Video: Teens Exposed to Nirvana, React Surprisingly Well

Rob Slater on March 27, 2014

Everyone loves reaction videos. Whether you’re putting a camera in someone’s face while they watch Game of Thrones‘ shocking “Red Wedding” scene or having a daughter tell her father she’s pregnant, something about the sudden, natural human reaction to something new and unexpected fascinates us. And, much like society today, we have to document it in some digital form, which is where this new clip from The Fine Bros comes in.

This year marks several anniversaries in the Nirvana world. Some are great, some are terribly sad. To experiment with the reach of the short-lived grunge kings, kids ranging from the ages of 14-19 were shown three videos–“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Heart-Shaped Box” and “About a Girl”–while their reactions were filmed. The results, as you can see below, are surprisingly amazing. As 19-year-old Jade put it, “Who doesn’t love Nirvana?”

Everything goes well through the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, but opinions shift as they move to the bizarre “Heart-Shaped Box,” possibly the band’s most divisive and terrifying video. The big reveal comes at the end when they shed light on Kurt Cobain’s sudden end, much to the shock of some of the kids. Watch their reactions below and put on Nevermind once you’re done celebrating Fleetwood Mac Day.