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Experience the sights, sounds and stories that represent the new Inductee class of 2025.

Find Joe Cocker in the 2025 Inductees Exhibit

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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

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

Mahalia Jackson's passionate contralto brought sensuality and forceful expression to gospel music.

Mahalia Jackson

The Wicked Pickett's signature scream established Wilson Pickett as a soul icon.

Wilson Pickett

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

The most commercially successful New Wave of British Heavy Metal band, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2019 Inductees Def Leppard ignited the 1980s reign of metal.

Def Leppard

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Using the stage name “Vance Arnold,” 20-year-old Cocker debuted on Decca with this Beatles cover, featuring guitar by young session player Jimmy Page.

I’ll Cry Instead

This extensive soul re-imagining of a Beatles song, again featuring Jimmy Page, received the McCartney seal of approval and went to No. 1 in the U.K.

With a Little Help From My Friends

Cocker’s funked-up version of this Dave Mason/Traffic song features Inductee Carol Kaye on bass. It became a staple of his live shows.

Feelin’ Alright

What began as an unlikely duet with vocalist Jennifer Warnes, this worldwide smash hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 and reignited Cocker’s career.

Up Where We Belong (w/ Jennifer Warnes)

Cocker’s brass-heavy rendition of this Randy Newman song took off after being featured in the hit film 9 ½ Weeks. 

You Can Leave Your Hat On

Rock’s Primal Soulful Interpreter

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Billy Joel

**Impact**

Inductee Insights: Joe Cocker

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**Influence**

Inductees

Bryan Adams

Amy Winehouse

Melissa Etheridge

Beth Hart

Black Crowes

Soundgarden

Eddie Floyd

Solomon Burke

Donny Hathaway

Muddy Waters

**Induction**

**Sheffield, England’s own Joe Cocker set a new standard for rock interpretation,** redefining classics like “The Letter” and “With a Little Help From My Friends” with his own indelible stamp. Gifted with a powerful, gritty voice and a fearless, impassioned performing style, his reputation as a riveting performer lasted decades. As a recording artist, he repeatedly reinvented himself, never leaving the airwaves. He was awarded an OBE in 2007.

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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Joe Cocker set a new standard for rock interpretation, redefining classics with his own stamp. Gifted with a powerful voice and a fearless performing style, his reputation as a riveting performer lasted decades. 

Joe Cocker

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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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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces the {{year}} Inductees for music’s highest honor.

{{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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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. 

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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

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

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

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

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

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.

James Brown

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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 and Fire

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

RUN DMC

Eminem

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

Celebration Week begins Sunday, November 2, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with an exciting day packed with music, interactive activities, and special exhibits!

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Celebration Day 2025

Museum

Join us for an exclusive interview with 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke!

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A Conversation with Bad Company's Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke

Induction

A Conversation with Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke

We’re showcasing the iconic SNL film, The Blues Brothers, a spin off from the TV show’s 1978 recurring musical sketch.

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Join us for our 2025 Fall Film Series, where we explore films that highlight the powerful connection between music and comedy, in celebration of our new exhibit

2025 Fall Film Series: The Blues Brothers

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+.

Impact

Rock’s Primal Soulful Interpreter

I’ll Cry Instead

With a Little Help From My Friends

Feelin’ Alright

Up Where We Belong (w/ Jennifer Warnes)

You Can Leave Your Hat On

Joe was the most powerful rock & roll interpretive male singer I had heard since first hearing the iconic early recordings of Ray Charles.

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Influence

Influences

Influenced

Shop the Class of 2025

Shop the Class of 2025

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the hall

explore the hall of fame

explore the hall of fame

Impact

Rock’s Primal Soulful Interpreter

I’ll Cry Instead

With a Little Help From My Friends

Feelin’ Alright

Up Where We Belong (w/ Jennifer Warnes)

You Can Leave Your Hat On

Joe was the most powerful rock & roll interpretive male singer I had heard since first hearing the iconic early recordings of Ray Charles.

more from therock & rollhall of famearchives

Influence

Influences

Influenced

Shop the Class of 2025

Shop the Class of 2025

more from the hall

explore the hall of fame

explore the hall of fame

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the hall