The Musical Influence Award will go to the famed female rap trio, Salt-N-Pepa and the late rock singer/songwriter, Warren Zevon. The Musical Excellence Award will be given to the late producer, arranger, and songwriter of "Philly soul", Thom Bell; the English pianist, the late Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye, the female bass player who was a part of the legendary recording session band, The Wrecking Crew. And the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors a non-performer, is going to Lenny Waronker, a one-time president of Warner Bros. Records, and co-founder and co-chair of DreamWorks Records who was noted for his unwavering support of the artists.
To become eligible for entry into the Hall, an artist must have released it's first commercial recording at least twenty-five years prior to the nomination year. The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on November 8th in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater and will stream live on Disney +. ABC will have a prime-time special that will feature highlights from the event to air on January 1, 2026. The special will be available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
BAD COMPANY
Bad Company, formed in 1973 with four British musicians who first found fame with other notable bands, is considered a rock supergroup. Mick Ralphs, the ex-guitarist of Mott the Hoople; former King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell; singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke both from the band, Free, were represented by Led Zeppelin's manager, Peter Grant and Bad Company was the first group signed to that band's Swan Song label. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1974 and became an immediate hit, reaching number one on the US Billboard 200 Album chart, on the strength of the popular singles, "Can't Get Enough" "Movin' On" and the title track. More hit albums followed and charting songs that include "Good Lovin' Gone Bad", "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Young Blood" and "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy".
By the time they recorded their sixth studio album, "Rough Diamonds", Bad Company had lost their manager following the death of Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham in 1980 and had a difficult time trying to work together as a band. The album was not well received and sold poorly with Bad Company parting ways not long after the release. Although the band had officially come to an end in 1982, Bad Company would reunite later on several occasions, with various other musicians filling in over the years, to record and tour until 2019. Burrell died in 2006 and Ralphs passed away in 2025, leaving Kirke and Rodgers as the only surviving members of the original line-up. During their time together, Bad Company would go on to sell over forty million records worldwide.
CHUBBY CHECKER
Achieving his fame through several novelty songs, with the most celebrated being "The Twist", has made it a bit complicated for Chubby Checker to be taken seriously as a recording artist. He made several attempts throughout his long career, even going as far as releasing a psychedelic rock album, but Checker could never manage to be viewed beyond the singer who sparked a wildly popular dance craze. This is probably why he is only now being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even though he's been eligible since the conception of the Hall back in 1986. But the now eighty-four year old performer is finally being honored and recognized for his significant contributions to pop music.
Born Ernest Evans, he was raised in the projects of South Philadelphia where he would perform in street-corner harmony groups. He soon developed a gift of vocal impressions of popular pop singers of the day. This led to him recording a novelty record personally for Dick Clark, who was the host of the popular music and dance program, American Bandstand, called "The Class" with Checker playing a teacher doing impressions of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino for his students. This record got into the hands of people in the music industry, helping him score a record deal and the song was released commercially. It's been said that Clark's wife is the one who gave him the name "Chubby Checker" with "Chubby" being a nickname of his since childhood. Checker's next single was "The Twist" in 1960 (which was actually a cover that was originally recorded by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958) and went straight to number one with the help of the dance that got plenty of exposure on "American Bandstand". Checker had other popular songs that inspired dances like "Pony Time", "Limbo Rock", "The Fly" and the sequel, "Let's Twist Again". But by the arrival of the British invasion, the music of Checker fell out of favor. He would continue his career recording and touring in Europe for many years.
JOE COCKER
Born in Crookes, Sheffield, Joe Cocker, a vocalist of gritty, raw intensity, was influenced by American r&b and delivered his own style of soul when he first began singing with a vocal group as a teenager. A few years later, under the stage name "Vance Arnold", Cocker started a new band, Vance Arnold and the Avengers where they performed soul covers. This was a short lived venture yet Cocker managed to get a recording contract as a solo artist, releasing a single in 1964, "I'll Cry Instead", a cover of the Beatles' song, under the name of Arnold. The single failed to generate much interest and was dropped from the label. But Cocker was undeterred, dropping the stage name and forming a new group, Joe Cocker's Blues Band. Cocker later joined another group, The Grease Band where they played in local pubs in Sheffield.
And this helped get Cocker signed to another label and released his debut album, "With a Little Help From My Friends" in 1968. This title track was a reworking of another Beatles' song and became a huge hit in England, reaching number one of the pop chart. With a mix of covers and original songs co-written by Cocker, the album got the singer attention in the US with him making live appearances at several music festivals including being added to the lineup at Woodstock. Following that major career event, Cocker released his follow-up album, "Joe Cocker!" which featured his version of songs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell and two songs by the Beatles. He became a popular live act, making well attended stops all across the globe. But this would take it's toll on the singer with him suffering from severe substance abuse. After he managed to pull himself out from addiction by the late '70's, Cocker continued to be a vital presence on stage. He would find himself on the pop charts again with "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the soundtrack of the 1982 film, "An Officer and a Gentleman". The song became an international smash hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and winning his only Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Cocker died from lung cancer on December 22, 2014 at the age of 70.
