Did you know that there are people out there — kids, mostly — who can't tell Pearl Jam and Hootie and the Blowfish apart?

No, seriously, we've witnessed it with our own eyes.

We understand their confusion. Because, for all the purported differences between these two acts in their '90s heyday — Hootie were called soft sell-outs while Pearl Jam were lauded as crusading hard rockers — 20 years later they sound surprisingly alike.

Lead singers Eddie Vedder and Darius Rucker have somewhat similar voices, after all. And, yeah, maybe you can do any '90s song with just vowels.

Does all of this just show how lame the '90s were? Or are the groups truly different when it comes to their style, their lyrics, and their politics? Can you yourself tell the difference?

Take our quiz to find out.

So, how'd you do? Even if you passed (90% or better) you won't be able to rest easy, knowing that lots of millennials (or whatever they're called) can't.

Next time you're wondering, “Is music education that important for my child?” consider that they might well one day believe that Yellow Ledbetter is the color of Darius Rucker's cowboy hat.

Like us on Facebook at LAWeeklyMusic.

The Worst Albums of the '90s

The 20 Worst Hipster Bands

The 20 Worst Bands of All Time

Top 20 Sexiest Male Muscians of All Time

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.