Soundgarden’s Long-Awaited Final Album Might See The Light Of Day Soon

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil spoke about his desire to release the band’s long-awaited final album. This album is said to feature Soundgarden’s final recordings and compositions with singer Chris Cornell, which of course, were recorded and written prior to Cornell’s death in 2017.

Why Soundgarden Hasn’t Released Their Final Album Yet

Following Chris Conrell’s death, the remaining members of Soundgarden Kim Thayil (guitarist), Matt Cameron (drums), and Ben Shepard (bass) have been in a dispute between Cornell’s widow, Vicky Corenell, over the final songs the band and Chris had been working on. In 2021, Vicky Corenell had sued the members of Soundgarden over a proposed buyout offer for the band’s final recordings. However, just as tension were heating up between the two parties, in April 2023, the band and Cornell’s estate announced they had come to an agreement:

“Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, on behalf of the Estate of Chris Cornell, are happy to announce they have reached an amicable out of court resolution. The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden fans around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on. The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden’s incredible legacy as well as Chris’s indelible mark on music history – as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time”

The ‘Dispute’ Continues

Despite this public statement which clearly points out that both parties had reconciled, Soundgarden’s drummer Matt Cameron had made comments in the following months, that indicate the dispute between the band and Cornell’s estate was still ongoing. On the Vinyl Guide podcast, Cameron was asked about the status of the band’s unreleased material, to which he replied, “We’re still in the middle of a dispute with the estate and… Everything is on hold right now, and I can’t really go into details unfortunately. But as of right now, no, it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen next year, [2024]

. But hopefully soon – I’m not giving up hope.”

Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil Gives A 2025 Update

While the waters have been murky regarding the status of this final Soundgarden LP, guitarist Kim Thayil recently spoke with Rolling Stone ahead of Soundgarden’s induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame happening later this year. When asked on whether or not the final recordings will be released, Thayil replied, “I think so. Our objective and goal was always to complete that. I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished or incomplete like that, so I think the more we can attend to our body of work and our catalog…I think everyone in the band feels that way.”

Thayil continued, “I don’t just to attend to my work, but the collective work, and in this case specifically, the work of Chris. I have pride for what I did and I want to see that come out. It doesn’t exist in the vacuum. It exists as a collaboration with Matt and Ben and Chris, but it takes on an entirely different weight when you think about what it is you’re honoring, and the work that you’re paying tribute to. It is us collectively. We want to do it proud. And that part of us is certainly one of the most intimate components of what Soundgarden has been since 1984.”

Bottom Line

Thayil’s comments make it clear that the band ultimately plans to release this material, however, the timeline for this release is still unknown. With Soundgarden’s induction into the RARHOF, the remaining members will be performing alongside one another once again, and of course, both parties will likely be present for the ceremony. Given that Soundgarden’s legacy is in the spotlight with their upcoming induction, there could be an opportunity for the band and Cornell’s estate to finalize a release plan for this long-awaited LP.