Maeve McDermott, and Jayme Deerwester

USA TODAY

Music bid farewell to one of its most distinctive voices this week with the tragic news of the passing of Chris Cornell.

Cornell had been on tour when he died Wednesday night at 52, emblematic of his prolific career with Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog and on his solo work. For the many people who came of age, and first fell in love with rock ‘n’ roll, during the era of grunge that Cornell and Soundgarden helped define, his death is a painful loss.

Jimmy Page, Gavin Rossdale, more mourn Chris Cornell

Remember Cornell’s legacy by revisiting the songs that defined his career, ranging from his work with Soundgarden and Audioslave to his later solo work, including some unlikely covers:

Hunger Strike (1991): The sole album release from Cornell's first supergroup, Temple of the Dog, featured a duet with a fellow grunge icon, Pearl Jam's Vedder.

Outshined (1991): In just four words — "looking California, feeling Minnesota" — Cornell offered a succinct comment on the difference between the mood we project and the one we actually feel.

Seasons (1992): Not only did Cornell contribute a track to the Singles soundtrack, the now-iconic collection of songs that accompanied the 1992 movie, but he also made a cameo in the film.

Fell on Black Days (1994): Cornell mined his past battles with depression on this track from Soundgarden's best-selling album, Superunknown. The album's biggest hit, the dreamy Black Hole Sun, also explored sadness, though he noted that went over many listeners' heads at the time.

Spoonman (1994): Cornell dashed off this track while writing songs for Singles after Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament suggested it as a band name for the group Matt Dillon fronts in the movie. Later, Seattle artist Artis the Spoonman was recruited to play on the track and its video.

Burden in My Hand (1996): Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil described this track, in which the narrator abandons his lover in the desert, as a "contemporary Hey Joe," comparing it to Jimi Hendrix's first hit from three decades earlier.

Ave Maria (1997): Cornell showed off his pipes on this soaring cover, also featuring Eleven.

Like A Stone (2003): After Soundgarden disbanded in 1997, Cornell formed Audioslave with Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford, earning a Grammy nomination for this track.

You Know My Name (2006): Cornell contributed the theme song to the 2006 Bond film Casino Royale, the first to feature Daniel Craig. No, the phrase "casino royale" doesn't appear anywhere in the song's lyrics.

Billie Jean (2007): Cornell covered Michael Jackson's immortal hit on his 2007 album Carry On. "I thought well, who would be the least likely artist for me to attempt to cover and the first name that popped into my head was Michael Jackson," he told Rolling Stone about the song. "When I started reading the lyrics, I realized it's a lament, not a dance track."

Nothing Compares 2 U (2015): Sinead O'Connor isn't the only artist to deliver a moving cover of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U, with Cornell performing a moving version of the song at SiriusXM's studios in 2015, shortly after Prince's death.