Did Nirvana change the world?

I’m currently reading a biography of Nirvana called (funnily enough) Nirvana by Jeremy Dean. I have already come to the conclusion the author is somewhat a twat but we’ll leave that subject for the time being. I’m up to 1992 and it poses this question: did Nirvana change the world?

1992 changed a lot for me, or I changed a lot in 1992, it seems I got a lot of stuff out of the way that year, my music tastes changed(slightly) the first incarnation of the band was created, I met my future wife, moved out, got arrested and the rest is my business so you can sod off.

We entered the year to the sounds of Metallica’s black album and Nirvana’s Nevermind, both classic and superb albums, the first gig I saw that year was Pearl Jam in a pub in Southend, the Manic Street Preachers released Generation Terrorists (only descent album in my opinion), I also discovered the Pixies, New Model Army, Levellers, Fields Of The Nephilim, Sisters Of Mercy, the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. It was a busy year. I also discovered the joys of …err …mm.

Live I also saw G’n’R supported by Faith No More(or was that the year before?)who were joined by Brian May on stage, Leatherface at the Marquee (arrested for fare evasion on the way to the gig), Lush supported by none other than Pulp (we heckled Jarvis of stage, it was another three years before we could appreciate him, well he did have a silly beard at the time) but the gig that really changed it all was New Model Army’s secret gig at the New Cross Venue.
It wasn’t apparent at the time but it started a love affair that is still on going, they are the only band I can say I have all their studio albums, have seen them four times, can stick it out in the mosh pit for the whole gig (despite being well into my thirties), have more than one t-shirt and at some point vandalized my leather jacket for them. All my children are named after Justin and I have changed my name to Army in honour of them (ok that bits a lie, my wife named them all after U2 albums). They really do rock, and they still come across as true to their message now as they did when I first discovered them, which is something special.

So 1992 changed my world but was that Nirvana? Or was it just the world changing anyway? There is no doubt about the influence Nevermind has had on music, tracks like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are can still fill any dance floor, but so will Enter Sandman. Pearl Jam's Ten was in my opinion just as good but had a much lesser impact.

This needs a more in-depth debate methinks.