Soundgarden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Soundgarden
Soundgarden performing in February 2013. From left to right: Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd.
Background information
Also known as	Nudedragons (2010, 2024)
Origin	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres	Grunge heavy metal alternative metal alternative rock
Years active	1984–1997 2010–2017 2019
Labels	Sub Pop SST A&M Interscope Seven Four Republic Vertigo
Past members	Chris Cornell Kim Thayil Matt Cameron Ben Shepherd Hiro Yamamoto Scott Sundquist Jason Everman
Logo

Soundgarden was an American rock band. It started in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. The original members were singer and drummer Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.

In 1985, Cornell began playing rhythm guitar. Scott Sundquist became the new drummer. Later, Matt Cameron took over drums in 1986. Hiro Yamamoto left in 1989. He was replaced first by Jason Everman, then by Ben Shepherd.

Soundgarden was one of the first bands to play grunge music. This style of alternative rock became popular in the early 1990s. Other famous grunge bands from Seattle included Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.

The band first signed with Sub Pop, a record label in Seattle. They released two EPs there: Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988). Their first album, Ultramega OK, came out in 1988. It earned them a Grammy Award nomination.

Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign with a major record label, A&M Records, in 1988. Their second album, Louder Than Love (1989), was their first to appear on the Billboard 200 chart.

Soundgarden broke up in 1997. They reunited in 2010. After Chris Cornell's death in 2017, the band officially ended again. However, the remaining members have played together for special events. By 2019, Soundgarden had sold over 14 million records in the United States. They sold about 30 million worldwide.

Band History

How Soundgarden Started (1984–1988)

Soundgarden in 1985

Soundgarden began with a band called the Shemps. It featured bassist Hiro Yamamoto and singer/drummer Chris Cornell. After the Shemps, Cornell and Yamamoto started playing music together. Guitarist Kim Thayil soon joined them.

The band formed in 1984. It included Cornell on drums and vocals, Yamamoto on bass, and Thayil on guitar. They named themselves after a large pipe sculpture in Seattle called A Sound Garden.

In 1985, Scott Sundquist joined as drummer. This allowed Chris Cornell to focus on singing. Their first songs appeared on a 1986 album called Deep Six. Other grunge bands like Green River were also on this album.

In 1986, Matt Cameron replaced Sundquist as drummer. Soundgarden signed with Sub Pop. They released their first single, "Hunted Down", in 1987. This led to their EPs Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988).

First Albums and Growing Fame (1988–1990)

Soundgarden in 1987

In 1988, Soundgarden released their first full album, Ultramega OK. It was released by SST Records. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.

The band signed with A&M Records in mid-1988. This was a big step for a grunge band. Their album Louder Than Love came out in September 1989. It was their first album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart. Songs like "Hands All Over" and "Loud Love" became radio hits.

Before touring for Louder Than Love, bassist Hiro Yamamoto left. Jason Everman briefly replaced him. Then, Ben Shepherd joined the band in 1990.

New Lineup and Big Success (1990–1993)

With Ben Shepherd on bass, Soundgarden recorded their third album, Badmotorfinger, in 1991. Chris Cornell said Shepherd brought new ideas to the band. The album was praised for its strong songs.

The first single, "Jesus Christ Pose", caused some controversy. Its music video was banned by MTV. The band received threats while touring in the United Kingdom.

Badmotorfinger helped bring grunge music to a wider audience. Songs like "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage" became popular on radio and MTV. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992.

Soundgarden toured with Guns N' Roses and played at Lollapalooza in 1992. They also appeared in the movie Singles.

Superunknown and Worldwide Fame (1994–1995)

Soundgarden started working on their fourth album after touring for Badmotorfinger. They spent more time on recording this album. Superunknown was released on March 8, 1994. It became a huge success. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Hit singles from Superunknown included "Spoonman", "Black Hole Sun", and "Fell on Black Days". The album mixed the band's heavy sound with new styles. Its lyrics were often dark and mysterious.

The music video for "Black Hole Sun" was very popular on MTV. It won awards for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video. Soundgarden won two Grammy Awards in 1995 for "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". Superunknown became Soundgarden's most successful album.

After touring for Superunknown, Chris Cornell had vocal cord problems. The band had to cancel some shows. They made up these dates later in 1995.

Down on the Upside and Breakup (1996–1997)

After their worldwide tour, the band started working on their next album. They decided to produce it themselves. There were some disagreements within the band during this time. Guitarist Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell had different ideas about the band's sound.

Their fifth album, Down on the Upside, was released on May 21, 1996. It was less heavy than their earlier albums. The band wanted to try new sounds, including acoustic instruments. The album had hit singles like "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in My Hand". "Pretty Noose" was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Soundgarden played at Lollapalooza in 1996. Tensions grew during their world tour. On April 9, 1997, the band announced they were breaking up. Drummer Matt Cameron said the band was "eaten up by the business." They released a greatest hits album, A-Sides, in November 1997.

After the Breakup (1998–2009)

After Soundgarden broke up, the members worked on other projects.

• Chris Cornell released solo albums. He also joined the supergroup Audioslave.
• Kim Thayil played guitar for other artists and projects.
• Matt Cameron joined Pearl Jam as their drummer. He recorded several albums with them.
• Ben Shepherd worked with his side-project band Hater.

