The widow of late frontman Chris Cornell has finally settled a bitter years-long legal battle with his iconic band Soundgarden as the new partnership will allow the release of the final songs the act had worked on together.
Vicky Cornell – who runs the estate of the late singer – took to Instagram on Monday to make the announcement that she was able to work out a deal with the Seattle based grunge group.
The Black Hole Sun singer was found dead May 18, 2017 in a Detroit hotel room in what authorities said was a suicide.
The statement released on Monday read: ‘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.’
Perhaps the most exciting thing for fans was the agreement put into place will allow the final tracks featuring Chris and the band – which consists of lead guitarist Kim Thayll, bassist and backup vocalist Ben Shepherd, and drummer and backup vocalist Matt Cameron – can be released.
Icon: The widow of late frontman Chris Cornell has finally settled a bitter years-long legal battle with his iconic band Soundgarden as the new partnership will allow the release of the final songs the act had worked on together; they are seen in January 2012
Big news: Vicky Cornell – who runs the estate of the late singer – took to Instagram on Monday to make the announcement that she was able to work out a deal with the Seattle based grunge group
Tragedy: The Black Hole Sun singer was found dead May 18, 2017 in a Detroit hotel room in what authorities said was a suicide; he is shown in May 2017
The statement continued: ‘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.
‘The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor, and build upon Soundgarden’s incredible legacy as Chris’s indelible mark on music history – as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time.’
Cornell’s widow has sued his band twice; once in 2019 over royalties and seven unreleased tracks and again in 2021 regarding the value of his stake in the band.
In February 2019 she sued Cornell’s former band after she claimed the rest of the band members offered a $300,000 buyout for Chris’ stake in the band.
Vicky says that it’s less than what she got for the band’s masters in 2018. She also alleges the band received a $16 million offer for the masters, meaning each band member’s representative should be entitled to $4 million, according to TMZ at the time.
Then in February 2021, she sued Soundgarden over claims that the three remaining band members offered her just $300K for her late husband’s stake in the band.
According to TMZ at the time she had alleged it was a massive lowball as she claimed the members had an offer of $16million from an outside investor for Soundgarden’s masters which would mean $4million each if split evenly between the members and Vicky.
At the time Cornell’s attorney Marty Singer even put out a biting statement which read: ‘The band’s contention that this dispute is somehow not about the money for them is absurd and hypocritical. Of course this is about money and their greed. They received a third party offer to buy just a portion of their interests for 16 million dollars, and yet subsequently offered to buy out Chris’ interest for a mere $278,000.
The statement released on Monday read: ‘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’; Chris and Vicky are seen in April 2017
One of the greats: Perhaps the most exciting thing for fans was the agreement put into place will allow the final tracks featuring Chris and the band – which consists of lead guitarist Kim Thayll, bassist and backup vocalist Ben Shepherd, and drummer and backup vocalist Matt Cameron – can be released; Chris is seen in May 2017
‘And then Vicky offered $21 million for their shares, which they turned down – not because they wanted to preserve their life’s work but because they know that they will make even more off of future exploitation of the music that Chris wrote and the legacy that he created (which has lined their pockets for years).’
Chris joined the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden in 1984 as its drummer and vocalist until becoming its lead vocalist and frontman in 1985.
After releasing their debut EP Screaming Life in 1987, they signed to A&M Records in 1989, becoming the first grunge band to sign with a major record label.
After Soundgarden’s break-up in 1997, Chris joined several former Rage Against the Machine members in 2001 to form a new band, Audioslave, which soon found success with their multiplatinum self-titled album released in November 2002.
Chris Cornell was survived by three children including daughter Lillian Jean, now 23, whom he shares with ex-wife Susan Silver.
He later welcomed daughter Toni, now 18, and so n Christopher Nicholas, now 17, with Vicky.
Chris joined the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden in 1984 as its drummer and vocalist until becoming its lead vocalist and frontman in 1985; he is pictured in the 1990s
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