Yesterday I had the pleasure of listening to “You know you’re right” by Nirvana (for the first time) on a decent dose of magic mushrooms and had an incredibly emotional reaction to it. I would really love to curate a playlist of very intense, viscerally emotional music so I can just sit and have a really cathartic experience. The only 2 example songs I can think of would be “You know you’re right” and “Rotten apple” by Alice in Chains. Thank you guys!
I had Frogs on repeat every second of every day during a really low point of my life. It's hard to listen to it now...
Same! I just started to be able to listen to it again.
Oh my god yes i agre 10000% percent. Frogs is my favorite song by AIC
Unplugged or studio, I recently had a similar moment to OP with the unplugged version while on a small dose of magic mushrooms, very enjoyable to get lost in
I enjoy both but unplugged is just extra haunting. I got really into it when I was newly sober. I loved the “never gonna fuck with me again” at the end. I’d scream that hoping my addiction wouldn’t ever fuck with me again. Over 2 years clean now!
Shame in you Alice In Chains, Nutshell Alice In Chains - followed by Rotten Apple (deadly duo).
You just listed three of my favorite AiC songs. I'm a sucker for that kind of melancholy. Add Down in a Hole and it's just pure depression, but still awesome somehow.
Thank you for recognising Shame In You! I don't know why isn't it as listened as Frogs, Sludge Factory or Over Now, it's such a good song
Pearl Jam - Black
unplugged version goes crazy
Listen to the unplugged version of Alice in Chains “down in a hole” if you’re looking for gut-wrenching. Particularly if you know what the lead singer was going through and doomed to
Or the second to last song he wrote: "Get Born Again" and the last song: "Died".
Such a sick riff. Fucking amazing.
That unplugged version on sludge factory always gets me…. Especially the first time they hit the chorus.
IMHO best unplugged show.
Hurt- Nine Inch Nails and also covered by Johny Cash. The Johnny Cash version is sadder, in my opinion.
With the video that shows all of the old footage of Johnny and June. Knowing it was only months before she passed gets me every time.
Pixies "Wave of Mutilation" UK Surf version
I’ve always liked that version more
First time I saw the Pixies they played the fast version during the set and I was bummed. Then the first song in the encore was the UK Surf version. Made my night.
Great one. Pretty sure the next song on the album has a comparatively tame title but sound WAY more scratchy and horrible (in a good way)… just a cool little misdirection by the band I thought
Actually I’m pretty sure the song is called Tame haha
Hate To Feel, Confusion and Love Hate Love all from Alice In Chains
The last goodbye- Jeff Buckley
Disintegration - The Cure
This! This is the most beautiful yet heart wrenching song ever.
Chris Cornell had an incredible cover of the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride”.
It’s a chipper sounding song that’s actually about a significant other who is leaving them to either become a prostitute or (as “riding” during that time and place was slang for prostitution) just simply leave them for a better life.
The ending of the song just has Chris improvising lyrics that sound very specific to his life, and he’s just wailing away. It sounded very painful to me. Some of the rumors going around about his suicide was that his wife drove him to it. What he’s singing and the pain he’s singing with at the end of this cover suggests that to me.
The video of him playing "nothing compares 2 u" hits me hard
'What Will You Say', by Jeff Buckley
Gosh, yes.
Sunshower: Chris Cornell
Frogs- AIC The Unplugged version
Yesss so underrated
TOOL Wings part 1+2
Hits like a truck if you know the story behind the lyrics
I'd say Died by Alice in Chains. The last song Layne recorded with AIC, it has this very empty atmosphere, I don't know how to describe it.
Kind of fitting that his last song was about Demri.
Dollar Bill by Screaming Trees
It’s a pretty epic ride.
To be fair, the entire Sweet Oblivion album by Screaming Trees is phenomenal.
It’s one of my favorites from the 90s. I absolutely loved it.
Follow My Way - Chris Cornell. I know he might have others on Euphoria Mourning that would be considered more gut-wrenching but this one hits me deep....
