Who was the lead vocalist of Soundgarden when the band formed in 1984?

Chris Cornell was Soundgarden’s lead vocalist when the band formed in 1984.

Cornell formed Soundgarden in Seattle with guitarist Kim Thayil and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. He initially played drums as well as singing, before Scott Sundquist became the group’s drummer. Cornell’s powerful voice became one of the defining sounds of grunge and alternative metal.

Soundgarden’s early releases included the EPs Screaming Life and Fopp, followed by the albums Ultramega OK, Louder Than Love, and Badmotorfinger. The band reached its largest commercial audience with Superunknown in 1994.

Cornell also founded Temple of the Dog and later led Audioslave. Eddie Vedder, Layne Staley, and Mark Arm were important singers in other Seattle-area bands, but none was Soundgarden’s original vocalist.