On Sunday, April 27, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation unveiled its 2025 class of inductees. Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes will join the hundreds of acts already enshrined in the performer category, while the Musical Influence Award is set to be presented to Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon. The Musical Excellence Award will be given to producer Thom Bell, pianist Nicky Hopkins, and Wrecking Crew bassist Carol Kaye.
OutKast, Checker, and Cocker were all first-time nominees, while Lauper, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes have appeared on the ballot before. Some of this year’s nominees who missed the mark include: Mariah Carey, Joy Divison/New Order, and Oasis. John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, says, “Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever. Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
The inductees were announced by Ryan Seacrest during a Rock Hall-themed episode of American Idol, where the Top 14 finalists performed songs from the inductees. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California and will stream live on Disney+. An airing on ABC will happen at a later date with next-day Hulu availability.
Ticketing information will be announced at a later date, and select Rock & Roll Hall of Fame donors and members will receive exclusive Induction ticket opportunities. More info can be found here.