Rid of Me - PJ Harvey (similar to you know your right imo, the whole album is gut wrenching)
Shadow of a Doubt - Sonic Youth
Break My Body - Pixies
Axemen - Heavens to Betsy
Raisans - Dinosaur Jr.
Garbage Man - Hole
Soma - The Smashing Pumpkins
Feels Blind - Bikini Kill
Upvote for Soma
The whole Jar Of Flies album
EP*
Not grunge, but Pink Floyd’s albums from ‘73/‘75/‘77/‘79 are deeply emotional and make for a good, cathartic, gut-wrenching listen if you give them a shot from start to finish.
I’m so Tired- Fugazi
Mmm Bop by Hanson
The whole Sea Change album by Beck. Written after splitting from his long term partner it’s a big musical change from his earlier stuff, the whole album is beautiful to me
Idk if this counts but I always listen to Local H’s “No Problem” when I need to dig the knife in and twist it.
Bush - Swallowed
Release by Pearl Jam
Hurt - the Cash version, with video. The original is sublime, but Cash hits harder.
Ænima- tool whole album. Or salival -tool live album particularly that version of pushit. Indifference-Pearl jam Clean up before she comes- nirvana Let it be captured- Danzig Big empty- stone temple pilots
IF WHEN I SAY I MIGHT FADE LIKE A SIGH IF I STAYY
That pushit gets me every single time that crescendo towards the end. Omg
One Last Goodbye - Anathema
Rape nirvana, Daughter pearl jam, Daughter Loudon Wainwright, Cordelia Tragically Hip, Washing Machine heart Mitski, I like the way you kiss me Artemas, Everybody want to rule the world Tears Of Fears.
Cordelia Tragically Hip,
Excellent
love hate love (live at the moore) - alice in chains, though it’s only on youtube
edit: also, all of the downward spiral by nine inch nails
The version live at Glasglow is on Spotify and is a close second.
It may sound corny as hell & it's not remotely grunge (though technically a Seattle band that was certainly a friend to the major grunge acts) but after my wife died, the first time I heard the Heart power ballad, Stranded, it matched exactly how I was feeling and reduced me to an absolute mess.
Heart ETERNAL
That is heartbreaking. I’m sorry you lost her.
Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.
Aw man. Do your thing and then put on Enemy of the Sun by Neurosis. See ya on the other side
« Car crash » our lady peace
« Imagine » a perfect circle
« 9 crimes » Damien Rice
« Over now » Alice In Chains
« Luka » Susan Vega
« Army dreamers » Kate bush.
Damien fuckin Rice. He’s got so many songs that absolutely shred me. 9 Crimes is one of my favorites.
Wow car crash was perfect, thanks!
Present Tense - Pearl Jam
Alice In Chains entire discography tbh
Nutshell by Alice In Chains always makes me tear up. Probably because I associate it with my last relationship that ended quite badly.
Cemetery Gates - Pantera.
Pallbearer - Love You To Death
I thought you meant something different in your original post, but if you mean just really abrasive and creepy fucked up sounding grunge-era music (although Rotten Apple is not like that, so I'm not sure I'm about to hit the mark), here are some suggestions that are all a little different from each other:
Nirvana - Hairspray Queen
Soundgarden - Tears to Forget
Portishead - Machine Gun
Mark Lanegan - Methamphetamine Blues
Tom Waits - Earth Died Screaming
Although it might help to learn more what it is specifically about those two songs that did it for you. The one that first came to mind when you said Rotten Apple is Boot Camp by Soundgarden. I find that one to be incredibly emotional, both in terms of how the music builds and the lyrical content. But it's not hard to listen to or abrasive or anything.
Road to Piece- Tom Waits Forward to Death - Dead Kennedys Strange Fruit- Billie Holiday Dirt, Nutshell and Godsmack - Alice in Chains Mercy Seat and Loverman - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Wave of Mutilation - Pixies Hurt - NIN Something in the Way- Nirvana Creep- Radiohead Teardrop- massive attack Rid of me - pj Harvey Anything from Tools undertow album Lazarus - David Bowie
Not really "grunge" but Exhausted by Foo Fighters is just harrowing to listen to. It's an amazing song, prolly one of my favorites.
