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Producer-songwriter Norman Whitfield’s pioneering “psychedelic soul” ushered Motown into the counterculture and beyond. His work set in motion the future of funk.

Norman Whitfield

John Mayall, the “Godfather of British Blues,” was a major influence on post-’60s rock & roll. Through his stewardship, the palette for rock expanded considerably. 

John Mayall

Through his mentorship of fledgling British blues musicians like Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, Alexis Korner earned the title “Father of English Blues.”

Alexis Korner

By blending folksy storytelling, country charm and Caribbean rhythms, Jimmy Buffett birthed the “Gulf & Western” style. Above all, he promoted adventure and fun.

Jimmy Buffett

The MC5 burst out with a volatile combo of pummeling garage rock, psychedelic experimentation, jazz-style improvisation and radical politics of revolution. 

Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s defiantly eclectic music mixed blues, gospel, R&B and sharp storytelling. She challenged gender norms, and broke barriers for women. 

Big Mama Thornton

With a unique contralto, Dionne Warwick conveyed a breathtaking range of emotion. She brought jazz, R&B, gospel and soul to the mainstream, inspiring many a diva. 

Dionne Warwick

A Tribe Called Quest altered the landscape of hip-hop, introducing Afrocentric themes, jazz and soul samples and a deep sense of community to the genre.

A Tribe Called Quest

Ozzy Osbourne co-pioneered and repeatedly reshaped heavy metal. He brazenly plunged into shadowy themes, articulating darkness as no prior artist had. 

Ozzy Osbourne

Kool & the Gang brought a distinctive groove to the mainstream. Offering melodic and rhythmic hooks, they’re one of the most sampled acts in hip-hop.

Kool & the Gang

Peter Frampton brought guitar mastery to the mainstream. He proved the combination of a well-honed stage show, technical brilliance and catchy tunes could sell millions.

Peter Frampton

With their distinctive fusion of crunching riffs and infectiously catchy hooks, Foreigner proved a band could rock hard and rise to the top of the pop charts. 

Foreigner

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In the spring of 1968, Detroit was reeling from the assassination of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. and the uprisings that followed...

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Suzanne de Passe

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**Induction**

**Suzanne de Passe paved the way for women** in the music business as one of the first leading female executives.

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Suzanne de Passe paved the way for women in the music business as one of the first leading female executives.

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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 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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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

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.

Billy Joel

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

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.

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Say "Hello" to Beatles Fan Day at the Rock Hall, join us in celebrating the music and lasting impact of 1998 Inductees The Beatles with a day of performances, trivia, book signings, and more!

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Beatles Fan Day

Join us for a special Beatles Fan Day Book Signing & Presentation exploring the Fab Four’s lasting influence on both music and style. Authors Gary Astridge and Deirdre Kelly will share key insights into their work, along with hosting a book signing session.

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Join us for a special Beatles Fan Day Book Signing & Presentation exploring the Fab Four’s lasting influence on both music and style. Authors Gary Astridge and Deirdre Kelly will share key insights into their work, followed by a Q&A and book signing session.

Suzanne de Passe paved the way for women in the music business as one of the first leading female executives.

Impact

I am honored to join the previous recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, especially the four women who have preceded me.

More from
the Hall

Explore The Hall of Fame

Explore The Hall of Fame

Suzanne de Passe paved the way for women in the music business as one of the first leading female executives.

Impact

I am honored to join the previous recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, especially the four women who have preceded me.

More from the Hall

Explore The Hall of Fame

Explore The Hall of Fame

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the Hall