Hole is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1989 by vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson. Emerging during the late-1980s underground rock movement, the group developed a confrontational sound that combined punk aggression, noise rock, grunge, and sharply melodic songwriting. Love's intense stage presence and emotionally exposed lyrics made Hole one of the most visible female-fronted rock acts of the 1990s.
The band's first album, Pretty on the Inside, was released in 1991 on Caroline Records. Produced by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and Don Fleming, the record presented Hole in a raw, abrasive form, built around distorted guitars, uncontrolled feedback, and Love's deliberately volatile vocals. Songs such as "Teenage Whore" and "Garbadge Man" established the band's early identity while drawing attention to themes of alienation, anger, sexuality, and self-image.
Hole reached a wider audience with its second album, Live Through This, released by DGC Records on April 12, 1994. The record retained the emotional force of the debut but introduced stronger melodies and more disciplined arrangements. "Violet," "Miss World," "Doll Parts," and "Softer, Softest" showed the group's ability to place vulnerable, highly personal writing inside commercially accessible rock structures. The album was critically acclaimed and became one of the defining alternative rock releases of the decade.
The Live Through This era was marked by major lineup changes. Drummer Patty Schemel joined before the album was recorded, while bassist Kristen Pfaff played on the record and toured with the band. Pfaff died in June 1994, and Melissa Auf der Maur subsequently became Hole's bassist. The group then undertook extensive touring, including appearances at Lollapalooza, the Reading Festival, and MTV Unplugged. Hole's music videos, especially those for "Doll Parts" and "Miss World," helped translate the band's mixture of punk hostility and pop imagery to a mass television audience.
Hole changed direction with Celebrity Skin, released in 1998. The album replaced much of the earlier noise and punk roughness with polished production, power-pop hooks, layered guitars, and a brighter, more expansive sound. The title track became the band's first number one single on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, while "Malibu" and "Awful" further demonstrated Love's interest in combining catchy songwriting with lyrics about fame, reinvention, disappointment, and the entertainment industry. Celebrity Skin became Hole's biggest commercial success and earned three Grammy nominations.
The band dissolved in 2002, after which Love pursued solo work and acting while Erlandson continued with various musical projects. Love revived the Hole name for Nobody's Daughter, released in 2010. Featuring a new lineup led by guitarist Micko Larkin, the album was more direct and contemporary than the band's 1990s work, with songs such as "Skinny Little Bitch" and "Pacific Coast Highway" reflecting Love's continuing interest in damaged glamour and personal recovery.
Although Hole's lineup and sound changed repeatedly, its lasting importance rests on the contrast between forceful guitar music and unusually candid songwriting. The band's strongest records made anger, insecurity, ambition, and femininity central subjects without softening their impact, securing Hole a prominent place in the history of 1990s alternative rock.