Soundgarden

About Soundgarden

Formed by Cornell, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto, Soundgarden crystallized their lineup by 1986 with Matt Cameron on drums and later Ben Shepherd on bass. Their early EPs Screaming Life and Fopp helped establish Sub Pop's roster, but it was their 1988 debut Ultramega OK on SST Records that garnered serious critical attention, earning a Grammy nomination. That same year they signed to A&M Records, becoming the first grunge band on a major label, a move that positioned them alongside Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana in defining the genre's commercial breakthrough.

Badmotorfinger arrived in 1991 to immediate impact, reaching number 39 on the Billboard 200 and eventually double-platinum certification on the strength of singles like Outshined and Rusty Cage. The following years cemented their status: Superunknown debuted at number one in 1994 with the Grammy-winning Spoonman and Black Hole Sun, while Down on the Upside hit number two in 1996 with Pretty Noose and Burden in My Hand. After disbanding in 1997 and reuniting in 2010, they released King Animal through Republic Records before Cornell's death in 2017 ended the band's active run.

Soundgarden's catalog reflects both their evolution and their prolific output across formats. The Groove Hunter currently tracks 11 editions of their work, including multiple pressings of Badmotorfinger, Louder Than Love, Superunknown, and Down On The Upside, alongside their debut Ultramega OK. These reissues represent the band's lasting value to collectors seeking both their formative Sub Pop era and their commercial peak with A&M Records.