2025 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

This year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will honor the English rock group, Bad Company; pioneer rock performer, Chubby Checker; the late British blue-eyed soul singer, Joe Cocker; the colorful, pop-rock vocalist, Cyndi Lauper; hip-hop innovators, Outkast; the American rock band, Soundgarden and indie-rock duo, The White Stripes.

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. 

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'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.

2024 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

This year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will honor the pop music icon, Cher; indie rock fusion outfit, Dave Matthews Band; legendary arena rock group, Foreigner; soul/hip-hop queen, Mary J. Blige; head-banging rocker, Ozzy Osbourne; British guitarist, Peter Frampton and pioneering rap group, A Tribe Called Quest.

The recipients of the Award for Musical Excellence this year will be Jimmy Buffett, the tropical rocker who passed away last year; the classic rock band from Detroit, MC5; Norman Whitfield, an important songwriter and producer for Motown Records and pop music legend, Dionne Warwick. The Musical Influence Award, given to artists that an impact on the evolution of rock and roll, are two blues musicians from England, Alexis Korner and John Mayall and r&b singer and songwriter, "Big Mama" Thornton. And the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors a non-performer, will be given to Suzanne de Passe who worked her way up at Motown from being a creative assistant for founder Berry Gordy to helping the label successfully move into television and film as a producer.

To become eligible for entry into the Hall, an artist must have released it's first commercia recording at least twenty-five years prior to the nomination year. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on October 19th in Cleveland and stream on Disney +.

CHER

When Salvatore Bono, an aspiring musician who went by the name of "Sonny", met a sixteen year old, Cherilyn Sarkisian in 1962, it would change both of their lives significantly. Bono had connected with Phil Spector, who was one of the biggest producers of pop music at the time, and managed to do background vocals on his records, dragging his shy young bride, now going by Cher, along with him. They formed an act, Sonny & Cher and had a number one pop hit, "I Got You Babe" by 1965. More hit songs followed (including several without Sonny) along with a Vegas act and a popular television variety show before their marriage collapsed in 1974.

Newly single, then quickly married to troubled rocker, Greg Allman before separating, Cher continued her music career but struggled to hit the heights she once achieved working with her former husband. She decided to try acting and struggled there too with no one willing to take her seriously. It was director Robert Altman who took a chance by casting her in a play in 1982. More acting work followed and soon Cher would have an Oscar in her hand, winning Best Actress for her performance in the 1987 romantic-comedy, "Moonstruck". At this point, Cher decided to return to music and found great success once again with several hit songs reaching the pop chart. The biggest highlight of her long career in music came in 1998, at the age of fifty-two, with the dance song, "Believe" which was one of the first to utilize Auto-tune to create a vocal effect, topping the pop charts in over twenty-three countries and selling more than eleven million copies. Cher continues to amaze with her unassuming talent and defying the odds, making her easily one of the greatest pop stars of all-time.



DAVE MATTHEWS BAND

The South African born Dave Mathews traveled around in his youth between Cambridge, New York and Johannesburg before ending up as a bartender in Charlottesville, Virginia as a young man. He was an aspiring musician, playing the guitar, writing songs and performing at clubs, when he met local jazz musicians drummer, Carter Beauford and saxophonist, LeRoi Moore. They began to jam together, connecting musically, and started working on the demos of original songs that Matthews wrote. Needing to fill out their sound, they found bass guitar player, Stefan Lessard and Peter Griesar to play keyboards. With the band complete, they needed a name and they became Dave Matthews Band although it is clear to all members that there is no true leader of the group.

In 1994, the band released a live EP, "Recently" which highlighted their singular jazz-rock sound which had drew a wide audience to their shows. This helped get Dave Matthews Band signed to RCA Records and their debut studio album, "Under the Table and Dreaming" followed shortly later that year. The singles, "What Would You Say", "Satellite" and "Ants Marching" all reached the top twenty on the mainsteam rock chart, bringing the band commercial success and greater popularity. Their follow-up album, "Crash" two years later further expanded the band's success with them earning five Grammy nominations and a win for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for "So Much to Say". Dave Matthews Band have since recorded ten studio albums to date with their latest, "Walk Around the Moon" released last year. But their real claim to fame is that they are a thrilling jam band, changing up the arrangement of each of their songs to create an engaging and unique live show at every stop.



