Chris Cornell was best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Soundgarden which was founded in 1984. Later on in his career, he also formed a supergroup Audioslave which was in 2001 and disbanded in 2007. He was a great inspiration to aspiring music artists. He is among one the most influential rock artist in the world.
In the world of rock, voice always matters. Cornell had a very distinct voice and was known for that trait too. It was rare. When it was time for him to choose the voice he loved the most, he named a person who has influenced millions of people all over the world. The singer had a very distinct stage presence too, which was very important in the advancement of rock n’ roll.
Chris talked about the person in 2015, with Yahoo Music. When he was asked, Which rock voice do you love the most? He answered,
“I think Freddie Mercury is probably the best of all time, in terms of a rock voice. There was a vulnerability to it, his technical ability was amazing, and so much of his personality would come out through his voice. I’m not even a guy to buy Queen records, really, and I still think he’s one of the best.”
It is a well-known fact that Chris was a huge fan of Mercury. We have lots of instances where he has called him one of the best in the world. He once said, “Freddie Mercury had a powerful, almost operatic voice and a stage presence that was undeniable.”
In the book, Long Live Queen: Rock Royalty Discuss Freddie, Brian, John & Roger, Kim Thayil discussed how he, Chirs Cornell, and Matt Cameron had Queen up above the list of their favorite artists. He discussed, back then there were lots of bands like Queen, Budgie, and Sabbath and he had to learn them in the early to mid-80s. He also said, Matt Cameron was a huge Queen fan, and being a couple of years younger than Kim, he had more years to embrace Queen. “Chris also held Queen in very high regard, obviously because of the vocals“, he said.
Sadly, Cornell passed away on May 18, 2017, in Detroit, Michigan. His death was ruled a suicide and we lost one of the greatest rock singers of all time that day. After performing a concert with Soundgarden, he killed himself. He had a history of substance abuse, but his friends and family said he was in a good place in his life and showed no signs of contemplating suicide.
Both Chris and Mercury were some of the greatest talents to ever be on the face of the earth. They had a great impact on the rock scene and will continue to inspire future generations of musicians. They had great voices, and were great storytellers, with their unique lyrics in the music.
