Soundgarden Joins Nirvana And Pearl Jam in Rock Hall’s Grunge Pantheon

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame has been one of the most coveted accomplishments of rock artists for decades, since the first class was inducted in 1986. Every year since, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame (and starting in 1995, the museum in Cleveland) has inducted a handful of honorees who have deeply impacted the landscape of rock music.

In order to be eligible for induction, an artist must have released their debut studio recording 25 years prior to their induction year. Some artists, like Green Day, for example, are inducted the first year that they’re eligible, while others, like DEVO, have to wait decades for their honor to come.

Of the four Seattle grunge bands, three have received their Rock Hall bids, the third coming this year in the class of 2025. That third band would be none other than Soundgarden. Soundgarden’s first studio recording came in the form of Ultramega OK in 1988, so while they haven’t had to wait as long as some other artists for the Rock Hall honor, they’ve definitely waited long enough.

Without Soundgarden, There Is No Grunge

While there isn’t really a single band or vocalist who defines the grunge sound, I’ve always found Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell to be the perfect blend of deep, melodic, and high-pitched vocal grit. To me, grunge vocals typically fit into one or both of those categories, and no vocalist has mastered that combination better than Cornell has.

Throughout their career, Soundgarden have released six studio albums, eight EPs, six compilation albums, and two live albums, the latest of which being Live From The Artist’s Den, released in 2019, two years after Chris Cornell’s death. Of their six studio albums, three reached the top five of the Billboard 200 chart, and three achieved at least platinum sales certification.

Soundgarden’s fourth album, Superunknown, was definitely their most successful, topping the Billboard 200 chart, and achieving a six-time platinum sales certification. That album was also responsible for arguably their greatest hit, “Black Hole Sun,” which peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their highest-charting single.

As the first of the Seattle four chronologically, their music has influenced every single grunge artist who has come after them, at least to some degree, and their impact on the music world at large is simply undeniable. Though it comes eight years after the death of their frontman, Soundgarden’s bid to rock music’s greatest honor is incredibly well-deserved, even if it is overdue.