Bodies - Smashing Pumpkins XYU - Smashing Pumpkins
Would destroy stuff in my apartment while listening to these
River of Deceit by Mad Season…
Also I find Jeremy by Pearl Jam to drive me to the brink of tears, I guess I just found the lyrics to be relatable and the instrumentation seemed so wrought with angst
hole "pretty on the inside" and "violet"
Soundgarden "limo wreck" and "boot camp"
AiC "love hate love" and basically anything off Dirt
Time by Pink Floyd. The lyrics resonate especially now that I'm older. " and then one day you find ten years have gone behind you, no one told you when to run you missed the starting gun"
Nevermind - the replacements | unsatisfied - the replacements | find the river - rem | atmosphere - joy division
Try some blues. All of Led Zeppelin II. Stevie Ray Vaughan in particular The Sky is crying and blues at sunrise with Albert king. Jimmy Hendrix in particular Red House.
Watch Me Bleed - Tears Of Fears
Not necessarily all grunge:
AIC - Nutshell (Unplugged version). For reasons. If you are a regular on this sub you know ALL about why this one hurts.
NIN - Who Do You Think You Are. Like Trent, I'm in recovery, and this song has my eyes LEEEEEAAAAAKING.
Kate Bush - Cloudbusting. I can't even get into why. Look up the backstory, then read about the kid's father. Decades and layers of heartbreaking trauma and a brilliant human being who, due to years of persistent, severe sexual, physical, and emotional neglect/abuse from a very young age, quickly and horrifically drifted further and further from reality in front of the greatest minds of late 19th/early 20th century psychology analysis.
Deep Sea Divers (feat. Sharon Van Etten) - Impossible Weight. "I tried so hard not to let you all down/it's an impossible weight/so I'll just let you down more."
Syml - Where's My Love. Ugh.
Something in the Way - Nirvana (Unplugged)
Linkin Park - Crawling. I can't even. Nope.
Lights - Same Sea
It’s not really what you’re asking for, but check out the Johns Hopkins psilocybin playlist on Spotify. It’s mostly classical but there are some ones.
Nine Inch Nails - Something I Can Never Have
In my time of dying-Led Zeppelin. The first time I heard it I was tripping 2 hits of acid. Was incredibly cathartic. Especially the ending…sounds like a soul leaving the body.
I don’t know if anybody else has posted it yet, but “Man of the World” by Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac is absolutely devastating. It has brought me to tears on numerous occasions and speaks directly to my own version of deep depression more than anything else I’ve ever read/seen/listened to. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9GPR848mhIs
Say Hello to Heaven by Temple of the Dog with the extra dramatic irony that Chris is gone now too.
Somethiiiiiiing in the way, mmmmhhh mhhhhh.
Not Grunge but better in many respects:
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Mercy Seat. This is one of his masterpieces.
Anything from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds albums:
Skeleton Tree
Ghosteen.
No More Shall We Part.
Some of the songs on Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus, Push the Sky Away.
If you want to be adventurous as well as gut wrenching, work your mind on THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. You won’t be disappointed.
This is a short list. He is incredibly prolific and his work has changed and evolved over the 40 years.
Melvins:
“Hooch”
Albums: Stoner Witch Houdini
Seriously run don’t walk when they play your town. If you want intense and visceral - Melvins delivers. 💯
Tonight Tonight by Smashing Pumpkins does magic for me every time I listen to it and I don't use any sort of substance
Mad season
Next time you're on mushrooms look up a band called The Verve. They're amazingly good anyway, (except for Bitter Sweet Symphony) and are even better on psychedelics.
Their first album, A Storm In Heaven, is peak 90's psychedelic music.
Also Ben Harper's live version of The Drugs Don't Work is amazing.
Yesssss... Slide Away is so good. On their following album, Stormy Clouds and On Your Own are great too.
On Your Own is gorgeous.
Don’t go to sleep without me by The Creatures
“You Know” is so damn good.
Mineral - the power of failing
You mean to say by Jessi Colter
Straight to Hell by The Clash
I always like the charming sense of menace in Nirvana’s version of Sliver.
