It was a week of celebration, nostalgia, and poignant musical milestones as two legendary rock bands with deep American roots—Bon Jovi and Soundgarden—each found themselves in the spotlight for very different, yet equally powerful, reasons. From the laughter-filled halls of New Jersey’s most iconic mall to the emotional chords struck at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, fans and musicians alike were reminded of the enduring impact of rock music, its ability to unite, and the bittersweet echoes left by those who are no longer with us.
On November 21, 2025, the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was abuzz with excitement as the New Jersey Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony. The event, which has become a staple for honoring the state’s most influential figures, took on a particularly joyous tone when Jon Bon Jovi, the band’s charismatic frontman, took the stage. But this time, he wasn’t there to accept an award for himself. Instead, he had the honor of inducting his longtime bandmate, keyboardist and Broadway composer David Bryan, into the Hall of Fame.
The moment was laced with humor and humility, hallmarks of Bon Jovi’s public persona. As reported by local outlets, Jon Bon Jovi quipped, “We're a band of brothers who couldn't have dreamed that someday our picture would hang in a rest stop on the Garden State Parkway,” before raising his arms in a triumphant, tongue-in-cheek celebration. The crowd responded with laughter and applause, a testament to the affection both the band and their home state have for each other.
While Bon Jovi’s induction was a celebration of legacy and brotherhood, elsewhere in the world of rock, another band was grappling with the complex emotions of both loss and creative rebirth. On November 22, 2025, Soundgarden announced that they are “pretty close” to finishing their final album featuring vocals from the late Chris Cornell. It’s a project that has been years in the making, fraught with legal hurdles, emotional reckonings, and a deep sense of responsibility to honor the band’s iconic frontman.
According to Blabbermouth and other music news sources, the journey toward this new record began in earnest after the band settled a legal dispute with Cornell’s estate in 2023. The settlement granted the surviving members the rights to several unreleased songs that were written in the period leading up to Cornell’s death. In May 2025, on the eighth anniversary of Cornell’s passing, Soundgarden publicly confirmed they were working on these tracks, sparking both anticipation and reflection among fans worldwide.
Soundgarden’s drummer, Matt Cameron, offered insight into the creative process during a recent interview with Allison Hagendorf. “There’s very familiar elements in some of this new music,” Cameron explained. “There was a couple songs that felt like it was kind of a new chapter or it could have been a new chapter. So it’s really exciting to hear that. It’s bittersweet, of course.”
The band has reunited with producer Terry Date, who previously helmed their seminal albums Louder Than Love and Badmotorfinger. With Date at the controls, the new recordings are said to capture the classic Soundgarden aesthetic, blending the raw power and intricate musicianship that defined their earlier work. “I’m really excited for people to hear it, have our fans hear it. It’s fun for us to be working on it. And sometimes listening to it, it’s overpowering. But, yeah, I’m super proud of the music that we did put together. And we’re pretty close [to finishing it]. And, yeah, it is nice having Terry on board with us, for sure,” Cameron added.
Bassist Ben Shepherd echoed the emotional weight of the project, particularly the experience of hearing Cornell’s voice brought back to life in the studio. “I can tell you, it feels good and invigorating to hear Chris singing from over that horizon and hear the mighty… mighty life, of souls sharing,” Shepherd reflected. “To hear, as a fan… and band member, a song or two Chris brought in a few years ago turn before my very ears and finger blisters into a full blown Soundgarden tune is like feeling a glacier fall away off your chest.”
For many, the process of finishing this album is as much about healing as it is about artistry. Cameron noted the “gut-wrenching but at the same time very empowering” sensation of working with Cornell’s vocals. “Hearing [Cornell’s] voice on these powerful hard rock songs is the most empowering thing in the world for me. Then I listen to his voice soloed up when I’m working on stuff, or if Kim or Ben is working on something, and it all comes back to the fact that he’s not with us and he left us in a way that has so many questions.”
The band’s journey to complete this album has also been marked by public recognition of their legacy. In early November 2025, Soundgarden was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—a moment that was both celebratory and deeply moving. The surviving members performed alongside Cornell’s daughter, creating a bridge between past and present, loss and continuity. Actor Jim Carrey, who delivered the induction speech, captured the spirit of the era and the band’s influence with his trademark wit: “When the Seattle music scene exploded, it resurrected rock and roll for me. When I heard Soundgarden for the first time, I wasn’t just excited. I wanted to put a flannel shirt on and run into the streets screaming, ‘My mother smoked during pregnancy!’”
The energy surrounding Soundgarden’s legacy has also inspired new collaborations. In July, members of Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Mastodon, and others formed a collective called King Ultramega to perform the songs of Chris Cornell, further ensuring that his music continues to resonate with audiences both old and new.
Back in New Jersey, the Bon Jovi camp’s lighter, more celebratory mood served as a reminder that music isn’t just about catharsis or remembrance—it’s also about shared joy, camaraderie, and the kind of inside jokes that only bandmates and lifelong friends can truly appreciate. The dual narratives of these two bands—one looking back with gratitude and humor, the other forging ahead through grief and creative determination—highlight the many ways that rock music continues to shape, reflect, and heal the culture around it.
As fans await Soundgarden’s final album and celebrate the ongoing achievements of Bon Jovi, the message is clear: the legacies of these artists are far from finished. Whether through laughter in a New Jersey mall or tears on a stage in Cleveland, the music—and the memories—will keep playing on.
