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Cover of Nevermind by Nirvana
Cover: Nevermind

Song · Nirvana

“On a Plain” by Nirvana

From the album Nevermind (1991)

“On a Plain” by Nirvana appears on 32 radio countdowns from 15 stations between 1991 and 2023. It was first released in 1991 on the album Nevermind. Its best result is #32 on the CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #238 alternative song of 1991 and #787 alternative song of all time.

32countdowns
15stations
#32best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1991–2023years charted

Watch

Nirvana - On A Plain (Audio)

Video from YouTube (NirvanaVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"On a Plain" comes late on Nirvana's Nevermind, the 11th track of the 1991 album, and it's Kurt Cobain at his most tuneful: a bright, chugging song with a sticky chorus and backing vocals from Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. Cobain wrote it in 1990, and the band first tried it on New Year's Day 1991 at Music Source in Seattle, with sound man Craig Montgomery recording their first session with Grohl on drums. Back then the lyrics weren't finished and Cobain sang placeholder words.

They cut it again in May 1991 with Butch Vig at Sound City in Van Nuys, and Andy Wallace mixed it. Vig remembered it as a brand-new song that took a few takes, and a great pop song at that. It went to radio as a promotional single in 1992.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 76 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1991 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 435 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1999 390 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
2002 496 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2002 93 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2004 196 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 75 WBCN WBCN Grunge Top 104 (2004) 104
2005 321 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2007 364 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2007 52 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 36 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 124 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 346 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 34 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 66 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 33 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 32 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 33 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 950 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 33 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 363 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 125 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 960 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2015 467 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2016 750 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2020 283 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2020) 420
2021 277 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2021) 420
2021 427 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2022 279 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2022) 420
2022 832 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2023 581 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 299 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2023) 420

Also listed as: On A Plain.

Charting alongside it in 1991

Best songs of 1991 →
  1. 1Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana
  2. 2Losing My ReligionR.E.M.
  3. 3UnbelievableEMF
  4. 4Kiss Them for MeSiouxsie and the Banshees
  5. 5RushBig Audio Dynamite
  6. 6Give It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppers

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