View source for Even Flow

{{short description|1992 single by Pearl Jam}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = Even Flow
| cover         = Evenflow.jpg
| alt           = 
| border        = yes
| type          = single
| artist        = [[Pearl Jam]]
| album         = [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]
| B-side        = "[[Dirty Frank (song)|Dirty Frank]]" / "[[Oceans (Pearl Jam song)|Oceans]]" (remix)
| released      = March 30, 1992<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|date=March 28, 1992}}</ref>
| recorded      =
* March 27 – April 26, 1991 (''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'' version)
* January 1992 (video version)
| studio        = [[London Bridge Studio|London Bridge]] ([[Seattle]], Washington) (both versions)
| genre         = [[Grunge]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/08/the-50-best-grunge-songs.html?p=3 |title=The 50 Best Grunge Songs |work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |last=Danaher |first=Michael |date=August 4, 2014 |access-date=March 14, 2016 |archive-date=March 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320171523/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/08/the-50-best-grunge-songs.html?p=3 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| length        = {{Duration|m=4|s=54}}
| label         = [[Epic Records|Epic]]
| composer      = [[Stone Gossard]]
| lyricist      = [[Eddie Vedder]]
| producer      = * [[Rick Parashar]]
* Pearl Jam
| prev_title    = [[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]
| prev_year     = 1991
| next_title    = [[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]
| next_year     = 1992
| misc          = {{Audio sample
 | type = single
 | file = evenflow.ogg
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|CxKWTzr-k6s|"Even Flow"}}}}
}}

"'''Even Flow'''" is a song by the American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Pearl Jam]]. Featuring [[lyrics]] written by vocalist [[Eddie Vedder]] and music written by guitarist [[Stone Gossard]], it was released in 1992 as the second [[Single (music)|single]] from the band's debut album, ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'' (1991). The song peaked at number three on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart. The song was included in Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, ''[[Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003)]]''. A remixed version of the song was included on the 2009 ''Ten'' reissue.

==Origin and recording==
"Even Flow" features lyrics written by vocalist [[Eddie Vedder]] and music written by guitarist [[Stone Gossard]]. Bassist [[Jeff Ament]] said, "I knew it was a great song all along, and I felt that it was the best song that we got the worst take of on the first record. There were a hundred takes on that song, and we just never nailed it."<ref>Marsh, Dave. [https://web.archive.org/web/19981201035648/http://www.musicianmag.com/art/pearljam/ "Pearl Jam: Art and Economy"]. ''[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]''. April 1998.</ref> Drummer [[Dave Krusen]] said, "I was pretty green back then and 'Even Flow' suffered from too much fluctuation." He added that "it was really tough for me. I don't know why. Not sure why we didn't use that one from the demo as well, but I know it felt better."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vater.com/education/behindthescenes/InTheStudio/DaveKrusen/index.cfm |title=Dave Krusen: Looking Back at Pearl Jam's ''Ten'' |last=Brandolini |first=Chad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226012234/http://www.vater.com/education/behindthescenes/InTheStudio/DaveKrusen/index.cfm |archive-date=February 26, 2009 |website=Vater.com |access-date=July 28, 2016}}</ref> Guitarist [[Mike McCready]] stated, "We did 'Even Flow' about 50, 70 times. I swear to God it was a nightmare. We played that thing over and over until we hated each other. I still don't think Stone is satisfied with how it came out."<ref>Quinn, Bryan. [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/music/music-news/2009/03/09/q-a-session-with-pearl-jam-86908-21184381/ "Q+A session with Pearl Jam"]. ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]''. March 9, 2009.</ref>

An alternate version of the song was recorded with drummer [[Dave Abbruzzese]] in 1992 while the band was recording songs for the [[Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack|soundtrack]] for the [[1992 in film|1992]] film, ''[[Singles (1992 film)|Singles]]''.<ref name="davea">{{cite web | url=https://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_12-xx-93_-_modern_drummer.htm | title=Dave Abbruzzese of Pearl Jam | access-date=July 1, 2007 | author=Peiken, Matt | work=[[Modern Drummer]] | date=December 1993 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629145947/http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_12-xx-93_-_modern_drummer.htm | archive-date=June 29, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> This version was used for the music video,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SPMfr38fCA|title=Pearl Jam&nbsp;— Even Flow|access-date=October 11, 2008|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> and was used in single releases in the United Kingdom. This version is on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, ''[[rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003)]]''.

