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 alternative metal heavy metal alternative rock
Years active	1984–1997 2010–2017 (one-off reunion: 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
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Soundgarden was an American rock band. It started in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. The first members were singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.

In 1985, Chris Cornell stopped playing drums to focus on singing. Scott Sundquist joined as the new drummer. Then, in 1986, Matt Cameron became the drummer. Hiro Yamamoto left in 1989. Jason Everman briefly replaced him, and then Ben Shepherd became the bassist.

The band broke up in 1997 but got back together in 2010. After Chris Cornell passed away in 2017, the band decided to stop playing together again in 2018. They did play one last show in January 2019 to honor Chris Cornell. Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil were the only members who were in the band during all its different times.

Soundgarden helped make grunge music popular. Grunge is a type of alternative rock that grew in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s. Other famous grunge bands from Seattle were Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. Soundgarden was one of the first grunge bands to sign with the Sub Pop record label. They released two short albums (EPs) with Sub Pop: Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988).

Their first full album, Ultramega OK, came out in 1988. It was released by an independent label called SST Records. This album was praised by critics and was even nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990. Soundgarden then signed with A&M Records in 1989. This made them one of the first grunge bands to sign with a major record label. Their second album, Louder Than Love, was their first major-label release.

Their third album, Badmotorfinger (1991), became very popular. Songs like "Jesus Christ Pose", "Outshined", and "Rusty Cage" helped it sell over two million copies.

Soundgarden had its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown. This album went straight to number one on the music charts. It included the hit songs "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun", which both won Grammy Awards. Their next album, Down on the Upside (1996), also did well. It had popular songs like "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in My Hand". In 1997, the band broke up because of disagreements and being tired from touring.

After more than ten years, the band reunited in 2010. They released their sixth and final studio album, King Animal, in 2012. By 2019, Soundgarden had sold over 14 million records in the United States. They sold about 30 million records worldwide. VH1 ranked Soundgarden as the 14th greatest hard rock artist. Soundgarden will be added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.

Band History and Early Days (1984–1988)

Soundgarden in 1985

The band's story began with a group called the Shemps in the early 1980s. This group included bassist Hiro Yamamoto and drummer/singer Chris Cornell. After the Shemps broke up, Cornell and Yamamoto started playing music together. Soon, guitarist Kim Thayil joined them. Thayil had moved to Seattle from Illinois with Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt. Pavitt later helped start the independent record label Sub Pop.

Soundgarden officially formed in 1984. The first members were Chris Cornell (drums and vocals), Hiro Yamamoto (bass), and Kim Thayil (guitar). They named the band after a sculpture in Seattle called A Sound Garden. This sculpture uses pipes to make sounds from the wind.

In 1985, the band asked Scott Sundquist to play drums. This allowed Chris Cornell to focus only on singing. This lineup played concerts for about a year. Their first recorded songs appeared on a 1986 album called Deep Six. This album also featured songs by other grunge bands like Green River and the Melvins. In 1986, Chris Cornell's girlfriend, Susan Silver, became Soundgarden's manager. Later that year, Scott Sundquist left the band. Matt Cameron became the new drummer.

Soundgarden in 1987

A DJ named Jonathan Poneman from the radio station KCMU was very impressed by Soundgarden. He offered to help the band release their music. Kim Thayil suggested he work with Bruce Pavitt. Poneman then helped fund Sub Pop, turning it into a full record label. Soundgarden signed with Sub Pop. They released their first single, "Hunted Down", in 1987. The other side of the single, "Nothing to Say", was on a tape sent to record companies. Many companies became interested in Soundgarden. Through Sub Pop, the band released the Screaming Life EP in 1987 and the Fopp EP in 1988.

First Albums and Major Label Deal (1988–1990)

Even though big record labels were interested, Soundgarden signed with the independent label SST Records for their first album, Ultramega OK. It came out on October 31, 1988. Chris Cornell later said they made a mistake with the producer for Ultramega OK. He felt the producer didn't understand the Seattle music scene. The album's sound was described as a mix of The Stooges and Led Zeppelin with Black Sabbath. The music video for their song "Flower" was played often on MTV. Ultramega OK was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990.

After touring for Ultramega OK, the band signed with A&M Records. This made some of their early fans upset. Kim Thayil explained that their punk rock fans felt they had "sold out" by joining a major label. The band then started working on their first album for A&M. During this time, Hiro Yamamoto left the band. Chris Cornell ended up writing a lot of the music for the new album.