FOREIGNER

Formed in 1976 in New York, British musicians: Mick Jones on guitar, drummer, Dennis Elliott and multi-instrumentalist, Ian McDonald teamed up with Americans, Al Greenwood on keyboards, bass guitarist, Ed Gagliardi and lead vocalist, Lou Gramm to become Foreigner who went on to become one of the world's best selling rock bands with well over eighty million records sold. Their self-titled 1977 debut began their streak of six consecutive, multi-platinum albums throughout the rest of the '70's and 1980's. Some of their popular singles include "Feels Like The First Time", "Cold As Ice", "Urgent", "Hot Blooded", "Double Vision" and "I Want To Know What Love Is" with this gospel inspired, rock ballad becoming an international number one smash.

Gagliardi left the band in 1979 and was replaced by Rick Wills. By 1990, several other members would leave (including singer Gramm) and were replaced but Foreigner's following albums failed to generate the same level of success of their previous work. Since 2003, Jones (who served as co-writer and co-producer for much of Foreigner's music) has been the only founding member still with the band with various other musicians filling in over the years on tour. Gagliardi passed away in 2014 and McDonald died in 2022.



KOOL & THE GANG

Seven high school friends from New Jersey: Robert "Kool" Bell on bass, his brother, Ronald played piano, Robert Mickens on trumpet, saxophonist, Dennis Thomas, Rickey West on keyboards and Charles Smith on guitar came together as a professional band in 1964. They first began playing jazz and soul music under the name, The Jazziacs. The band went through several names changes before settling on "Kool & The Gang". After finally getting a record deal, they released their self titled debut in 1970, an all-instrumental album that brought them some attention. As they released a few more albums, the sound of Kool & The Gang was hard to categorize as they had elements of jazz, rock, soul or just instrumentals on their records. Their first commercial breakthrough came when they added disco to their musical repertoire on their fourth studio album, "Wild and Peaceful" in 1973. The funky dance singles, "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging" both became huge hits on the US soul and pop charts. After this triumph, Kool & The Gang went deeper into dance music yet the results didn't payoff for the band as their records were pretty much ignored.

By 1979, Kool & The Gang decided to make some changes: they brought in a dedicated lead singer, James "J.T." Taylor and committed their next four albums for Brazilian musician, Eumir Deodato to produce. This new direction proved to be a wise move with their album, "Ladies Night", a collection of pop and smooth r&b, becoming a best seller thanks to the singles, "Too Hot" and the title track reaching the top-ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band's next album, "Celebrate!" became an even bigger hit because of their number one international smash, "Celebration". Other hit songs were "Get Down On It", "Joanna", "Fresh" and "Cherish". Taylor left The Gang in 1987 to attempt a solo career but returned nine years later to record one more album with the group, "State of Affairs". Kool & The Gang are still recording music and on the road touring.



MARY J BLIGE

Born and raised in the Bronx, a seventeen year old Mary J. Blige decided to drop out of high school with a strong-willed determination to start a career in music. After covering an Anita Baker song at a recording booth at a White Plans mall, the cassette tape managed to slowly make its way into the hands of Andre Harrell, the president of Uptown Records. He was impressed and signed Blige to the label in 1989 but was at first only used to perform backing vocals for other artists. By 1992, Mary finally began recording her debut album with a young and eager talent director at Uptown who had just started to produce, Sean Combs.

"What's The 411?" was released later in the year and became notable for smoothly merging classic soul over hip-hop beats. The first single, "You Remind Me" went straight to number one on the US r&b chart, then the next, "Real Love" not only topped the r&b chart but it went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Three more singles became hits, helping the album go on to sell over three million copies in the US alone. Blige's 1994 follow-up album, "My Life" became an even bigger commercial success and widely praised critically. The singer was more involved in the writing of this record where she revealed through songs personal details of her difficult and traumatic life. Blige, who was quickly dubbed the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul", continued to rise to the top with several more popular albums and singles. After over thirty years in the business, Blige has gone on become one of the most successful musical artists in pop music history, selling over one hundred million records globally.



