1994 album ranked as 'one of the greatest albums of all time' -- and it still holds up

Is there a subgenre of alternative rock that defined the '90s more than grunge? While bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden are classified as the "Big Four of Grunge," other acts still churned out compelling music in said subgenre. Hole's seminal work, Live Through This, is a prime example, and it turns 32 years old today.

Originally released on April 12, 1994, by DGC Records, Hole's second studio album hit platinum in the United States the following year. Frontwoman Courtney Love derived inspiration for the album title from 1939's silver screen epic, Gone with the Wind, particularly from this quote by Scarlett O'Hara:

"As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this, and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat, or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson explored evergreen themes such as motherhood, misogyny, violence against women, double standards, addiction, self-image, and a woman's rage. Musically, Live Through This is more polished and structured while retaining the band's signature edge. Hit singles like "Miss World" and "Doll Parts," both of which did well on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, dig deep into topics that still resonate today.

Live Through This was well-received by critics, and it's been reappraised by various outlets in the decades since its release. NME put the album in the 84th slot in its 2013 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time." Rolling Stone also included the album in its rankings, with it sitting at number 106 on the 2020 version of the magazine's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. In 2024, Rolling Stone published a list of the "100 Best Album Covers of All Time," in which Live Through This is ranked at number 13.

Over the years, rumors swirled that Kurt Cobain, Love's husband, who died a week before the record's release, contributed as a songwriter. However, Hole clarified that Cobain only provided backing vocals on one song, per SPIN's oral history of the album from 2014.

Live Through This is available to stream wherever you get your music.