What Was Chris Cornell's Net Worth?
Chris Cornell was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death in 2017. The winner of three Grammy Awards, Chris Cornell was best known for his work as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. Chris died of apparent suicide on May 18, 2017, in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 52.
Early Life
Chris Cornell was born Christopher John Boyle on July 20, 1964, in Seattle, Washington. His parents, Karen Cornell and Edward Boyle, divorced when he was a teenager. He had five siblings. Karen, a self-proclaimed psychic, is of Jewish descent, and Edward, a pharmacist, was of Irish Catholic descent. As a child, Cornell took lessons for both the piano and guitar. He credited his exposure at a young age to Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Beatles, shaping his early musical taste. He showed an aptitude for performance, putting on his first school performance in the sixth grade. At age 12, Chris began using marijuana and alcohol, and his early teenage years were marked by instances of heavy drug use, social isolation, and periods of sobriety. He attended Shorewood High School but dropped out before earning a diploma. At 16, he learned to play the drums and started playing in local bands. During this time, Cornell performed a few shows with Kim Thayil and Hiro Yamamoto; they would later form Soundgarden.
Soundgarden
Cornell reunited with Thayil and Yamamoto in 1984 to form Soundgarden. In addition to performing lead vocals, he played drums until they found a permanent drummer in Matt Cameron. Signed with the local recording label Sub Pop, Soundgarden released their debut EP "Screaming Life" in 1987 and a second album, "Fopp," the following year. As Seattle's grunge music scene expanded, Soundgarden grew in popularity, releasing "Ultramega OK" in 1988 with SST Records. They were considered one of the "big four" to come out of the Seattle grunge scene, alongside Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. Their debut album earned a 1990 Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.
Soundgarden gained widespread recognition with their 1991 album "Badmotorfinger," featuring three successful singles. The music video for the single "Jesus Christ Pose" generated controversy for its religious themes and was pulled from MTV after protests. In 1992, they received their second Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance. The fourth album, "Superunknown," brought them international acclaim and topped the Billboard 200 chart shortly after its release in March 1994. The album went 6x Platinum in the US, 3x Platinum in Australia and Canada, 2x Platinum in Sweden, and Platinum in the UK. It earned the band two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award.
The group's fifth album, "Down on the Upside," released in 1996, showed a more subdued sound with fewer heavy guitar riffs but was widely praised. It performed well commercially, achieving platinum status in the US, Canada, and Australia. Despite its success, tensions escalated within the band over their creative direction, leading to their split in 1997. Soundgarden reunited in 2010, releasing the album "King Animal" in 2012.
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Solo Career and Audioslave
Cornell released his solo album "Euphoria Morning" in 1999 and went on his first solo tour. The album received critical acclaim, with the lead single earning a Grammy nomination, though it did not achieve significant commercial success despite high tour attendance.
While working on material for his second album, Cornell collaborated with the remaining members of Rage Against the Machine, leading to the formation of Audioslave. They quickly bonded, writing 21 songs in 19 days, and released a self-titled debut album in late 2002. The album received mixed critical reviews but was a commercial success, achieving 3x Platinum status in the US. Despite concerns about Cornell's stint in rehab, he completed the tour as planned.
Their second album, "Out of Exile," released in 2005, saw critical praise and topped charts in four countries. Cornell considered it his most personal work yet. The third album, "Revelations," released in 2006, received a lukewarm reception. Shortly after, Cornell announced his departure from the band due to irreconcilable creative differences.
Personal Life
Cornell first married former Soundgarden manager Susan Silver, and they had a daughter in 2000. The couple divorced in 2004, and Chris married publicist Vicky Karayiannis, with whom he had two children. In 2013, they founded the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation to aid homeless youths.
Death and Legacy
Cornell was found dead in his Detroit hotel room on May 18, 2017, hours after performing with Soundgarden. At 52, his death was ruled a suicide. Cornell had battled depression and admitted to previous suicidal thoughts. The presence of prescribed drugs in his system, albeit at higher levels than prescribed, led his widow, Vicky, to doubt the suicide ruling. She subsequently filed a lawsuit against his former doctor for negligence in 2018.