3 Grunge Bands That Should Be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

In late 2025, grunge fans got to enjoy a treat. They got to sit back and bask in the memories of their favorite rock sub-genre as one of grunge’s most important groups, Soundgarden, received their long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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Soundgarden’s inclusion in the pantheon marked just the third time a grunge band got to Cleveland. The other two that enjoyed success in the late 1980s or early 1990s include Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But what about the other groups that deserve a HOF nod? That’s just what we wanted to dive into here. These are three grunge bands that deserve to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Alice In Chains

This one is a no-brainer. It should happen now. No, it should have happened years ago. The group that made big waves in hard rock deserves enshrinement in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Founded in Seattle in 1987, AIC rose to fame thanks, in part, to its banshee singer Layne Staley, who is perhaps the best grunge lead singer out of all of them, which is saying a lot. The band released its debut album in 1990, and though Staley died in the early 2000s, Alice In Chains continues to rock today. Put them in!

Temple Of The Dog

This band has an interesting case for the Hall of Fame. It seems that in the vaunted rock museum, there should be places for supergroups and other bands with short but major impacts. Created by Chris Cornell in the early 1990s as a tribute band for his late friend and roommate, Seattle rocker Andrew Wood, Temple Of The Dog featured Cornell and Eddie Vedder as singers, along with guitarist Mike McCready and other grunge legends. Indeed, you can’t talk the genre without mentioning Temple Of The Dog and its tune “Hunger Strike”—though it was short-lived, the band was a dream team.

Screaming Trees

Fronted by grunge icon Mark Lanegan, Screaming Trees are likely the fifth most popular grunge band ever. It’s them or Mudhoney. But it was Lanegan’s deep, raspy voice that propelled the Ellensburg, Washington-born group to stardom. Their biggest hit was the tune “Nearly Lost You” from the Singles movie soundtrack. And whether the Trees should be in the Hall is one thing (they should). But it’s Lanegan, who also performed in bands like Queens Of The Stone Age and Mad Season, who should have been there yesterday.

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