Chuck in some 90s Silverchair, especially stuff from Freak Show and Frogstomp
La Dispute - King Park
Hole - Drown Soda (MBTHG live version)
Holocaust by Big Star
Missy Higgins, Torchlight. Be ready.
Grease box
Not really grunge but affiliated… Kristin Hersch - Your Ghost
Giles Corey - Blackest Biles
let it bleed - cough , let it die - greet death , changes - black sabbath (charles bradley version also slaps ya right in the face, especially the live studio version he did).
Not grunge but Fade to black by Metallica
Over Now - AIC. Insanely underrated song by them, my personal favorite. Perfectly shows the feeling of something once loved ending, and the void where it once was.
Black - Pearl Jam
Homebody - Bush
https://youtu.be/z0jw5qBgUuo?si=jRijbNm1J95vRdSV This will change you forever.
4/20/02
Mailman by Soundgarden. Or Limo Wreck, or 4th of July off the same album.
Down in a Hole, AIC
Say Hello 2 Heaven, Temple of the Dog
Black Gives Way to Blue, AIC (Elton John helping out with some piano)
Alone Alice N Chains Snuff Slipknot My girl Nirvana Lumineers Zach Bryan Learn to Swim Tool
Tony sly from no use for a name just before he died did a second acoustic album with Joey cape of lagwagon and the acoustic version of pre-medicated murder turns it from a decent punk song to a heartbreaking farewell to a guy who died too soon
Fell on Black Days or Boot Camp by Soundgarden
Nirvana Sappy acoustic version
Call Me a Dog - Temple of the Dog
the album Discouraged Ones by Katatonia
Sludge factory- Alice in chains
Mark Lanegan band- bleeding muddy water
Check out the album The Holy Bible by Manic Street Preachers. Seriously. You'll LOVE it.
Reasons To Be Beautiful- Hole
the only answer
Nutshell- AIC breaks me every single Time
Hole “Garbage man”
More Or Less—Screaming Trees
Seasons - Chris Cornell.
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost- Mark Lanegan. The whole album is an amazing intense ride.
Long Gone - Mad Season
nirvana's cover of seasons in the sun
crown of thorns by mother love bone and pear jam's cover of it.
Alice is great, Nirvana too……Cornell, Soundgarden all of it. However, there was a musician (still alive) that shines brighter than all of them - played circles around very guitar player of that era and was doing it as a teenager; his unreleased music blows everything away - and I mean everything. The great Travis Meeks.
EMA - Past Life of Martyed Saints Several tracks, thematic, start with Marked.
The first time I heard Nirvana’s version of Where Did You Sleep Last Night I got chills. It was the first song I made myself learn how to play on guitar. It’s still one of my favorite. Also, Green Day’s Time of Your Life was the second song.
Not grunge but im gonna say stay together for the kids by blink 182
All of the Mad Season albums gives me the feels
"A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" by Van der Graaf Generator https://youtu.be/bDDf_SuAlBA?si=N5sLSVm3cRqJHTPT
Radiohead - The Bends, the entire album
Sludge Factory -AIC
Ana's Song (Open Fire) - Silverchair
Plaintive and powerful in waves.
Bushwick Bill - "Ever So Clear". It tells the story of how he was suicidal and shot himself in the eye, and instead of dying he woke up in hospital with an epiphany.
Genuinely can't listen to Nutshell despite how much I know it's a good song
Anything from queens of the stone age, but particularly from their newest album, in times new Roman.
Don’t follow -AIC
You Know You're Right- Nirvana
Lithium- Nirvana
Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt- Nine Inch Nails
Whale & Wasp- Alice in Chains
Listen to the entire Jar Of Flies album. It’s pretty short, but amazing.
Try jedi mind fuck, very flowy with nice trails. 🙂
Jackie down the line by fountaines dc
Nirvana-Polly
Taylor Swift 🤣
Thergothon
Lingua Ignota -- CALIGULA.
Its fucking DARK.