CYNDI LAUPER
The New York born and raised, Cyndi Lauper was exposed to wide spectrum of different musical genres as a child. By the age of twelve, Lauper learned how to play the guitar and soon started writing songs. Around this time, she also began expressing herself by dying her hair in wild colors and wearing outrageous fashions. Fortunately, her mother encouraged her daughter to express her creativity and individuality. After deciding to pursue music professionally, she started by joining several cover bands but really disliked only being able to perform other artist's songs. In 1978, Lauper met sax player, John Turi and they formed a new-wave rock band called, Blue Angel. The band recorded a few demos and sent them out to labels. But those that responded only wanted to sign Lauper to a record deal but she held out for the band. Polydor Records eventually signed the entire group and they released their self-titled debut in 1980. Despite some critical acclaim, the album was not a commercial success and Blue Angel soon disbanded.
Lauper continued singing in local clubs and met David Wolff, who became her manager and got her signed with Portrait Records. Her debut solo album, "She's So Unusual" was released in 1983. It was an immediate hit, thanks to the first single, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun". The song, originally written and recorded by Robert Hazard from a male point of view, had the lyrics slightly altered by Lauper to capture a female perspective. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" went to number two on the U.S. pop charts and with the help of MTV and the music video made Lauper a major pop star. "She's So Unusual" had a total of four top ten singles, was nominated for six Grammy Awards, (winning two including Best New Artist) and sell a total of sixteen million copies across the globe. Lauper would go on to have a successful recording career, releasing twelve studio albums to date which include different genres of music; pop standards ("At Last"), electronic dance ("Bring Ya To The Brink,"), the blues, ("Memphis Blues") and country ("Detour"). She composed music and lyrics for the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots", winning the 2013 Tony Award for Best Original Score, making her the first woman to win solo in this category. The now seventy-two year old performer has just completed her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" Farewell World Tour but will begin her first Las Vegas residency in 2026.
OUTKAST
Over about a twelve year period, the hip-hop duo, Outkast would help innovate the genre to become one of the most important and influential artists in rap. Antwan Patton (known as "Big Boi") and André Benjamin (going by "André 3000") met while they were high school students in Atlanta. After participating in rap battles, the duo decided to pursue music together and were approached by Organized Noize, a group of local producers. As Outkast, they signed to L.A. And Babyface's label, LaFace Records in 1992 and making their first recording appearance on the remix of TLC's "What About Your Friends?".
Their debut album, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" came out two years later with many considering this collection the beginning of what would become known as southern hip-hop. The first single, "Player's Ball" was a hit, helping create buzz for the rising hip-hop duo and the album, which was certified platinum, received critical acclaim. This helped give Outkast more creative control on their next album and the 1996 follow-up, "ATLiens" featured a more experimental sound with dub and reggae influences. They also changed their image, going from hard-partying playas to Afro-futuristic personas. This album was another million seller and Outkast's third album, "Aquemini" continued their winning streak thanks to the single, "Rosa Parks" which is widely considered to be one of their best songs.
CHUBBY CHECKER
Achieving his fame through several novelty songs, with the most celebrated being "The Twist", has made it a bit complicated for Chubby Checker to be taken seriously as a recording artist. He made several attempts throughout his long career, even going as far as releasing a psychedelic rock album, but Checker could never manage to be viewed beyond the singer who sparked a wildly popular dance craze. This is probably why he is only now being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even though he's been eligible since the conception of the Hall back in 1986. But the now eighty-four year old performer is finally being honored and recognized for his significant contributions to pop music.
Born Ernest Evans, he was raised in the projects of South Philadelphia where he would perform in street-corner harmony groups. He soon developed a gift of vocal impressions of popular pop singers of the day. This led to him recording a novelty record personally for Dick Clark, who was the host of the popular music and dance program, American Bandstand, called "The Class" with Checker playing a teacher doing impressions of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino for his students. This record got into the hands of people in the music industry, helping him score a record deal and the song was released commercially. It's been said that Clark's wife is the one who gave him the name "Chubby Checker" with "Chubby" being a nickname of his since childhood. Checker's next single was "The Twist" in 1960 (which was actually a cover that was originally recorded by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958) and went straight to number one with the help of the dance that got plenty of exposure on "American Bandstand". Checker had other popular songs that inspired dances like "Pony Time", "Limbo Rock", "The Fly" and the sequel, "Let's Twist Again". But by the arrival of the British invasion, the music of Checker fell out of favor. He would continue his career recording and touring in Europe for many years.