==Composition and lyrics==
"Even Flow" was written in the key of [[D major]],<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Stone|first1=Gossard|last2=Jam|first2=Pearl|last3=Eddie|first3=Vedder|date=August 1, 2011|title=Even Flow|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0095854|access-date=October 2, 2021|website=Musicnotes.com}}</ref> with Gossard performing his parts in [[open D tuning]] and McCready complementing it with a similar rhythm pattern in standard tuning.<ref>DiPerna, Alan. [https://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_07_xx_92_Musician_Magazine.htm "Alternate Tunings Climb the Alternative Charts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165320/http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_07_xx_92_Musician_Magazine.htm |date=March 3, 2016}}. ''[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]''. July 1992.</ref> The recorded version of the song actually sounds slightly sharper than D major, with everything tuned up—accidentally or otherwise—around one quarter of a step. The song features a [[funk music|funk]] guitar riff by Gossard.

McCready on the song:
<blockquote>That's me pretending to be [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]], and a feeble attempt at that. Stone (Gossard, Pearl Jam guitarist) wrote the riff and song; I think it's a D tuning. I just followed him in a regular pattern. I tried to steal everything I know from Stevie Ray Vaughan and put it into that song. A blatant rip-off. A tribute rip-off, if you will!<ref>Gilbert, Jeff. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gs0595.shtml "Prime Cuts: Mike McCready - The Best of Pearl Jam!"], ''Guitar School'', May 1995.</ref></blockquote>

The vocal line that appears in the main verse begins with a very prominent [[tritone]] interval.

The stark lyrics by Vedder for "Even Flow" describe the experience of being a [[homeless]] man.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clay |first=Jennifer |url=http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/rip1291.shtml |date=December 1991 |title=Life After Love Bone |work=[[RIP (magazine)|RIP]] |access-date=June 23, 2007}}</ref> The subject sleeps "on a pillow made of concrete" and [[begging|panhandles]] passersby for spare change. In addition to being illiterate, he may also be mentally ill, as he "looks insane" when he smiles and struggles to keep coherent thoughts ("Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies/Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away").

At Pearl Jam's March 28, 1994, concert at the [[Bayfront Amphitheater]] in [[Miami]], Vedder introduced the song by saying, "I thought I'd throw in a bit of street education while you still have an open mind. ... Right across the street there's a little homeless community that lives under the bridge. You should just know that those people ain't all crazy and sometimes it's not their fault. This song is called 'Even Flow'."<ref>[https://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Live_Song_Quotes.htm "Live Song Quotes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507085127/http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Live_Song_Quotes.htm |date=May 7, 2013}}. PearlJam10YearsAgo.no.sapo.pt. April 7, 2002.</ref>

At the May 12, 2008, show in Toronto, Vedder stated that the song was written under the Space Needle in Seattle. At a subsequent show in Seattle on August 8, 2018, Vedder revealed that the song was inspired by a homeless [[Vietnam War]] veteran (also named Eddie) whom he befriended while working on the band's first album. Vedder wrote the song after learning that the man had died while the band was touring.<ref>Rietmulder, Michael. [https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/photos-pearl-jams-home-shows-rock-for-a-cause-on-night-one-at-seattles-safeco-field/ "Review: Pearl Jam, Seattle fall in love all over again at joyous Home Shows on Night One at Safeco Field"]. ''[[Seattle Times]]''. August 8, 2018.</ref>

