The song was released as the lead single from Nirvana's second studio album, "Nevermind", in September, 1991.

The title came from a phrase Kathleen Hanna, the lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill, sprayed onto the wall of Cobain’s apartment - "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" a reference to the deodorant brand, Teen Spirit, Cobain’s then-girlfriend Tobi Vail used.

The iconic music video for the song, directed by Samuel Bayer, is based on the concept of a school gym, full of anarchic teens and a janitor who resembles a joyous Cobain.

The song became a worldwide hit, reaching the top ten of the charts in various countries, and often cited as the point where alternative rock entered the mainstream.

Considered one of the greatest songs in the history of rock music, it is largely credited with bringing the grunge movement to the masses and putting the Seattle music scene on the map.

The song won Best Hard Rock Video and Best New Artist at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" has been covered by numerous artists across various genres, and parodied by Weird Al Yankovic as "Smells Like Nirvana".

Cobain said that he was trying to write the "ultimate pop song", and was intentionally trying to sound like Pixies. The lyrics are purposefully indecipherable, representing the fact that Cobain often felt misunderstood.

In 2000, VH1 rated "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the third greatest rock song ever and Rolling Stone ranked it as the ninth greatest song of all time in 2004. It entered the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2017.