The bands like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees, Candlebox, Stone Temple Pilots, Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone...
Grunge music was underground by mid 80s under the Sub-pop label, even though Mother Love bone shaped the grunge sound we know, with Nirvana's Nevermind killed the whole Hair Metal era and made popular 1991 hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Sadly, Grunge Movement only last for 4 years which ended with Kurt Cobain's death in 1994.
Personally, I like all the bands that i mentioned above however my all time favorite band is Alice in Chains which had a super talented singer Layne Staley who passed away in 2002 due to drug overdose.
Drugs played big part in Grunge Movement. Depression was the main theme. However not all grunge bands wrote songs about depression unlike Nirvana and Alice in Chains. Those bands were Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Pearl Jam had more punk/metal and soft rock sound.
For me, grunge is the best genre that made in 90s. It's the sound of 90s for me.
My favorite songs are:
Alice in Chains - Would?
Nirvana - All Apologies
Soundgarden - Outshined
Pearl Jam - Alive
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
Mudhoney - Touch me I am sick ( this could be considered as punk rock though)
And more that I can't recall the names atm.
I'd like to write more but I don't want it to be a long post. What is your favorite song or songs from Grunge era?