OZZY OSBOURNE

Ozzy Osbourne had already been inducted into the Hall of Fame with the heavy metal band he helped form, Black Sabbath back in 2006 and now the British hard rocker has just been selected for his solo work. Back in 1978, Osbourne had begun putting together a possible solo project when he was called back to record the next Black Sabbath album, "Never Say Die!". The recording sessions proved to be prolonged and arduous due to the band members all heavily using drugs. Following the tour to promote the album, Black Sabbath went back to the studio to record another album. The results were even more disastrous and a decision was made by the rest of the members to fire their lead singer, Osbourne because of his excessive substance abuse although he claimed this was unfair since everyone had been indulging in drugs.

Osborne set out to finish his own album, creating a new band called Blizzard of Ozz that featured former members of other well-known rock bands that included bassist, Bob Daisley of Rainbow and Quiet Riot guitarist, Randy Rhoads who both would co-write and co-produce this record. However, the label only credited Osbourne when his solo debut was released in 1980 with the title appearing to be "Blizzard of Ozz", leaving some members unhappy. The album was a modest success during it's initial release but the single, "Crazy Train" has since become a staple on classic rock radio and "Blizzard of Ozz" has now sold two million copies. This would begin a period of immense popularity for Osbourne throughout the rest of the 1980's, '90's and well into the next century. And while he could have very brief moments of sobriety over his long career, Osbourne would misuse alcohol and other drugs for most of his adult life. The now seventy-five year old singer is currently sober and has had some recent health issues but still has been able to get out to occasionally perform.



PETER FRAMPTON

The British rock musician and songwriter, Peter Frampton took to music early, self teaching himself how to play the guitar and piano as a child. He played with several bands as a pre-teen and in 1966, Frampton began his professional career at the age of sixteen joining The Herd, a psychedelic pop-rock band. The group rose quickly, achieving three top-twenty hits in the UK before Frampton left to form a new band with Steve Marriott, who was a member of Small Faces, in 1968. Along with Greg Ridley, formerly of Spooky Tooth and drummer, Jerry Shirley from the Apostolic Intervention, they became Humble Pie, moving into blues rock. Their debut album, "As Safe As Yesterday Is" was an instant hit with the single, "Natural Born Bugie" reaching number four on the British pop chart. Humble Pie became modestly successful, with four studio albums and a live release, but by 1971, Frampton decided to leave the band, unhappy with the change of musical direction into harder rock and wanted to move on to a solo career.

Frampton released four albums over the next four years, struggling to attract significant attention to his music. It was not until his 1976 release, "Frampton Comes Alive!", a double album that featured live versions of songs from his previous recordings, that he would achieve a major commercial breakthrough. With the hit singles, "Baby, I Love Your Way", "Show Me the Way", and "Do You Feel Like We Do", Frampton's album would become one of the best selling live albums of all-time at over eight million copies. His follow-up studio album, "I'm In You" proved to continue his success with the title track reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. But at the height of his fame, Frampton suffered in a near-fatal car accident in 1978. He fully recovered, returning to making music yet his subsequent recordings, releasing twenty-two studio and live albums over his career, failed to find great commercial success. In 2019, Frampton was diagnosed with IBM, a progressive muscle disorder that would make performing for him difficult. But he has managed to play guitar on occasion for select events and short tours.



A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

A Tribe Called Quest, a hip-hop outfit from Queens, NY, helped pioneer the merging of jazz influences and eclectic music samples into rap, opening up the sound of this unique genre and pushing hip-hop forward. Two childhood friends, Kamaal Fareed (who went by Q-Tip) and Malik Taylor (who goes by Phife Dawg) performed in rap battles and began making demos in 1985. After meeting rapper, Jarobi White and DJ and co-producer, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, they would become A Tribe Called Quest three years later. They helped form the Native Tongues Collective, a group of fellow New York based, hip-hop artists dedicated to Afrocentric, positive-minded music with members including the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Monie Love and Queen Latifah.

