Songs Turning 10 Years Old: Pearl Jam “World Wide Suicide”

All year long, we plan to take a look at songs that are hitting the 10-year-mile-marker. Which has been a weird journey so far.

I don't know about you, but when I think of 10 years ago, I still think of the 90s. So when I look back at the songs that were topping the Modern Rock chart in 2006, it hurts. I feel like these songs JUST came out in most cases.

Today's song is actually NOT one of those.

Pearl Jam made history with this track. They made the song available, for free, on their website, allowing it to become one of the fastest growing online songs ever. They received almost 2,000 plays across the country on rock radio stations in its first week, making it one of the fastest growing rock songs in rock radio history. "World Wide Suicide" was the song that got Pearl Jam back to Saturday Night Live for the first time since 1994. It also marked a strong return to PJ's roots.

I don't want to say Pearl Jam became experimental through the later 90s, but they got kind of experimental in the late 90s. "World Wide Suicide" brought back that fast-paced, aggressive PJ sound we all grew to love in the early 90s. This song was a slap across the face, in a good way. It re-awoke dormant Pearl Jam fans, and reinvigorated others.

Truth is, we probably don't get an album as awesome Lighting Bolt in 2013, if we don't get the song "World Wide Suicide"...and for that, I'm thankful.