The 10 Best Soundgarden Songs of All-Time
Seattle has produced some great bands in the last couple of decades. Nirvana and Pearl Jam are some examples of Seattle bands inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2020, Soundgarden and Dave Matthews Band had the chance to be inducted into the Rock Hall’s Class of 2020. Soundgarden makes a case for their inclusion due to their huge impact on the preservation, evolution, and development of rock ‘n’ roll. Soundgarden was instrumental in altering the course of rock history by doing away with heavy metal’s huge hair era and creating a path for alternative rock to thrive. This band consisted of Chris Cornell (singer and rhythm guitarist), Kim Thayil (lead guitarist), Hiro Yamamoto (bassist), and Matt Cameron (drummer). Like most bands, Soundgarden has had its share of challenges. The band was dissolved in 1997 and reunited again in 2010. However, the band found it hard to get going after the death of their lead founder Chris Cornell in 2017. The band’s slow but painful death was confirmed by Thayil in October 2018. The band, however, came together in January 2019 for a single concert in tribute to Cornell. Throughout their music journey, Soundgarden has released six studio albums. However, their 1994 album “Superunknown” marked their most remarkable breakthrough as it topped The Billboard 200. Here are some of the greatest Soundgarden songs of all time.
10. The Day I Tried To Live
The number 10 song in our list comes from the second single in the band’s 4th album, “Superunknown,” released in March 1994. Again, the song is a call for people not to shut themselves from the world. In this piece, Chris advises listeners to live a normal life despite their social structure. The track hit position 13 in the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks and peaked on the Modern Rock Tracks.
9. Blow Up The Outside World
“Blow Up The Outside World” is one of the songs by the Soundgarden band that takes their fans on a tour of their imaginations. The song was written during a season when it was all hell in Toronto, Ontario. In the song, Chris expresses the frustrations in their surroundings in a musical way flowing with the band’s powerful, quiet and steady compositions. This track is the 3rd single in their 5th album, “ Down On The Upside,” produced in 1996. The song held the top position on the mainstream Billboard for four weeks
8. Rusty Cage
“Rusty Cage” is one of Soundgarden’s songs that portrayed a significant improvement in their musical prowess. Kim’s guitar explodes in high tension while Ben’s bass ranks high, mixing perfectly with the vocals. Chris explains that the idea of the song was derived from spending years in a tour bus; thus, the title “ Rusty Cage.” This track was the third single by the Soundgarden band and is contained in the album “Badmotorfinger,” released in 1991. The song was an instant hit; thus, the band released it in different formats.
7. Loud Love
This music is a title track from the album “Louder Than Love,” released in 1989. The song “Loud Love” is the second single in this album and is included among the top hit rock songs of the band recorded in 1997
6. 4th Of July
History has it that Chris Cornell was inspired to write this song from an experience he encountered during an acid trip. On this trip, Cornell hallucinated about two figures one in red and one in black following him around and whispering behind his back. In the hallucination, Cornell heard the words “4th July,” thus the song’s title. The track is contained in the album “Superunknown,” which was released in 1994.
5. Spoonman
One of Soundgarden’s most outstanding achievements was in the song “Spoonman,” which is contained in the band’s 4th album “Superunknown.” This song marked the most significant turnaround in the musical journey of the Soundgarden band. The song peaked at position three in the Mainstream Billboard and position nine in the Modern Rock Music Chart.
4. Jesus Christ Pose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFrcXqHhtkg
This track is the first single in 1991’s album “Badmotorfinger”. Though all the band members contributed to writing this song, it brings out Chris Cornell’s character better. Chris Cornell was a staunch catholic until he reached grade 7. The song “Jesus Christ Pose” connects him back to his past life. The song also speaks about musicians that use portraits of Jesus, citing that they misuse that symbol to reveal their feelings of being persecuted by the public.
3. Fell On Black Days
In this song, Chris expresses how one can be extremely happy in one area of life and unhappy in another. Having gone through such feelings, Chris was inspired to write “Fell On Black Days.” This song is featured as the 5th single in the album “Superunknown,” which was released in 1994. This song peaked at position four among Rock Songs on the Billboard Mainstream in 1997
2. Outshined
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNh-iw7gsuI
This track takes you to a different level whenever Chris Cornell starts screaming. In the song, Chris says, “I’m looking California but feeling Minnesota,” which goes down as one of the best lines in rock. The second track on the list of the greatest songs of Soundgarden brings us to the song “Outshined,” which was contained in the album “Badmotorfinger.” The song is the second single in the band’s 3rd album released in 1991.
1. Black Hole Sun
The top song in our list of the greatest Soundgarden hits brings us to the track “Black Hole Sun,” released in 1994. The track is contained in the “Superunknown” album as its 3rd single track. The song was a game-changer to the band members. It maintained position one for seven consecutive weeks on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs.” The track also ranked among the top ten rock tracks in countries like Canada, Ireland, Australia, and France and held position one in Iceland.