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ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME 2025: INDUCTEES

ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME 2025: INDUCTEES

What do the famed TV competition show, American Idol, & the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have in common?  To many die-hard rock fans, pretty much nothing, but to others, quite a bit, and now maybe more.  This is because the most recent episode of American Idol was also the official announcement venue for who have been officially inducted into the 2025 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

And in typical Hall of Fame fashion, some of the inductees were surprises, others were not, while those who have been snubbed (some for yet another year) also fell within that same line of surprise/not surprise.

So, here's the official list of who was inducted:

PERFORMER CATEGORY:
Bad Company
Chubby Checker
Joe Cocker
Cyndi Lauper
Outkast
Soundgarden
The White Stripes

MUSICAL INFLUENCE AWARD:
Salt-N-Pepa
Warren Zevon

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD:
Thom Bell
Nicky Hopkins
Carol Kaye

AHEMT ERTEGUN AWARD:
Lenny Waronker

And the official list of who wasn't inducted this year:
The Black Crowes
Mariah Carey
Billy Idol
Mana
Joy Division / New Order
Oasis 
Phish (this year's fan vote winner)
While, personally, I'm delighted to see Cyndi Lauper inducted because, in my opinion, her debut album, She's So Unusal, was both a juggernaut in terms of singles and sales along with being an absolute pioneering and cutting edge release.  This is in terms of production (the synth and electronic work in that album was truly top-notch and ahead of its time for 1982) as well as the high production value music videos and the pure individuality of Cyndi Lauper's style and voice, which immediately set her apart from other artists of the time climbing the pop music charts.  This type of indivdual style and sound is something that became a staple of the 1980s.  Most established bands and artists of that decade, especially in the first half, each had their own original sound and unique look that set them apart from their contemporaries in a way that was both immediately recognizable, accepted and respected.  
All of that being said, I am surprised to see Cyndi inducted before Oasis, Joy Division and even The Black Crowes. Each of thse bands were highly glorified for their unique sounds and either inspiration on other artists and/or helping define a genre:  Oasis in the sense of alternative and Brit-Pop and Joy Division/New Order in both the post-punk and new wave/synth pop sounds which became so prevalent and defining of the 1980s.
But there's always next year, right?
28th Apr 2025 Lando

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