Soundgarden Inducted Into Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame

Grunge received a mighty compliment as a music genre when Soundgarden secured a place in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.  They are just the third band considered primarily ‘grunge’ to make the Cleveland institution.  Though some rock fans have not been thrilled with choices the Hall has made over the past couple of decades, most would acknowledge they made the correct pick in Soundgarden’s case.  The band is clearly one of the most influential and successful bands to play grunge and their best songs have lived on in pop culture for decades. 

Of course, it’s bittersweet since only three of the four primary members are still living.  Chris Cornell ended his life on May 18, 2017, leaving behind guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd, and drummer Matt Cameron as surviving members along with original bassist Hiro Yamamoto, who was honored by the Hall as well.  Cornell had the most star power, considered by some as possibly the greatest grunge singer and one of the greatest voices in rock history. 

It’s been approximately 40 years since grunge started popping up in Seattle and Soundgarden were around pretty much from the beginning.  They existed before the other two Hall of Fame bands who are known as ‘grunge bands’, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. 

Once grunge gained massive popularity in the early 1990s, Soundgarden was one of the few bands to have sustained success and several hits - enough to influence their contemporaries and future rock bands.  They were unorthodox, playing in unique tempos and musical scales to inject creativity and darkness into their powerful metallic sound.   

As the third band inducted of the ‘big four’ grunge acts, (really big five when including Stone Temple Pilots), it may be safe to say that someday, Alice in Chains will follow Soundgarden into the Hall.