Its a whole album, not a song, written about abuse and personal trauma. Probably wouldnt listen to it while on shrooms, but if you want to listen to something that makes you feel and not just dance, check it out.
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
jessie by paw!!!! so devastating when you really think about what its trying to say
All Cats Are Grey - The Cure
Down in a Hole Unplugged - AIC
Slice Of Life - 45 Grave
Chloe Dancer - Mother Love Bone
Captain Midnight - Tomahawk
Run to the Light - Trouble
Ding Dong Song - Gunther
A few that I have in my “depression playlist”
River or deceit - Mad Season Three Angels - The Headstones Down in a Hole - AiC Frances Farmer - Nirvana
I have a “mood” list. Here a few.
The beach - dr dog Kalopsia- queens of the Stone Age Pendulum- Pearl Jam Daedalus- thrice The river - Manchester orchestra Snuff - slipknot End of the affair- Ben Howard Someday I’ll get it - Alek Olsen I am - black foxxes
Alright, here me out: Round Here (live) - Counting Crows
When this was on the radio in the 90s, I wasn’t into it at all. Maybe you weren’t either. That’s fair. I get it.
But here’s the thing: the live performances of this song are a different beast altogether. I didn’t really get it until a friend turned me on to this back in ‘04 or so. Hearing what they do with this song live completely changed my perception of it. This has become one of my all time favorites.
There are numerous live versions floating around, and every single one is different. That’s part of the deal. He changes up the lyrics, melody, and rhythms. He adds all kinds of ad-libs and variations that are absolutely heart-wrenching. And the band has spectacular chemistry and an incredible ability to match whatever crazy detours and changes the singer is throwing in. The guitars, bass, keys, drums, all of it, adds layers of depth and brilliance that make it an absolute masterpiece.
If you’ve never heard this live, it’s absolutely worth checking out, and the version I linked is a great one to start with.
ANYTHING tool
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - I need you
Dave Matthews - Some Devil
ALO FLY Played this at my 12 year old daughters funeral
The fact most of the top comments are all AiC really tells you something
Metal listener that got this post recommended to my feed, this very much not a grunge band but try Warning-Watching from a distance. Slow, emotional, heavy doom metal
Arnold Schoenberg, Variations for Orchestra. The last chord feels like being eviscerated.
A couple more worth mentioning:
Frankie Teardrop by Suicide (may not slot smoothly into a playlist groove due to blood curdling screams… but A+ song and so rough) Unsatisfied by the Replacements Stuff Up the Cracks by Zappa (if you can see through the jokiness, I think there’s an undercurrent of very real depression and suicidal ideation) Sunday Morning Coming Down (I prefer the Cash version but Kristofferson’s original kills too) Blaze Foley - Clay Pigeons Tom Waits - Georgia Lee T Rex - Life’s a Gas Daniel Johnston - Go
The Melvins
nude- radiohead
skinwalker -heffy
Chris Cornell - Seasons
Again, not grunge but amazing: Radiohead
polvo - my kimono, not exactly grunge but adjacent and great song
Codefendants!
blaze by angelmaker
Over Now- AIC Unplugged. That closing instrumental is so haunting
Bear Titty Junction - No Kind of Man
https://open.spotify.com/track/47kO2sqhLXkiFEYRmR3dyo?si=5H-cok7nSP6Pf6l-whhc7w
Indifference- Pearl Jam
Footsteps- Pearl Jam
Present Tense - Pearl Jam
Limo Wreck- Soundgarden
Wake Up- Mad Season
River of Deceit- Mad Season
Fourth Of July by soundgarden
"Soldier's Things" by Tom Waits is goddamn heartbreaking.
Studio version or the demo?
Studio… I don’t think the demo would bode well for someone on psychedelics ahah
I cannot remember the name of the song, but when I was younger hanging out and smoking weed, someone put on this rap song. Most vividly detailed lyrics, I could picture a music video going on in my head.
"I Don't Know Why" by Yoko Ono 1981.
"Medusa" by Brendan Perry circa 1996?
Loud love Soundgarden or slaves and bulldozers by Soundgarden. Really good stuff. Two different eras of grunge.
Frogs -AIC