The 30 Best Pearl Jam Songs, from Ten to Dark Matter

What is Pearl Jam's most famous song?

"Alive", "Black", "Even Flow" and "Jeremy", all from the 1991 debut Ten, are Pearl Jam's most famous songs. "Better Man", "Daughter" and the B-side "Yellow Ledbetter" are fan favorites, and their cover of "Last Kiss" was their biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number two in 1999.

Pearl Jam's biggest songs

1. "Alive", 1991: the debut single, a semi-autobiographical story Vedder later reclaimed as a celebration of survival.
2. "Black", 1991: a heartbreaking ballad the band refused to release as a single.
3. "Even Flow", 1992: a driving song about a homeless man, with a famous guitar solo.
4. "Jeremy", 1992: a dark song inspired by a real school tragedy, with an award-winning video.
5. "Better Man", 1994: a song Vedder wrote as a teenager, a long-running number one on rock radio.
6. "Daughter", 1993: an acoustic-led number one on rock and alternative radio.
7. "Yellow Ledbetter", 1992: a B-side that became their most beloved concert closer.
8. "Last Kiss", 1999: a cover of the 1960s hit, released for Kosovo refugee relief and a number two hit.
9. "Given to Fly", 1997: a soaring number one on rock radio from Yield.
10. "Just Breathe", 2009: a tender acoustic love song from Backspacer.

Songs from Ten (1991)

Ten is one of the best-selling rock debuts ever. Besides its four famous singles, these are its essential songs:

11. "Once", 1991: the furious opening track.
12. "Oceans", 1992: a gentle, surf-inspired single.
13. "Porch", 1991: a frantic live favorite.
14. "Release", 1991: the slow, spiritual closer, written about Vedder's father.

Songs from Vs. (1993) and Vitalogy (1994)

15. "Go", 1993: a fast, punk-edged single.
16. "Animal", 1994: a fierce, catchy rocker.
17. "Dissident", 1994: a top three rock radio single.
18. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town", 1993: a quiet acoustic song about meeting an old flame.
19. "Rearviewmirror", 1993: a building song about escape.
20. "Indifference", 1993: a slow, haunting closer.
21. "Spin the Black Circle", 1994: a raw ode to vinyl records that won a Grammy.
22. "Corduroy", 1994: a fan favorite about the pressures of fame.
23. "Nothingman", 1994: a slow, aching ballad.
24. "Immortality", 1995: a brooding single from Vitalogy.

Songs from the late 90s to today

25. "Wishlist", 1998: a gentle, hopeful single from Yield.
26. "I Got Id", 1995: a heavy single recorded during their sessions with Neil Young, a top ten Hot 100 hit.
27. "Nothing as It Seems", 2000: a moody, guitar-heavy single from Binaural.
28. "World Wide Suicide", 2006: a fiery number one alternative hit from their self-titled album.
29. "The Fixer", 2009: an upbeat single from Backspacer.
30. "Dark Matter", 2024: the title track of their twelfth album, a number one on rock radio.

Who are Pearl Jam?

Pearl Jam formed in Seattle in 1990. Guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament had played in Mother Love Bone, whose singer Andrew Wood died that year, and they teamed up with lead guitarist Mike McCready and a young San Diego singer named Eddie Vedder. Their debut, Ten, released in August 1991, made them stars alongside Nirvana, and Vs. set a record for first-week album sales in 1993. Drummer Matt Cameron, formerly of Soundgarden, joined in 1998. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

The story behind Alive

Stone Gossard wrote the music for "Alive" as an instrumental demo, and Eddie Vedder, then working in San Diego, wrote lyrics for it after surfing. The song draws on Vedder's own discovery, as a teenager, that the man he had thought was his father was not, and it was originally a painful story. As fans sang it back at concerts, Vedder said, they turned it into an anthem of survival, which is how most people hear it today.

The story behind Black and Yellow Ledbetter

"Black" is a slow, aching song about a love that is over, and many fans consider it Pearl Jam's best song. The band refused to release it as a single, believing it was too personal to be promoted, but it became one of their most played songs anyway. "Yellow Ledbetter", a B-side to "Jeremy" with lyrics Vedder often improvises, became the song that closes many of their concerts, with McCready's guitar tribute to Jimi Hendrix.

Temple of the Dog

Before Ten came out, Gossard, Ament and McCready joined Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron for Temple of the Dog, a 1991 tribute to Andrew Wood. Eddie Vedder sang with Cornell on "Hunger Strike", one of the first recordings to feature his voice, and the album became a Seattle classic. For more from Cornell, see our Soundgarden songs.

Pearl Jam live and Eddie Vedder solo

Pearl Jam are famous for long concerts and set lists that change every night, so fans who see several shows on a tour rarely hear the same concert twice. Eddie Vedder has also had a solo career, including the soundtrack to the 2007 film Into the Wild, whose song "Guaranteed" won a Golden Globe, and ukulele and acoustic albums that showed a gentler side of his voice.

Pearl Jam and their fans

Pearl Jam built a reputation for putting fans first. In 1994 they fought Ticketmaster over service fees, testifying before Congress and touring outside the major ticketing system for a time. They released official recordings of hundreds of their concerts, so fans could own almost every show, and their Ten Club fan club has given members first access to tickets for decades.

Pearl Jam albums to start with

• Ten (1991): the blockbuster debut.
• Vs. (1993): rawer and angrier, with "Daughter" and "Go".
• Vitalogy (1994): with "Better Man", "Corduroy" and "Spin the Black Circle".
• Yield (1998): warmer and more melodic, with "Given to Fly".
• Backspacer (2009): short, upbeat and full of hooks, with "Just Breathe".
• Dark Matter (2024): a powerful late-career return.

Pearl Jam songs for a wedding

"Just Breathe" is the most popular Pearl Jam first dance, and "Yellow Ledbetter" and "Wishlist" are gentle alternatives. "Last Kiss" is better saved for the dance floor, since its story is a sad one. For a parent dance, "Just Breathe" also works beautifully, and "Given to Fly" makes a soaring choice for the grand exit at the end of the night. For more, see our rock wedding songs and 90s wedding songs.

Pearl Jam songs for a memorial

"Just Breathe", "Release", "Black" and "Yellow Ledbetter" are often chosen for memorials and celebrations of life for Pearl Jam fans, played as people gather or as a final farewell. For more, see our funeral songs.

More Seattle and 90s rock

If you love Pearl Jam, explore our Nirvana songs, Staind songs and Smashing Pumpkins songs.

A rock song as personal as Black

Pearl Jam's best songs are honest and personal. A personalized rock song can be just as personal for someone you love: their name, your shared memories and the moments that made them who they are. It makes a great birthday or anniversary gift for a 90s rock fan.

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