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Little Richard exploded the Fifties music scene with his thunderous piano and electrifying stage presence, setting the tone for the future of rock and roll.

Little Richard

The first anointed King of Rock & Roll. Elvis Presley ignited a revolution with his firebrand take on blues, country, R&B, pop, bluegrass and gospel. 

Elvis Presley

Sam Phillips discovered Elvis Presley, pioneered rockabilly and founded Sun Records, where he quietly went about the business of building and recording the rock and roll canon.

Sam Phillips

Raising hell with the devil's music.That's what Jerry Lee Lewis does best. He pounded the piano with such abandon that it's a wonder it didn't come apart.

Jerry Lee Lewis

Steeped in mystery, killed mysteriously, his legend eclipsed only by his skill, Robert Johnson may be the first ever rock star.

Robert Johnson

Buddy Holly roughed up familiar musical influences—rhythm & blues, rockabilly, country & western—with upbeat tempos, a jittery vocal approach, and youthful lyrics filled with edgy declarations of love, lust and heartbreak.

Buddy Holly

From popularizing the R&B records that became the foundation of rock to planning the first rock and roll concert, Alan Freed was the tireless promoter of the genre.

Alan Freed

The Everly Brothers reign supreme among music’s great vocal partnerships.

The Everly Brothers

Fats Domino's sweet voice, rolling boogie-woogie piano, and delightful charisma made him a top-selling artist and a worldwide rock star.

Fats Domino

Sam Cooke was the definitive soul man. He was seductive, devoted, elegant and moving.

Sam Cooke

Ray Charles used his explosive musical talent to combine gospel and blues into the then nonexistent genre of soul. To him, soul music was a way of life.

Ray Charles

Chuck Berry internalized country, blues and R&B influences to create a singular guitar technique.

Chuck Berry

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Steve Winwood

James Brown once said of Elvis Presley, “He taught white America to get down.” Brown himself did Elvis one better in that regard: he encouraged everyone to do it...

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**Impact**

Rev. Al Sharpton Remembers James Brown

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**Influence**

**Induction**

"I Got You (I Feel Good)"

**What’s in a name?** When it comes to James Brown, the name is all you need. He’s Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. Dynamite and then some. He is the indefatigable forefather of soul, funk and rap, and a performer like no other.

This is the signature that appears on the inductee’s plaque at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to officially commemorate their induction.

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James Brown

The founder and creative beacon of Elektra Records. Jac Holzman's diverse taste and engineering knowledge yielded a catalogue of music ranging from classical to hard rock to simply sound effects, all of the highest quality.

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{{year}} Induction | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

This award is given to artists, musicians, songwriters, and producers whose originality and influence have had a dramatic impact on music.

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{{year}} **Inductees**

This award recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives to crafting influential, important music infused with originality, achieving a level of timeless distinction.

Musical Excellence

This award acknowledges artists whose music and performance style have directly influenced, inspired, and evolved rock & roll and music impacting culture.

Musical Influence

Celebrating the iconic artists who have created music whose originality, impact, and influence has changed the course of rock & roll.

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Sorry Ms. Jackson: A Hip-Hop Symphony

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A Rock B-Side Turned West Coast Anthem

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From CBGB’s to Hip-Hop’s Mainstream

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A Mother’s Love Scored in Soul and Hip-Hop

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From Teen Pop to Timeless Standard

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The MJ Anthem That Took Over the Dancefloor

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The Guitar Riff That Shaped Generations

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Music’s Highest Honor. The Hall of Fame features the Inductee Signature Gallery and the New Inductee exhibit.

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The Fan Vote joins the ballots of more than a thousand historians, music industry professionals, and artists to select each year’s induction class.

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The Class of {{YEAR}}

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame puts the spotlight on the music & artists who’ve stood the test of time. Explore all the ways this museum celebrates the music that connects us all.

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See what's up next on our set list. Choose from live performances, fan experiences, film screenings and much more.

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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Beatles

John, Paul, George, & Ringo kickstarted the seismic British Invasion that swept the U.S. in the ‘60s and rewrote the rules of what performers could be and do.

The Beatles

AC:DC

Since 1975, AC/DC has carved out a niche between punky hard rock and heavy metal, inspiring countless musicians with crank-up-the-volume radio staples 

AC/DC

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The Rolling Stones have married their love of blues and American R&B to a vast array of styles and genres. The constant throughline has been the band’s swagger.

The Rolling Stones

Bon Jovi

Bursting out of New Jersey in 1984, Bon Jovi’s irresistible combo of heavy metal and pop brought multiple chart-topping hits and worldwide rock stardom. 

Hard rock and heavy metal as we know it wouldn't exist without Led Zeppelin, one of the most popular and innovative rock bands ever.

Led Zeppelin

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There's a reason the Eagles' "best of" album was the first album ever to be certified platinum.

The Eagles

Prince

Prince redefined artistic possibility, mixing rock, funk, soul, pop and jazz into a genre-defying blend that both challenged and satisfied audiences. 

