Chris Cornell Net Worth : Career & Death

June 2024 · 8 minute read

One of the most successful musicians in history, Chris Cornell reportedly had a net worth of $40 million.

Chris Cornell was born in Seattle on July 20, 1964, and passed away in Detroit on May 18, 2017.

Further, he was a famous vocalist, guitarist, singer, songwriter in the rock music industry.

Similarly, he is mostly renowned as the vocalist and rhythm guitarist of grunge band Audioslave and Soundgarden.

The grunge legend Cornell also founded Temple of the Dog, a one-time tribute band to his late friend Andrew Wood.

Likewise, He is considered the god of the Grunge genre and was one of the key figures of the 1990s grunge movement.

Furthermore, He won three Grammy Awards out of 16 nominations of Grammy Awards.

Unfortunately, Chris committed suicide due to the depression he faced throughout his life.

In addition, we can find a statue of him installed outside the Museum of Pop Culture on the Seattle Center grounds, in the U.S. state of Washington.

Quick Facts

Let’s check out some quick facts about the legendary grunge and rock artist Chris Cornell.

Birth NameChristopher John Boyle
Celebrated/Professional Name
Chris Cornell
NicknameChris, Frisbee
Date of BirthJuly 20, 1964
Date of DeathMay 18, 2017
GenderMale
Sexual Orientation Straight
Zodiac SignCancer
Father’s NameEdward F. Boyle
Mother’s NameKaren Cornell
Siblings5 (2 brothers & 3 sisters)
Marital StatusMarried
Passed Relationship1 (Susan Silver, m. 1990; div. 2004)
Wife/SpouseVicky Karayiannis (m. 2004)
Children3  (Toni, Christopher Nicholas & Lillian Jean Cornell )
DiedMay 18, 2017 (aged 52) in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Cause of Death
Suicide
Resting Place
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Race/EthnicityChristian
Birth Place/CitySeattle, King County, Washington, USA
High School
Shorewood High School
ProfessionSinger, Record producer,  Guitarist, Songwriter, Musician
NationalityAmerican
Net Worth$140 Million
Career1984 to 2017
GenreGrunge, Alternative, Metal, Heavy metal, Alternative rock, hard rock
InstrumentsVocals, Guitar & Drums
Associated actsSoundgarden, Audioslave, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Heart
Height6 ft. 2 inches (189 cm)
Hair colorGrey
Eye colorBrown
Weight80 kgs (176 lbs)
Associated labels
SST Records, Sub Pop, A&M Records, Epic Records, Suretone, Interscope Records, Mosley
WebsiteChris Cornell Official
Social MediaTwitter, Instagram, Facebook
Last UpdateDecember, 2023

Chriss Cornell’s Lifestyle

Chris Cornell’s birth name was Christopher John Boyle, and he was born and raised in Seattle, Washington.

Further, he was a son of a pharmacist Edward F. Boyle, and an accountant Karen Cornell.

Chis and his siblings adopted their mother’s maiden name, Cornell, as their surname after their parent’s divorce.

Furthermore, He was described as a loner. However, he was able to deal with his anxiety around other people and his biggest support was through rock music.

 During his teenage years, he spiraled into severe depression, which made him drop out of school, and rarely left the house.

Moreover, Chris worked as a busboy, as a dishwasher, as a fishmonger at a seafood wholesaler, and was a sous-chef at Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle.

In addition, He battled depression throughout his whole life and admitted to having struggled with suicidal thoughts.

Houses, cars, and watches

Houses

The prolific grunge legend Chris Cornell lived in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

He bought this spacious mansion in 2007, and it has five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a big pool, and a copious music room.

Later on February 18, 2013, Chris listed the mansion for sale with starting price of $5.4 million.

Further, he moved back to his hometown house in Seattle, where he was born and raised.

In addition, the legendary grunge artist stated that there’s nowhere Chris Cornell can call his home except Seattle.

Cars

Chris Cornel was a classic car freak and had a fleet of fancy cars. But these are the ones he used to drove back then.

Further, The rock legend had one of the world’s greatest automobiles. It was his custom-designed iconic blue 1955 Porsche Speedster Spyder.

Moreover, the gorgeous Porsche Speedster Spyder 1995 edition price is worth $5 million in 2021.

Watches

Chris Cornell wore a lucrative United States premium watch of the Nixon brand.

Further, this Stainless Steel watches with elegant design costs between $250 and $500.

Likewise, Amberatkins released the Ultra-Thin Fashion Watch with Chris Cornell’s face in 2018.

In addition, the watch was a tribute to the legendary rockstar with a price tag of just $17.

Investments, Endorsements and Book publication

Investment & Endorsement

Chris Cornell’s powerful voice and long-haired, shirtless stage appearance were mesmerizing personas in the grunge rock era of the 1990s.

