NEW YORK –
Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius and the late George Michael have all been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Kate Bush finally reaching the top of that hill .
The Cleveland-based institution announced Wednesday the artists and groups entering the hall as the class of 2023, a list that includes The Spinners, Rage Against the Machine, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper and Elton co-writer John, Bernie Taupin. .
“When you can go from Link Wray, who was one of the early influencers, to Missy Elliott and Kate Bush and The Spinners and Rage Against the Machine and Willie Nelson, you have a very diverse body of work. What we’re always trying to show is that rock ‘n’ roll is one big top and a lot of people belong,” Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said before the opening.
Elliott, the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, MTV Video Vanguard Award winner and four-time Grammy Award winner, now becomes the first female hip-hop artist in the rock hall to he called her “a true trailblazer”. in a male-dominated genre.
In response, he tweeted: “I want to say this is HUGE not just for me but for all my sisters in HIPHOP. This door is now OPEN to show the hard work and what so many of us contribute to MUSIC. I’ve cried all morning because I am GRATEFUL.”
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before being eligible for induction. Eight of the 14 nominees were on the ballot for the first time, including Crow, Elliott, Michael and Nelson. This is the first year of eligibility for Elliott.
Bush was nominated last year, but didn’t make the final cut at that time. He entered this year on the back of a new wave of popularity after “Stranger Things” featured his song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).” The room praised her for “using lush soundscapes, radical experimentation, literary themes, sampling, and theatrics to captivate audiences and inspire countless musicians.”
Michael, first as a member of Wham! and then as a solo artist, he was cited for “paving the way for a generation of proud LGBTQIA+ artists, from Sam Smith to Lil Nas X to Troye Sivan” and the 90-year-old Nelson was simply described as “an American institution.” “
Crow was recognized for key songs in the 1990s musical canon such as “All I Wanna Do” and “Every Day Is a Winding Road”, while Rage Against the Machine “forged unabashed protest music for the modern world”.
The lounge called DJ Kool Herc “a founding father of hip-hop music” who “helped create the blueprint for hip-hop.” And Chaka Khan was described as “one of the most powerful and influential voices in music,” a “sultry yet sultry street diva of hip-hop-soul,” who paved the way for women like Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, and Janelle. Monae.
The Spinners became a hit-making machine with four No. 1 R&B hits in less than 18 months, including “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love.” Rock guitarist Wray was said to have been ahead of his time, influencing Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen.
Taupin, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and has a Golden Globe and Oscar for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the biopic “Rocketman,” enters the rock hall at age 29. after her writing partner, John.
Cornelius was celebrated for creating a nationally televised platform for African-American music and culture. He “became a visionary entrepreneur who opened the door, and kept it open, for many others to follow.”
“Does a Willie Nelson fan know anything about Missy Elliott? Probably not, and vice versa,” Peresman said. “But this is an opportunity for someone who likes one of these artists to take a look at it and say, ‘Gee, I love Missy Elliott,’ or ‘I love Rage Against the Machine. But The Spinners, who were they? Look at me. that. If that can open some minds and open some attitudes, then we’ve done our job.”
Nominees Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes, Warren Zevon, Joy Division/New Order and Soundgarden didn’t earn a place in the room this time. While the late Zevon has been eligible since 1994, Billy Joel pushed for his entry to no avail, writing to the nominating committee urging them to consider Zevon.
The swearing in ceremony will take place on November 3 at the Barclays Center in New York City.
The nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians, and music industry professionals. Fans could vote online or in person at the museum, with the top five artists chosen by the public forming a “fan ballot” that was tallied with the other professional ballots.