After signing with Jive Records, A Tribe Called Quest released their debut album, "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" in 1990. The record featured a more playful approach to hip-hop with unexpected beats and unorthodox lyrics. The group was well received by enthusiastic listeners and earned widespread critical acclaim. They followed this with three successful albums: "The Low End Theory" from 1991, "Midnight Marauders" in 1993 and "Beats, Rhymes and Life" three years later. Shortly after the 1998 release of "The Love Movement", A Tribe Called Quest announced their breakup, citing problems with their label and growing tension between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. Over time, after each released their own solo projects, Q-Tip and Phife managed to settle their differences. They reunited first in 2006 to tour at select music festivals and later began working on new music by 2016. But sadly, Phife Dawg died that year due to complications from diabetes. The surviving members continued to work on the uncompleted project, releasing "We Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service" later that year. A Tribe Called Quest would perform at a number of music fests the following year to promote the album before disbanding once again.

2023 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees are another impressive selection of musicians: British pop-art visionary, Kate Bush, country-rock singer/songwriter, Sheryl Crow, groundbreaking hip-hop artist, Missy Elliott, the late pop superstar, George Michael, country music legend, Willie Nelson, alt-rockers, Rage Against the Machine, and classic r&b group, the Spinners. And while many of these artists may not fall under what some might consider traditional rock, this year the Hall's mission statement has been altered to define rock and roll more generally as a spirit that is inclusive and ever-changing that celebrates the sound of youth culture.

The legendary soul vocalist, Chaka Khan; songwriter and musician behind organizing the rock band, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Al Kooper, and the songwriter best known for his work with Elton John, Bernie Taupin will be acknowledged with the Musical Excellence Award for their "dramatic impact on music". And Don Cornelius, the creator behind the innovative television program that put a spotlight on African American musical artists with "Soul Train", will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The thirty-eighth annual induction ceremony was held this year on November 3rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. For the first time, the event was streamed live on Disney+ and now available to view on Disney+ on-demand. An edited version of the ceremony will also air on ABC this New Year's Day.

KATE BUSH

With the staggering recent success of the re-release of her 1985 hit, "Running Up That Hill" (thanks to its use on the Netflix series, "Stranger Things"), this resurgence helped put the British singer/songwriter, Kate Bush back on the radar of the Rock & Roll Hall and finally getting her inducted. Bush had taught herself how to play the piano as a young child before eventually writing her own music and lyrics. At sixteen, she began recording demos of her material and sent them out to several record labels, but none were interested. However, David Gilmour of the rock band, Pink Floyd got his hands on her work, helped get more polished demos made and sending them to EMI Records who would sign her. Moody, dark and eclectic, Bush crafted songs over nine albums that have an unusually distinctive sound that remains unlike what any other artist could possibly imagine. And while she has largely stepped away from public life and her professional career, Bush still inspires and influences listeners with her visionary music.



SHERYL CROW

Born and raised in Kennett, MO, Sheryl Crow began her career in music as an elementary school music teacher. But after hours, she was performing with several local bands and singing on advertising jingles. Crow's first big break came in 1987 when she was hired as a backing vocalist for Michael Jackson's Bad Tour, staying on the road with him for three years. This led to more work for Crow, performing background singing for several established artists but Crow was still determined to make her own music. After getting signed to A&M Records, Crow recorded an album and was on the verge of releasing it when she and the label mutually decided the record just didn't best represent her as an artist. Crow set out again to record her debut, working with a loose group of musicians who called themselves, "Tuesday Music Club" that helped her put together the album. "Tuesday Night Music Club" was released in 1993 and the single, "All I Wanna Do" would break out as a big hit with "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Strong Enough" following. This led Crow to become a major player with the album selling more than seven million copies and winning her three Grammys including Record of the Year. Crow has continued to make memorable music over the years, with her twelfth studio album, "Evolution" due out early next year.



MISSY ELLIOTT

Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott has become the first female rapper to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall and it goes without saying that this honor is long overdue. Enduring a tough and traumatic childhood in Virginia, Elliott managed to remain good natured, outgoing and loved to perform. Her first opportunity in music came when she was a part of an all-female r&b act called Sista in 1991. She recruited her neighborhood friend, Timothy Mosley (who would later be known as "Timbaland") to serve as the group's producer. Sista's debut, "4 All the Sistas Around da World" failed to make an impression and Elliott would move behind the scenes, writing and producing with Timbaland for other artists like Jodeci, SWV, 702, and the late, Aaliyah. Elliott soon began making featured appearances rapping on several tracks for various artists and signed a deal in 1996 to create her own imprint music label, The Goldmind Inc. With Timbaland on board, Elliott released her debut album, "Super Dupa Fly" with the lead single, "The Rain" becoming a major hit, enhanced by her playful, groundbreaking Afro-futuristic music video directed by "Hype" Williams. And while Elliott was enjoying wild success as a performer, she continued to write and produce for other top musicians, creating hits for Whitney Houston, Monica, Keyshia Cole, Jazmine Sullivan, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.



