'Ten': 1991 Pearl Jam Album Regarded as 'Greatest Rock Debut Record of All Time'

When most people think of "grunge," they understandably think of Nirvana. However, the band wasn't the only juggernaut of the genre. Among the "Big Four of Grunge," alongside Nirvana, is another Seattle-based rock outfit: Pearl Jam.

Pearl Jam was one of the most influential bands of the '90s and is still going strong today. The four-piece group burst into the mainstream with their debut, Ten, which was released on Aug. 27, 1991. The album produced four singles: "Alive," "Even Flow," "Jeremy," and "Oceans." "Jeremy" became one of the band's most well-known songs and was later nominated for "Best Rock Song" and "Best Hard Rock Performance" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in 1993.

Ten also became a fixture on the US Billboard 200 chart for almost five years-quite the impressive run. It peaked at No. 2 on said chart. It's one of the highest-selling rock albums ever. In 2013, the record achieved 13x Platinum certification in the US, selling 13 million copies, and went Platinum in nine other countries and Gold in seven. Ten eventually surpassed Nirvana's Nevermind in sales by 1993. Nevermind was released almost one month after Ten.

The Pearl Jam debut ushered in the era of alternative rock in the '90s and certainly paved the way for its dominance on the airwaves alongside its contemporaries. Critically, the record was well-received, with several publications including it in best-of rankings. Rolling Stone ranked Ten in multiple versions of its "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" lists. It also comes in at No. 3 on the outlet's "50 Greatest Grunge Albums" list.

In a retrospective piece, Kerrang! stated that Ten is "arguably the greatest rock debut record of all time." While that might seem hyperbolic, the album resonates with listeners today and, inarguably, still holds up.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 9:59 AM.