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First-time nominees Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, and Bad Company are set to join the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This new class also features pop icon Cyndi Lauper, hip-hop legends Outkast, rock duo The White Stripes, and grunge pioneers Soundgarden.
Paul Rodgers, the lead singer of Bad Company, earned recognition as the 55th greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2008.
Salt-N-Pepa, recognized as the first female rap group to achieve gold and platinum certifications, alongside the late songwriter Warren Zevon, will receive the Musical Influence Award. The Musical Excellence Award will go to the late producer Thom Bell, pianist Nicky Hopkins, and bassist Carol Kaye.
Joe Cocker, who performed at Woodstock and famously covered The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends, had strong supporters, including Billy Joel, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, and Pete Thomas, a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, who praised him as “about as rock and roll as it gets.”
Soundgarden, with the late Chris Cornell as their frontman, will be inducted during their third nomination attempt, joining fellow grunge icons Nirvana and Pearl Jam in the Hall. Bad Company gained prominence with hits like Feel Like Makin’ Love, Can’t Get Enough, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy.
The Ahmet Ertegun Award will honor Lenny Waronker, a former head of Warner Bros. Records, who helped launch the careers of artists like Prince and R.E.M., and contributed to albums by various notable musicians, including Madonna and Randy Newman.
Notable nominees who will not be inducted this year include Mariah Carey, Phish, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Maná, the Black Crowes, and Oasis.
Chubby Checker’s hits, including The Twist and Let’s Twist Again, have become foundational elements of rock ‘n’ roll history. The 83-year-old artist has previously expressed disappointment over his delayed induction, emphasizing the importance of being recognized while still active and vibrant.
Cyndi Lauper gained fame in the 1980s with classics like Time After Time and Girls Just Want to Have Fun, later winning a Tony Award for her work on Kinky Boots. Hip-hop duo Outkast, consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi, are celebrated for their artistic innovation and have received six Grammy Awards. Meanwhile, The White Stripes, a staple of the early 2000s indie scene, are well-known for tracks like Seven Nation Army.
To be eligible for induction, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior. The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles this fall.
More than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals participated in the voting process for the nominees. Selection criteria focus on an artist’s influence on fellow musicians, the depth and longevity of their careers, and their stylistic innovation and excellence.
Last year’s inductees included Mary J. Blige, Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Matthews Band, and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton.
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www.cbc.ca