Soundgarden were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Jim Carrey doing the honors.
The actor-comedian talked about his history with Soundgarden, saying, “I met the band in 1996 when I was hosting Saturday Night Live for the very first time, and I insisted on Soundgarden as the musical guest. By then, the lineup was Chris [Cornell], Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron on drums, and Ben Shepherd on base. They launched into the dark, epic beauty of ‘Pretty Noose.’”
He continued, “I stood right in front of them, letting the waves of electricity wash over me, like an audio baptism. They pushed me under and when I came up I was free. After the show, they handed me what is to this day, one of my most prized possessions. The fender telecaster Chris played on the show, signed by the whole band.”
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After a video tribute, Carrey was joined by the late Chris Cornell’s eldest daughter, Lily, who also gave a speech, being sure to mention her mother and Chris’ ex-wife, Susan Silver, who managed Soundgarden.
After a performance of “Rusty Cage” (with Taylor Momsen) and “Black Hole Sun” (with Brandi Carlile), the members of Soundgarden walked over to the podium to give their speeches, beginning with founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto, who reunited with the band for the ceremony.
Yamamoto mentioned his parents, who were among the Japanese-Americans held in internment camps in the US during World War II. “That affected my life greatly,” he said. “And it really echoes strongly today. Let’s not add another story like this to our history.”
Cameron was next, running off a long list of names he wanted to thank on behalf of the band. Thayil followed, saying, “If one of us ever hesitated in sharing an idea, Chris would be the first to say, let’s just try it out and see. I miss him. I love him, and I love all my [Soundgarden] brothers.” Shepherd took the mic last, only uttering a few words.
After their speeches, Chris’ younger daughter, Toni Cornell, performed “Fell on Black Days” with Nancy Wilson.
The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class also includes OutKast, Bad Company, The White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker, and Joe Cocker in the performer category.
The induction ceremony aired live on Disney+ on Saturday, November 8th, and will be available to stream on-demand following the ceremony. Find our full coverage here.
“Long live @chriscornell and long live @Soundgarden” — Jim Carrey delivers a heartfelt tribute as he inducts Soundgarden into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
📺 Tune in NOW on @DisneyPlus to watch the 2025 Rock & Roll of Fame Induction Ceremony.#RockHall2025 pic.twitter.com/mcAeFMQ7bZ
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) November 9, 2025
Jim Carrey shouts out Mud Honey, Alice In Chains, Nirvana and more in his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech for Soundgarden pic.twitter.com/VkQWXWkh2e
— Variety (@Variety) November 9, 2025