Soundgarden Biography

Soundgarden is an American grunge & alternative rock band formed in 1984. They are a quintessential element in the formation of grunge. Notably, they contributed to its early 90s breakthrough,  along with other Seattle bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains. Soundgarden is best known for their number 1 album, Superunknown (1994), which spawned the Grammy-awarded singles Black Hole Sun and Spoonman. Moreover, they reached number 14 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Early Years & Breakthrough

The band formed in 1984 after Kim Thayil (guitarist) and Hiro Yamamoto (former bassist) finished high-school. They hired Chris Cornell as lead singer and Matt Cameron as the drummer. Ulteriorly, Ben Shepherd replaced Yamamoto. After a couple of EPS, the band released their debut album, Ultramega OK. Their next albums, Louder Than Love, came out in 1990, through a major label. By 1991, Soundgarden gained recognition and, therefore, their third album Badmotorfinger went double platinum. Additionally, it peaked at number 39 in both the US and the UK.

Highest Peak & Recent Years

Following up on that success, the band released their best-selling and most acclaimed album to date, in 1994. Superunknown received a 5x platinum certification and topped the Billboard 200. The iconic single Black Hole Sun became the band’s emblematic song. Despite their continuous success, proven by their next album, Down on the Upside (1996), the band decided to take a break, announced in 1997. Since their 2010 reunion, they released a generally-praised album, King Animal, and 3 consecutive number 1 Mainstream Rock Tracks. The group is currently recording a seventh album.

Photo source: MetroTimes