Pearl Jam: Ten LP

Released in August 1991, Pearl Jam's landmark debut, Ten was a dark, anthemic rock record which introduced the wider world to the unforgettable sound of Eddie Vedder's charismatic, honey'n'gravel-soaked growl. Capturing the mood of the times, his lyrics mostly dealt with disaffection and social dysfunction, with "Even Flow" touching on homelessness and the dramatic "Jeremy" reputedly inspired by a true story in which a high school student shot himself in front of his classmates. Ten initially sold slowly, but when the band's reputation as an unmissable live act kicked in after they supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the U.S. during the autumn of '91, the album gradually went gold and kept right on selling. It peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard chart in 1992, eventually going on to sell a phenomenal 13 million copies worldwide.