When it comes to the musical movement known as grunge, which started in the late ’80s in Seattle, Washington, and later became a global phenomenon in the ’90s, there is a lot to celebrate. Seemingly countless bands came out of the Pacific Northwest during that era, many of which astounded listeners with buzzy songs and cerebral lyrics.But when you get down to it, four bands distinguished themselves from the rest. And here, we wanted to shine a light on those groups. Not only to enumerate their virtues but to put them up on a (metaphorical) mountaintop. You’ve heard of Mount Rushmore, which boasts the faces of four of America’s best Presidents. Well, here’s the Mount Rushmore of grunge.Nirvana/George WashingtonWhile Nirvana wasn’t the first grunge band to break into the mainstream, they are the most famous and highly regarded today. If grunge had its own paper currency, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s mug would most assuredly be on the $1 bill. And it’s Cobain more than anyone else who grunge’s legions of fans would follow into battle. So, while George Washington was America’s first President, he is also in many ways the face of the country—even still—just as Cobain and Nirvana remain the face of grunge.Soundgarden/Thomas JeffersonIf you’re diving into the qualities of the Presidents on the face of Mount Rushmore, you get to a few thorny areas (to put it lightly) when it comes to Thomas Jefferson. But just for this exercise, let’s ignore his positions on slavery and focus on the governmental innovations he brought the country. Similarly, Soundgarden helped lead the grunge sound forward. They were one of the earlier grunge groups to break on the national stage and it’s their strong yet melodic creations that helped forge a path from the ’80s into the ’90s. Just as Jefferson is as essential as Washington when telling the American story, Soundgarden is just as essential as Nirvana.Pearl Jam/Theodore RooseveltTeddy Roosevelt was wise beyond his years. But even more than his wisdom and vision, he had causes that he took up for, namely for the preservation of nature through our National Parks system. Similarly, Pearl Jam has always had things they’ve been outspoken on, whether that be gun violence or the environment or the price of concert tickets. Lead singer Eddie Vedder is as socially-minded as any celebrity, just as Teddy was as socially minded as any POTUS.Alice in Chains/Abraham LincolnAs famous for good times as he is for bad, Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Revolutionary War. It wasn’t ever easy for Lincoln, who, despite that, is regarded today as perhaps the finest U.S. President. Similarly, Alice in Chains may be note for note the best grunge band to come from Seattle and their biggest hit may be a song that has deep roots in wartime—”Rooster,” which was written about co-founder Jerry Cantrell’s veteran father. Indeed, AiC just wanted some peace. Instead, they were always in the middle of something harsh—from Layne Staley’s drug issues and death to re-forming with a new lineup in the wake of his passing.The post The Mount Rushmore of Grunge appeared first on VICE.