Who Could Introduce and Sing for Soundgarden at the R’n’R Hall of Fame?

An unforgettable tribute: who will carry Soundgarden‘s legacy at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Soundgarden getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn’t just a celebration—it’s heavy, emotional, and loaded with meaning. It raises two big questions: who should give the induction speech, and who could step up to sing in Chris Cornell’s place without messing with his vibe?

The induction ceremony will go down on November 8, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will stream live on Disney+, with replays on ABC and Hulu.

Soundgarden will be inducted in the Performer category alongside other legends like Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, and The White Stripes.

The Soundgarden members being 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 will be his second induction into the Hall, following his 2017 inclusion with Pearl Jam.

We’re writing this article in light of recent comments from Kim Thayil, the band’s legendary guitarist, who opened up about how delicate the choice of who will sing in place of Chris Cornell is on November 8, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in LA.

“The bar is really high, both technically and emotionally,” Thayil said. “What’s at stake is not just honoring a brother and a founding member who’s no longer here, but also respecting Chris’s legacy, his work, and his creativity—both for ourselves as a band and for each other. Some proposals have come up, but I’m not ready to share them yet. I’ll just say that the bar is higher than the usual mix of guitarists, drummers, and singers.”

Those words hit hard, making us think about just how deep and meaningful this moment needs to be. It’s not just a show. It’s not a simple celebration. It’s a true tribute, one worthy of the man and artist that Chris Cornell was.

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The Speech: Who Could Introduce Soundgarden at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

A lot of names come to mind.

Eddie Vedder definitely has the weight to do it. But that might make him not want to publicly tackle such a personal loss.

Jerry Cantrell, Dave Grohl, or maybe even, and arguably especially, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Jimmy Page: these are all iconic figures who could bring an outside yet authoritative perspective. And of course, Tom Morello, Cornell’s bandmate during their time in Audioslave, could have amazing things to say in memory of that legendary voice.

We can’t rule out movie folks either, like what’s happened before at the Hall of Fame. Maybe it’s Cameron Crowe, or even a close personal friend of Chris’s, Brad Pitt.

But the most natural and heartfelt choices seem to be two: Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, both from Pearl Jam and members of Temple of the Dog with Chris.

Gossard has often said that his favorite studio experience was working with Temple of the Dog. Ament, for his part, was deeply connected to Cornell: they were true friends, not just bandmates. Together, they could speak to the human, fragile, poetic side of Chris – something no outsider could capture.

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Who Could Sing for Chris Cornell?

You can’t replace Chris Cornell. But you can honor him. So who could step up to sing?

• Eddie Vedder, if he’s up for it, would be a powerful choice.
• Brandi Carlile, who’s already performed live with the surviving members of Soundgarden and even dropped a single with two Soundgarden covers for Record Store Day a while back.
• Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), with his deep voice, could give new life to the darker, heavier tracks.
• Trent Reznor, especially on the heavier tracks, would be a badass choice for sure.
• Dave Grohl, energetic and respectful, is one of the few who could command the stage with humility and charisma.

The full Metallica crew, huge Soundgarden fans, who covered All of Your Lies during the 2019 tribute concert for Chris, or maybe even Tool, whose early work has a similar vibe to Soundgarden.

But some of the most surprising performances could come from outside the “grunge” circle:

• Miley Cyrus, who sang Say Hello 2 Heaven at the 2019 tribute for Cornell with a vocal maturity and intensity that stunned everyone.
• Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless), who was on tour with Soundgarden when Chris passed, has shown time and time again she can bring power and authenticity to his songs (especially Loud Love). Like Cyrus, she’s performed with the surviving members of Soundgarden more than once.
• Out of the younger crowd, Reignwolf — who’s already recorded some tracks in the studio with Ben Shepherd and Matt Cameron (though that stuff’s still unreleased) — could totally do justice to the gnarlier side of the Seattle band’s sound.
• Perry Farrell, whose voice could give a fresh take on some of Soundgarden’s tracks.
• Nick Cave, with his haunting, brooding style, could offer a unique take on Soundgarden’s darker, more introspective songs.
• Axl Rose, who’s sung Black Hole Sun at Guns N’ Roses shows, has shown respect for Chris’s legacy, believing in the Soundgarden sound so much that he toured with them back in 1992.

For a more intimate, spiritual performance, Robert Plant would be a perfect fit. Imagine Zero Chance or Like Suicide stripped down acoustically, with his legendary voice bringing the invisible to life. Goosebumps.

Even lesser-known but sincere voices could find their place: Tad Doyle, who performed with Soundgarden just before they reformed in 2010, Jerry Cantrell himself, or Alain Johannes of Eleven, a close friend of Cornell’s.

Of course, other voices could’ve captured the essence of Soundgarden: Jeff Buckley, Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon, or the legendary Michael Jackson (whose stunning version of Billie Jean was recorded with Cornell and included on his 2007 solo album, Carry On).

What matters most, beyond any name, is the spirit.

The spirit with which an artist who turned pain into art, and rock into a spiritual language, is honored. Cornell would’ve wanted to see Soundgarden celebrated. And we, the ones still listening to him, want to see him remembered with respect, intensity, and love.

Whether it’s Gossard and Ament speaking, or Momsen, Grohl, or Cyrus singing, what counts is that for just a moment, that impossible-to-forget voice rings out once again. Like a scream in the dark.