Alice in Chains’ Jar of Flies became the first EP to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
Released on January 25, 1994, Jar of Flies was Alice in Chains’ second major-label EP, following Sap. The band recorded it quickly in Seattle with producer Toby Wright after touring extensively behind Dirt. Despite its short format, the release achieved enormous commercial success.
Jar of Flies was supported by songs including “No Excuses,” “I Stay Away,” and “Nutshell.” “No Excuses” became Alice in Chains’ first song to reach number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The release is often called an acoustic EP because many songs emphasize acoustic guitars, harmonies, and restrained arrangements. It was not the band’s first EP—that was Sap—but it made chart history by opening at number one, a distinction frequently cited in accounts of 1990s alternative rock.