"Sound Garden" redirects here. For the art installation, see A Sound Garden.
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)
Origin
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Grunge
heavy metal
alternative metal
alternative rock
Discography
Soundgarden discography
Years active
1984–1997
2010–2018
2019
Labels
Sub Pop
SST
A&M
Interscope
Seven Four
Republic
Vertigo
Spinoffs
Audioslave
Hater
Temple of the Dog
Wellwater Conspiracy
Past members
Chris Cornell
Kim Thayil
Hiro Yamamoto
Scott Sundquist
Matt Cameron
Jason Everman
Ben Shepherd
Website
soundgardenworld.com
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially by Scott Sundquist, and later by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1989 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. The band dissolved in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017 and a year of uncertainty regarding the band's future, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden had disbanded once again, though they did reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell.[1] Not counting the one-off concert, Cornell and Thayil were the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band.
The band helped to popularize grunge music, a style of alternative rock that developed in the American Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s, alongside such Seattle contemporaries as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. They were the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the Seattle-based record label Sub Pop, through which they released two EPs: Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988). Soundgarden's debut album, Ultramega OK, was also released in 1988 by the California-based independent label SST Records; although the album did not sell well nationally, it garnered critical acclaim and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990. Their second album, Louder Than Love, was recorded independently, but, after they signed with A&M Records in 1989 (making them one of the first grunge bands to sign to a major label), the album became their major-label debut. While Ultramega OK had failed to chart and Louder Than Love peaked at number 108 on the Billboard 200 album chart, the band's third album Badmotorfinger (1991) was buoyed by the success of the singles "Jesus Christ Pose", "Outshined", and "Rusty Cage", reached number 39 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA.
Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". The band experimented with new sonic textures on their follow-up album Down on the Upside (1996), which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and spawned several hit singles of its own, including "Pretty Noose", "Burden in My Hand" and "Blow Up the Outside World". In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction and exhaustion from touring. After more than a decade of working on projects and other bands, they reunited in 2010, and Republic Records released their sixth and final studio album, King Animal, in 2012.
As of 2019, Soundgarden had sold more than 14 million records in the United States,[2] and an estimated 30 million worldwide.[3] VH1 ranked Soundgarden at number 14 in their special 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.[4]
^"Watch Soundgarden's Complete Chris Cornell Tribute Set". 93X. January 22, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
^"Gold and Platinum Database Search". RIAA. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
^Kaufman, Gil (September 25, 1998). "Ex-Soundgarden Singer Chris Cornell Plows Ahead With Solo Debut". VH1.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
^Cite error: The named reference vh1 greatest was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and the primary lyricist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. He also had a solo career and contributed to numerous...
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Jam. He first gained fame as the drummer for Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he joined in 1986. He appeared on each of the band's studio albums...
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third studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991, through A&M Records. Soundgarden began the recording sessions for the album...
musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he co-founded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
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best known as the bassist of rock band Soundgarden. Shepherd has won two Grammy Awards as a member of Soundgarden. Born in Okinawa, Shepherd grew up in...
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"Pretty Noose" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by the band's frontman, Chris Cornell, "Pretty Noose" was released in April 1996...
"Spoonman" is a song by the American band Soundgarden. Written by the band's frontman, Chris Cornell, "Spoonman" was released on February 14, 1994, as...
a Japanese-American bassist who was a founding member of grunge band Soundgarden, along with Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell in 1984. He left the band in...
A list of songs recorded by American rock band Soundgarden. "Come Together" and "Drive My Car" were originally recorded by The Beatles. "Come Together"...
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"Blow Up the Outside World" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Blow Up the Outside World" was released...
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early-to-mid-1990s due to releases such as Nirvana's Nevermind, Pearl Jam's Ten, Soundgarden's Superunknown, Alice in Chains' Dirt, and Stone Temple Pilots' Core....
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