Chris Cornell, born July 20, 1964, was an influential American musician best known as the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for Soundgarden and Audioslave. He also led Temple of the Dog, a tribute project for his friend Andrew Wood, and had a successful solo career, recording four studio albums and lending his powerful, nearly four-octave voice to major film soundtracks, including the James Bond theme "You Know My Name." Recognized as one of the greatest rock vocalists, Cornell was a defining figure of the 1990s grunge movement, known for his emotive lyricism and dynamic singing. He won three Grammy Awards and sold over 30 million records worldwide. After a lifelong struggle with depression, Cornell died in 2017. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Soundgarden in 2025.