Throughout the 1990s, Soundgarden was among the most famous and successful rock groups. Together with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana, they were among the pioneers of the grunge movement. The band was created in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and singer and drummer Chris Cornell.
Later, they completed their lineup with the addition of bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron. Six studio albums, two live albums, six compilation albums, eight extended plays, twenty-four singles, and twenty-three music videos were all released by Soundgarden. They sold over 30 million records worldwide and were honored with two Grammy Awards. But what is the net worth of Soundgarden?
What were the band members’ music career earnings? And who among Soundgarden is the wealthiest member? By calculating each member’s estimated net worth based on album sales, royalties, tours, merchandise, solo endeavors, and other revenue streams, we will attempt to provide answers to these concerns in this article.
Soundgarden Net Worth: $100 Million
One of the most popular rock groups of the 1990s, Soundgarden sold more than 30 million records all over the world. They made money from royalties, products, and tours as well. In 2012, Soundgarden earned $12.5 million, placing them at number 28 on the list of “The World’s Highest-Paid Artists.” Their reunion tour, which saw 30 performances and brought in $22.5 million, was mostly to blame for this.
The band members did not, however, split the profits equally. Vicky Cornell, the widow of Chris Cornell, launched a lawsuit against the remaining members of Soundgarden in 2019. Vicky claimed that her husband’s part of seven unreleased compositions was worth at least $16 million, but the band only paid her $300,000. Additionally, it was claimed in the complaint that the band denied Cornell’s estate hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties. In July 2021, the parties came to an agreement to end their disagreement and give the song’s revenues to charitable causes.
Considering their record sales, live performances, and other revenue streams, Soundgarden’s estimated net worth exceeds $100 million.
Chris Cornell Net Worth: $40-60 Million
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Chris-Cornell-2014-tribute-072022-ed6206d2c38141a0b4dc4ddcd5aff157.jpg)
Soundgarden’s lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and principal songwriter was Chris Cornell. In addition, he was a popular solo artist and soundtrack contributor for many films. Temple of the Dog was a one-off tribute band that Cornell founded and led in honor of his late friend Andrew Wood. Additionally, he teamed up with the key members of Rage Against the Machine to form the well-known rock group Audioslave. Because of his powerful belting technique and nearly four-octave vocal range, Cornell became well-known as one of the finest rock singers of all time.
Carry On, Scream, Higher Truth, and Euphoria Morning are the four solo studio albums that Chris Cornell has released. In addition, he put out two compilation albums, Chris Cornell (which were released posthumously) and The Roads We Choose, as well as a live album called Songbook. Machine Gun Preacher (2011) featured Cornell’s song “The Keeper,” for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. In addition, he co-wrote and sang You Know My Name, the theme song from the James Bond movie Casino Royale from 2006. The charity single The Promise, which he wrote for the closing credits of the 2016 movie of the same name, was his final solo release before passing away.
Chris Cornell, the guitarist and singer for Soundgarden, is reported to be worth between $40 and $60 million. The majority of his money came from movie deals, tours, merchandise sales, royalties, and song sales. Additionally, Cornell possessed a number of properties in Rome, New York, Paris, and Los Angeles. He had three children from two marriages. On May 18, 2017, he took his own life at the age of 52.
Kim Thayil Net Worth: $30 Million
Soundgarden’s lead guitarist was Kim Thayil. Along with Cornell and Yamamoto, he co-founded the band in 1984. He continued to be a founding member of the group until the group disbanded in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Thayil was renowned for his creative approach to guitar playing. He used feedback, distortion, wah-wah effects, heavy metal riffs, alternate tunings, and psychedelic inspirations. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 100th best guitarist of all time. 2012 saw him listed by SPIN as the 67th-best guitarist of all time.
Following Soundgarden’s breakup, Kim Thayil chose not to pursue a solo career. Rather, he worked on projects with other musicians like Steve Turner, Mark Arm, Wayne Kramer, Jello Biafra, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic. In 2005, he was the guitarist for the MC5 reunion tour. In 2018, he returned to celebrate their 50th anniversary with them. Additionally, Thayil contributed as a guest musician on albums by The Afghan Whigs, Probot, Sunn O))), Titãs, William Duvall, The Prodigy, The Coup, The Afghan Whigs, The Prodigy, The Crystal Method, and others.
Kim Thayil, the lead guitarist for Soundgarden, is thought to be worth $30 million. The majority of his revenue came from his collaborations with other musicians and work with Soundgarden. In addition, Thayil owns a $447,00 property in Seattle that he purchased in 1994. He has stayed wed to Mia Zapata’s sister Kate Zapata since 1996.
Matt Cameron Net Worth: $70 Million
Matt Cameron played as Soundgarden’s drummer from 1986 until the band’s 1997 breakup and 2010 comeback. Serving as the drummer for Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, he emerged as the only participant in all three bands that Cornell was involved with. In addition, Cameron was a part of Pearl Jam, Hater, Skin Yard, and Wellwater Conspiracy. He is regarded as one of the most important and versatile drummers in rock history. His sound combines elements of punk, metal, jazz, funk, and hard rock. In 2016, Cameron was placed No. 52 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time.”
Cavedweller and The Nighttime Gardener are the two solo albums that Matt Cameron has released. In addition, he did the music work for Pearl Jam Twenty, Hype!, Singles, and Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story. In addition, he made cameo appearances on albums by Queens of the Stone Age, Smashing Pumpkins, The Prodigy, Alice in Chains, Geddy Lee, Jack Endino, and Mark Lanegan.
Matt Cameron, the drummer for Soundgarden, is thought to be worth $70 million. The majority of his money came from his solo endeavors, partnerships, and work with Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Temple of the Dog. Additionally, Cameron has a number of homes in Los Angeles and Seattle. He has been married to April Acevez since 2000, and the two of them have two kids.
Ben Shepherd Net Worth: $20 Million
Ben Shepherd played bass for Soundgarden from 1990 until the band’s 1997 breakup and 2010 comeback. After Hiro Yamamoto quit the band in 1989, Jason Everman temporarily stepped in for him. He was replaced by Everman. Shepherd contributed to the music and singing of the band as a singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. His forceful and lyrical bass playing, which drew inspiration from blues, folk, country, punk rock, and metal, gave the band’s sound more depth and complexity.
Don’t Sleep and In Deep Owl are Ben Shepherd’s two solo albums. March of Crimes, Hater, Wellwater Conspiracy, Devilhead, The Desert Sessions, Mark Lanegan Band, Mondo Generator, Screaming Trees, and other bands were among the groups he performed with. In addition, he made cameo appearances on albums by Tad, The Afghan Whigs, Blind Melon, Eleven, Nirvana, Sound City Players, and other artists.
Ben Shepherd, the bassist for Soundgarden, is thought to be worth $20 million. The majority of his earnings came from his collaborations with Soundgarden and other musical projects. Shepherd also owns a $265,000 property in Seattle that he purchased in 1994. He has one child and divorced Stefanie Sargent in 1998.
Conclusion
Soundgarden’s estimated net worth exceeds $100 million. Soundgarden’s richest member, Matt Cameron, is thought to be worth $70 million. He is followed by Chris Cornell, whose estimated net worth at the time of his death was between $40 and $60 million. Next is Kim Thayil, who is thought to be worth $30 million. Ben Shepherd, whose estimated net worth is $20 million, is the least wealthy member of Soundgarden.
Every member of Soundgarden has had a major impact on the music world. For their peers and fans alike, they have left a lasting legacy.