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May 3, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces class of 2023

headshot
Willie Nelson smiles while on stage.

Willie Nelson will be inducted into the Rock Hall at 90 years old. Photo: Gary Miller/Getty Images

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its class of 2023, which will be honored during a Nov. 3 ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Driving the news: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners lead this year's inductees.

Why it matters: The Rock Hall has received criticism for failing to induct enough women.

  • The inductions of Bush, Crow and Elliott — the first female hip-hop artist to be inducted — should help in that regard.

Between the lines: In addition to the main inductees, R&B singer Chaka Khan, blues musician Al Kooper and songwriter Bernie Taupin will each receive the Musical Excellence Award.

  • Hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc and guitar legend Link Wray are this year's Musical Influence Award recipients.
  • The Ahmet Ertegun Award for lifetime achievement will go to "Soul Train" creator/host Don Cornelius.

What they're saying: "This year's incredible group of Inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock and roll," said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, in a statement.

  • "We are honored that this November's Induction Ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture; the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th Anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop."

The intrigue: The Rock Hall confirmed that next year's induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland and return every other year moving forward.

💭 My thought bubble: This year's class is diverse and should make for a great show in November, especially if the Rock Hall can land Bush, who has never performed in the U.S.

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