Smells Like Alt Rock

On this day 25 years ago, after 11 weeks on the chart, Hemorrhage (In My Hands) hit #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock/Alternative chart. The first single off Something Like Human was a smashing post-grunge success, eventually spending 40 weeks on the chart. It also reached #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart and crossed over to pop radio, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Fuel’s breakthrough into the alternative rock scene in the late ’90s was a defining moment. After the death of Kurt Cobain, the hiatus of Alice In Chains, and the breakup of Soundgarden, there were real questions about where rock music was headed. I remember listening to 99X with friends and classmates, wondering: Who are the next bands that will pick up the torch? Who are our rock bands? Alternative and Modern Rock stations were playing a wide mix of genres—swing revival like Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, electronic sounds like Moby, and softer rock acts like Harvey Danger, Ben Folds Five, and Citizen King. At the same ...