When last we checked in with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, they were making their annual announcement of (mostly white male) nominees for induction, two months ahead of the annual announcement of actual inductees, and more than half a year out from the annual induction ceremony itself. So now we’re at the point on the calendar where the Hall announces this year’s inductees (for the event that’s still six months away), and it’s a fine class of seven performing artists. Plus another two recording artists elected by the board instead of ballot. Plus another three musicians, once again picked directly by the board. And then they threw one more person in there for an even baker’s dozen. To paraphrase the judge at the end of the classic 1972 film What’s Up, Doc?, “Does it make sense? No. But it is consistent!” Behold, the 2025 inductees:
Newly selected by the hall’s voters as members of the class of ‘25: Cyndi Lauper, the White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Outkast, Bad Company, Soundgarden and Joe Cocker.
Two more recording artists won induction into the hall despite not appearing on this year’s ballot, by a move of the board in a separate Musical Influence category: Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon.
Three other musicians are getting in via the Musical Excellence Award, as also selected by the board: producer Thom Bell; pianist Nicky Hopkins, a frequent Rolling Stones sideman back in the day; and bassist Carole [sic] Kaye, a famous member of the session players’ ensemble the Wrecking Crew.
The lucky 13th inductee for this year is Lenny Waronker, whose stewardship at Warner Bros. Records over a period of decades landed him a reputation as an artist-friendly exec with some of the best ears in the business.
Who didn’t get in? From the official ballot, the six nominees who failed to make the cut this time were Phish, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Joy Division + New Order and the Latin rock group Maná.
…Both Zevon and Salt-N-Pepa were hand-picked by the organization’s board to go in under the umbrella of the Musical Influence Award. In recent years, that has been a way for prestigious acts to get in after having been previously shut out in voting. Zevon in particular is someone who has long been lobbied for; he appeared on the regular ballot just once, in 2023, without getting in, so the board opted to take independent action rather than wait to see if he’d even make the ballot a second time. Seminal rap artists Salt-N-Pepa had never been nominated before.
…No one should underestimate the capacity of Carey’s lambs to be displeased about the pop superstar being absent from the final selection. But the greater umbrage might come from fans of Phish, whose supporters rallied behind their heroes to win the fan vote, as announced a week earlier. This is only the second time since the fan vote was instituted that its winner did not go on to immediately get voted in by the Hall’s 1,200-plus music-industry electors. (The previous time it happened was with the Dave Matthews Band, who did get elected on the next try. While the fan vote is a good indicator of populist passion, it counts little toward the final outcome.)
I’m sure Salt-N-Pepa and Zevon’s family appreciate the Hall publicly spelling out how the board stepped in to recognize them, because neither artist was on the ballot. Thanks. Also, am I crazy (don’t answer that), or did the Hall completely undercut their own argument about the fan vote, highlighting how it was “only the second time” that a fan vote winner didn’t win election on the next ballot, then doing a 180 with, “actually the fan vote has very little bearing on anything at all.” The inner workings of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame continue to vex me! And that’s even before getting into the very, very broad definition they follow of what constitutes rock music. Is it absolutely impossible to rename it simply the Music Hall of Fame? Because I would not call Mariah Carey, the Queen of Christmas, rock ‘n’ roll… but that doesn’t mean she isn’t pissed right now at being snubbed (again). She most certainly is.
Anyway, congratulations to all the talented inductees (and nominees!) who enrich our lives with their contributions to music of all varieties. And a special bravo to Chubby Checker, who’s still twisting on tour at 83. Mick Jagger, who?
Presenting the #RockHall2025 Inductees…
Bad Company ⭐ Thom Bell ⭐ Chubby Checker ⭐ Joe Cocker ⭐ Nicky Hopkins ⭐ Carol Kaye ⭐ Cyndi Lauper ⭐ Outkast ⭐ Salt-N-Pepa ⭐ Soundgarden ⭐ Lenny Waronker ⭐ The White Stripes ⭐ Warren Zevon pic.twitter.com/rcLtTrgg0Y— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) April 28, 2025
Photos credit: CPA/PacificCoastNews/Avalon, INSTARimages.com, INFphoto.com, PA Images/INSTARimages.com, Mark Cavill/Bang Showbiz/Avalon, JPI Studios/JPI Studios/Avalon, Manuel Nauta/NurPhoto/Avalon, John Atashian/Avalon
Chubby Checker to Outkast is quite a range for black musicianship! And I love that Carol Kaye is getting some love. She’s phenomenal!
I thought Chubby Checker was already in the Hall of Fame.
And Joe Cocker.
