The Enduring Legacy of Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy'

It was “Jeremy”—more than the Singles soundtrack, “Hunger Strike,” or any other song on Ten—that elevated Pearl Jam from popular rock band to genuine cultural phenomenon, and Vedder from budding rock star to generational spokesman. This was compounded by the relative slowness of pre-internet culture—“Jeremy” hung around for a long time, finally winning a Video of the Year trophy at the MTV Video Music Awards a full 13 months after it first aired in August 1992.