==Release and reception==
The alternate studio recording of "Even Flow", which was recorded in 1992 with Abbruzzese, was released as a [[CD single]] and 12-inch white [[Gramophone record|vinyl]] in the United Kingdom. The original version was used in single releases in the United States. The song was released as a single in 1992 with a previously unreleased [[funk]]<ref name="edu">{{cite web |url=http://clubs.calvin.edu/chimes/article.php?id=6401 |title=Chimes: Lost Pearl Jam songs will not lose appeal with fans |access-date=October 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022144410/http://clubs.calvin.edu/chimes/article.php?id=6401 |archive-date=October 22, 2014  }}</ref> [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] titled "Dirty Frank", which can also be found as an extra track on European releases of ''Ten'' and as an alternate version on the compilation album, ''[[Lost Dogs (album)|Lost Dogs]]'' (2003).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bernard |first1=M. Corbett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ENGGDwAAQBAJ&dq=Even+Flow+lost+dogs&pg=PT274 |title=Pearl Jam FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Seattle's Most Enduring Band |last2=Corbett |first2=Bernard M. |date=April 1, 2016 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-61713-661-0 |language=en}}</ref>

The song peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart and number 21 on the ''Billboard'' [[Alternative Songs|Modern Rock Tracks]] chart. Outside the United States, the single was released commercially in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the song reached the top 80 on the Canadian [[RPM (magazine)|Singles Chart]]. "Even Flow" peaked at number 27 in the UK and number 22 on the Australian Singles Chart. It was a moderate top 20 success in New Zealand.

Chris True of [[AllMusic]] called "Even Flow" "the somewhat less ballady more swaggering follow up to the breakout single '[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]'." True said that the song "doesn’t even really have an intro—it just starts and keeps going—and the band seems more in the groove than on the overly earnest 'Alive'." True said that the song "confirmed that Pearl Jam were more than just one hit [[grunge]] rock wonders."<ref>True, Chris. [{{Allmusic|class=song|id=t2403282|pure_url=yes}} "Even Flow > Review"]. [[AllMusic]]. Retrieved on May 16, 2008.</ref> The song was placed at number 77 on a list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" by ''Rolling Stone''.<ref name="guitarsongs">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080531001214/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/20947527/page/32 "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time"]. ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. June 12, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2011. "While most Seattle guitarists descended from Black Flag and Sabbath, Stone Gossard and Mike McCready updated the Stones' arena blues for a darker age. Grumbling riffs, frenetic runs and evil-laugh wah-wah created what McCready later cracked was a 'tribute rip-off' to Stevie Ray Vaughan."</ref> It was also included on [[VH1]]'s countdown of the "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs" at number 30.<ref name="VH1hardrock">"100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs". [[VH1]].</ref> According to [[Nielsen Music]]'s year-end report for 2019, "Even Flow" was the fifth most-played song of the decade spanning the years 2010 to 2019 on mainstream rock radio with 132,000 spins. All of the songs in the top 10 were from the 1990s.<ref name="MainstreamRockDecade2010-2019">{{Cite web |url=https://loudwire.com/nirvana-most-played-radio-rock-band-decade/ |title=Nirvana Were the Most-Played Band of the Decade on Rock Radio |last=Trapp |first=Philip |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2020 |website=[[Loudwire]]}}</ref> In 2021, ''[[American Songwriter]]'' ranked the song number three on their list of the 10 greatest Pearl Jam songs,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/top-10-pearl-jam-songs/|title=Top 10 Pearl Jam Songs|first=Jacob|last=Uitti|work=[[American Songwriter]]|date=December 30, 2021|accessdate=March 10, 2022}}</ref> and ''[[Kerrang!|Kerrang]]'' ranked the song number eight on their list of the 20 greatest Pearl Jam songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-pearl-jam-songs-ranked|title=The 20 greatest Pearl Jam songs – ranked|first=Sam|last=Law|work=[[Kerrang!|Kerrang]]|date=January 19, 2021|accessdate=March 10, 2022}}</ref>

