Soundgarden's surviving members will reunite for the NFL season opener halftime show

Surviving members of Soundgarden are set to reunite for the NFL season opener halftime show. Guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron will perform under the Soundgarden name on Sept. 9, when the defending champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field to open the season.

The band has rarely performed live since frontman Chris Cornell's death in 2017. They played a tribute show for him in 2019, joined Brandi Carlile for another in 2021, and were fronted temporarily by Shaina Shepherd at a 2024 benefit. At the end of 2025, Soundgarden was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, playing live at the ceremony alongside Cornell's daughter, Lily.

For the halftime show, the surviving members are enlisting the Pretty Reckless' Taylor Momsen as vocalist. Momsen, a lifelong fan of Cornell and Soundgarden, opened for the band on its final tour before Cornell's death and sang at both the Rock Hall induction and the 2019 tribute show. Guitarist Mike McCready, who plays alongside Cameron in Pearl Jam, will also join the lineup; he performed "Rusty Cage" with the surviving members at the Rock Hall ceremony and will perform the National Anthem ahead of the game.

The reunion follows years of work on new rock material. Back in May, the band marked the eighth anniversary of Cornell's death by hinting at a record built from songs he had written before he died, following a 2023 settlement with his estate over rights to unreleased material. Shepherd has said hearing Cornell's vocals brought back to life on the album has been powerful, and Cameron has called the process "the most empowering thing in the world."

Momsen, who has stayed tight-lipped about whether she has heard the unreleased material, told NME she remains close with the band. "I love those guys. I'm so excited and proud of them," she said, describing Cornell's music as speaking to her "on a level that nothing else does."