What if he didnt die...

Well, assuming he changes his mind about sucking a shotgun and at some point takes the time to reevaluate his life, maybe he gets help with the drugs and depression and cleans up his life. Otherwise he ends up chasing the dragon into the abyss as OTL, just later.

He had the potential to be the singer-songwriter for a new generation of musicians, IMO. How the direction of his music changes if he can deal with drug addiction and depression is up in the air. Does he go more "positive" or just more introspective rather than the earlier self-loathing? I'd assume more introspective and philosophical.

Hopefully his post-Heroine example would help showcase that the "grunge" and "alternative" revolutions were about the Meaning of the music, not just about depressing lyrics and downbeat music. Hopefully we avoid the endless stream of copycats spitting out soulless depression and calling it poetry.

Maybe Courtney Love builds her own career, but then again maybe not. Her big breakout hits were Nirvana's "Next album" after all. ;)
 
What a coincidence.
Off the top of my head, the following bands would be affected (not sure how, though, at least right now):

Breaking Benjamin
Shinedown
Three Days Grace
Seether
Sick Puppies
Foo Fighters (duh)

Strange, I just realized this, but all of my favorite bands have been influenced by Cobain and Nirvana.
 
Nirvana still breaks up due to "creative differences", but this time Courtney gets the blame for it. She undoubtedly doesn't get the post-Kurt sympathy boost that allowed her to land a couple of decent roles. Cobain probably records some solo work, dates various crazy starlets, and eventually does a rehab revolving door until it sticks.
 
I propose that the POD for this scenario is that Cobain and Love never meet. I am not saying I support the Love killed Cobain theory, but the butterflies would be enough, and Cobain would stay focused on his music, having even more effects. Sound good?
 
During their marriage, Courtney was the one trying to get clean and Kurt was the one who was dragging her back into addiction, so them not marrying is probably not going to keep him alive.
 
During their marriage, Courtney was the one trying to get clean and Kurt was the one who was dragging her back into addiction, so them not marrying is probably not going to keep him alive.
Butterflies.
Oh, and who says he can't have a turn around? Maybe he almost dies (I'm thinking '91 or '92) and decides that maybe over using drugs is just a little bad, and by '94 or '95 he's going to rehab.
 
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