The musical maestros that have marked their nifty notes on the history of rock and roll earned their rightful places in the iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This distinguished and melodically diverse group of inductees this year includes Mary J. Blige, Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & the Gang, and Ozzy Osbourne, alongside the folk-rock ensemble Dave Matthews Band and singer-songwriter Peter Frampton.
Proving the timeless resonance of their artistry, influential impresarios Alexis Korner, John Mayall, and Big Mama Thornton have been bestowed with the Musical Influence Award. The late Jimmy Buffett, the iconic MC5, Dionne Warwick, and Norman Whitfield were lauded with the Musical Excellence Award, while pioneering music executive Suzanne de Passe was set to receive the esteemed Ahmet Ertegun Award.
According to John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, rock ‘n’ roll represents an ever-evolving fusion of sounds, breeding cultural impacts, and steering generations of music lovers. This unique group of inductees transcended music genres and raised the bar for countless artists who followed in their footsteps.
The induction ceremony will take center stage on October 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, located in the heart of Cleveland, Ohio. The glittering event will broadcast live to audiences worldwide on Disney+, with a subsequent airing on ABC and availability on Hulu the following day.
Among the sea of musical geniuses, several high-profile acts nominated this year failed to earn their induction, including Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, the late Sinéad O’Connor, soul-pop singer Sade, Britpop ensemble Oasis, hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, and alternative rock group Jane’s Addiction.
Robust support rallied behind the induction of Foreigner, a band known for hits like “Urgent” and “Hot Blooded.” Notable figures such as Mark Ronson, Jack Black, Slash, Dave Grohl, and Paul McCartney vocally backed the move, with a more personal insistence from Ronson, as his stepfather is Mick Jones, Foreigner’s founding member and lead guitarist.
This year’s list notably featured solo artist Ozzy Osbourne, who, with his devil imagery and sludge-infused music, caused many parents of the ’80s to gasp with surprise and fear. Osbourne has already earned a place in the hall with the metal legends Black Sabbath.
Only newcomers to the ballot, namely Cher, Foreigner, Frampton, and Kool & the Gang, accounted for half of the eight nominees. Both Cher who held a No. 1 song in each of the past six decades, and Blige, noted for her eight multi-platinum albums and nine Grammy Awards, will contribute to the volume of women represented in the hall, which critics argue needs amplification.
The eligibility for induction into the hall requires artists to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to nomination. More than 1,000 artists, historians, and music industry professionals cast their votes, supplemented by fan votes collected online or in person at the museum. The public’s top five artists comprised a fan’s ballot, added to the tally for the professional ballot.
In the previous year, the likes of Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, Kate Bush, and the late George Michael made their entrance into the hall.