GEORGE MICHAEL

He was first a part of the wildly popular British boy-band duo, Wham! but after going solo, George Michael became even more famous yet also gained further respect as an artist of introspective pop music. Michael's 1987 debut album, "Faith" had five top-ten singles and would go on to sell well over twenty-five million copies worldwide and win the Grammy Award for Album of The Year. Yet all of this success took a toll on Michael, causing him to want to retreat from the intense pressure of the business and simply just wanted to make music. With his 1990 follow-up album, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1", he refused to do interviews, live performances, music videos or even have his image on the cover. The album sold well but not nearly as well as "Faith" which created friction between Michael and his record label, Sony. A lawsuit followed in 1992 with Michael wanting to end his contract. And although he lost, Sony sold his contract to Virgin Records and Michael went on to create more mature works Like "Older", the 1999 covers album, "Songs from the Last Century" and "Patience". After an unfortunate incident in a public men's restroom in 1998, Michael was forced out of the closet yet proudly embraced his queer identity. Sadly, Michael passed away from heart disease on Christmas Day in 2016.



WILLIE NELSON

At the incredible age of ninety, Willie Nelson is still on the road bringing country music to audiences across the globe. The Texas native was first a DJ for several radio stations and an aspiring singer/songwriter before heading to Nashville to try his luck breaking into the music business. Nelson would sign a publishing contract, writing several songs made popular by other artists (most famously, "Crazy" by Patsy Cline), and joined Ray Price's band as a bass guitar player before recording his debut album, " ...And Then I Wrote" in 1962. He had a few more successful albums but grew tired of the controlling Nashville establishment and headed back to Texas ten years later. While living in Austin, this was when Nelson moved towards what became known as "outlaw country", a more progressive form of country music, which brought him even greater fame. By the 1980's, Nelson found pop crossover success with the songs, "On the Road Again" and "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" and began to experiment with other genres of music like jazz, blues and reggae. He ventured into acting, appearing in films and television, and has long been a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana in the US.



RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

Formed in 1991, Rage Against the Machine is a rock band of extreme contrasts; thrashing together sounds of punk, heavy metal and rap while crafting songs that are politically motivated on activism and socialist views. The LA based band, consisting of vocalist, Zack de la Rocha, bassist, Tim Commerford, guitarist, Tom Morello, and drummer, Brad Wilk, released their self-titled debut in 1992 which received critical and commercial success. There was tension and conflicts during the recording of their follow-up (with rumors of the band breaking up) and "Evil Empire" was finally released four years later. The album entered the Billboard Hot 200 chart at number one and went on to sell over three million copies, taking RATM to the next level. Two more albums were released before de la Rocha left the band over the relentless internal battles and Rage Against the Machine would come to an end in 2000. But RATM would reunite at Coachella seven years later, begin a tour that lasted for a couple of years before disbanding again and reuniting nine years later, wouldn't actually hit the stage together until 2022 due to the pandemic and had to postpone a world tour over de la Rocha's leg injury.



THE SPINNERS

The Spinners were a r&b vocal group formed in Ferndale, MI., a suburb outside of Detroit, in 1954. With original members, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C. P. Spencer and Bobby Smith, the group had their first charting single, "That's What Girls Are Made For" in 1961. The Spinners joined Motown Records two years later but initially only found modest success there. It would not be until 1970 when the Spinners had their first major hit with "It's a Shame", co-written and produced by Stevie Wonder. Aretha Franklin encouraged the group to join her label, Atlantic Records when their contract was up and that's when their fortunes shifted considerably. The Spinners would enjoy a string of very popular singles which included "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", "One of a Kind (Love Affair)", "They Just Can't Stop It (Games People Play)", "The Rubberband Man" and "Then Came You" a duet with Dionne Warwick which reached the top of the pop charts. Egos and conflicts grew between members of the group by 1977, causing singers to leave and new vocalists to take their place. They still managed to have a couple of more hits in 1980 with "Working My Way Back to You" and "Cupid". The Spinners still continue to tour to this day, remaining a popular draw on the nostalgia concert circuit.

