“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a song by the American rock band Nirvana and serves as the opening track and lead single from their second album, Nevermind (1991), released on DGC Records. Having sold over 13 million units worldwide, it ranks among the best-selling singles of all time. Kurt Cobain characterized the song as an attempt to write “the ultimate pop song,” drawing on the Pixies’ trademark soft-and-loud dynamics. The title was inspired by graffiti his friend Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill spray-painted on his wall—originally referencing the Teen Spirit deodorant—but Cobain interpreted it as a revolutionary slogan