Soundgarden was one of seven artists inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the Performer category on Saturday, November 8, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Comic actor Jim Carrey and late frontman Chris Cornell’s eldest daughter, Lily, gave speeches welcoming the Seattle grunge legends into the Rock Hall.
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The band’s core surviving members—guitarist Kim Thayil, original bassist Hiro Yamamoto, drummer Matt Cameron, and longtime bassist Ben Shepherd—then reunited to perform the Soundgarden classics “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun.” They were joined by Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on guitars, and guest singers Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless and Brandi Carlile.
After the performances, Thayil, Yamamoto, Cameron, and Shepherd delivered acceptance speeches, but the Rock Hall’s Soundgarden salute wasn’t quite over. Cornell’s younger daughter, 21-year-old Toni, took the stage with Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson and cellist Adrienne Woods for an emotional acoustic rendition of “Fell on Black Days.” During the melancholy performance, a large photo of Chris was projected on the giant video screen behind the stage. At the end of the song, Toni blew a kiss to Wilson.
Like “Black Hole Sun,” “Fell on Black Days” was featured on Soundgarden’s chart-topping 1994 album, Superunknown. Both songs were written solely by Chris.
More About Toni Cornell
Toni Cornell, whose mother is Chris’ second wife, Vicki, previously paid homage to her father at the January 2019 “I Am the Highway” tribute concert. The star-studded event was held at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
At the show, Toni sang Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” with Ziggy Marley. The tune was a song that Lily and her dad performed multiple times together at his concerts. Chris Cornell died by suicide in 2017 at the age of 52.
About Lily Cornell’s Speech
Lily Cornell is Chris’ only child with his first wife, Susan Silver, who also was Soundgarden longtime manager.
During the 2025 Rock Hall ceremony, Lily paid heartfelt tribute to her father, and gave a shout-out to her mom.
“I’m honored to be here to celebrate Soundgarden and my dad as a songwriter, musician and amazing singer,” Lily said. “And also to celebrate my mom, Susan Silver, who managed Soundgarden from 1986 into the 2000s. And she’s a major badass. This evening especially, I could not be prouder to be their daughter.”
She continued, “The band’s impact is of course massive, but growing up within the Seattle music community, what’s always been the most special part to me is that it comes from friends making music together, and then being able to turn that into a life. Seeing my dad not as a public figure, but as a person, a father, and someone who faced his struggles out loud, I am just really, really happy that he got to make music with his friends. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. I know how much purpose that gave him, and how much it’s meant to people who have heard that music. That’s what I’ll be holding in my heart tonight. Thank you all for honoring my dad, and for recognizing Soundgarden.”
More About the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
The star-packed 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony streamed live on Disney+, and ran nearly four-and-a-half hours. The full event can be watched on demand now on the streaming service.
In addition, a highlights special will premiere on ABC on January 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET. It also will be available for streaming on Hulu starting the following day.
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for RRHOF)
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