Screaming Trees became known as one of the pioneers of grunge along with Melvins, Mudhoney, U-Men, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, Green River, and Malfunkshun, among others.

[citation needed] After releasing a string of EPs and albums in the 1980s on independent labels, Screaming Trees signed with Epic Records in 1990.

They released their major label debut album in 1991, Uncle Anesthesia, which spawned their first charting single "Bed of Roses".

After Martin replaced Pickerel on drums, Screaming Trees released their most successful album in 1992, Sweet Oblivion.

"Dollar Bill" became a minor radio hit, but the lead single "Nearly Lost You" vastly increased the band's popularity as it peaked at No.

After an extended hiatus and various recording sessions, the band's follow-up album was eventually released in 1996, entitled Dust.

[5] The album was produced by Terry Date and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell[5] and included the single "Bed of Roses", which gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations and peaked at No.

After the release of Uncle Anesthesia Van Conner went on hiatus from the band, choosing to tour as bass player for Dinosaur Jr. instead, with Donna Dresch filling in for him during Screaming Trees performances.

Late in 1991, Nirvana's Nevermind became an unexpected commercial success, opening the gates for the rest of the Seattle scene.

The video for "Nearly Lost You" became an MTV and alternative radio hit in the fall of 1992, thanks to its inclusion in the soundtrack for the film Singles.

[7] The following year, Lanegan was featured as a guest vocalist in the Barrett Martin (alongside Layne Staley and Mike McCready) side project Mad Season.

Mad Season would only release one album because of Staley's deteriorating health and the 1999 death of bassist John Baker Saunders.

In early 1995, Screaming Trees toured Australia for the only time as part of the Big Day Out festival, before beginning work on their follow-up to Sweet Oblivion.

Following one stillborn attempt at the album, the band hired producer George Drakoulias, who had previously worked with the Black Crowes and the Jayhawks.

Following the Dust tour in the United States, Screaming Trees took another hiatus for Lanegan to begin his work on his third solo album, Scraps At Midnight, which was released in 1998.

[citation needed] The band played a few surprise shows in early 2000 to try to gain a label's attention but they were unsuccessful.

In 2000, after a concert to celebrate the opening of Seattle's Experience Music Project, the band announced their official breakup.

Lanegan also received critical acclaim for his albums with Isobel Campbell, one of which, Ballad of the Broken Seas, was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize.

In 1999, he released the single "Grasshopper's Daydream/Behind the Smile" on Sub Pop, which featured his former bandmates Homme and Pickerel along with his brother Van as producer.

Initially, Van Conner turned his efforts to his side-project Gardener with Aaron Stauffer (formerly of Seaweed, and later VALIS).

Barrett Martin became a touring member for several bands after the breakup of Screaming Trees, including Stone Temple Pilots and R.E.M., and has released two solo albums with limited success.

Martin contributed playing drums on two albums by Nando Reis, a Brazilian musician: Para Quando O Arco Irís Encontrar O Pote de Ouro (2000) together with Peter Buck from R.E.M., and A Letra A (2003).

[17] In 2019, Martin formed the supergroup Silverlites (featuring Peter Buck, Rich Robinson, and Joseph Arthur) and released their self-titled debut in 2024.

[18] Almost immediately after departing from Screaming Trees in 1991, Mark Pickerel formed the band Truly alongside Robert Roth, original Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and Chris Quinn.