Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear on every album), and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band’s full-time drummer in 1986, while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990. The band dissolved in 1997 and re-formed in 2010. Following Cornell’s suicide in 2017 and a year of uncertainty of the band’s future, Thayil declared in an October 2018 interview with Seattle Times that they would not continue as Soundgarden, they did, however, reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell.

Soundgarden was one of the seminal creators of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle, and was the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label (A&M Records in 1989), though they did not achieve commercial success until they popularized the genre in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. Here are all of Soundgarden’s albums ranked.

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6. King Animal (2012)

“Wow, this is a great album, but I didn’t know it for probably fifteen listens. That’s when the subtle, understated nature of the melodies in the songs had sunk in, and I understood what I was listening to. THERE ARE NO CATCHY SONGS, other than maybe “Bones of Birds”, in my opinion, but this is an album I will be listening to for a long, long time. This album seems like the natural progression of an older, wiser Soundgarden. The pace is a little less frenetic. No “Never The Machine Forever” here. My favorite Soundgarden album is “DOTU” and this album is like that, without the wonky interludes that SG placed in most DOTU songs. This album is very fluid. In particular, the drums and bass are excellent. The guitar is solid, but not noisy for the sake of being noisy. Cornell’s vox are spot on. He’s about fifty, and his voice sounds better than Robert Plant’s at the same age. Out of thirteen songs, I love nine, and the other ones are good. Signed, a Soundgarden fan since 1988.”

5. Ultramega OK (1988)

“This album is Soundgarden at it’s most ballsy and bluesy, a shot fired across the bow for big things to come. That being said, I rate it as one of their best efforts. From the drive of Flower and All Your Lies to the wails of Beyond the Wheel to the blues of Smokestack Lightning, this is an incredibly tight, flexible band at their most hungry. What really stands out in this remastered version is how the rhythm section weaves together like clockwork – a real treat for fans of drums and bass. Vital addition to the catalog of any Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, or 90s rock fan. No one does it better, and this is where it all began.”

4. Down on the Upside (1996)

“This is no joke – one of the best albums I have ever heard. It’s one of those that you can sit down and listen to start to finish, over and over. Or it’s got the singles or the songs for different moods. I came late to the Soundgarden party but this one is more melodic and experimental, though not more restrained than their previous efforts. I can’t recommend this album enough to fans of all kinds of rock… Soundgarden really tread a new path in the rock world and this album is a fine showcase of their efforts.”

See More: Nirvana Albums Ranked

3. Louder Than Love (1989)

“This was Soundgarden right before they hit the big time. Kinda raw-sounding and heavy. Chris Cornell’s voice reminds me of a wild horse that just runs where it wants to- he must have had a vocal coach or something in between this album and Badmotorfinger, because he sounds a good bit different on those two albums.”

2. Badmotorfinger (1991)

“Today we have to look forward in a world without Cornell. But we can still appreciate the heights he drove music to in the 80s and 90s. Soundgarden were a driving force in changing the entire industry. They may not have sold as much as a couple of their peers, but they were just as influential when it came to their sound, and this record perhaps best encapsulates that early and endless energy the band had on stage and in the studio. Highly recommended.”

1. Superunknown (1994)

“The zenith of Soundgarden’s power and creativity; Superunknown is one of the best albums of the early 90s alt rock scene. Here the Zeppelin/Sabbath sound has evolved to include various pop and psychedelia influences (a la The Beatles) and is capable of genuine grandeur. Nearly all of the songs had the potential to storm up the charts and the singles are certainly no exception (maybe the rule). “Black Hole Sun” is Soundgarden’s most popular and memorable song, a juxtaposition of bright shimmering Beatles guitars with Cornell’s wish for the apocalypse; “Spoonman” is a muscular and appropriately heroic sounding metal song complete with kitchenware percussion; “Fell On Black Days” is a beautiful low key exercise in depression; “The Day I Tried To Live” is similar in nature, but features a more trippy sound, again juxtaposing “happy” psychedelia with lyrics of isolation; “My Wave” is an roaring rocker with psychedelic surfer tendencies.”