The Best Song From Every Pearl Jam Album
In a career spanning over 30 years, Pearl Jam have delivered a total of 11 studio albums.
The bar was set pretty high with their debut release, 1991’s Ten. Along with Nirvana’s Nevermind, it's one of the main reasons grunge became a mainstream phenomenon, and it launched Pearl Jam from local small Seattle clubs to stadium shows around the world.
Singer Eddie Vedder became a household name, the band became part of an integral part of a musical movement and a generation of rock fans found a new band to get behind. Ten was even voted the best debut album of all time, ahead of the Doors, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin in a 2013 poll.
READ MORE: Underrated Pearl Jam: The Most Overlooked Song From Each Album
While that landmark LP may be the barometer all other Pearl Jam albums are compared to, it’s far from the band’s only record with great songs. The group has been the model of consistency over its lifespan; the Pearl Jam catalog is filled with massive radio hits, sentimental fan favorites and even the occasional foray into experimental sounds. All of these factors make choosing the best song from each of their albums a difficult task.
Naturally, because we had to narrow it to only one song per record, many great tracks had to be left off the below list. You also won't find "State of Love and Trust" or "Yellow Ledbetter" here because neither was released on a studio album (they were originally found on a soundtrack and a B-side, respectively). Check out the Best Song From Every Pearl Jam Album to see how it all shakes out.