, members of the band joined Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron in Temple of the Dog, a tribute to Andrew Wood whose “Hunger Strike” features Cornell and Vedder trading verses.
Big, melodic and emotionally direct, Ten started slowly and kept selling for years, eventually becoming one of the best-selling rock debuts ever. “Alive,” “Even Flow,” “Jeremy” and “Black” all became modern rock standards.
Rawer and angrier, Vs. sold nearly a million copies in its first week, a record at the time. Start with “Daughter,” “Animal,” “Rearviewmirror” and “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.”
Restless and experimental, recorded as the band was stepping back from fame. “Better Man,” “Corduroy,” “Not for You” and “Immortality” are the essentials.
No Code went quieter and wider, drawing on world music and garage rock (“Who You Are,” “Off He Goes”). Yield brought the band back toward big rock songs, including “Given to Fly” and “Wishlist.” Former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron joined in 1998 and has been with them ever since.
Binaural (2000), Riot Act (2002), Pearl Jam (2006), Backspacer (2009), Lightning Bolt (2013), Gigaton (2020) and Dark Matter (2024) show a band comfortable moving between punk-speed rockers, ballads and politically charged songs. “Just Breathe” from Backspacer became one of their most streamed songs, and Dark Matter was widely praised as their most energetic record in years.
Vedder’s baritone, equal parts warmth and growl, is one of the most recognizable sounds in rock. His lyrics often tell other people’s stories, whether the teenager in “Jeremy” or the waitress in “Elderly Woman,” which gave Pearl Jam a narrative depth that set them apart from their peers. His solo work, including the Into the Wild soundtrack (2007), broadened his audience further.
Pearl Jam have repeatedly chosen control over cash. They stopped making conventional music videos after Ten, testified to Congress about Ticketmaster’s service fees in 1994, and later released official soundboard recordings of hundreds of concerts so fans would not have to buy bootlegs. Their fan club still gets first access to tickets. Those decisions built one of the most loyal fan communities in music.
Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Temple of the Dog, Mother Love Bone, Foo Fighters and The National for a later take on literate, emotional rock.
In 1990 in Seattle, after the end of Mother Love Bone.
Eddie Vedder (vocals, guitar), Stone Gossard (guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), Mike McCready (lead guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums). Earlier drummers were Dave Krusen, Dave Abbruzzese and Jack Irons.
Ten (1991).
Yes. They released Dark Matter in 2024 and continue to tour. Check their official site and our upcoming alternative concerts guide for current dates.
Pearl Jam is in steady rotation on Where Modern Rock Meets Grunge, from “Even Flow” to their more recent singles. Catch it on Where Modern Rock Meets Grunge, check the radio show schedule, or press play on the live stream. Want a specific song? Send a request or dedication.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Official artist website: pearljam.com. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
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