Not just you, Amy.
I don’t take th RR Hall of Fame seriously. Just a bunch of old white men imposing their tastes on the masses
Now I cant get “Push It” out of my head.
How is it Mariah Carey and Billy Joel are not in but others are? Inductions are bizarre.
Right?! And the White Stripes made it in? Don’t get me wrong, love the White Stripes, but there were way more deserving and influential artists on the ballot. Mariah, Billy Joel, Phish, and New Order, etc are all more deserving
Exactly! The White Stripes are great but definitely not more deserving than Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Mana, etc. Doesnt make sense.
Billy Joel is in the HOF (since 1999). It was Billy Idol who was snubbed this year.
Congrats to the nominees
I’m still bummed that Depeche Mode was inducted in 2020 and they never had a makeup concert from the cancelled festivities. Might’ve been the only time we saw all current/former members performing together.
Soundgarden over Joy Division/New Order makes no sense whatsoever.
Congratulations to all the inductees, especially Cyndi Lauper and Salt-n-Pepa… soundtrack of my elementary, middle school, high school, and college years. (and Outkast! post-graduate school…)
I am sad for Mariah Carey though. I read her memoir recently and I have tremendous respect for what she’s accomplished–especially because of how difficult her life was as a kid. She’s like Hall and Oates–one of the top sellers of her generation, huge number one hits, but relegated to a footnote of her career (the Christmas song–while great–is the tip of the iceberg.) Women sometimes don’t get the respect they deserve for artistry if they are too cute… and the Queen of Butterflies is definitely cute. But she’s incredibly intelligent, and got out from under, so I want to see her get her flowers.
How was Chubby Checker not one of the first ever inductees? And Joe Cocker and Nicky Hopkins? How were they overlooked for so long? All those classics Stones albums from mid-60s-mid-70s featured such beautiful work from Hopkins. Nice to see the Warren Zevon debacle finally corrected. And good for Salt-n-Pepa!
OutKast has basically ONE album, why are they going in before Mariah Carey and BILLY JOEL of all people!
I´d even say one song! Hey yeah was an absolute, certified banger that lives on my playlist, but it´s one freaking actually famous song!
I feel like I am in the upside down today with these comments diminishing OutKast’s career and influence on the music industry. They have had 19 songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and three #1 hits. Besides “Hey Ya”, “The Way You Move” and Ms. Jackson” also went #1. Plus, I am pretty sure people will recognize other songs like “B.O.B.” and “Roses” — the latter which I would argue had a lot of cultural impact.
But sure, they only had “one song.”
Please never speak on hip hop again. This is one of the dumbest things anyone has ever said on the internet. Outkast first 4 albums are all time classics. Their fifth album won album of the year at the grammys.
COTW
Thank you!
Billy Joel was inducted in 1999.
Do yourself a favor, go listen to Warren’s Keep Me in Your Heart for a While. An insanely good song.
I think that Pop needs its own Hall of Fame. Some of these artists, talented as they are, simply are not Rock.
As a huge (30+ years!) Phish fan, social media was ablaze to get people voting and then of course a lot of disappointment they won fan vote but not getting inducted. Bummer, but not really surprising. I do think the HoF undercut themselves about fan ballots importance but not much of what they do makes sense.
Huge Phish fan here too, and I’m bummed but I know someday they’ll get it. They are such a musical powerhouse, have a huge fan base, and are keeping things creative and different even after all these years. I think a lot of people who aren’t in the know just don’t realize how amazing and talented Phish really is.
Phish fan here as well!! They are one of the most influential bands touring these days, not inducting them is RIDICULOUS. 🙄🙄🙄
I’m pissed about Mariah!!!
I don’t think Cyndi Lauper is particularly rock and roll either. I love her to bits but I don’t think she’s had anywhere near the impact on popular music that Mariah has had. Cyndi was huge in the 80’s but kind of teetered out after She’s So Unusual and was almost entirely eclipsed by Madonna. Mariah is one of the premier vocalists of her generation, has sold millions of records, has literal scores of #1’s, and has influenced a generation of vocalists spanning genres from Kelly Clarkson and Beyonce to, most notably, Ariana Grande. I think she absolutely deserves to be canonized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Cyndi Lauper released a blues album that was fantastic in 2010ish and still tours playing both pop, blues, and rock… [I saw her on one of the tours, slide guitar was amazing!]
She also won a Tony + Olivier for the musical Kinky Boots. She is an Oscar song away from an EGOT, homegirl has been busy post “She’s So Unusual”.
Rock overall? Not sure but between activism + inspiration for so many others, I think she gets a place.