Chris Cornell, legendary frontman of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and more recently, Audioslave, has passed away, age 52.
The artist reportedly died in Detroit on Wednesday night. Representative Brian Bumbery has shared that his passing was “sudden and unexpected”, and that Cornell’s family, including his wife, Vicky, were “shocked” by the news.
Cornell was in Detroit to perform with Soundgarden, who were currently on tour in the USA. His final tweet came just hours before he passed away.
Just two months ago in March, Soundgarden re-released their groundbreaking debut album Ultramega OK, and Cornell released a new solo single just a few weeks ago – listen here. He also reunited with supergroup Temple of the Dog last year, touring in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their self-titled album.
Our thoughts are with Cornell’s family, friends, loved ones and fans. He was, and always will be, one of the most important figures in grunge. His uniquely rich voice soared above some of the genre’s greatest riffs and solos; Soundgarden’s music, particularly Superunknown and Down On The Upside are crucial facets of the grunge canon. It wouldn’t have been grunge without him.
Cornell last visited Australia on a solo tour in late 2015, including two performances at the Sydney Opera House.
Rest in peace, Chris. You will be missed.