Album: Superunknown (1994)
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Track: 7
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Length: 5:18
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Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Grunge / Alternative Rock
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Written by: Chris Cornell
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Chart success: #1 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
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Music video: Known for its surreal, distorted imagery — a staple of '90s MTV
What the Song Is About
Chris Cornell once said that the lyrics to “Black Hole Sun” are “stream-of-consciousness” — they sound profound and ominous, but aren’t meant to tell a straightforward story. Instead, the song feels like a dream or hallucination: mysterious, symbolic, and deeply unsettling.
“Black hole sun / Won’t you come / And wash away the rain…”
— suggests a desire for cleansing or escape, but in a dark, destructive form.
The song mixes apocalyptic imagery with domestic unease — combining beauty with discomfort.
Many interpretations exist:
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A critique of superficial suburban life
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A longing for erasure or rebirth through annihilation
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A reflection on despair, depression, and spiritual emptiness
Cornell later said:
"It's just sort of a surreal dreamscape, a weird play with words... it’s not meant to be literally anything."
Musical Style & Composition
• The song blends psychedelic melodies with a dark, brooding tone, setting it apart from grunge peers.
• Tuned down to Drop D, it maintains Soundgarden’s signature heaviness while exploring softer textures.
• The melancholy guitar riffs, haunting harmonies, and Chris Cornell’s soaring vocal range give the song an eerie, almost hypnotic feel.
The balance between light and darkness — in both sound and lyrics — gives “Black Hole Sun” its enduring power.
Music Video
• Directed by Howard Greenhalgh, the video features distorted, plastic-looking people smiling eerily as the world is destroyed.
• It’s a satire of 1950s-style suburban life, exaggerated to grotesque effect.
• The sky literally tears open as the black hole sun consumes everything — a visual metaphor for the dark undercurrents beneath the surface.
The surreal video helped make the song a staple of 1990s pop culture and a defining image of Soundgarden.
Themes
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Surrealism and dream logic
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Hidden darkness in everyday life
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Destruction as transformation
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Depression, alienation, and spiritual numbness
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Beauty vs. decay
Despite the haunting tone, there’s something strangely calming and cathartic about the song — like a surrender to the chaos.
Legacy
• Widely regarded as Soundgarden’s signature song, even if not typical of their sound
• Helped Superunknown become a multi-platinum, genre-defining album
• Chris Cornell’s vocal performance is often cited as one of the best in rock history
• Still frequently featured in movies, TV, and tributes — especially after Cornell’s tragic passing in 2017