Hole was formed in 1989 by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The band went through a number of line-up changes before recruiting bassist Jill Emery and drummer Caroline Rue in early 1990. The band signed to the independent labelCaroline Records and its European subsidiary City Slang, and released its debut studio album, Pretty on the Inside, in September 1991. Pretty on the Inside was a critical success, especially in the United Kingdom, where the album's lead single, "Teenage Whore", peaked at number 1 in the UK Indie Chart.
Following negotiations with a number of major labels, Hole signed a seven-album contract with DGC Records in 1992. Due to creative differences, Emery and Rue left the band prior to the deal and were replaced by Kristen Pfaff and Patty Schemel, respectively. Hole released its major label debut Live Through This in April 1994. A critical and commercial success, Live Through This was released a week after the death of Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, and two months prior to the death of bassist Kristen Pfaff. The band postponed the album's supporting tour and recruited bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. After constant touring in support of Live Through This's release, Hole went on a hiatus in 1995. In 1998, the band released its third studio album, Celebrity Skin, which debuted at number 9 on the Billboard200. Following the tour in support of the album, Auf der Maur left the band and joined The Smashing Pumpkins in 2000, and Love and Erlandson disbanded Hole in May 2002.
In 2009, Love announced that her second studio album, Nobody's Daughter, was due to be released as Hole's fourth studio album and announced the band's reformation. Although Erlandson claimed that no reformation was possible for legal reasons, Hole released Nobody's Daughter worldwide on April 23, 2010. The album received mixed critical response and was a commercial failure. In 2013, Love announced that Hole was "dead", and that she was abandoning the moniker and returning to recording and performing as a solo artist.
Hole's studio albums alone have sold over 3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Live Through This and Celebrity Skin have been certified platinum in the United States and Canada, and certified gold in Australia. "Malibu", a single from Celebrity Skin, has also been certified gold in Australia.
Previously released as 1992 single, "Beautiful Son"
"Rock Star" (alternate version)
Jabberjaw Compilation: Good to the Last Drop
This song is an alternate mix of "Olympia", referred to as "Rock Star" here to match the printing mistake on Live Through This
1995
"Drown Soda"
Tank Girl (soundtrack)
1991 Peel session recording of the song, also released on the Ask for It EP. The original studio version was first released on the 1991 "Teenage Whore" single, and a live version was released on the compilation album My Body, the Hand Grenade.
Cover of a 1977 Fleetwood Mac song. Released as a single and included on The Crow: City of Angels soundtrack. Later released as a split single with NY Loose track "Spit".
"Circle One"
A Small Circle of Friends: Germs (Tribute)
Cover of 1978 track by The Germs from their EP Lexicon Devil. Hole appears on the album as "The Holez", and Love plays bass on the track instead of guitar. Also released as a split single with "Shutdown" by Monkeywrench.
1997
"Dicknail"
Nowhere (soundtrack)
Previously released as 1991 single, "Dicknail".
1998
"Phonebill Song"
Their Sympathetic Majesties Request: A Decade of Obscurity and Obsolescence (1988–1998)
Previously released as B-side of "Retard Girl" single, and on The First Session and My Body, the Hand Grenade.
1999
"Retard Girl"
Alright, This Time Just the Girls
Previously released as 1990 single, "Retard Girl".
Previously released on "Celebrity Skin" single and the Japanese edition of Celebrity Skin; was originally written in 1985 in Love's band The Pagan Babies with Kat Bjelland.
2000
"Be a Man"
Any Given Sunday (soundtrack)
Released as single, "Be a Man", and appeared on Any Given Sunday soundtrack