Know everything you need about Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is a Seattle, Washington-based rock band. Formed in 1994, the band consists of Jeff Ament on bass guitar, Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Mike McCready on lead guitar, and Eddie Vedder on guitar and lead vocals. In addition to playing keyboards, Boom Gaspar has been touring and performing with the band since 2002. Former members of the band include drummers Jack Irons, Dave Krusen, Matt Chamberlain, and Dave Abbruzzese.
The debut of Pearl Jam
Many of Pearl Jam’s contemporaries were overshadowed in the early 1990s, and the band was dubbed “the most popular American rock and roll band of the ’90s.” After the collapse of Gossard and Ament’s previous band, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam rose to fame with their 1991 debut album, Ten. Ten remained at number one on the Billboard 200 chart for almost five years before becoming one of the best-selling rock albums of all time, selling 13 million copies in the United States.
Pearl Jam’s success
Vs. by Pearl Jam, released in 1993, sold over 950,000 copies in its first week, shattering the record for most record sales in a single week. Their third album Vitalogy (1994), became the best-selling CD of all time, with a first-week sales total of almost 877,000 units.
By 2018, Pearl Jam had sold more than 85 million records worldwide, with approximately 32 million of those sold in the United States alone. They are now one of the most successful bands of all time.
Pearl Jam and Grunge movement
Being a part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, members of Pearl Jam avoided common music industry tactics such as recording music videos and doing interviews. The band also filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster, alleging that it had dominated the concert ticket market. From 2005 to 2006, Rolling Stone portrayed them as intentionally destroying their own fame.
Recognition
In 2017, Pearl Jam’s first year of nomination, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. According to reader vote results from Rolling Stone’s “Top Ten Live Acts of All Time” edition, they were ranked eighth.
Aside from promoting pro-choice beliefs, the band has also opposed George W. Bush’s presidency throughout its existence.
Pearl Jam has conducted a slew of charity performances during their career. One of their Seattle concerts benefited the United Nations’ fight against world hunger in 2001. For Hurricane Katrina relief, the band rescheduled a show at the Chicago House of Blues to its 2005 tour. Earnings from the show went to Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and the Jazz Foundation of America.
Pearl Jam’s music
Pearl Jam’s style is more akin to 1970s classic rock than other early 1990s grunge bands. Pearl Jam has been noted to influence numerous punk and classic rock bands. People attribute Pearl Jam’s success to the band’s distinctive sound, which combines the “bass line stadium rock of the ’70s” with the “raw and fury of ’80s post-punk,” but never employ hooks or choruses.”
Connect with Pearl Jam
You can listen to Pearl Jam on Spotify, YouTube and YouTube Music. Connect with them on their official website to know more about them and get latest updates.