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 CompanyThom 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