Soundgarden

Soundgarden is an American rock band formed by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. They were one of the seminal bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle along with contemporaries Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.

In 1989, the band released its first album for a major label, Louder Than Love. The band's next album was to be its breakthrough. Superunknown, released in 1994, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and launched several successful singles, including "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". In 1996, the band released its fifth studio album, Down on the Upside.

In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction. After several years working on projects and other bands, Soundgarden reunited in 2010 and is currently working on a new album, which is slated for release in October 2012.

They have sold over 10.5 million records in the United States and an estimated 22.5 million worldwide. They have released five studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, five extended plays, and twenty-one singles.