Moreover, he was endorsed by several big music companies, including Solid State Tuner, Sub Pop, A&M, Suretone, Interscope & Mosley.

Likewise, the Epic record label signed Cornell’s band Audioslave and released the album Out of Exile in 2005.

Further, in 2012 Chris Cornell invested his wealth in establishing a charity organization name Chris And Vicky Foundation to help vulnerable children.

Book Publications

Corbin Reiff wrote and published a  book named Total F*cking Godhead: The Biography of Chris Cornell on July 28, 2020.

Further, This book unravels lots of unexpected details and anecdotes of Chris Conell’s life.

Perhaps this book is captivating because it untangles how Cornell kept most of his cards close to his vest despite decades in the spotlight.

As a major admirer of Chris Cornell since my childhood, I couldn’t stop myself from crying as I read this biography book.

In addition, this book is accessible on Amazon, and if you are a fan of Chris Cornell, this is indeed a must-read book for you.

Career

Chris Cornell’s career began when he was 16 years old and formed the band The Shemps with his high school friends Kim Thayil and Hiro Yamamoto.

Unfortunately, the band didn’t last very long and was torn apart just after a year.

Later in 1984, Cornell reunited with Thayil and Yamamoto to form the greatest grunge band of Soundgarden.

In 1990, Soundgarden’s debut album earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.

Moreover, four years later, he formed a band called Temple of The Dog and released a song titled Hunger Strike as a tribute to his late friend Andrew Wood.

In 1994, Chris announced the collapse of the band Soundgarden.

Then Cornell started to pursue his solo career and landed his debut album entitled Euphoria Morning in 1999.

In 2001, he alongside his two friends formed yet another legendary band named Audioslave.

Out of Exile, their second album, was a worldwide hit and made it to the top of the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2006 he split up with the band Audioslave and stated that it was due to some incorrigible difference among band members.

A grunge legend Cornell toured worldwide, including England, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and another 25 nations.

In 2011 Cornell released an original song for the movie Machine Gun Preacher which was entitled The Keeper.

Likewise, He went on tour around North America and later continued his tour in 2012-2013 and performed in several venues in Europe and the U.S.

Sadly, He released his last single was The Promise which was released in 2017.

Chris Cornell will always be remembered as one of the best rock and grunge artists of all time.

Death and Aftermath

Unfortunately, Chris Cornell passed away on May 18, 2017, in Detroit.

Further, the rockstar performed in a concert hours before he committed suicide in the bathroom of MGM Grand hotel.

Moreover, He had battled depression for his whole life and admitted to having had struggled with suicidal thoughts in the past.

In addition, the police ruled that his death was a suicide, but his widow questioned this conclusion. , as drugs prescribed were present in higher concentrations than what should have been prescribed.

Furthermore, This fact leads Vicky Cornell to believe Cornell’s death was unintentional and filed a lawsuit against his former doctor for negligence in 2018.

Even after four years since he passed away, he and his music are still popular and prominent to many people.

In 2018, in reminiscence of Chris Cornell, Nick Marra created the memorial statue which depicts him.

In addition, The Chris Cornell memorial statue is placed outside the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle.

Charity & Foundation

The legendary rockstar Chris Cornell was a humanitarian and had a heart of gold.

In 2012, Chris and his wife Vicky established a foundation named Chris and Vicky foundation.

Moreover, this foundation also works with other charitable organizations and partners to raise awareness, mobilize support for children, take care of children, and save them from alcoholism and drug abuse.

Chris and Vicky’s foundation also helps vulnerable people, including the homeless, in poverty and abuse.

Cornell struggled with depression, alcoholism, and usage of drugs throughout his life.

Although he himself was an addict and depressed person, he was actually active in helping people with their drug problems and depression.

In addition, he also supported several charities and foundations, including Aid Still Required, Global Angels, Save The Music Foundation, and Nordoff Robbins Foundation.

Some Interesting Facts About Chris Cornell

Chris struggled with depression and anxiety since a teenager. He started using alcohol and drugs such as marijuana and LSD during his teenage years.

Further, Cornell even dropped out of school and stayed in the room for months.

At the age of 9, he collected the legendary rock band The Beatles record in his neighbor’s basement and spent listening and studying The Beatles’ music for two years.

This may not surprise many, but Cornell and his bands(Soundgarden & Audioslave) won 3 Grammy Awards and sixteen nominations.

FAQs about Chris Cornell

Who was Chris Cornell’s best friend?

Chester Bennington was Chris Cornell’s best friend who committed suicide on Chris Cornell’s birthday.

How old was Chris Cornell when he died?

Chris Cornell was 52 years old when he committed suicide.

What was Chris Cornell’s net worth when he died?

The rock legend Chris had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death.

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