Soundgarden

Soundgarden was formed in Seattle in 1984 by singer and guitarist Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto, with Matt Cameron joining as drummer in 1986. Bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent member in 1990 after Yamamoto's departure. Along with bands like Green River and Melvins, Soundgarden helped originate the heavier, Black Sabbath-influenced sound that became known as grunge, and they were the first Seattle band of that scene signed to a major label.

The band's breakthrough came in the early 90s as grunge exploded commercially thanks to Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Albums like «Badmotorfinger» (1991) and especially «Superunknown» (1994) — home to hits such as «Black Hole Sun», «Spoonman», «Fell on Black Days», and «The Day I Tried to Live» — established Soundgarden as one of the genre's defining acts, blending sludgy riffs, unconventional time signatures, and Cornell's powerful, wide-ranging voice. «Superunknown» topped the Billboard 200 and remains their commercial and critical peak.

Internal tensions led the band to split in 1997, with Cornell going on to front Audioslave and pursue a solo career. Soundgarden reunited in 2010 and released «King Animal» in 2012. Chris Cornell died on May 17, 2017, at age 52, ending the band's active career and marking the loss of one of grunge's most distinctive vocalists.