Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron announced on Monday that he is leaving the Seattle rock group after 27 years, writing on social media, “After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam.” The 62-year-old thanked bandmates Jeff Ament, Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready and Stone Gossard for what he called “the opportunity of a lifetime,” and told fans that “more” news would follow. Cameron joined Pearl Jam in 1998, providing the stability the band had lacked after cycling through four drummers in its first eight years. He has performed on every studio release from 2000’s “Binaural” to 2024’s “Dark Matter,” and completed a year-long world tour with the group in May. A two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee—honoured for his work with both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden—Cameron had earlier spent a decade behind the kit for Soundgarden and briefly handled double duty when that band reunited. In a separate statement, Pearl Jam hailed Cameron as “a singular and true powerhouse” who propelled its live shows and recordings, adding that he will remain “forever our friend in art and music.” The group did not give a reason for his departure or name a successor, and has no concerts scheduled following the end of the “Dark Matter” tour. Vedder is next slated to appear at his Ohana Festival in September.