In 2009, the band members started talking about releasing old Soundgarden songs. They also wanted to improve their online presence. In March 2009, Thayil, Shepherd, and Cameron played some Soundgarden songs together at a concert. This sparked the idea of a reunion.

In October 2009, all Soundgarden members attended a Pearl Jam concert. Chris Cornell joined Temple of the Dog (a band with Pearl Jam members) on stage. This was the first time all Soundgarden members appeared together publicly since 1997.

Reunion and New Music (2010–2013)

Soundgarden performed at Lollapalooza in 2010. (L-R: Cornell, Cameron, and Shepherd. Not pictured: Thayil.)

On January 1, 2010, Chris Cornell hinted at a Soundgarden reunion online. The band officially announced their return. They played their first show since 1997 in Seattle on April 16. They also headlined Lollapalooza in August.

A new Soundgarden collection, Telephantasm: A Retrospective, was released in September 2010. It included a new song, "Black Rain". This was their first new single since 1997.

In February 2011, Soundgarden announced they were recording a new album. They said it would be mostly new material. The album, King Animal, was released on November 13, 2012. It was their first studio album in 16 years.

Soundgarden performing in 2013

The band released singles like "Been Away Too Long" and "By Crooked Steps". They toured the US and Europe.

Later Years and Chris Cornell's Passing (2013–2017)

In 2014, drummer Matt Cameron did not tour with Soundgarden. He had commitments with Pearl Jam. Matt Chamberlain filled in for live shows.

Soundgarden released a 3-CD collection called Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path in November 2014. It included rare songs and unreleased material.

The band began working on new music for another album in 2015. By July 2016, they had written several new songs.

On May 18, 2017, Chris Cornell passed away unexpectedly. His death was a great loss to the music world. Following his passing, Soundgarden canceled their remaining tour dates.

Aftermath and Reunions (2017–Present)

After Chris Cornell's death, the remaining members of Soundgarden took time to grieve. They were unsure about the band's future. In October 2018, Kim Thayil stated that the Soundgarden name would likely be retired. He felt the band was the four original members.

In January 2019, the surviving members reunited for a tribute concert. It honored Chris Cornell in Inglewood, California. Members of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave performed. Other artists also joined them. This was their only performance as Soundgarden since Cornell's death.

In July 2019, Thayil mentioned that the band hoped to finish the album they were working on with Cornell. However, there were disagreements over the use of Cornell's vocal recordings. These issues led to legal discussions between Cornell's widow and the band members.

In April 2023, it was announced that the dispute had ended. The seven final recordings with Cornell would be released.

On December 14, 2024, the surviving members of Soundgarden performed together. They were joined by vocalist Shaina Shepherd. They played under the name Nudedragons for a benefit show in Seattle.

Soundgarden was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. They were selected for induction in 2025.

Musical Style and Influences

Soundgarden helped create the grunge music genre. This style mixes parts of punk rock and metal. It often uses a fuzzy, distorted guitar sound.

The band was influenced by groups like Minutemen, Meat Puppets, and Black Sabbath. Kim Thayil described their sound as "Sabbath-influenced punk."

Soundgarden was often compared to Led Zeppelin. The band eventually accepted this influence. They also liked British post-punk bands like Gang of Four. Other influences included Ramones, Kiss, and Melvins.

As Soundgarden grew, their music became more varied. By their album Superunknown, they added more psychedelic influences. Chris Cornell was known for his wide vocal range and deep, thoughtful lyrics.

Soundgarden also used unusual time signatures in their songs. For example, "Fell on Black Days" is in 6/4 time. Thayil said they didn't plan these odd meters. He called it "a total accident."

Legacy

Soundgarden played a big part in the growth of the Seattle record label Sub Pop Records. Their early success helped Sub Pop become a major label.

Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was a fan of Soundgarden. He said they were one of the few Seattle bands he liked.

Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign with a major record label in 1988. They helped make grunge music popular worldwide. VH1 ranked them number 14 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

In 1994, Soundgarden's music was used in the Road Rash video game. This helped change how licensed music was used in video games.

Chris Cornell once said that Soundgarden made the best records from the grunge scene. He felt they were the most daring and experimental.

Soundgarden is praised for their musical skill. Their music was described as "heavy yet ethereal, powerful yet always-in-control." They helped develop the alternative metal genre.

Many bands and artists have said Soundgarden influenced them. These include Biffy Clyro and Evanescence singer Amy Lee. Loudwire calls Soundgarden one of the "big four" grunge bands.

Members

Final lineup

• Chris Cornell – lead vocals (1984–1997, 2010–2017), rhythm guitar (1988–1997, 2010–2017), drums (1984–1985)
• Kim Thayil – lead guitar (1984–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024), rhythm guitar (1984–1988, 2019, 2024)
• Matt Cameron – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1986–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024)
• Ben Shepherd – bass (1990–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024), backing vocals (1994–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024)

Former members

• Hiro Yamamoto – bass, backing vocals (1984–1989)
• Scott Sundquist – drums (1985–1986)
• Jason Everman – bass (1989–1990)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Ultramega OK (1988)
• Louder Than Love (1989)
• Badmotorfinger (1991)
• Superunknown (1994)
• Down on the Upside (1996)
• King Animal (2012)

Awards and Nominations

Clio Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Europe Music Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

Northwest Area Music Awards

Revolver Music Awards

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

See also

In Spanish: Soundgarden para niños