NEW SOUNDS

KYLIE MINOGUE

Last month, the Australian pop princess, Kylie Minogue made some noise with not only a thrilling new song, "Padam Padam" but also announced the release of her upcoming fourteenth studio album, "Tension". This single continues on a dance floor vibe she began with her upbeat 2020 release, "Disco" but the hypnotic "Padam Padam", which is essentially the sound of a beating heart, has shifted to a darker yet still enjoyable electro-pop sound. And the response has been euphoric with "Padam Padam" getting Minogue back high on the charts in the UK and her home country while generating plenty of heat in dance clubs across the globe. The video, shot in LA and directed by veteran music video director, Sophie Muller, was released the same day as the song with the clip featuring Minogue looking incredible in a red Mugler catsuit with an army of dancers moving beside her. You will not be able to get your hands on "Tension" until September but enjoy this first sampling in the meantime.

I was surprised to learn that the legendary French chanteuse, Edith Piaf had a song called "Padam Padam" she recorded back in 1951. Piaf's ballad, written for her by long-time collaborators, Henri Contet and Norbert Glanzberg, was about how certain sounds evoke the memory of a former lover. Maybe someone will be adventurous and make a dance remix of this version? Anyway, have a listen to this "Padam Padam" by a truly extraordinary singer.

DOLLY PARTON

After initially declining the nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, feeling like she didn't deserve the honor, country music superstar Dolly Parton graciously accepted the award last year. But she still felt like she had to earn her spot in the Hall, so Parton premiered a new rock song, "Rockstar" during the ceremony. This lead to her deciding to record an entire rock album named after the song she wrote. Parton went into the studio and ended up with thirty songs for the album. Most of the tracks are covers with an incredible line-up of musicians who have lent their support.

There is Sting on the cover of his "Every Breath You Take" which he first made famous in 1981 with his band, The Police; Steve Perry joining Parton on the hit by his former band, Journey with "Open Arms"; Pink and Brandi Carlile rocking out on the Stones',"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"; Debbie Harry providing vocals on a cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass"; Lizzo is on board with Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven" and most impressive of all, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood all together with Parton for their version of the Beatles' classic, "Let It Be". This is just a small number of the recordings which includes solo performances by Parton on Prince's "Purple Rain" and Queen's, "We Are the Champions". Now "Rockstar" will not be out until November but Parton has released another single which is also an original song written by the country music legend, "World On Fire". Here is a live performance from the 58th annual American Country Music Awards which she recently co-hosted with Garth Brooks.

2022 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The rocker, Pat Benatar; soul balladeer, Lionel Ritchie; '80's new-wave bands, Duran Duran and Eurythmics; rap artist, Eminem; singer/songwriter, Carly Simon; and the country music superstar, Dolly Parton are this year's inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In order for a performer to be considered for this honor, at least twenty-five years must have passed since the musician’s first recordings were released, ensuring that their contribution to music has stood the test of time.

Judas Priest, the British heavy-metal band and the production team of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will receive the Musical Excellence Award, decided by a select committee which is given to "musicians whose originality and influence creating music has had a dramatic impact on music".

The induction ceremony will be held this year on November 5th at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. An edited version of the event will air on SiriusXM satellite radio and will be broadcast on HBO and HBO Max on November 19th.

PAT BENATAR

It's really shocking that Pat Benatar is only now being inducted into the Hall after years of delivering chart-topping, hard-driving, great rock & roll. But this long overdue honor is still well deserved. Born Patricia Andrzejewski in New York City, she married her high school sweetheart, Dennis Benatar who was serving in the US army and the couple moved to Richmond, VA. After attending a Liza Minnelli concert, she decided to resume a pursuit of a music career, performing in local clubs. The end of her husband's military service brought them back to New York, offering more potential opportunities for Benatar. Her first big break came when she entered amateur night at Catch-a-Rising-Star, leading to become a regular performer at the comedy club. One night, representatives for Chrysalis Records caught her act, signing Benatar to the label in 1978. Her marriage may have ended not long after but decided to keep his surname as her professional name.