Queen was one of the most popular, ambitious and beloved classic rock bands ever.

Queen

Bruce

Bruce Springsteen rose from Jersey street poet to socially conscious cultural icon, an artist whose voice spoke to—and for—multiple generations worldwide. 

Bruce Springsteen

Pink

Architects of two major music movements – psychedelic rock and progressive rock – Pink Floyd were renowned for biting political, social and emotional commentary. 

Pink Floyd

Maonna

Madonna demolished pop boundaries, boldly redefining what it means to be a rock star. She proved art could be both controversial and commercially successful.

Madonna

Janis Joplin had one of the most powerful voices of the Sixties. Her voice is equal parts tough and vulnerable, a shout into the void that resonated with a generation.

Janis Joplin

Fleetwood

Fleetwood Mac delivered some of the  most indelible songs of the ‘70s, creating a distinctive “California sound” that endures as a sonic touchstone for countless bands.

Fleetwood Mac

The first female-fronted hard rock band, Heart proved women can rock with the best of them. Heart's mix of hard rock and folk yielded one of the longest lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time.

Heart

Tina Turner worked hard to reimagine the role of a Black woman in rock and roll — one not related to the edges.

Tina Turner

aretha

The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin was an artist of passion, sophistication and command, whose recordings remain anthems that defined soul music.

Aretha Franklin

Cher

Pop’s enduring icon – and the only woman with No. 1 hits across seven decades. With her distinctive contralto voice, Cher mastered folk-pop, rock, disco, and electropop.

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Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott holds the record for most platinum albums by a woman rapper. She forged new paths by unapologetically owning her body and her Blackness. 

Missy Elliott

With her prodigious songwriting talent, vocal and instrumental prowess, charisma, and trademark style, Dolly Parton has achieved immense global success as a musician and blazed a trail for generations of artists to come.

Dolly Parton

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts smash genre (and gender) boundaries by fusing punk, glam and heavy metal with '50s and '60s rock & roll.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Elvis

Billy Joel comes off as such a determinedly average guy that it's tempting to undervalue his extraordinary gifts.

Billy Joel

Van Halen kicked the American hard rock scene into high gear in the late Seventies, became rock heroes on MTV in the Eighties, and gave rise to a steady stream of shredders and trailblazers ever since.

Van Halen

Michael Jackson redefined both the sound and look of pop, worldwide. Transcending  cultural and racial boundaries, his music continues to influence generations.

Michael Jackson

Jimi Hendrix was the most gifted instrumentalist of all time.

Jimi Hendrix Experience

The window-breaking, earth-quaking, soul-shaking Who.

The Who

The unmistakeable vocal timbre of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2019 Inductee Stevie Nicks’s voice has dominated rock.

Stevie Nicks

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Earth, Wind & Fire’s distinctive blend of funk, soul, jazz, Africana, and pop melodicism ruled the ‘70s and ‘80s airwaves. 

Earth, Wind & Fire

RUN DMC was a group of firsts. The trio established “street-style,” shattered boundaries between rap and rock and transformed the sound and audience of hip-hop.

RUN DMC

Eminem

Unbridled controversy. Unparalleled talent. Unmatched superstardom. Eminem solidified hip-hop as the most commercially successful music on the planet.

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, set to take place on Saturday, November 8 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and live on Disney+.

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2025 Induction Ceremony

Induction

All-American Rejects vinyl signing

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All-American Rejects Vinyl Signing

We’re showcasing Hairspray – a John Waters classic that tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, an unpopular but optimistic high-school teen in early 1960s Baltimore with dreams of love, equality, and dancing on the Corny Collins Show.

Hairspray

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Join us for our 2025 Fall Films, where we explore films that highlight the powerful connection between music, cultural moments, and the stories behind our Rock Hall programming.

2025 Fall Film Series: Hairspray

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Step behind the music and into the legend—join us at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for an exclusive evening with acclaimed author Alan Light as he dives into the drama, magic, and lasting allure of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.

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Fleetwood Mac Book Event w/ Alan Light

Join us for a special screening of Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party Film!

What’s in a name? When it comes to James Brown, the name is all you need. He’s Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. Dynamite and then some. He is the indefatigable forefather of soul, funk and rap, and a performer like no other.

Induction

Steve Winwood Inducts James Brown

James Brown's Acceptance Speech

Impact

A man whose individual style of singing, writing, playing, and moving - second to none.

sealed with a signature

More from
the Hall

Explore The Hall of Fame

Explore The Hall of Fame

What’s in a name? When it comes to James Brown, the name is all you need. He’s Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. Dynamite and then some. He is the indefatigable forefather of soul, funk and rap, and a performer like no other.

Induction

Steve Winwood Inducts James Brown

James Brown's Acceptance Speech

Impact

A man whose individual style of singing, writing, playing, and moving - second to none.

sealed with a signature

More from the Hall

Explore The Hall of Fame

Explore The Hall of Fame

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the Hall