Better 1991 Debut - Smashing Pumpkins' 'Gish' vs. Pearl Jam

For this week's Chuck's Fight Club on the Loudwire Nights radio show, we transport you back to 1991. You get to revisit the beginnings of grunge before the explosion and let us know which debut album was truly the best. Was it Smashing Pumpkins' critically hailed Gish or Pearl Jam's breakout Ten?

In one corner you have Smashing Pumpkins' Gish. It's a more psychedelic, fuzzed out vision with the Billy Corgan-led band teaming with producer Butch Vig just ahead of his Nirvana Nevermind stint. The record wasn't a huge commercial success upon its release, but retroactively a lot of fans have embraced such standouts as "Rhinoceros," "I Am One" and "Siva" off the band's debut disc.

In the other corner, you've got Pearl Jam's Ten, which did find its audience upon its release and rode the grunge wave of popularity into 1992 thanks to such songs as "Alive," "Even Flow," "Jeremy" and "Black." It was a smashing debut that helped to push grunge into the mainstream and made Pearl Jam massive stars in the process.

As with all Chuck's Fight Club battles, Loudwire Nights host Chuck Armstrong will introduce the matchup in the 8PM hour of Monday's show. Individual arguments will be made for both albums on Tuesday and Wednesday while you continue to rank each. On Friday, the votes will be tallied and the higher ranked album will be featured in a Loudwire Nights rock block during the 8PM hour.

Just this reminder, Loudwire Nights with Chuck Armstrong airs nightly starting at 7PM ET. You can tune in anytime, from anywhere right here or by downloading the Loudwire app.

Below, see the history of grunge told in 13 albums.

The History of Grunge Told in 13 Albums

These 13 albums tell the history of the grunge scene that formed in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s, from Green River to Sub Pop, Nirvana and more.

Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner