Chris Cornell's Early 2000's Smash Reaches A New Peak

Forbes

28-03-2025

Chris Cornell's 'Like a Stone' climbs to No. 11 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, giving ... More Audioslave a new peak decades after its initial release. TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 11: Musician/actor Chris Cornell arrives at the premiere of "Machine Gun Preacher" at Roy Thomson Hall during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by)
Years after his tragic suicide, Chris Cornell is still making his presence felt on the Billboard charts. The legendary rocker, who fronted both Soundgarden and Audioslave and also carved out a successful solo career, occasionally returns to the rankings thanks to fans who keep playing his best-known tracks. This frame, one of the biggest hits he helped write is climbing once again, and it helps one of his bands reach a brand new peak.
On this week's Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, 'Like a Stone' steps up one rung, rising from No. 12 to No. 11. That movement may seem minor, but it's meaningful. That new placement represents a brand new all-time high for the band on this specific tally, as it surpasses its previous best showing.
'Like a Stone' is currently the only Audioslave track that has ever managed to find a home on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs ranking. Every time it advances, the band breaks its own record.
'Like a Stone' debuted on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list in August of last year, decades after it was first released. Since then, it has appeared on the roster a dozen times, making intermittent returns as listeners flock to one of the most recognizable rock songs of the early 2000s. Its latest stint marks its twelfth stay somewhere on the ranking.
After reaching stardom with Soundgarden and proving he could stand on his own, Cornell teamed up with former Rage Against the Machine members to form Audioslave a little more than 20 years ago. The band's first single, 'Cochise,' got the group off to a strong start, but it was 'Like a Stone' that turned the outfit into a chart-topping rock force.
'Like a Stone' reached No. 31 on the Hot 100, which not an easy feat for a hard rock composition in the early 2000s. It has since been certified gold in the U.S., and while the band claimed several hits, none matched that success or staying power of this tune.
At No. 11, 'Like a Stone' is closer than ever to breaking into the top 10 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart. It has already hit new peaks several times on this tally over the past few months, and the track could easily crack that upper tier in the coming weeks.
If it manages to do so, 'Like a Stone' would give Audioslave its first top 10 on this particular tally — and grant Cornell a posthumous win that reminds everyone just how deeply loved and respected his work still is.