On April 27, 2025, it was officially announced that Soundgarden will finally be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – a long-overdue honor sealing their legacy as pioneers and innovators in modern rock history. It’s a milestone that, while way past due according to many fans and critics, gives proper credit to a band that shaped the language of grunge and pushed it far beyond Seattle’s borders.
The induction ceremony is set for November 8, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will stream live on Disney+, with replays later on ABC and Hulu.
Soundgarden is being inducted in the Performer category alongside six other acts: Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, and The White Stripes. Other honors this year include the Musical Influence Award for Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon, the Musical Excellence Award for Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye, and the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lenny Waronker.
The members of Soundgarden who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are:
- Chris Cornell – vocals and guitar (1984–1997, 2010–2017)
- Kim Thayil – guitar (1984–1997, 2010–2017)
- Ben Shepherd – bass (1990–1997, 2010–2017)
- Matt Cameron – drums, backing vocals, percussion (1986–1997, 2010–2017)
- Hiro Yamamoto – bass (1984–1989)
For Matt Cameron, this is his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following his 2017 induction with Pearl Jam.
As of now, it’s still under wraps who will officially induct Soundgarden into the Hall or who will perform tributes to them onstage. Those details will roll out over the next few months via the Rock Hall’s official channels.
The Early Days: Building the Sound of Seattle
Soundgarden’s story kicks off in 1984, right in the heart of Seattle’s growing underground scene.
Founded by singer Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto, Soundgarden sounded like nothing else at the time — darker than metal, heavier than punk, and way more introspective than classic rock.
At first, Cornell handled both drums and vocals, but it wasn’t long before they recruited Matt Cameron on drums, freeing Chris to unleash that wild voice of his — a voice that could effortlessly swing from deep growls to soaring highs.
In 1987, they dropped their first EP, Screaming Life, on Sub Pop Records — the same indie label that would soon launch Nirvana.
Their first full albums, Ultramega OK (1988) and Louder Than Love (1989), were early signs that something totally new was brewing: a raw, gut-punch blend of Black Sabbath riffs and hardcore punk attitude.
Breaking Through: Badmotorfinger and Superunknown
When Ben Shepherd joined on bass in 1990, Soundgarden found their final, fiercest form. That was a turning point — Shepherd brought a darker, weirder vibe to the band’s sound.
In 1991, they unleashed Badmotorfinger — a monster of a record packed with heavy-hitting tracks like Rusty Cage, Outshined, and Jesus Christ Pose. While grunge exploded around them thanks to Nirvana’s Nevermind, Soundgarden stayed heavier and more complex, walking their own brutal path.
Then came Superunknown in 1994 — hands down one of the greatest albums of the ’90s. Songs like Black Hole Sun, Fell on Black Days, and Spoonman dove deep into alienation, dreams, and internal apocalypses, selling millions of copies and winning Grammy Awards. Even with all that commercial success, Soundgarden never sold out. They always walked the line between darkness and beauty.
The Fall, the Breakup, and the Heartbreak
Down on the Upside dropped in 1996 – a more experimental record, but one born out of growing tensions inside the band.
After a tough world tour, Soundgarden officially split up in 1997. Matt Cameron soon joined Pearl Jam, and Chris Cornell launched a solo career before founding Audioslave.
In 2010, fans finally got what they’d been begging for – Soundgarden’s long-awaited reunion. They released King Animal in 2012, proving they still had the fire and the soul.
But then tragedy struck.
On May 18, 2017, the world was rocked by the devastating news that Chris Cornell had died after a show in Detroit.
Losing Cornell — one of the most powerful, charismatic voices in rock — left a hole that can never really be filled.
Hall of Fame: A Late but Eternal Tribute
The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction is more than just long overdue — it’s deeply emotional.
Right after the announcement, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament celebrated the news on Instagram:
“Fooook Yesss!! Congrats to our brothers @soundgarden @themattcameron with the induction into the @rockhall #fullonkevinsmom”
A real burst of pure love and excitement from Ament, who’s shared decades of friendship and brotherhood with Soundgarden — especially with drummer Matt Cameron.
Soundgarden aren’t just one of the most important grunge bands – they’re architects of a sound that cracked rock wide open, making it darker, more vulnerable, more real. Alongside Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice In Chains, Soundgarden didn’t just lead a musical movement – they led a cultural revolution. Their music spoke for everyone who ever felt alienated, lost, or overwhelmed — and still found beauty in the darkness.
Their induction is also a tribute to Chris Cornell – a voice like a comet, blazing across the sky, leaving behind a bittersweet trail of sorrow and wonder.
Soundgarden posthumous album
Right now, unfortunately, there’s no real update on the release of Soundgarden’s long-awaited posthumous album of unreleased tracks. The band members have said the project is still on hold, “kind of stuck in limbo.” Hopefully, we’ll finally get to hear this material sometime soon – it would be a huge piece for anyone who loves their story.
Below is a list of songs, written and recorded between 2016 and early 2017, that are expected to be part of Soundgarden’s upcoming posthumous album.
- Ahead Of The Dog (Cornell/Thayil)
- At Ophians Door (Cornell/Cameron)
- Cancer (Cornell)
- Merrmas (Cornell/Shepherd)
- Orphans (Cornell/Cameron)
- Road Less Traveled (Cornell/Cameron)
- Stone Age Mind (Cornell)
Timeline
1984 Band forms in Seattle — Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto
1985 Scott Sundquist joins as drummer so Cornell can focus on singing
1986 Matt Cameron replaces Sundquist on drums
1987 Screaming Life EP drops via Sub Pop
1988 Full-length debut Ultramega OK released
1989 Louder Than Love released — first major label deal with A&M Records
1990 Ben Shepherd replaces Hiro Yamamoto on bass
1991 Badmotorfinger drops — the band’s breakthrough moment
1994 Superunknown released — includes Black Hole Sun and Spoonman
1996 Down on the Upside released
1997 Band breaks up after internal tensions
2010 Official reunion
2012 Release of King Animal
2017 Chris Cornell passes away on May 18
2025 Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.