Soundgarden

Biography

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band's full-time drummer in 1986. The band was one of the seminal creators of the grunge genre, a style of alternative rock that developed in the American Pacific Northwest. They were the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the Seattle-based record label Sub Pop, releasing two EPs in 1987 and 1988.

Musical Career

Soundgarden signed with the independent label SST Records in 1988 and released their debut album, "Ultramega OK," which earned a Grammy nomination. In 1989, they released "Louder Than Love," their first album on a major label, A&M Records. Bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990. Their 1991 album, "Badmotorfinger," brought them national acclaim and was certified double-platinum. The band's greatest success came with the 1994 album "Superunknown," which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the Grammy-winning singles "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". Their fifth studio album, "Down on the Upside," was released in 1996 and also debuted high on the Billboard 200.

Internal strife and exhaustion from touring led to the band's breakup in April 1997. The members pursued other projects for over a decade. Chris Cornell released solo albums and fronted the supergroup Audioslave. Matt Cameron became the drummer for Pearl Jam.

Reunion and Chris Cornell's Death

Soundgarden announced their reunion on January 1, 2010. They released their sixth studio album, "King Animal," in November 2012, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200. The band continued to tour and work on new material. On May 18, 2017, after a Soundgarden performance in Detroit, Chris Cornell was found dead in his hotel room. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Following Cornell's death, the band disbanded for a second time in October 2018.