Soundgarden Chris Cornell’s widow settles recording lawsuit five years after his death

Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell’s widow has settled her lawsuit against the late musician’s former bandmates.

Vicky Cornell filed the lawsuit against Soundgarden in 2019 over royalties from music that she argued Chris initially recorded for a solo project. 

His fellow band members, which include band’s guitarist Kim Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd on the lawsuit, insisted that the recordings were intended for their group.

“The entire band was feeling very positive about their rekindled artistic energy and creativity,” the band said in a letter to Vicky in 2017, according to Variety.

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The two sides came to an agreement on Monday, settling their five-year dispute.

“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 two sides said in a statement. 

“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.”

Per the lawsuit, Chris made seven recordings in his home in Miami Beach months before his death in 2017. He was 52 at the time of his death.

Vicky alleged that Soundgarden was trying to withhold hundreds of thousands of dollars from herself and the couple’s two children.

The lawsuit stated at the time, “[D]espite numerous attempts to work with the band on the release of Chris’ sound recordings, the band has refused to honor Chris’ legacy and wishes. Instead, they are continuing to coerce Vicky by egregiously withholding monies due to her and Chris’ children.”

In 2021, the Cornell family settled a separate lawsuit against a doctor who they alleged over-prescribed Chris drugs before his death.

Soundgarden was founded in 1984, and broke nationally during the rise of Seattle’s grunge music scene in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Their best-known songs include “Black Hole Sun,” “Jesus Christ Pose,” “Outshined” and “Spoonman.” Cornell was also part of the bands Audioslave and Temple of the Dog.

“The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden’s incredible legacy,” Monday’s statement said, “as well as Chris’s indelible mark on music history as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.