Written by vocalist Chris Cornell, it was released in 1992 as the first single from the band's sole studio album, Temple of the Dog (1991).

It was the band's most successful song, peaking at number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

"[3] "Hunger Strike" became Temple of the Dog's breakout single; it was also Vedder's first featured vocal on a record.

We got through a couple choruses of him doing that and suddenly the light bulb came on in my head, this guy's voice is amazing for these low parts.

I had a '62 reissue Strat and I wanted to use the fourth-position tone setting—between the bridge and middle pickups—for the beginning of the song because I like that softer sound.

A&M decided to reissue the album and promote "Hunger Strike" as a single, with an accompanying music video, which became a buzz bin clip.

"Hunger Strike" was first performed live at the band's November 13, 1990 concert in Seattle, Washington at the Off Ramp Café.

Temple of the Dog performed "Hunger Strike" on October 3, 1991, at the Foundations Forum in Los Angeles, California;[12] October 6, 1991 at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood for the RIP Magazine 5th anniversary party;[13] August 14, 1992 at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, Virginia; and September 13, 1992, at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in Irvine, California (both shows were part of the Lollapalooza festival series in 1992).

Vedder and Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney performed a rendition of "Hunger Strike" that is viewable as an easter egg on disc 1 of the Pearl Jam Live at the Garden DVD.

Chris Cornell performed the song live several times with Audioslave, Brad Wilk singing Vedder's parts.

Pearl Jam also performed the song in Antwerp and Barcelona in 2006 with Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother singing Cornell's parts.

[17] On September 3 and 4, 2011 Pearl Jam played at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre as part of the PJ20 destination weekend in celebration of the band's 20 years together, Cornell joined onstage to perform the song as well as several other lengthy Temple of the Dog and Mother Love Bone tracks.

At the Bridge School Benefit on October 25 and 26, 2014 Pearl Jam were once again joined onstage with Cornell to play the song.

[20] On August 9, 2015 Zac Brown Band performed this song during the final show of their three night stand at Boston's Fenway Park.

The cover later appeared on Walmart-exclusive CD pressings of Daughtry's sixth studio album Dearly Beloved (2021).