After three years of litigation, Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell have reached an out-of-court settlement regarding unreleased recordings.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but both Vicky Cornell and Soundgarden released a joint statement regarding the settlement. “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,” the statement posted to Twitter begins.
“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 well as Chris’s indelible mark on music history—as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time.”
Vicky Cornell filed the lawsuit in Florida in 2019 before it was transferred to Washington State. The lawsuit prevented the band from using any vocal recordings Chris Cornell made before he died. The band maintained that at least seven of the recordings were intended for a future Soundgarden album that had been in the works when Chris Cornell died in 2017.
Various legal filings and countersuits were filed in an increasingly bitter legal battle. Cornell offered the band members a total of $21 million for their shares in the band, according to one of those filings. The two sides began to reach a breakthrough in June 2021 when Cornell agreed to return control of Soundgarden’s social media handles to the members of the band.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is slated to announce its 2023 class, of which Soundgarden is nominated. Soundgarden would join Nirvana and Pearl Jam in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if they’re chosen. Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron is already part of the Rock Hall thanks his work with Pearl Jam.