JOE COCKER
Born in Crookes, Sheffield, Joe Cocker, a vocalist of gritty, raw intensity, was influenced by American r&b and delivered his own style of soul when he first began singing with a vocal group as a teenager. A few years later, under the stage name "Vance Arnold", Cocker started a new band, Vance Arnold and the Avengers where they performed soul covers. This was a short lived venture yet Cocker managed to get a recording contract as a solo artist, releasing a single in 1964, "I'll Cry Instead", a cover of the Beatles' song, under the name of Arnold. The single failed to generate much interest and was dropped from the label. But Cocker was undeterred, dropping the stage name and forming a new group, Joe Cocker's Blues Band. Cocker later joined another group, The Grease Band where they played in local pubs in Sheffield.
And this helped get Cocker signed to another label and released his debut album, "With a Little Help From My Friends" in 1968. This title track was a reworking of another Beatles' song and became a huge hit in England, reaching number one of the pop chart. With a mix of covers and original songs co-written by Cocker, the album got the singer attention in the US with him making live appearances at several music festivals including being added to the lineup at Woodstock. Following that major career event, Cocker released his follow-up album, "Joe Cocker!" which featured his version of songs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell and two songs by the Beatles. He became a popular live act, making well attended stops all across the globe. But this would take it's toll on the singer with him suffering from severe substance abuse. After he managed to pull himself out from addiction by the late '70's, Cocker continued to be a vital presence on stage. He would find himself on the pop charts again with "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the soundtrack of the 1982 film, "An Officer and a Gentleman". The song became an international smash hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and winning his only Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Cocker died from lung cancer on December 22, 2014 at the age of 70.
CYNDI LAUPER
The New York born and raised, Cyndi Lauper was exposed to wide spectrum of different musical genres as a child. By the age of twelve, Lauper learned how to play the guitar and soon started writing songs. Around this time, she also began expressing herself by dying her hair in wild colors and wearing outrageous fashions. Fortunately, her mother encouraged her daughter to express her creativity and individuality. After deciding to pursue music professionally, she started by joining several cover bands but really disliked only being able to perform other artist's songs. In 1978, Lauper met sax player, John Turi and they formed a new-wave rock band called, Blue Angel. The band recorded a few demos and sent them out to labels. But those that responded only wanted to sign Lauper to a record deal but she held out for the band. Polydor Records eventually signed the entire group and they released their self-titled debut in 1980. Despite some critical acclaim, the album was not a commercial success and Blue Angel soon disbanded.
Lauper continued singing in local clubs and met David Wolff, who became her manager and got her signed with Portrait Records. Her debut solo album, "She's So Unusual" was released in 1983. It was an immediate hit, thanks to the first single, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun". The song, originally written and recorded by Robert Hazard from a male point of view, had the lyrics slightly altered by Lauper to capture a female perspective. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" went to number two on the U.S. pop charts and with the help of MTV and the music video made Lauper a major pop star. "She's So Unusual" had a total of four top ten singles, was nominated for six Grammy Awards, (winning two including Best New Artist) and sell a total of sixteen million copies across the globe. Lauper would go on to have a successful recording career, releasing twelve studio albums to date which include different genres of music; pop standards ("At Last"), electronic dance ("Bring Ya To The Brink,"), the blues, ("Memphis Blues") and country ("Detour"). She composed music and lyrics for the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots", winning the 2013 Tony Award for Best Original Score, making her the first woman to win solo in this category. The now seventy-two year old performer has just completed her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" Farewell World Tour but will begin her first Las Vegas residency in 2026.
OUTKAST
Over about a twelve year period, the hip-hop duo, Outkast would help innovate the genre to become one of the most important and influential artists in rap. Antwan Patton (known as "Big Boi") and André Benjamin (going by "André 3000") met while they were high school students in Atlanta. After participating in rap battles, the duo decided to pursue music together and were approached by Organized Noize, a group of local producers. As Outkast, they signed to L.A. And Babyface's label, LaFace Records in 1992 and making their first recording appearance on the remix of TLC's "What About Your Friends?".
Their debut album, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" came out two years later with many considering this collection the beginning of what would become known as southern hip-hop. The first single, "Player's Ball" was a hit, helping create buzz for the rising hip-hop duo and the album, which was certified platinum, received critical acclaim. This helped give Outkast more creative control on their next album and the 1996 follow-up, "ATLiens" featured a more experimental sound with dub and reggae influences. They also changed their image, going from hard-partying playas to Afro-futuristic personas. This album was another million seller and Outkast's third album, "Aquemini" continued their winning streak thanks to the single, "Rosa Parks" which is widely considered to be one of their best songs.
