Top 10 Best Songs by Pearl Jam

Perhaps the most beautiful breakup ballad ever made. It starts with soft, melancholic guitar picking. Vedder sings about a lost love he can't forget. The emotion in his voice is so pure and raw that it hurts. The ending, where he improvises and screams in pain ("I know someday you'll have a beautiful life"), is heartbreaking. A monument to grief and beauty.

The riff that introduced Pearl Jam to the world. It's a grand rock anthem with a dark edge; the lyrics are semi-autobiographical about Vedder discovering his father isn't his real father. Despite the heavy subject matter, it became a battle cry for survival. The endless guitar solo at the end is pure ecstasy. The beginning of a legend.

A chilling song based on the true story of a boy who shot himself in front of the class. The bass line by Jeff Ament is ominous and iconic. The song builds toward a terrifying climax with ghostly background vocals. Vedder sings with a mix of compassion and horror. A powerful indictment against bullying and neglect.

A beautiful, small song from their later work. Only acoustic guitars and strings. It's a love song about getting older and treasuring time. Vedder's voice is soft and intimate, full of life experience. "Did I say that I need you?" It's moving in its simplicity and proves Pearl Jam can be devastatingly powerful without volume.

Vedder wrote this as a teenager. It starts with a simple organ and guitar. It's about a woman trapped in a loveless relationship ("She dreams in color, she dreams in red"). The song slowly builds to a powerful rock finale. The audience often sings the first verse completely alone, creating a magical moment of connection.

The funk influences are clearly audible in Even Flow. The riff is groovy and heavy. It's about a homeless man, a theme Vedder often touches on. The singing is rhythmic and raw. Mike McCready's guitar solo is wild and virtuosic. It's one of their most energetic songs, always creating a churning mass when played live.

The guitar line in the beginning sounds like breaking waves. It builds toward a euphoric explosion. The story is about someone who rises above his circumstances and gives love back to the world, despite the pain. It's a spiritual and inspiring anthem that literally and figuratively lifts you up.

Contrary to their harder work, Daughter is driven by an acoustic guitar. But the message is heavy: it's about a child with learning problems who is abused. Vedder sings with restrained anger and sadness. The chorus is striking but painful. The contrast between light, folk-like music and dark lyrics makes it striking.

The Jimi Hendrix-like guitar style of Mike McCready carries this song. It's a B-side that became an absolute fan favorite and permanent concert closer. The lyrics are largely incomprehensible (and often change live), but the emotion is crystal clear. It feels like a warm summer evening ending. Melancholic, bluesy and beautiful in its vagueness.

A song about resistance to fame and commercialization. The title refers to the cheap jacket Vedder wore that suddenly sold for hundreds of dollars as "fashion." The riff is compelling and slowly builds the tension. The song bursts with energy and frustration. Live, it often stretches into a long jam session where the band shows off its musical muscles.