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Rock Hall 2025 Class: Long Overdue Artists Finally Get the Nod

The ballots are in and tallied, and the Rock Hall 2025 class is as follows: Performer Category This year’s Performer Category is filled with a number of artists who have…

Musician Chris Cornell performs onstage; Paul Rodgers performs onstage at "Rock The Plaza" benefit to save the Plaza Theatre on November 11, 2022 in Palm Springs, California; Cyndi Lauper performs during Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour at Madison Square Garden on October 30, 2024 in New York City.
Kevin Winter, Kevin Winter, Taylor Hill/Getty Images

The ballots are in and tallied, and the Rock Hall 2025 class is as follows:

Performer Category

  • Bad Company
  • Chubby Checker
  • Joe Cocker
  • Cyndi Lauper
  • Outkast
  • Soundgarden
  • The White Stripes

This year's Performer Category is filled with a number of artists who have been eligbile for induction for many years. Chubby Checker has been eligible for 41 years, and Joe Cocker has been eligible for 31 years. Meanwhile, Bad Company received their first nomination this year and will be inducted after being eligble after 26 years. Cyndi Lauper is being inducted after 17 years of eligibility, followed by Soundgarden (14 years of eligibility), Outkast (seven years of eligibility), and The White Stripes (three years of eligibility).


Musical Influence Award

(Given to a performing artist or group whose music and performance style have directly influenced and helped inspire and evolve rock & roll and music that has impacted youth culture.)  

  • Salt-N-Pepa
  • Warren Zevon


Musical Excellence Award

(Given to artists, musicians, songwriters, and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.)

  • Thom Bell
  • Nicky Hopkins
  • Carol Kaye


Ahmet Ertegun Award

(Given to non-performing industry professionals who, through their dedicated belief and support of artists and their music have had a major influence on the creative development and growth of rock & roll and music that has impacted youth culture. 

  • Lenny Waronker

When is the Rock Hall 2025 Induction Ceremony?

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The 2025 ceremony will live stream on Disney+. An edited special will air on ABC at a later date and will be available on Hulu the next day.

John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement, "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. Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”

The Rock Hall noted in a press release, "Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Bad Company, and Outkast are first-time nominees, whereas Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes have all been nominated before."

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights