The guitar tab (chord melody) for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is available for download as a PDF.
Smells Like Teen Spirit
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” was written by Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl and released in 1991 by Nirvana as the lead single from Nevermind. Produced by Butch Vig, it became an unexpected anthem of the grunge era, propelling the band to global fame and reshaping alternative rock in the early 1990s.
The recording at Sound City Studios captured Cobain’s raw Fender Jaguar tone, driven through a Mesa/Boogie preamp and layered with double-tracked vocals. Its quiet-loud guitar dynamic—reportedly inspired in part by Pixies—gave the song explosive contrast. Though Cobain later expressed ambivalence about its fame, the riff remains one of rock’s most recognizable openings.
Video
IIn the video below, I play the music as transcribed.
Guitar Tab
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