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Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes are set to join the prestigious ranks of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 induction class. This year’s lineup of performer inductees also includes Bad Company, Chubby Checker, and Joe Cocker. The announcement was made during a special Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-themed episode of American Idol, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
In addition to the performers, the Musical Influence Award will be presented to Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon, acknowledging their significant contributions to the development of rock music and their ability to inspire contemporary artists within the genre. The Musical Excellence Award will honor the talents of esteemed Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, session musician Carole Kaye—renowned for her work on iconic tracks like the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” and Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’”—and studio musician Nicky Hopkins, celebrated for his contributions to the Rolling Stones and other British Invasion legends. Moreover, Lenny Waronker, a co-founder of DreamWorks Records, will be recognized with the Ahmet Ertegun Award for his efforts in guiding artists like Elliott Smith to wider recognition.
The 2025 induction ceremony will take place at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on November 8 and will be streamed live on Disney+. It will be available for streaming on Hulu the following day and is expected to re-air on ABC at a later time.
Notably, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Bad Company, and Outkast are entering the Hall of Fame on their first nominations. Lauper, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes, who were nominated in 2023, also had eligibility in prior years but were not chosen for the 2024 class.
This year’s nominations saw several prominent artists fall short of induction, including Oasis, Mariah Carey, Joy Division/New Order, Phish, Billy Idol, the Black Crowes, and Maná. By contrast, the 2024 Rock Hall inductees included Cher, A Tribe Called Quest, Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool & the Gang, Peter Frampton, and Foreigner, featuring one more performer than this year’s selections.
Source
pitchfork.com