<P> "Smells Like Teen Spirit" uses a "somewhat conventional formal structure" consisting of four -, eight -, and twelve - bar sections that includes an eight - bar verse, an eight - bar first chorus (pre-chorus), and a twelve - bar second chorus (main chorus). Musicologist Graeme Downes, who led the band The Verlaines, says that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" illustrates developing variation . Elements of the song's structure are marked off with shifts in volume and dynamics, going back and forth from quiet to loud a number of times during the length of the recording . This structure of "quiet verses with wobbly, (Small Clone) chorused guitar, followed by big, loud hardcore - inspired choruses" became a much - emulated template in alternative rock because of "Teen Spirit". </P> <P> During the verses the band maintains the same chord progression as the chorus . Cobain plays a two - note guitar line over Novoselic's root - note eighth note bassline, which outlines the chord progression . As the song moves closer to the choruses, Cobain begins to play the same two notes on every beat of the measure and repeats the word "Hello". Following the first and second choruses, Cobain simultaneously sings the word "Yay" and performs a unison bend on his guitar . After the second chorus, Cobain plays a 16 - bar guitar solo that almost completely restates his vocal melody from the verse and pre-chorus . During the closing refrain, Cobain sings "A denial" repeatedly; his voice becomes strained and is almost shot from the force of yelling . </P> <P> Issued to radio on August 27, 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was released two weeks later on September 10 as the lead single from Nevermind, the band's major label debut on DGC Records . The song did not initially chart, and it sold well only in regions of the United States with an established fanbase for the group . "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was not expected to be a hit, for it was merely intended to be the base - building alternative rock cut from the album . It was anticipated that the follow - up single "Come as You Are" would be the song that could cross over to mainstream formats . However, campus radio and modern rock radio stations picked up on the track, and placed it on heavy rotation . Danny Goldberg of Nirvana's management firm Gold Mountain later admitted that "none of us heard it as a crossover song, but the public heard it and it was instantaneous...They heard it on alternative radio, and then they rushed out like lemmings to buy it ." The video received its world premiere on MTV's late - night alternative rock program 120 Minutes, and proved so popular that the channel began to air it during its regular daytime rotation . MTV added the video to its "Buzz Bin" selection in October, where it stayed until mid-December . By the end of the year, the song, its accompanying video, and the Nevermind album had become hits . Both the song and Nevermind became a rare cross-format phenomenon, reaching all the major rock radio formats including modern rock, hard rock, album rock, and college radio . </P> <P> "Smells Like Teen Spirit" became a critical and commercial success . The song topped the 1991 Village Voice "Pazz & Jop" and Melody Maker year - end polls, and reached number two on Rolling Stone's list of best singles of the year . The single peaked at number six on the Billboard singles chart the same week that Nevermind reached number one on the albums chart . "Teen Spirit" hit number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and has since been certified platinum (one million copies shipped) by the Recording Industry Association of America . However, many American Top 40 stations were reluctant to play the song in regular rotation due to its sound, and restricted it to night - time play . The single was also successful in other countries . In the United Kingdom, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" reached number seven and charted for 184 weeks . The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal and Best Rock Song . Entertainment Weekly would later name Nirvana's loss to Eric Clapton in the Best Rock Song category as one of the 10 biggest upsets in Grammy history . </P>

When did smells like teen spirit first air on mtv