Release and Reception
"In Bloom" was released as the fourth single from Nevermind on November 30, 1992. The single was only released commercially in the United Kingdom; promotional copies were released in the United States. The 7-inch vinyl and cassette editions of the single contained a live version of "Polly" as a B-side, while the 12-inch vinyl and CD versions featured a performance of "Sliver"; both songs were recorded at the same December 28, 1991 concert. The single peaked at number 28 on the British singles chart. While lacking an American commercial release, the song charted at number five on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.
Nirvana biographer Everett True wrote an uncharacteristically unfavorable review in Melody Maker, accusing the single of being a cash-in on Nevermind's success. "Whoop whoop bloody whoop", he wrote, "Forgive me if I don't sound too thrilled. This release is stretching even my credulity beyond repair. Like, milking a still-breathing (sacred) cow, or what? Badly inferior live versions of 'Polly' and 'Sliver' on the flip don't help matters either." In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 407 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
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