Benatar's debut album, "In The Heat of the Night" began with the single, "Heartbreaker" getting her noticed but "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" becoming her breakout hit, reaching the top-ten on the pop charts, selling over a million copies and winning Benatar the first of four Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. She would go to have fifteen top forty US singles and selling over thirty-five million albums worldwide. And her career would also lead Benatar to meet Neil Giraldo, the lead guitarist for her band who would not only become her creative partner, helping to co-write and produce some of her music, but life partner, marrying him in 1982 and having two children together.



DURAN DURAN

With their band name inspired by a character in the 1968 Jane Fonda sci-fi camp classic, "Barbarella", Duran Duran first emerged during the New Romantic scene in Britain in the late 1970's. This band was formed in Birmingham by keyboardist, Nick Rhodes and bassist, John Taylor. After numerous personnel changes, drummer, Roger Taylor, guitarist, Andy Taylor and lead singer, Simon LeBon were added (none of these "Taylors" are related) and became the final line-up by the time of their self-titled debut released in 1981. "Planet Earth" and "Girls On Film" became huge hits in their home country in part to the sexy music videos, which showcased these five good-looking young men, enhancing their popularity. But it would be their follow-up album, "Rio" that would make them become worldwide sensations thanks to the title track and "Hungry Like the Wolf" and MTV with the newly arrived music video channel playing the cinematic videos for these songs in heavy rotation.

More hits followed; "The Reflex", "Union of the Snake", "A View to a Kill", "The Wild Boys", "Notorious" with Duran Duran going on to become one of the world's best-selling musical artists with well over one hundred million records sold. Over the years, members have left (Roger and Andy Taylor in 1986; John Taylor in 1997) and come back (the original line-up reunited in 2001 with an album and a tour before Andy Taylor left again in 2006) but Duran Duran are still making music together with their fifteenth studio album, "Future Past" released in 2021.



EMINEM

Eminem managed to find incredible worldwide success and fame in the predominantly African-American genre of rap with his complex rhyme technique and humorous yet somewhat violent wordplay, making him one of the greatest rappers of all time. Born Marshall Mathers III, he had an unstable family life with his parents separating and shuttling back and forth between Detroit and various areas in Missouri throughout his childhood.

Inspired by the emerging rap music scene happening in Detroit, he honed his skills by entering open mic contests and despite being White, managed to impress the largely Black audience. First going by "m&m" before the spelling changed to "Eminem", his first break came when he was signed to a local indie label, Web Entertainment and released his debut album, "Infinite" in 1996. The record was a commercial disappointment yet lead to him creating an alter-ego, "Slim Shady", a sadistically perverted character, releasing an EP under that name a year later. His next big break came when he headed to LA to enter the national rap battle competition. Landing in second, a scout from Interscope Records got "The Slim Shady EP" into the hands of the label head, Jimmy Iovine who then gave it to Dr. Dre, the founding member of N.W.A.

Both were very impressed and Dre went to work recording with Eminem, releasing "The Slim Shady LP" in 1999 with the album selling over three million copies. That was followed by "The Marshall Mathers LP" the next year, debuting at number one and selling a global total of twenty-five million copies. In 2002, Eminem went on to acting with "8 Mile". He played a fictionalized version of himself and his early life with, "Lose Yourself" from the soundtrack going on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song. This gifted, best selling artist has released eleven studio albums to date with his last release, "Music To Be Murdered By" in 2020.



EURYTHMICS

After spending a few years working together in the pop-rock band, The Tourists, Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart went on to form their own band, Eurythmics in 1981, changing their sound to new wave. While the British duo's first album, "In The Garden" failed generate much interest, their next project, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" certainly did. The synth-pop title track became a worldwide number one smash hit in 1983 with the striking music video, featuring Lennox in a gender-bending image, certainly bringing them even more attention. The hits continued; "Here Comes The Rain Again", "There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)", "Would I Lie To You?", "Missionary Man" and teaming with Aretha Franklin on "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" with the band altering their sound and image continuously along the way.

