Chris Cornell was in 4 major bands : Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, and his earlier band, The Shemps. Soundgarden is the best-known one, and Audioslave and Temple of the Dog are the other two big names most people count when talking about his career.

Quick Scoop

If you mean main bands , the usual answer is 3 or 4 , depending on whether someone includes his very early groups and short-lived projects. The most widely recognized bands tied to him are Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog.

Band breakdown

  • Soundgarden — his breakout and most famous band.
  • Temple of the Dog — the one-off supergroup formed as a tribute to Andrew Wood.
  • Audioslave — the high-profile supergroup with members of Rage Against the Machine.
  • The Shemps — an early local band, usually not counted in casual answers.

Why the count varies

People count Chris Cornell differently because some lists include only the major, career-defining bands, while others include early or short-lived projects. So the safest short answer is: 3 big bands, 4 if you include an early band.

Would you like the full list of every band and project he played in?