==In other media==
In February 2023, the song received a spike in listens and streams due to a meme on the social media app [[TikTok]]. The meme, known as "Steezus Christ", involves the 2010 video game ''[[Skate 3]]'', in which characters dressed up to look like [[Jesus Christ]] perform incredibly complex tricks, notably the [[Christ Air]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jesus Skating in Skate 3 to Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" / Steezus Christ |url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/jesus-skating-in-skate-3-to-pearl-jams-even-flow-steezus-christ |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=Know Your Meme}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2023}}

==Music video==

===Original video===
Pearl Jam originally hired director [[Rocky Schenck]] to film a [[music video]] for "Even Flow". On January 31, 1992, on their way to England to begin a European tour, the band members came to Los Angeles to film the video. The concept for the video was based on an idea by Gossard.<ref>Weisbard, Eric, et al. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/spin801.shtml "Ten Past Ten"]. [[Spin (magazine)|''Spin'']]. August 2001.</ref> Schenck filmed Pearl Jam in a [[zoo]] setting. He had arranged a nighttime shoot at an old, closed facility, brought in different [[wildlife]], and set up his lights among the cages and in the trees. Along with the animal footage, the members of Pearl Jam were filmed individually and as a band, standing on the side of a cliff and air jamming. The shoot took hours, and the band was not pleased with the end result. Schenck's shoot was considered a waste of time and money by the band; it also damaged Abbruzzese's wrists significantly. After shooting had finished, he was taken to the emergency room where he was advised not to put strain on his wrists. Abbruzzese would drum on the band's European tour with a splint attached to his hands.

===Official video===
The original music video for "Even Flow" was ultimately replaced by a performance clip directed by [[Josh Taft]], who had previously directed the "[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]" music video for the band, and who later directed the music video for "[[Oceans (Pearl Jam song)|Oceans]]".<ref name="timeline">{{cite web | url=http://www.pearljam.com/timeline/  | title=Pearl Jam: Timeline | access-date=June 27, 2007 | publisher=Pearljam.com |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080109033804/http://www.pearljam.com/timeline/ |archive-date = January 9, 2008}}</ref> The video consists of performance footage of the band filmed during a January 17, 1992, show at the [[Moore Theatre (Seattle, Washington)|Moore Theatre]] in [[Seattle]].<ref name="timeline"/> The video shows Vedder climbing the theatre, then jumping down between fans at the concert, and ending with McCready throwing his guitar towards the camera. Taft was filming that night not with his occupation as a director, but as a friend of Gossard's. At one point during the show, Vedder shouted indignantly: "This is not a TV studio, Josh! Turn those lights out, it's a fucking rock concert!". Taft left this incident in his final cut, but [[MTV]] clipped it out when it aired the video.

The footage used in the video is actually spliced from different songs: for instance Gossard and McCready each play two different guitars, Vedder wears a hat at some point and the theatre climb actually occurred during "Porch".<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060510011044/http://www.twofeetthick.com/style/images/cc/92/setlist_moore0117.gif "Pearl Jam Concert Chronology: 1992"]}}. TwoFeetThick.com.</ref> Taft's presence at the Moore Theatre show, and the fact that he had filmed sufficient footage to compile into a music video, proved to be a break for the band. Otherwise, with Epic ready to provide MTV with an "Even Flow" video and Schenck's version already completed, Pearl Jam would have had little choice but to go with it, and the band members unanimously despised Schenck's version when they saw the final edit. The alternate studio recording of "Even Flow", which was recorded in 1992 with Abbruzzese, was used for the video as the band felt it synched up well with the live footage.<ref name="davea"/> The video was released in April 1992.<ref name="mvdbase">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Pearl%20Jam&first=&sortord=1|title=Pearl Jam music videos|access-date=February 22, 2008|publisher=Music Video Database|archive-date=March 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314192028/http://mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Pearl+Jam&first=&sortord=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> The full January 17, 1992, show was released in 2013 as an audio download, ''Seattle, WA 17-January-1992''.<ref name="iTunes">{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/seattle-wa-17-january-1992-live/688139049|title=Seattle, WA 17-January-1992|date=August 18, 2013|access-date=June 11, 2017|publisher=[[iTunes]]}}</ref>