By 1990, after a grinding schedule of recording and touring (and selling seventy-five million records in the process), Lennox and Stewart decided to go their separate ways due to their now strained relationship. Stewart went on to writing film soundtracks and recording several solo albums. Lennox released the first of her six solo album, "Diva" in 1992 which featured five hit singles and selling four million records. Lennox and Stewart reunited as Eurythmics for their last album to date, "Peace" in 1999. While not officially a band, the duo have continued to occasionally perform together over the years, usually for benefit concerts.



DOLLY PARTON

While she had asked for her name to be withdrawn from consideration, feeling that there were probably other artists more deserving than herself, Dolly Parton, the country music superstar has found herself inducted into the rock hall and she has graciously accepted the honor. Born in the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, Dolly was one of twelve children living in a one room cabin on a tobacco farm. The family didn't have much but music played an important part in their lives. Dolly began writing and singing music as a young child and would perform on local television and radio programs. By thirteen, she recorded her first single, "Puppy Love" in 1959. While this song wasn't much of a hit, it still gave her confidence to try a move to Nashville. After catching the attention of country superstar, Porter Wagoner, Parton would be asked to join his band and eventually be his co-host on his weekly television show. Wagoner and Parton became a popular duo and recorded twelve highly successful albums. They remained a professional team until 1974 when she decided to concentrate on her own solo career.

Parton enjoyed major country music success throughout the 1970's but soon decided she wanted her music to appeal to a mainstream crowd. "Here You Come Again" was released in 1977 and the title track became her first crossover pop hit. She took on acting, starring in the popular feminist workplace comedy, "9 to 5" in 1980 with the theme song she wrote going on to top both the pop and country charts as well as earn her an Academy Award nomination. As probably one of the most recognized country music artists in the world, Parton is also one of the most accomplished and highly honored artists in all genres of music.



LIONEL RITCHIE

Lionel Ritchie began his music career as a member of Commodores in 1968. This funky soul band were signed to Motown and found success almost immediately on the r&b chart with "Machine Gun", "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" and "Brick House" but it was the ballads, written and performed by Ritchie, like "Just to Be Close to You", "Sail On", "Still" and "Three Times a Lady" that took Commodores to the next level, crossing over to the top of the pop charts.

Ritchie went solo and released his self-titled debut solo album in 1982. This began his wildly successful career with the songs, "You Are", "All Night Long (All Night)", "Hello", "Stuck on You", "Say You, Say Me", and co-writing the all-star charity single, "We Are The World" helping him become one of the biggest pop acts throughout the early '80's. After planning to take just a little time off after a grueling touring schedule in 1986, Ritchie was away from the business for ten years. But he came back to music, releasing seven additional studio albums with his last to date being, "Tuskegee", Ritchie's 2012 venture into country music . Ritchie has received many awards and honors and he's currently serving as a judge on the singing competition show, "American Idol".



CARLY SIMON

One of the biggest of the popular singer/songwriters that found success in the 1970's was Carly Simon. She had a long string of poetic, introspective songs that found spots high on the pop charts throughout that decade and the 1980's. One of four children born to Richard L. Simon, the co-founder of the publishing company, Simon & Schuster and Andrea Heinemann, a singer, Simon began her professional music career with her sister, Lucy as a folk music act, the Simon Sisters in 1963. The duo recorded several albums, touring and making appearances performing on television but by 1970, Simon decided to strike out on her own. Signed to Elektra Records, Simon released her self-titled debut in 1971 with the single, "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be", an emotionally complex song Simon co-wrote involving unhappy married lives, becoming her first top-ten single. She would go on to win the Grammy that year for Best New Artist.

"Anticipation", "Legend In Your Own Time", "Nobody Does It Better" (the James Bond theme for "The Spy Who Love Me"), "Jesse", "Why" and "Coming Around Again", her comeback hit song from 1986 are just a few of the memorable tunes made popular by Simon. And of course, "You're So Vain", Simon's most famous song that had some added intrigue due to her refusal all these years to name who the song is actually about (and no, it's not Mick Jagger who only provided background vocals on the track). In 1972, Simon married another rising singer/songwriter at the time, James Taylor with the two becoming the golden couple of rock. Like many relationships, they had their challenges but fame and Taylor's struggles with drug addiction added additional complications. After ten years of marriage and two children (Sally and Ben Taylor who are both now musicians), the musical couple ended their union in 1983.