Soundgarden took the spotlight and turned it into something deeper than a mere accolades moment. Their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame came on a night filled with surprise guests and intense emotion. Actor Jim Carrey kicked off the proceedings with a raw, personal introduction, recalling how the Seattle band “helped start it” when rock felt like it was fading.
For their performance, Soundgarden turned to a lineup of collaborators and friends to fill the gap left by Cornell’s passing. Taylor Momsen (of The Pretty Reckless) opened with the powerful “Rusty Cage”; then Brandi Carlile stepped in for the iconic “Black Hole Sun.” Onstage alongside them were Seattle legends like Jerry Cantrell and Mike McCready, plus Heart’s Nancy Wilson and original bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
Thayil put the moment into perspective:
“To have our peers, friends and creative collaborators from here share that with us is very important … It’s where we are, it’s where we came from. It’s who we are.”
The night didn’t ignore Cornell—quite the opposite. Yamamoto recalled the band’s debut frontman with reverence:
“Chris Cornell, we are missing you tonight on this stage… Somewhere out there, Chris, we’re talking to you.”
Between the riffs, the guest appearances and the heartfelt speeches, this wasn’t just a triumph—it was a homecoming. Soundgarden reclaimed their place, honored their fallen brother, and reminded the world that their roots still run deep in Seattle’s musical soil.
