Chris Cornell's Widow Vicky and Soundgarden Reach Resolution After Years-Long Legal Dispute

Vicky Cornell and Soundgarden said their new "united" front will allow fans to "hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on" when he died in 2017

The years-long legal dispute between Chris Cornell's widow Vicky Cornell and the rocker's former Soundgarden bandmates has come to an end.

Vicky and the band shared a joint statement on Monday announcing that they've reached an "amicable out of court resolution" following years of back-and-forth that will eventually lead to the release of previously unheard material recorded by Cornell before his death in 2017 at age 52.

"Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, on behalf of the Estate of Chris Cornell, are happy to announce they have reached an amicable out of court resolution," the statement read. "The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden fans around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on. The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden's incredible legacy as well as Chris's indelible mark on music history - as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time."'

Vicky first sued Soundgarden (including members Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Hunter Ben Shepherd) in 2019 over royalties and the rights to seven unreleased songs. At the time, the band argued that the songs belonged to the group, as they had been made in anticipation of a new Soundgarden album.

Then in 2021, Vicky filed suit seeking a judicial valuation of her late husband's interest in the band and its related properties, as she believed that the $300,000 buyout that Soundgarden had offered her in October 2020 was "ludicrously low."

Vicky said in her 2021 complaint that in response to the buyout, she'd offered Soundgarden up to $7 million each for their collective interests in the band and its related properties, but that they rejected her offer, saying they did not want to sell because their interests "represent their creative life's-work."

Months later, Soundgarden responded in court, accusing Vicky of "aggressively attempt[ing] to tarnish the legacy of Soundgarden… and the reputations of the surviving band members who loved Cornell like a brother."

Related:Vicky Cornell Honors Late Husband Chris on Fifth Anniversary Since His Death: 'Forever and Ever'

They also claimed that she had locked them out of the band's social media accounts, though their access was eventually restored.

Vicky married the "Black Hole Sun" singer in 2004, and the pair shared daughter Toni, 18, and son Christopher, 17. Cornell was also dad to daughter Lily, 22, from a previous relationship.

Related:Chris Cornell's Widow Vicky Sues Soundgarden Over 'Ludicrously Low' $300k Buyout Offer

In May 2022, Vicky paid tribute to her late husband on the fifth anniversary of his death.

"Dear Chris, It's 4am and I'm wide awake thinking of the day I lost you, we lost you, the world lost you- its hard to believe it's been 5 years. I can't help but reflect back on the 14 years we spent together. It was truly magical and like a fairytale-almost too good to be true," she wrote. "I truly felt like the luckiest woman alive to be on the receiving end of your unconditional, eternal love."

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