On September 5, 1989, they released Louder Than Love. This album moved the band closer to a metal sound. It was described as having "slow, grinding, detuned" guitar riffs and Chris Cornell's powerful singing. Because of some song lyrics, the band faced problems with selling the album. Louder Than Love was their first album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching number 108.

Before their tour for Louder Than Love, Hiro Yamamoto left the band. He felt he wasn't contributing enough and wanted to go back to college. Jason Everman, who used to be in Nirvana, replaced him on bass. The band toured North America and Europe. However, they let Jason Everman go in mid-1990 after the tour. Kim Thayil said, "Jason just didn't work out."

New Lineup and Rising Fame (1990–1993)

Bassist Ben Shepherd joined Soundgarden, replacing Jason Everman. This new lineup recorded the band's third album in 1991. Chris Cornell said that Ben Shepherd brought "fresh and creative" ideas. The band felt his music knowledge and writing skills changed their sound. They released the album, Badmotorfinger, on October 8, 1991.

Critics said the songwriting on Badmotorfinger was much more focused. They noted it was "surprisingly smart and artistic" for a band aiming for mainstream metal fans. The first single, "Jesus Christ Pose", caused controversy. MTV banned its music video because some people thought it was anti-Christian. The band even received threats while touring in the United Kingdom. Chris Cornell explained the song criticized public figures who pretend to be victims using religion.

Even though Nirvana's Nevermind became hugely popular around the same time, the attention on the Seattle music scene helped Soundgarden. Songs like "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage" became popular on alternative rock radio and MTV. Badmotorfinger was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992. It was also one of the top 100 best-selling albums that year.

After Badmotorfinger, Soundgarden toured North America. They were then chosen by Guns N' Roses to open for their Use Your Illusion tour. Soundgarden also played at the 1992 Lollapalooza festival with bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam. For Lollapalooza, they released a special version of Badmotorfinger with an extra disc. This disc included their cover of Black Sabbath's "Into the Void", which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1993. The band also appeared in the 1992 movie Singles, performing "Birth Ritual".

Superunknown and Huge Success (1994–1995)

Soundgarden started working on their fourth album after touring for Badmotorfinger. Chris Cornell said they gave each other more freedom during this album. Kim Thayil noted they spent much more time recording the songs. Released on March 8, 1994, Superunknown became the band's biggest album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured hit singles like "Spoonman", "Black Hole Sun", and "Fell on Black Days".

The songs on Superunknown kept the band's creative and heavy sound. But they also showed a new, evolving style. The lyrics were often dark and mysterious, sometimes about feelings of sadness. The album was also more experimental. Some songs even used sounds from Middle-Eastern or Indian music. Critics praised Superunknown for its wide range of musical styles.

The music video for "Black Hole Sun" was a huge hit on MTV. It won awards like the Best Metal/Hard Rock Video in 1994. Soundgarden won two Grammy Awards in 1995. "Black Hole Sun" won for Best Hard Rock Performance, and "Spoonman" won for Best Metal Performance. Superunknown has sold over six million copies in the United States. It remains Soundgarden's most successful album.

The band toured in Oceania, Japan, Europe, and the United States. In late 1994, Chris Cornell strained his vocal cords. Soundgarden had to cancel some shows to prevent permanent damage. Chris Cornell explained they were playing too many shows, and his voice was suffering. The band made up the canceled dates in 1995.

Down on the Upside and Breakup (1996–1997)

After touring for Superunknown, the band started working on their next album. They decided to produce it themselves. However, there were disagreements within the group during this time. Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell reportedly argued about Chris wanting to move away from the band's signature heavy guitar riffs. Chris Cornell said finishing the album felt "hard" and like "a long, hard haul."

The band's fifth album, Down on the Upside, was released on May 21, 1996. It was less heavy than their earlier albums and moved further from their grunge sound. Soundgarden said they wanted to try new sounds, including acoustic instruments. Critics noted how well the band mixed acoustic and electric sounds. The album's lyrics were less dark than before. It had several hit singles, including "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in My Hand". "Pretty Noose" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. However, the album did not sell as well or receive as much critical praise as Superunknown.

