Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell’s Death Ruled a Suicide

Cornell was found dead in his hotel room in Detroit last night
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Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has been ruled a suicide by hanging, the Wayne County Medical Examiner determined, the Associated Press reports. Cornell was found dead in his hotel room last night at the MGM Grand Detroit following a Soundgarden show at Detroit’s Fox Theater, according to local police. A family friend, responding to a request to check on Cornell by his wife, Vicky, found Cornell lying on the bathroom floor with a band around his neck. Cornell’s spokesperson had previously described his death as “sudden and unexpected.”

With Soundgarden, Cornell shaped Seattle’s grunge movement alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam. He also played in Temple of the Dog, a group featuring several Mother Love Bone members who went on to join Pearl Jam. In the early 2000s, he joined members of Rage Against the Machine to form Audioslave, who released three albums. Soundgarden reformed in 2010, Temple of the Dog in 2016, and Audioslave reunited earlier this year for an event protesting Trump’s inauguration.

Read thoughts on Cornell from various artists here, and “Chris Cornell’s Greatest Vocal Performances” on the Pitch.