The widow of the late Chris Cornell has finally settled a bitter years-long legal battle with his iconic band Soundgarden as the new partnership will allow the final songs he worked on to be released together.
Vicki Cornell — who manages the late singer’s estate — took to Instagram on Monday to announce that she’d landed a deal with the Seattle grunge group.
The Black Hole Sun singer was found dead on May 18, 2017 in a Detroit hotel room in what authorities said was a suicide.
“Soundgarden and Vicki Cornell, on behalf of Chris Cornell’s estate, are pleased to announce that they have reached an amicable out-of-court resolution,” the statement released on Monday read.
Perhaps the most exciting thing for fans is that the agreement reached will allow the final tracks featuring Chris and the band — which consists of lead guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist and backup vocalist Ben Shepherd, and drummer and backup vocalist Matt Cameron — to 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 he worked on working together; They were seen in January 2012
Big news: Vicki Cornell — who manages the late singer’s estate — took to Instagram Monday to announce that she was able to land 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; It was introduced in May 2017
The statement continued, “The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden audiences around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris have been working on.”
The two parties join forces and come together to advance, honor, and build on Soundgarden’s incredible legacy as Chris’s indelible mark in music history – as one of the greatest songwriters and singers of all time.
Cornell’s widow sued his troupe twice; once in 2019 due to royalties and seven unreleased tracks and again in 2021 regarding the value of his stake in the band.
In February 2019, Cornell’s former band sued after alleging that the rest of the band offered a $300,000 buyout for Chris’ stake in the band.
Vicki says that’s less than what she got for the band’s masters in 2018. She also claims that the band received a $16 million offer for the masters, which means each band member’s rep should be owed $4 million, according to TMZ on time.
Then in February 2021, she sued Soundgarden over allegations that the three remaining band members offered her only $300,000 for her late husband’s share of the band.
according to TMZ At the time it was a very low game as it was alleged that the members received a $16 million offer from an outside investor for the Soundgarden masters which would mean $4 million each if split equally between the members and Vicky.
At the time, Cornell’s attorney Marty Singer issued a scathing statement that read, “The band’s claim that this dispute is somehow not about money for them is absurd and hypocritical.” Of course this is about money and their greed. They received a third party offer to buy only a portion of their shares for $16 million, however they then offered to buy Chris’s share for only $278,000.
The statement, released on Monday, read: “Soundgarden and Vicki Cornell, on behalf of the Chris Cornell estate, are pleased to announce that they have reached an amicable out-of-court resolution”; Chris and Vicki were seen in April 2017
ONE OF THE GREATEST: Perhaps the most exciting thing for fans is the agreement reached that will allow for final tracks featuring Chris and the band — which consists of lead guitarist Kim Thayil, guitarist and backup vocalist Ben Shepherd, and drummer and backup vocalist Matt. Cameron – may be released; Chris was seen in May 2017
Vicky then offered $21 million for their shares, which they refused – not because they wanted to keep their life’s work but because they knew they would reap more from future exploitation of the music Chris wrote and the legacy he had created (which had lined their pockets for years).
Chris joined the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden in 1984 as the drummer and vocalist until becoming the 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 broke up in 1997, Chris joined with several former Rage Against the Machine members in 2001 to form a new band, Audioslave, which quickly found success with their self-titled multi-platinum album released in November 2002.
Chris Cornell is survived by three children including daughter Lillian Jean, now 23, whom he shares with ex-wife Suzanne Silver.
He later takes in his daughter Toni, now 18, and also Christopher Nicholas, now 17, with Vicki.
Chris joined the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden in 1984 as a percussionist and vocalist until becoming their lead vocalist and frontman in 1985; Filmed in the 90’s
