As an infant 20 years ago , Spencer Elden was thrown into a pool in Southern California to be photographed , naked , underwater , appearing to reach for a dollar bill . The photo would become one of the most iconic images of 1990s music : Nirvana 's `` Nevermind '' album cover . Released on September 24 , 1991 , `` Nevermind '' catapulted the band and its music to the top of the charts , with songs including `` Smells Like Teen Spirit '' giving birth to the Seattle-based grunge musical style . On the 20th anniversary of the album 's release , Elden , the now-20-year-old son of an artist , said in jest that now he suffers more tribulations than other famously photographed babies whose images are associated more with cuteness than grunge . `` When I am introduced , they introduce me as the Nirvana baby , '' said Elden . And because he was sans diaper when the famous shot was taken , there are other questions . `` They usually poke fun at me asking me , 'Is it the same size ? ' '' `` I always say , `` It 's changed , do you want to see it ? ' '' Elden , also an artist , said he never met Nirvana 's Kurt Cobain , whose looks and demeanor epitomized the '90s Generation-X subculture , a group and a mindset chronicled in films such as `` Slacker . '' `` Definitely , I like Nirvana a lot and there are no songs that I do n't like -- they all have a special place for people , '' Elden said . Elden said he is not swimming in cash as a result of his baby celebrity status . His father , artist Rick Elden , agreed in 1991 to work on the cover with fellow photographer Kirk Weddle . He received no royalties for the job . `` My dad was an artist rigging special effects for Hollywood , '' said Elden . `` They went to the local pool , threw me in the water and that was it . It was a friend-helping-a-friend kind of thing . '' On Saturday , Elden said he celebrated the historic release of `` Nevermind '' with friends . `` We hung out ... and just listened to Nirvana music , drank beer and hung out . It was a good time , '' he said .
As a baby , Spencer Elden was thrown into a pool for the cover photo of Nirvana 's famous album . Released in 1991 , Nirvana 's `` Nevermind '' launched grunge rock . The band members were all under 25 years old at the time and their music had an almost punk - inspired sound to it.