With "Stankonia" in 2000, Big Boi and André 3000 pushed hip-hop in a new direction with more more melodic vocals and expanded the range of subject matter to more complex and introspective ideas. The singles, "B.O.B", "So Fresh, So Clean" and "Ms. Jackson" (which became the group's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100) helped Outkast win the Best Rap Album Grammy Award. Three years later came "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below". Originally conceived as each member's solo albums, the label insisted that it would be released as a double album under Outkast's name. The singles, "Hey Ya!", "The Way You Move" and "Roses" helped the album sell well over eleven million copies and win the the 2004 Grammy for Album of the Year. Following the 2006 feature film, "Idlewild" which they starred in and the soundtrack album, Big Boy and André 3000 each went to work on solo projects. And while there was never an official announcement of breaking up, Outkast has not made another album to date.
SOUNDGARDEN
Soundgarden, one of the pioneers of grunge rock that emerged from the Seattle area beginning in the mid 1980's, helped to popularize the sound with their introspective, socially conscious lyrics accompanied by thrashing rock guitars. Lead guitarist, Kim Thayil, bassist, Hiro Yamamoto and vocalist, Chris Cornell first began playing together in 1984. Cornell initially was playing drums as well as singing but they brought in Matt Cameron. to allow him to concentrate on vocals two years later. After making the rounds locally, Soundgarden signed to the indie label, Sub Pop and released a single, "Hunted Down" in 1987. Two EPs followed before signing to another independent label, SST Records for their debut album,"Ultramega OK" in 1988. And while the record brought them attention and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance, the band felt it strayed too far from their sound.
SOUNDGARDEN
Soundgarden, one of the pioneers of grunge rock that emerged from the Seattle area beginning in the mid 1980's, helped to popularize the sound with their introspective, socially conscious lyrics accompanied by thrashing rock guitars. Lead guitarist, Kim Thayil, bassist, Hiro Yamamoto and vocalist, Chris Cornell first began playing together in 1984. Cornell initially was playing drums as well as singing but they brought in Matt Cameron. to allow him to concentrate on vocals two years later. After making the rounds locally, Soundgarden signed to the indie label, Sub Pop and released a single, "Hunted Down" in 1987. Two EPs followed before signing to another independent label, SST Records for their debut album,"Ultramega OK" in 1988. And while the record brought them attention and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance, the band felt it strayed too far from their sound.
Soundgarden's next album, "Louder Than Love" was released through a major-label, A&M Records which had some fans concerned they would leave behind their punk roots. But the album maintained their sound filled with rage and angst which expanded Soundgarden's audience. However, Yamamoto, frustrated by his feeling he wasn't making proper contributions, left the band and eventually was replaced by Ben Shepherd. Soundgarden released, "Badmotorfinger" in 1991 brought the band even more acclaim as they were swept up with the sudden popularity of grunge outside of Seattle. Three years later, Soundgarden achieved significant commercial success with "Superunknown", which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart driven by the singles, "Spoonman", "Black Hole Sun", and "Fell on Black Days", ultimately selling over six million copies in the US. By the time they went to work on their next album, creative tensions grew between the band on their musical direction with "Down on the Upside" being less hard rock than their previous output. The end of the tour to support the album in 1997 brought an end of Soundgarden. Each member went to work on solo projects before a reunion twelve years later, leading to another album, "King Animal" in 2012. But Cornell's tragic death in 2017 would sadly bring an end to Soundgarden once again.
THE WHITE STRIPES
Part of the underground garage rock revival that started in the early 2000s, the White Stripes brought a quirky style and punk-blues sensibility to their music. Jack Gillis met Meg White at high school in Detroit, where they first became friends, sharing a love of music. Able to play the guitar, keyboards and drums, Gillis performed with the country-punk band, Goober & the Peas before they broke up. Gillis and White were married in 1996 with him deciding to take on her last name. After Meg taught herself how to play the drums, the couple came together to form a band. Claiming to be siblings and wearing only black, white or red on stage, The White Stripes played around the Detroit-area indie rock scene, developing a rabid following. This lead to them being signed to a local record label and releasing their self-titled debut in 1999. It didn't make it far out of the Detroit area but still generated some buzz for the band. The duo released two more albums with their third, "White Blood Cells" capturing some mainstream success.
The couple had divorced by 2000 but continued on as a band. Their fourth studio album, "Elephant" was released on a major label and would become their biggest commercial and critical success. The single, "Seven Nation Army" would become their signature song and winning the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. In 2005, The White Stripes' next album, "Get Behind Me Satan" marked a change in the band's musical direction with piano-driven melodies and more rhythm-based guitar. Two years later, "Icky Thump" was released and delivered a return to their blues-punk rock sound. A tour had been arranged to promote the album but was cancelled due to Meg's anxiety about performing. Following a 2009 documentary concert film, "Under Great White Northern Lights" which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, the band had planned to tour behind the film but that did not occur. But by 2011, the White Stripes officially announced that they had disbanded. Jack has continued his career as a musician and producer while Meg retired and returned to Detroit.
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