Soundgarden’s final album is now expected to arrive in 2027, Kim Thayil reveals
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil has shared that he expects the band’s final album to be released in 2027.
The grunge icons were working on the album before Chris Cornell tragically lost his life in 2016, reviving the project many years later, and putting the finishing touches on it in order to get it heard by fans.
In the years following Cornell’s death, the surviving members of Soundgarden were locked in a legal feud with the frontman’s widow, Vicky Cornell, regarding unpaid royalties and the rights to unfinished material, which was finally settled in 2023.
Significant progress has since been made. Last year, drummer Matt Cameron opened up about the matter, explaining, “There was a couple songs that felt like it was kind of a new chapter or it could have been a new chapter. So it’s really exciting to hear that. It’s bittersweet, of course.”
He also optimistically shared, “I’m super proud of the music that we did put together. And we’re pretty close [to finishing it]. And, yeah, it is nice having Terry (producer Terry Date) on board with us, for sure.”
Now, Thayil has lifted the lid on the state of the project, as well as his personal contributions, telling Ultimate Guitar, “There are at least two songs that I wrote the music for. One of them, I wrote the lyrics for. So, one of the collaborations would have been that I submitted music to Chris, and he wrote lyrics for them, and then he would move the verse and chorus lengths and sequences to accommodate his lyrics.”
Thayil also said that he can’t say for certain how many songs would feature on the album, admitting,” I can’t give a clear answer about that. Part of that is the work in progress. We’re looking at the material that we intend to complete, and we also look at material that perhaps we can complete, if that makes sense.”
However, he did give an estimate, adding, “Right about now, it’s likely about eight or nine songs. More likely nine.”
Thayil then shared that Soundgarden are “really aiming for next year” as a release date, explaining, “We have to book studio time here and there, and we have to have the availability of the producer and the engineer and the band members.”
Last year, Soundgarden reunited for their induction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which saw them joined by Taylor Momsen, Brandi Carlile, Nancy Wilson, and Cornell’s daughter Toni Cornell, as guest vocalists.
At the ceremony, Cameron emotionally said, “I think Chris would have really enjoyed this moment of recognition, because he was always moving as an artist.”
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