A look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025 inductees and how they were honored

By Canadian Press on November 8, 2025.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has inducted its 2025 class of music giants.

The ceremony held Saturday at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater was a mix of tributes, speeches and performances by acts like Soundgarden, Salt-N-Pepa and Big Boi of Outkast, along with numerous A-list musical guests.

Artists become eligible for the hall 25 years after their first music release.

Here’s a look at this year’s Rock Hall class, a few of their defining songs and who inducted them.

Outkast

American rap duo that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Hey Ya,” “Ms. Jackson” and “Roses.”

Inducted by Donald Glover. Medley performance included Big Boi, Janelle Monáe, JID, Doja Cat, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown

Bad Company

English rock band formed in the 1970s. Key songs: “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Can’t Get Enough,” “Bad Company.”

Inducted by Mick Fleetwood. Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke was joined by Nancy Wilson of Heart and Joe Perry of Aerosmith on guitars and Black Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson on vocals.

Cyndi Lauper

American singer and songwriter whose solo career began in the early 1980s. Key songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “True Colors.”

Inducted by Chappell Roan. Lauper performed a medley of her hits, including duets with Avril Lavigne, Raye and Salt-N-Pepa.

Soundgarden

American rock band formed in 1984. Key songs: “Black Hole Sun,” “Fell on Black Days,” and “Outshined.”

Inducted by Jim Carrey. Surviving Soundgarden members performed with Taylor Momsen and Brandi Carlile, who took the place of late vocalist Chris Cornell. Cornell’s daughter, Toni, also performed with Nancy Wilson.

Salt-N-Pepa

American rap group formed in the 1980s. Key songs: “Push It,” “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Shoop.”

Inducted by Missy Elliott, the group performed a medley of their hits with a special appearance from En Vogue.

Chubby Checker

American singer who began releasing records in the 1950s. Key songs: “The Twist,” “Limbo Rock,” “Let’s Twist Again.”

Inducted via video tribute. Checker accepted remotely via a video feed.

Joe Cocker

English singer who began releasing records in the 1960s and died in 2014. Key songs: “You Are So Beautiful,” “Up Where We Belong,” “With a Little Help From My Friends.”

Inducted by Bryan Adams. Medley performance by Teddy Swims, Tedeschi Trucks Band, along with Adams, Lauper, Chris Robinson and Nathaniel Rateliff who took the stage for a rendition of “With A Little Help from My Friends.”

The White Stripes

American rock band that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Seven Nation Army,” “We’re Going to Be Friends,” “Doorbell.”

Inducted by Iggy Pop. Tribute performance by Olivia Rodrigo, Feist and Twenty One Pilots.

Warren Zevon

American singer-songwriter who began releasing solo records in the early 1970s and died in 2003. Key songs: “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” “Werewolves of London,” “Keep Me in Your Heart.”

Inducted by David Letterman. Honored with performance by the Killers.

Carole Kaye

American session musician who played on scores of hits starting in the 1950s, primarily on bass. Key songs: The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were.”

Inducted via video tribute.

Thom Bell

American music producer and songwriter starting in the 1960s who died in 2022. Key songs: the Delfonics’ “La-La (Means I Love You),” the Spinners’ “The Rubberband Man,” the Stylistics’ “You Make Me Feel Brand New.”

Inducted via video tribute.

Nicky Hopkins

English session musician who played keyboards on dozens of hits starting in the 1960s and died in 1994. Key songs: the Beatles’ “Revolution,” the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful.”

Inducted via video tribute.

Lenny Waronker

American music producer and executive starting in the 1970s. Key songs from artists he produced or signed: Rickie Lee Jones’ “Chuck E’s in Love,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.”

Inducted via video tribute.

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press

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