Studio Album · No. 1
Bleach Songwriting Credits by Nirvana
Produced by Jack Endino · Engineered by Jack Endino
Holds writing credit on 12 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 12 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Nirvana carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Bleach is Nirvana's lo-fi debut, written mostly by Kurt Cobain, with the notable exception of Love Buzz, a cover of the Dutch band Shocking Blue. Recorded cheaply by Jack Endino in Seattle, it leans heavier and sludgier than the band's later work and became Sub Pop's best-selling release.
Bleach is the debut studio album by Nirvana, recorded in December 1988 at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle for a budget of approximately $606 and produced by Jack Endino, whose raw, close-miked approach defined the Sub Pop house sound. The album was released in June 1989 on Sub Pop Records and captures the band in their earliest commercial form, leaning into the heavy, Melvins-influenced sludge rock that characterized Seattle's late-1980s underground scene. Cobain wrote almost every track, with Chad Channing on drums, a lineup that would not survive to the next album, and bass duties split between Krist Novoselic and, on earlier sessions, Jason Everman, who is photographed on the cover but did not actually play on the record. The sole exception to Cobain's authorship is 'Love Buzz,' a cover of the 1969 Shocking Blue song that Sub Pop released as the album's first single. Bleach was recorded before Dave Grohl joined the band and before Cobain had fully developed the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that would define Nevermind; it remains the rawest and least commercially accessible entry in the Nirvana catalog, and its original pressing of 1,000 copies is among the most sought-after artifacts in 1990s alternative rock collecting.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Blew
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 2 |
Floyd the Barber
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 3 |
About a Girl
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 4 |
School
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 5 |
Love Buzz
|
Robbie van Leeuwen | Robbie van Leeuwen | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 6 |
Paper Cuts
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 7 |
Negative Creep
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 8 |
Scoff
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 9 |
Swap Meet
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 10 |
Mr. Moustache
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 11 |
Sifting
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 12 |
Big Cheese
|
Kurt CobainKrist Novoselic | Kurt CobainKrist Novoselic | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |
| 13 |
Downer
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Jack Endino | Kurt Cobain (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Krist Novoselic (Bass)Chad Channing (Drums) |