Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. The band was one of the pioneers of the grunge movement, along with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. Soundgarden's music is known for its heavy sound, technicality, and unique vocals of lead singer Chris Cornell. The band's discography includes six studio albums, a compilation album, and a live album.
Soundgarden was formed in 1984 by guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and vocalist Chris Cornell.
In 1986, the band released their debut album, 'Ultramega OK', which earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.
In 1989, Soundgarden released their second album, 'Louder Than Love', which featured the hit single 'Hands All Over'.
In 1991, Soundgarden released their breakthrough album, 'Badmotorfinger', which included the hit songs 'Outshined' and 'Rusty Cage'.
In 1994, the band released their most successful album, 'Superunknown', which topped the charts and earned them two Grammy Awards.
In 1997, Soundgarden released their last studio album before their breakup, 'Down on the Upside'. The band reunited in 2010 and released their final album, 'King Animal', in 2012.
Chris Cornell died in 2017, and Soundgarden disbanded soon after.
Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. The band was one of the pioneers of the grunge movement and is best known for their breakthrough hit 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band is one of the most successful and influential bands of the 1990s, and is known for their social and political lyrics.
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. The band is known for their distinctive vocal harmonies and heavy, often dark music.
Released in 1991, 'Badmotorfinger' was Soundgarden's breakthrough album and features hit songs like 'Outshined' and 'Rusty Cage'.
'Superunknown', released in 1994, is Soundgarden's most successful album, topping the charts and earning them two Grammy Awards.
Released in 2012, 'King Animal' is Soundgarden's final studio album before their breakup in 2017.
Soundgarden is generally considered to be a grunge band, although their music also incorporates heavy metal, punk rock, and psychedelic influences.
Soundgarden's most well-known lineup consisted of Chris Cornell (vocals), Kim Thayil (guitar), Ben Shepherd (bass), and Matt Cameron (drums).
Some of Soundgarden's most famous songs include 'Black Hole Sun', 'Spoonman', 'Outshined', and 'Rusty Cage'.
Soundgarden broke up in 1997, but reunited in 2010 and released their final album, 'King Animal', in 2012. The band disbanded after the death of Chris Cornell in 2017.
The name 'Soundgarden' was inspired by a sculpture in Seattle's Sand Point neighborhood, which was named 'A Sound Garden'. The band's name was originally 'Sound Garden', but they changed it to 'Soundgarden' to avoid confusion with a local recording studio.