Random Chris Cornell’s Most Amazing Vocal Performances (12 items)

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  (#3) "Show Me How To Live" (2002)

  "Show Me How To Live" not only features Cornell's signature intense vocal range, but also finds him achieving a strange effect with his voice. At the end of the song on the studio recording, he weaves between several notes and hits his throat at the same time for a bizarre effect that makes his voice sound almost computer manipulated. 

  The effect, as one review noted, is similar in style to the vocals of legendary Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The moment makes "Show Me How To Live" a particularly unique part of Cornell's vocal legacy. 
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  (#10) "Beyond The Wheel" (1988)

  A classic heavy Soundgarden track, "Beyond The Wheel" starts with Cornell singing extremely low and intensely as the song builds to the chorus - when the singer unleashes perhaps his most brutal vocal in history. "Wheel" set the stage for the band's evolution, but also was an early example of just what an incredible vocalist he was. 

  Amazingly, Cornell sang the song in the original key decades after it was originally written and recorded, performing a near-impeccable version in 2012 that found him hitting the same high-pitched almost heavy metal vocal notes. 
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  (#6) "Cochise" (2002)

  "Cochise" was the world's first introduction to Audioslave, a supergroup made up of Cornell and the members of Rage Against The Machine. It was as good an introduction as any, and set the stage for several albums of signature Cornell vocals. One review praised the singer's performance, saying that the song "gives his vocal chords a long-overdue workout."

  The song finds Cornell reaching near the top of his register and never coming down, almost shouting his way through the performance. It was a welcome return from the singer following his split from Soundgarden. 
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  (#1) "Hunger Strike" (1992)

  One of his most memorable performances, "Hunger Strike" was a duet between Cornell and a then-unknown Eddie Vedder in the supergroup Temple Of The Dog. It was notably Vedder's first time on a record, but Cornell's vocals stand out for their intensity and, of course, the iconic high note he hits in the chorus.

  The song was performed by Cornell and the members of Pearl Jam over the course of many years and with several different projects. It was last performed by Cornell when he reunited with his Temple bandmates for a reunion tour in 2016. 
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  (#2) "Outshined" (1991)

  "Outshined" is a beloved song in the Soundgarden catalog, and featured the band performing a complex composition with challenging vocals from Cornell. The song's odd time signature finds Cornell weaving his vocals throughout the guitar riffs in interesting ways, making it one of the band's most intelligent compositions.

  Following Cornell's death, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine performed a cover of the song in tribute to his friend.

  "Now, I don't sing like Chris, I could never sing like Chris, but we're gonna sing a song right now. And if you know the words, sing with me. If you don't know the words, then just make noise," he said prior to his cover. 
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  (#11) "By Crooked Steps" (2012)

  On 2012's King Animal, Soundgarden's first album after reuniting, they returned in full force - most notably on the complex "By Crooked Steps." The song features Cornell performing a melodically odd vocal over an almost progressive time signature, stretching his vocal range in ways he hadn't done since early Soundgarden albums. 

  The song also featured an entertaining video directed by Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. 

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