The weekly BBC program Top of the Pops showcased popular talent from 1964 until 2006, and was known for its strict control over production. Artists often lip-synched through their biggest hits in an effort to curb unwanted language or behavior on the air.

Nirvana was scheduled to perform on the show in November 1991, but the rising Seattle grunge stars didn’t appreciate the miming rules. For all that they were becoming commercially successful after the release of Nevermind, the band still held fast to the anti-capitalist ideals of grunge. Some network executives telling them to fake their performance must have felt like an insult.

Eventually, the producers agreed to let Kurt Cobain sing live, but only over a backing track. The instrumentals would be played from the studio recording. This

See Full Page