==Live performances==
"Even Flow" was first performed live at the band's October 22, 1990, concert in [[Seattle]] at the Off Ramp Café. Pearl Jam performed the song for its appearance on ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' in 1992. "Even Flow" has gone on to become the band's most performed live song, having been played more than 800 times (the next most played song, "Alive", is at more than 730 performances).<ref name="pearljam.com">{{cite web|url=http://pearljam.com/music/lyrics/997/studio/20854/even_flow?ref_album_id=18650|title=Even Flow|year=2010|publisher=Pearljam.com|access-date=May 12, 2016}}</ref> Over the years, the tempo of the song has become slightly faster in live performances. Live performances of "Even Flow" can be found on the "[[Dissident (song)|Dissident]]" single, the live album ''[[Live on Two Legs]]'', the compilation album ''Wild and Wooly: The Northwest Rock Collection'', various [[Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs|official bootlegs]], the live album ''[[Live in NYC 12/31/92]]'',<ref name="1992chron">{{cite web|url=http://fivehorizons.com/tour/cc/t1992p2.shtml|title=1992 Concert Chronology part 2|last=Bruns|first=Jean|year=2004|publisher=Five Horizons|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> the ''[[Live at the Gorge 05/06]]'' box set, the live album ''[[Live at Lollapalooza 2007]]'',<ref name="pearljam.com"/> and the [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)#Drop in the Park LP|''Drop in the Park'' LP]] included in the Super Deluxe edition of the ''Ten'' reissue. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs ''[[Touring Band 2000]]'',<ref name="tour2000">{{cite web|url=http://pearljam.com/music/releases/dvd/touring-band-2000|title=Touring Band 2000: Releases&nbsp;— DVDs|publisher=Pearljam.com|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> ''[[Live at the Garden]]'',<ref name="LATG">{{cite web|url=http://pearljam.com/music/releases/dvd/live-garden|title=Live At The Garden: Releases&nbsp;— DVDs|publisher=Pearljam.com|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> ''[[Immagine in Cornice]]'',<ref name="IIC">{{cite web|url=http://pearljam.com/music/releases/dvd/immagine-cornice|title=Immagine In Cornice: Releases&nbsp;— DVDs|publisher=Pearljam.com|access-date=February 10, 2011}}</ref> and the [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)#MTV Unlugged DVD|''MTV Unplugged'' DVD]] included in the ''Ten'' reissue. On ''Live at the Garden'', McCready performs an improv within "Even Flow" that goes on for nearly five minutes.<ref name="LATG"/>

==Personnel==
*[[Eddie Vedder]] – [[lead vocalist|vocals]]
*[[Mike McCready]] – [[lead guitar]]
*[[Stone Gossard]] – [[rhythm guitar]]
*[[Jeff Ament]] – [[fretless bass]]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.guitarworld.com/features/jeff-ament-pearl-jam-evenflow |title= How Jeff Ament discovered a slide harmonic on Pearl Jam’s Even Flow|date=2023 |website= Guitar World}}</ref>
*[[Dave Krusen]] – [[drum kit|drums]]

==Track listing==
'''CD (US, Australia, Austria, Brazil, and Germany) and Cassette (Australia)'''
#"Even Flow" ([[Eddie Vedder]], [[Stone Gossard]])&nbsp;– 4:53
#"Dirty Frank" ([[Dave Abbruzzese]], [[Jeff Ament]], Gossard, [[Mike McCready]], Vedder)&nbsp;– 5:32
#"[[Oceans (Pearl Jam song)|Oceans]]" (remix) (Vedder, Gossard, Ament)&nbsp;– 2:46