The band played at the 1996 Lollapalooza tour with Metallica. After Lollapalooza, they went on a world tour. Tensions within the band grew during this time. Chris Cornell said they enjoyed touring only "to a point," then it became "tedious" and "repetitious." At their last show in Hawaii on February 9, 1997, bassist Ben Shepherd threw his bass in frustration after his equipment failed. He then left the stage. The band announced they were breaking up on April 9, 1997. Kim Thayil said it was clear from everyone's mood that there was "dissatisfaction." Matt Cameron later said Soundgarden was "eaten up by the business." The band released a collection of their greatest hits, A-Sides, on November 4, 1997.

Life After Soundgarden (1998–2009)

Frontman Chris Cornell performing live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2005

After the breakup, the band members worked on other music projects.

• Chris Cornell released a solo album, Euphoria Morning, in 1999. In 2001, he joined the supergroup Audioslave with members of Rage Against the Machine. Audioslave released three albums. Chris Cornell left Audioslave in 2007, and the band broke up. He released more solo albums, Carry On (2007) and Scream (2009).
• Kim Thayil played guitar on other artists' albums and with different bands.
• Matt Cameron played drums for his side project Wellwater Conspiracy. He then joined Pearl Jam as their official drummer in 1998. He has recorded many albums with Pearl Jam and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pearl Jam in 2017.
• Ben Shepherd was the singer for Wellwater Conspiracy's first album. He also played bass for Mark Lanegan and worked on other projects.

In 2009, Chris Cornell said there were no plans for a Soundgarden reunion. However, the band members met to discuss their music catalog and online presence. They decided to create an official website and re-release their music. In March 2009, Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and Matt Cameron played some Soundgarden songs together at a concert. Chris Cornell said this "sparked the idea" of a reunion.

On October 6, 2009, all Soundgarden members attended a Pearl Jam concert. During the show, Temple of the Dog (a band Chris Cornell was also in) reunited to sing "Hunger Strike". This was the first time all Soundgarden members appeared together in public since 1997. This led to rumors that Soundgarden would reunite.

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 on his Twitter account. He wrote: "The 12-year break is over and school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!" This message linked to a website with a picture of the band and a way for fans to get updates.

On March 1, 2010, Soundgarden announced they would re-release their old single "Hunted Down" on vinyl. Soundgarden played their first show since 1997 on April 16 in Seattle. They also headlined the Lollapalooza festival on August 8.

A new Soundgarden collection album, Telephantasm: A Retrospective, was released on September 28, 2010. It included a previously unreleased song, "Black Rain". "Black Rain" was the band's first new single since 1997. In November 2010, Soundgarden made their first TV appearance in 13 years on the show Conan. In March 2011, Soundgarden released their first live album, Live on I-5.

In February 2011, Soundgarden announced they had started recording a new album. Chris Cornell confirmed that Adam Kasper would produce it. The band said the album would be "90 percent new" material. They had many songs ready to go. Kim Thayil said some songs sounded similar to Down on the Upside. Chris Cornell later said the new album would be released in spring 2012.

Soundgarden performing in 2013

In March 2012, Soundgarden announced a new song, "Live to Rise", for the soundtrack of The Avengers movie. It was the first new song they had recorded since reuniting. "Live to Rise" was released as a free download on April 17. Soundgarden also headlined the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London. In May, they said they aimed for an October release for their new album. The band released "Been Away Too Long", the first single from their new album King Animal, on September 27. The album was released on November 13, 2012. They released a video for "By Crooked Steps" in early 2013.

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

Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil (2012)

On November 15, 2013, drummer Matt Cameron announced he would not tour with Soundgarden in 2014. This was because he had other commitments with Pearl Jam. Former Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain filled in for Cameron for live shows in South America and Europe.

Soundgarden released a 3-CD collection called Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path on November 24, 2014. This set included rare songs, live tracks, and unreleased material from the band's history. It also had a newly recorded version of an old song called "Storm".

Kim Thayil mentioned in interviews that the band would likely start working on new music in 2015. In August 2015, Chris Cornell confirmed they were doing so. By July 2016, Ben Shepherd and Matt Cameron stated that the band had written "six solid tunes" for the new album.

On May 18, 2017, Chris Cornell passed away in Detroit, Michigan. He had performed with Soundgarden at the Fox Theatre earlier that night. Following his passing, Soundgarden canceled the rest of their 2017 tour dates.

Aftermath and Disbandment (2017–Present)

After Chris Cornell's passing, the remaining members of Soundgarden were unsure about the band's future. In September 2017, Matt Cameron told Billboard that they were still processing their grief. Kim Thayil said in October 2018 that the Soundgarden band name would be retired. He explained that the band was "the four of us and now there's three of us." He felt it was unlikely they would continue making music or touring as Soundgarden.

