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Another year, another crop of music legends getting honored in Cleveland. Sometimes, an act is nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame several times before finally getting inducted. Not so for Outkast, who were announced as first-time nominees back in February and have now been chosen as one of this year’s inductees. Other first-timers who are being inducted in 2025 include Bad Company, Joe Cocker, and Chubby Checker. (Per The Associated Press, Checker once said, “I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old. I’ll tell them to drop dead, so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling.” At 83, he’s just made the cut.)
Eligibility for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame requires an individual artist or band to have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. This year’s other inductees, Cyndi Lauper, Soungarden, and The White Stripes, were all first nominated in 2023. Special recognition will also be bestowed upon Salt-N-Pepa and singer-songwriter Warren Zevon, recipients of the Musical Influence Award; Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye, recipients of the Musical Excellence Award; and Lenny Waronker, recipient of the Ahmet Etregun Award.
Inductees were selected from the list of nominees by an international panel of more than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals, as well as a fan vote. “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,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement (via Deadline). “Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction will stream live November 8 on Disney+ and be available on Hulu the next day. It will air on ABC at a later, as-yet unannounced date.
