The 39th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place Saturday night at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
Among this year’s honorees were Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Jimmy Buffett, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige, Kool & the Gang, A Tribe Called Quest, MC5 and Dionne Warwick.
The ceremony started with Dua Lipa honoring Cher with “Believe,” with Cher joining halfway through.
Following singer Zendaya inducting her, Cher performed “If I Could Turn Back Time” before taking the podium to say her speech was going to be a “crap shoot,” adding that it was easier getting divorced from two husbands — Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman — than it was to get in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She went onto thank her “guardian angel,” record executive David Geffen for his support in getting her nominated, and for her drive to “never give up,” despite not being a “great singer…a good singer, but not great,” and for living a “roller coaster life.”
Backstage we asked Cher about her previous comments denouncing the Hall, saying she didn’t give a “flying [BLEEP] if she got in,” and she told us she has a “kind of love-hate relationship [with the Rock Hall], because I thought, ‘What do I have to [bleeping] be inducted into this place? What do you have to do to be a part of it?’
“The one thing I have never done, is I never give up.” @cher takes the podium at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Tune in NOW on @DisneyPlus to watch! #RockHall2024 pic.twitter.com/qAckZXulgB
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) October 20, 2024
Chuck D inducted Kool & the Gang, who, before accepting their award, performed a five-song medley of “Hollywood Swinging,” “Get Down on It,” “Ladies’ Night,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Celebration.”
At the podium, James “JT” Taylor asked everyone to stand to acknowledge the former members of the band, at least three of whom are deceased. And backstage, founding member Robert “Kool” Bell said “all roads lead to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” and “it’s a definite honor” to be inducted.
Dionne Warwick was up next, honored with the Musical Excellence Award. Inducted by singer and actress Teyana Taylor, who is playing Dionne in an upcoming bio-pic, Dionne performed “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” with Jennifer Hudson, before doing on her own “Walk on By.”
Sammy Hagar inducted Foreigner, saying the first time you heard “Jukebox Hero “you know you were jealous. To me that’s one of the greatest rock vocal performances ever.”
Not only did Foreigner have to wait 22 years to be nominated and inducted, but the Hall poured salt in the wound of the original members on hand — singer Lou Gramm, guitarist Al Greenwood, and bassist Rick Wills — by having Demi Lovato sing “Feels Like the First Time” with Slash on guitar, and Chad Smith on drums and members of the current incarnation of Foreigner backing her.
Then Hagar and current Foreigner singer Kelly Hansen did “Hot Blooded,” before Kelly Clarskon, with the help of a choir, did “I Want to Know What Love Is” with Gramm joining halfway through while Wills and Greenwood sang backing vocals with Hansen.
Band founder Mick Jones was unable to attend due to poor health, so his daughter, British actress Annabelle Dexter-Jones, spoke on his behalf, saying, “He’s in New York watching from home. I’m going to speak his words… ‘Thanks to my brothers in song and rock and roll who helped build this legacy from the very first single. .. I want to thank the fans, the listeners, the dreamers who made this journey possible. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible odyssey. Rock and roll is forever.'”
The three other members also spoke, with Gramm saying, “We didn’t always agree about Foreigner’s musical direction, but all told we were very fortunate to be in Foreigner together and our music continues to stand the test of time.”
Backstage she told reporters she never considered herself “rock and roll” and that she felt she was being recognized for her songs.
Peter Frampton was inducted by Roger Daltrey, his friend of close to 60 years.
When Daltrey took the podium he said, “What’s this? I feel like I’m running for president.” He then picked up a wireless mic and said when asked to induct Frampton he was “astonished he wasn’t inducted 35 years ago.”
He then spoke glowingly about Frampton’s guitar playing, his songs and how he survived “endless pranks” by Keith Moon and John Entwistle when Frampton’s band, The Herd, opened for The Who in 1967. Daltrey said at that moment he knew Frampton was “a survivor.”
Daltrey took us through some of the highs and lows of Frampton’s career, including being shirtless on cover of Rolling Stone in 1976, as well as contracting a muscular disease that limited his time on the road.
Frampton performed “Baby (Somethin’s Happening),” and then Keith Urban joined him for a smoking version of “Do You Feel Like I Do.”
As for his speech, Frampton also looked back on his career, saying “playing guitar is [his] comfy chair,” and how his previous band Humble Pie should be considered for nomination.
He then brought it full circle saying his muscular disease — Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) — made him appreciate life more and how when he looks out at his audience he has no idea “what battles they are fighting,” adding that “kindness is king.”
Jimmy Buffett was recognized with the Musical Excellence Award.
Dave Matthews did a solo acoustic performance of “A Pirate Looks at 40” while fighting back tears.
“He made everyone feel special; he made me feel very special. I wish he could be here, but it’s too late.”
James Taylor then inducted Buffett, saying he was “like a heroic figure in a Greek mythology.
JT then joined Coral Reefer Band guitarist Mac McAnally and country singer Kenny Chesney for “Come Monday.”
A Tribe Called Quest were inducted by comedian Dave Chappelle, who said, “I know this is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but this movement in hip-hop was the birth of so many great artists. And it started with these men sitting at this table…
“Tribe, I want to thank you for your service. What you’ve done for our culture means the world to me, but what you did for me changed my life. You shared your platform with me and invited me to be on Saturday Night Live with you, and it brought me back to television after 12 years in the cold. And I will always be grateful for you.”
They then did a medley of “Can I Kick It?” with Queen Latifah, “Check the Rhime” with De La Soul, “Bonita Applebum” with Common, and “Scenario” with Busta Rhymes.
Mary J. Blige was inducted by Dr. Dre and Method Man, saying she “single-handedly created an entirely new genre of music.” She then performed “My Life,” “Love No Limit,” “Be Happy” and “Family Affair.”
Ozzy Osbourne arguably received the loudest ovation of the night when he was inducted by Jack Black.
Sitting in a bat-winged throne he said, “Well, here we are. I can’t believe I’m here myself. I’m not going to bore you with a long monologue.”
While added to the performance list for “Crazy Train,” all Ozzy did was scream, “All aboard!!!”
He then stayed on the throne on stage to watch Tool‘s Maynard James Keenan sang a portion of it as part of a medley with Jelly Roll doing “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” and Billy Idol closing it out with “No More Tears.”
Backing them were Wolfgang Van Halen, Chad Smith, Robert Trujillo, Adam Wakeman and Andrew Watt.
It was Ozzy’s first time on stage in a concert setting since the NFL Kickoff, the opening game on September 8th, 2022, between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in L.A. He performed “Crazy Train” that night
Dave Matthews Band was the night’s final inductee with actress Julia Roberts, who starred in the music video for 2005’s “Dreamgirl,” doing the honors. She had the audience in stitches when she talked about preparing her speech, warning not to Google Matthews as she “discovered” he had a stroke. Fortunately and unfortunately it was a Dave Matthews in New Zealand.
Other honorees included Alexis Korner, the late British blues player, was recognized with the Musical Influence Award. Keith Richards, via video, called him “founding father of British blues,” adding that if anyone deserved to be in the Hall of Fame, it was him. Plus, he acknowledged that he stole half his band from him — Brian Jones, Ian Stewart and Charlie Watts, with Mick Jagger occasionally performing with Korner’s band.
The recently departed John Mayall, the “godfather of British blues,” was also honored with the Musical Influence Award, and Tom Morello honored the late MC5 with the Musical Excellence Award.