Updated June 11, 2026 at 9:11 AM PDT
Rock music in Seattle developed in relative isolation from the mainstream music industry during the 1980s — forming an untapped well of potential that counted bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana as active members of the Seattle grunge scene.
But by the late 1980s, Soundgarden led grunge music's charge into the mainstream.
They became the first grunge band to sign with a major label when they inked a record contract with A&M Records in 1988. Their first two albums under A&M, Louder Than Love and Badmotorfinger, were critically acclaimed. And with the release of their breakthrough 1994 album Superunknown, the group rose to chart-topping new heights, winning multiple Grammys for the project.
"Black Hole Sun" from Superunknown is the band's most popular song, but lead guitarist Kim Thayil initially had mixed feelings about the track, which was written by the band's late lead singer, Chris Cornell.
"I recognized the song as a good song, and I liked it as a creation of Chris [Cornell]. I didn't recognize it as a Soundgarden song," Thayil told Morning Edition.
NPR's A Martinez spoke with Thayil about the origins of Soundgarden, their legacy as a grunge band and the process of crafting his memoir A Screaming Life.
Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue play button above.
The digital version of this interview was adapted by Margaux Bauerlein and edited by Treye Green.
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