Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was an unexpected hit in late 1991. The band, its record label and management didn’t consider it a "crossover" song that would move from college and modern rock radio to pop stations. The success of the single propelled the band’s album Nevermind to number one in January of 1992, displacing Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. The event marked the moment that alternative rock found a large, mainstream audience.

Black Hills State University math professor Dan May is a fan of alternative rock. On Thursday, April 9 at 4 pm in Jonas Hall, May presents a public talk, “Love Me I’m Rich: The Rise and Fall of American Alternative Rock.” It’s a part of BHSU's “Geek Speak” lecture series featuring topics not normally discussed in the traditional classroom. Dan May joined Dakota Midday and discussed alternative rock before and after Nirvana's popular success.