Pearl Jam - Vs. (30th Anniversary Edition)

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Pearl Jam’s historic second studio album Vs., which features hits like “Daughter,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” and “Rearviewmirror” the album is now being released as a 2LP

Pearl Jam arrived like a tidal wave with Ten in 1991, unassumingly emerging as one of the most popular bands in rock music and culture at large. With all eyes on them for a follow-up, the musicians opted to hold nothing back, cut deeper, and deliver a dark and dynamic 12-track opus in the form of Vs.

Powered by classics such as the heartbreakingly introspective “Daughter,” acoustic nostalgia of “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town,” primal punked-up fury of “Blood,” and downright raw catharsis of “Leash,” the album found the group at its rawest.

From the explosion of “Go” through the poignant exhale of “Indifference,” it traced a journey through insecurity and uncertainty in the face of unwanted fame, stared down heavy themes such as abuse and neurodivergent learning disorders, raised a middle finger to America’s gun obsession and police brutality, tackled the topic of suicide fearlessly, and even managed to let light peek through the cracks with some of the group’s most treasured anthems ever.

In a 1993 Rolling Stone interview with Cameron Crowe, Eddie Vedder shared, “Music is an incredibly powerful medium to deliver a story by. But the best thing is, you have to have volume. You’re supposed to play it loud. I would do anything to be around music. You don’t even have to pay me.”

Vs. is the sound of a band who won’t compromise its message or meaning. It’s the moment the tide really turned…