Soundgarden popularized a subgenre of metal.
Grunge . Grunge was also an influence on subsequent genres such as post-grunge and nu metal . Grunge fuses elements of punk rock and heavy metal , such as the distorted electric guitar used in both genres , although some bands performed with more emphasis on one or the other . Soundgarden . Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label ( A&M Records in 1988 ) , though the band did not achieve commercial success until they popularized the genre in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Pearl Jam , Nirvana , and Alice in Chains .