Critics first described Audioslave as a combination of Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine, but by the band's second album, Out of Exile, it was noted that they had established a separate identity.

In their six years together, Audioslave released three albums, received three Grammy nominations, sold more than eight million records worldwide[2][3] and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba.

On October 18, 2000, Rage Against the Machine broke up after the vocalist, Zack de la Rocha, announced he was leaving, citing a breakdown in the band's "decision-making process".

[7] Several vocalists jammed with them, including B-Real of Cypress Hill, but the band did not want another rapper or anybody who sounded like de la Rocha.

"[8] The group wrote 21 songs during 19 days of rehearsal,[11] and began working in the studio in late May 2001 with Rubin as producer, while sorting out the label and management issues.

[17] After the mixing of the album was finished, roughly six weeks later, the group reformed and simultaneously fired their former management companies and hired another, the Firm.

Critics praised Cornell's vocal style, a departure from the rapping of de la Rocha,[23] and found that "the former members of RATM have gone and done a Paul Weller, retreating from the ground they broke back [to] the sounds that inspired them".

[24] Director Mark Romanek shot a music video for "Cochise", which shows the band playing atop a tower under construction in the midst of a giant fireworks display providing all the lighting.

The firework explosions during filming prompted fears of a terrorist attack among residents living near Los Angeles' Sepulveda Dam, the shooting location.

Audioslave made their live debut on November 25, 2002, performing a brief concert on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City for the Late Show with David Letterman.

[39] In a San Diego CityBEAT article, Cornell explained that he went through "a horrible personal crisis" during the making of the first record, staying in rehab for two months and separating from his wife.

Cornell had time to focus on his personal life; after his divorce from his first wife was finalized, he married Vicky Karayiannis, a Paris-based publicist he met during Audioslave's first European tour.

[50] After achieving that goal, they thought it was "time to own those histories," and began performing a selection of the two bands' most popular songs (such as "Black Hole Sun" and "Bulls on Parade") on the tour.

[50] The second single, "Your Time Has Come" was released through a unique promotion, lasting one week, which involved radio listeners around the world.

[53] Morello and the rest of the band insisted that the trip was not to make a political statement, but to take part in a musical cultural exchange.

[40] The album was received more favorably than Audioslave's debut; critics noted Cornell's stronger vocals, likely the result of quitting smoking and drinking,[59] and pointed out that Out of Exile is "the sound of a band coming into its own.

[70] The first single off the album, "Original Fire", was made available online on Audioslave's official website for free streaming in early July.

News about Cornell's departure emerged in July 2006, when insiders stated that after the third album was released, he would depart the band and restart his solo career.

A special marketing campaign preceded the new album's release in August, when the art concept was featured on Google Earth as a fictional utopian island, Audioslave Nation, created in the South Pacific.

[73] It became the band's least commercially successful album; dropping even faster than Out of Exile, its sales were down 65 percent the following week,[74] achieving gold certification a month later.

[28] The album showed funk, soul and R&B influences that were non-existent for the band before; Morello referred to the new sound as "Led Zeppelin meets Earth, Wind & Fire".

[75] The new funk and soul influences were also welcomed favorably; Allmusic called the album Audioslave's "most colorful, diverse, and consistent record yet.

"[88] On January 17, 2017, it was announced that Audioslave would reunite for their first show in 12 years at Prophets of Rage's Anti-Inaugural Ball, protesting President Donald Trump's inauguration.

"[89] However, on May 18, 2017, three months after making that statement, Cornell was found deceased[90][91] in his Detroit hotel room, ending the possibility of any future Audioslave reunions with their original lead vocalist.

[95] Pitchfork called it the "most asinine bandname of the year,"[31] and Chuck Klosterman of Spin magazine chided it as "one of the dumbest band names in recent rock history.

[103] This mix was driven by Cornell's wide vocal range,[104] Morello's innovative guitar solos and the robust rhythm section of Wilk and Commerford.

As opposed to de la Rocha's lyrics, Cornell's were mostly apolitical; Morello referred to them as "haunted, existential poetry".

[113] Rick Rubin, producer of the band's first two albums, was also lauded as "a great collaborative partner" and was likened to "the fifth Beatle" by Tom Morello.

[116] Cornell's battle with drug addiction and alcoholism was a defining factor in the writing and recording process of the debut album.

Axis of Justice tents were set up at almost every Audioslave show, and with the exception of Commerford all band members appeared on the Concert Series Volume 1 CD/DVD charity album released in 2004.