Let’s discuss this quote: “In the '80s, MTV buttered our bread, but after Kurt Cobain wore his grandfather's sweater in the video for 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', there was no place on MTV for bands like WHITE LION and MÖTLEY CRÜE." 1/6 https://twitter.com/blabbermouthnet/status/1199151932411039744

That’s a nice fiction, here’s the reality: Nirvana released Nevermind a week after Guns ‘n Roses released Use Your Illusion 1 & 2. UYI had a combined 8 singles from 1991 to 1994, all prominently featured on MTV and rock radio. 2/6

Bon Jovi released 3 albums in the 90s and scored some of their biggest singles, including “Always” and “Bed of Roses.” Did the radio and MTV evolve? Of course! That’s culture and youth embracing what speaks to them. 3/6

But to pin it on Nirvana is false. Jane’s Addiction has a hit single in ‘90 with “Been Caught Stealing.” REM has multiple hit videos before 1991. Alternative music was already a thing, what Nirvana and “grunge” opened the door for was heavier guitars in alternative. 4/6

Hair/glam bands fell by the wayside when they couldn’t either A) pivot to pop like Bon Jovi or Def Leppard or B) makeover their sound like Alice In Chains or Pantera to be relevant to youth. 5/6

By 1991, hair/glam was no longer youth music, it was 10 years old, and had become artistically stale and commercially saturated, copy cat after copy cat. But to claim a wall came down and obliterated the genre is historically inaccurate. 6/6