'''CD (UK) and 12" Vinyl (UK)'''
#"Even Flow" (new version) (Vedder, Gossard)&nbsp;– 5:04
#"Dirty Frank" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder)&nbsp;– 5:32
#"Oceans" (Vedder, Gossard, Ament)&nbsp;– 2:42

'''7" Vinyl (UK) and Cassette (UK)'''
#"Even Flow" (new version) (Vedder, Gossard)&nbsp;– 5:04
#"Oceans" (remix) (Vedder, Gossard, Ament)&nbsp;– 2:46

'''7" Vinyl (The Netherlands) and Cassette (New Zealand)'''
#"Even Flow" (Vedder, Gossard)&nbsp;– 4:53
#"Dirty Frank" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder)&nbsp;– 5:32

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Chart (1992)
! Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Australia|22|artist=Pearl Jam|song=Even Flow}}
|-
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|74|chartid=2002|access-date=March 30, 2025}}
|-
|[[European Hot 100 Singles]] ''([[Music & Media]])''<ref>{{cite magazine |date=May 2, 1992 |title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-05-02.pdf |magazine=[[Music & Media]]| page=37 |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|99
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|20|artist=Pearl Jam|song=Even Flow}}
|-
{{single chart|UK|27|date=19920418|access-date=March 30, 2025}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|21|artist=Pearl Jam|access-date=August 7, 2017}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|3|artist=Pearl Jam|access-date=August 7, 2017}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! Chart (1997)
! Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|8|artist=Pearl Jam|access-date=January 12, 2021}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! Chart (2009)
! Peak<br />position
|-
| US [[Hot Digital Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="www.billboard.com">{{cite magazine| url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=pearl jam|chart=all}}| title=Pearl Jam Artist Chart History| magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]| access-date=April 28, 2007}}</ref>
|align="center"|62
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable"
! Chart (1992)
! Position
|-
| US Album Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Top Album Rock Tracks|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-42|date=December 26, 1992}}</ref>
|align="center"|18
|}

===Decade-end charts===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2010–2019)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
| US Mainstream Rock ([[Nielsen Music]])<ref name="MainstreamRockDecade2010-2019"/>
|align="center"|5
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Pearl Jam|title=Even Flow|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2023|access-date=December 5, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Pearl Jam|title=Even Flow|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|access-date=November 12, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Pearl Jam|title=Even Flow|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|certref=<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Catalogue Singles 15–21 November 2024 |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/catalogue-singles/2024-11-15 |website=aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz |access-date=November 26, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Pearl Jam|title=Even Flow|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|access-date=July 3, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|title=Even Flow|artist=Pearl Jam|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2023|id=16355-1667-1|access-date=November 17, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

==Accolades==
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
! Publication
! Country
! Accolade
! Year
! Rank
|-
| ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| United States
| "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time"<ref name="guitarsongs"/>
| 2008
| 77
|-
| [[VH1]]
| United States
| "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs"<ref name="VH1hardrock"/>
| 2008
| 30
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{YouTube|CxKWTzr-k6s|"Even Flow" (Official music video)}}
*[{{Allmusic|class=song|id=t2403282|pure_url=yes}} Review of "Even Flow"] at [[AllMusic]]

{{Pearl Jam}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1991 songs]]
[[Category:1992 singles]]
[[Category:Epic Records singles]]
[[Category:Pearl Jam songs]]
[[Category:Protest songs]]
[[Category:Songs about homelessness]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Dave Krusen]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Eddie Vedder]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Ament]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Mike McCready]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Rick Parashar]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Stone Gossard]]
[[Category:Songs written by Eddie Vedder]]
[[Category:Songs written by Stone Gossard]]