In January 2019, the remaining members of Soundgarden reunited for a tribute concert in California. This concert honored Chris Cornell and raised money for charity. Members of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, and other famous bands performed songs from Chris Cornell's career. Soundgarden played several of their songs, making it their only performance since Chris Cornell's passing.

In July 2019, Kim Thayil said that the surviving members were trying to finish and release the album they were working on with Chris Cornell. However, there were disagreements about using Chris Cornell's vocal recordings. In December 2019, Chris Cornell's widow, Vicky Cornell, started legal action against the band members. She claimed they were withholding money and trying to force her to give them unreleased recordings. The band members said they had worked on these songs together and that Vicky had no right to keep them. These legal issues continued for some time.

In February 2021, Vicky Cornell filed another lawsuit. She claimed the band members had undervalued her share of the band. The band members said her offers were "grossly mischaracterized" and that they had been denied access to their social media accounts. In June 2021, the band got their website and social media accounts back through a temporary agreement.

On April 17, 2023, it was announced that seven final recordings with Chris Cornell would be released. This came after the disagreements between the band members and Vicky Cornell were resolved.

Music Style and Influences

Soundgarden helped create the grunge music genre. Grunge mixes punk rock and metal to create a strong, distorted sound. Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi said Soundgarden's music was "very much like the same sort of stuff that we would have done." Early Soundgarden music was described as having a "gnarled" sound influenced by Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. They were also influenced by bands like the Butthole Surfers, Ramones, Kiss, and Melvins.

Kim Thayil said the band's name was meant to show their many influences. These included "cutting edge rock" like Velvet Underground and Killing Joke. He added that the name's "almost ethereal flavour" hid the "brutality of the music."

Soundgarden often used different guitar tunings in their songs. Many songs used "drop D tuning," where the lowest string is tuned down. Some songs used even lower or more unusual tunings. Soundgarden also used unusual time signatures in their music. For example, "Fell on Black Days" is in 6/4 time. Kim Thayil said they usually didn't think about the time signature until after they wrote the song. He called the use of odd meters "a total accident."

As Soundgarden grew, their music became more varied. Chris Cornell was known for his wide vocal range and deep, thoughtful lyrics.

Band's Impact

The development of the Seattle independent record label Sub Pop is closely linked to Soundgarden. Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman helped fund Soundgarden's early releases. The band's success helped Sub Pop grow into a major record label. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was a fan of Soundgarden. Their involvement with Sub Pop influenced Cobain to sign Nirvana with the label. Cobain also said Soundgarden was one of the only Seattle bands he liked.

Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign with a major record label, A&M Records, in 1989. However, they didn't become hugely successful right away. Their sales and fame grew with each new album. Bassist Ben Shepherd has said he doesn't like the "grunge" label. He believes they were just a "rock and roll" band from Seattle. VH1 ranked Soundgarden as the 14th greatest hard rock artist.

In 1994, Electronic Arts wanted to use Soundgarden's music in their Road Rash video game. Chris Cornell and the band were fans of the game and agreed. This helped make it common for video games to use licensed music from popular bands.

Chris Cornell reflected on Soundgarden's impact in a 2007 interview: "I think, and this is now with some distance in listening to the records, but on the outside looking in with all earnestness I think Soundgarden made the best records out of that scene. I think we were the most daring and experimental and genre-pushing really and I'm really proud of it."

Soundgarden is praised for their musical skill and how their sound changed over time. Their music was described as "heavy yet ethereal, powerful yet always-in-control." It was seen as a "brilliant display of technical proficiency tempered by heart-felt emotion."

Soundgarden is also credited with helping develop the alternative metal genre. Critics say they "made a place for heavy metal in alternative rock." They are considered "standard-bearers" of rock guitar riffs in the 1990s. The band has influenced many metalcore bands. Metal Injection ranked Soundgarden as the third heaviest grunge band. Loudwire recognizes Soundgarden as one of the "big four" grunge bands, along with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.

Band 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, backing vocals (1986–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024)
• Ben Shepherd – bass (1990–1997, 2010–2017), backing vocals (1994–1997, 2010–2017, 2019, 2024)

Former Members

• Hiro Yamamoto – bass, backing vocals (1984–1989)
• Scott Sundquist [simple] – 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