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

Find Thom Bell  in the 2025 Inductees Exhibit

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Little Anthony and the Imperials were so talented that their voices transcended the trends, landing them hits in multiple decades and genres. Their trademark imploring vocals and confident command of the stage charmed audiences everywhere.

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Little Anthony & the Imperials

Spreading love and soul music since the Sixties. Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff are master songwriters and producers, amassing one hundred seventy-five gold and platinum records and recruiting disciples of Philadelphia soul over the course of their careers.

Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff

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

Chubby Checker became the king of the ‘60s dance crazes, with his iconic “The Twist” reaching No. 1 twice and sparking a worldwide, multigenerational phenomenon. 

Chubby Checker

The saying goes "Jack of all trades, master of none," but Quincy Jones excelled at every role he took on. A record producer, arranger, trumpeter and more, Jones has achieved distinction in practically every facet of the music industry.

Quincy Jones

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Leon Huff

Cowritten with Phil Hurtt, this Spinners track was a B-side that DJs preferred, sending it to No. 1 on the R&B charts.

I’ll Be Around

Cowritten with Linda Creed, this Spinners single hit No. 4 on the R&B chart and features a full soul-orchestral Bell production, with horns and lush strings.

Ghetto Child

Another Linda Creed cowrite and a more spartan Bell production, this story song about a child prodigy hit No. 15 on the R&B chart. 

Rockin’ Roll Baby

The funky novelty hit, written with Linda Creed, features strings, horns and an irresistible bassline. It shot to No. 2 on the Hot 100.

The Rubberband Man

Produced by Bell and cowritten with LeRoy Bell (no relation) and Casey James, this is a stand-out cut on John’s release, The Thom Bell Sessions.

Are You Ready for Love

Philly Sound Architect

**Impact**

Jimmy Jam on Thom Bell: The Genius Who Shaped Soul

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**Influence**

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Luther Vandross

Anita Baker

Boyz II Men

Jill Scott

Jazmine Sullivan

Arif Mardin

The Roots

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Burt Bacharach

Teddy Randazzo

**Induction**

**Jamaican-born, Philadelphia-raised producer, arranger and songwriter Thom Bell was a key architect of the Philly sound.** Alongside songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, he broadened the possibilities of R&B. Using his classical training, he crafted lush, orchestral arrangements and inventive vocals and rhythms for his songs, resulting in hits for seminal groups like the Spinners, the Delfonics and the Stylistics. His legacy can be heard in disco, modern R&B and hip-hop. 

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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Philadelphia-raised Thom Bell was a key architect of the Philly sound. Alongside songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, he broadened the possibilities of R&B.

Thom Bell

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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.

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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 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

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

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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

Impact

Thom Bell was my favorite musician, arranger, songwriter and music producer of all time! It was my esteemed honor and pleasure to work with him.

Philly Sound Architect

Philly Sound Architect

I’ll Be Around

Ghetto Child

Rockin’ Roll Baby

The Rubberband Man

Are You Ready for Love

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

Thom Bell was my favorite musician, arranger, songwriter and music producer of all time! It was my esteemed honor and pleasure to work with him.

Philly Sound Architect

Philly Sound Architect

I’ll Be Around

Ghetto Child

Rockin’ Roll Baby

The Rubberband Man

Are You Ready for Love

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