Why Los Angeles, long overlooked by the Rock Hall, finally gets its musical due

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will welcome a diverse group of artists on Saturday, including Soundgarden, Outkast, Warren Zevon, the White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, Bad Company, and legendary music executive Lenny Waronker. The induction ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in L.A. Live.

The induction ceremony will feature a fantastic lineup of musicians from different eras, including Olivia Rodrigo, Elton John, Janelle Monae, En Vogue, Beck, Doja Cat, Brandi Carlile, Flea, Joe Perry, Questlove, Teddy Swims, Bryan Adams, Avril Lavigne, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Donald Glover, Jerry Cantrell, 21 Pilots, and Raye. Joining them will be comedy legends David Letterman and Jim Carrey.

According to John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, being inducted into the Hall of Fame is now considered the greatest achievement a musician can attain.

Tyler Joseph of 21 Pilots explained that being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame means an artist has significantly influenced music and, in turn, helped shape an era’s culture.

Vicky Cornell, Chris Cornell’s wife, expressed how much the recognition meant to her. She explained that it celebrated not only Chris’s incredible music with Soundgarden – songs that came from his heart, creativity, and hard work – but also the band’s huge impact on music. Soundgarden helped create the grunge genre, with Chris’s songwriting and vision as central to its sound. She added that this recognition is a reminder that Chris’s musical spirit continues to live on and inspire people through his songs and lyrics.

When Sykes took over as head of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, he decided to rotate the induction ceremony location, adding Los Angeles to the schedule alongside New York and Cleveland, where the Hall of Fame museum is located. He recently hinted that this year’s event will be full of unexpected moments.

Given L.A.’s unique and well-known past, how do you go about planning and executing a ceremony here compared to other locations?

Our main goal is to honor the artists most deserving of induction each year. However, we also consider location. If an artist has strong ties to the city where the ceremony is held, we like to highlight that connection. For example, Warren Zevon was long overdue for induction, and this year, with the event in L.A., we were especially pleased to celebrate his achievements. We have something special planned to recognize him. Similarly, Lenny Waronker is incredibly deserving and would have been inducted regardless of location, but it’s wonderful he’ll be honored here in Los Angeles. Ultimately, though, merit is our primary focus, as it often takes artists a long time to be recognized.

This year’s induction class includes a diverse group of artists like Outkast, Warren Zevon, The White Stripes, and Cyndi Lauper.

What’s great about this year’s inductees is how well they represent the wide range of styles within rock ‘n’ roll. They showcase the sounds that were originally inspired by 1950s rhythm and blues, gospel, and country music – influences that continue to be felt in rock, hip-hop, and many other genres today. Ultimately, all these modern styles trace their origins back to the foundations of rock ‘n’ roll.

Then you get someone like Chubby Chucker, who was there at the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll.

I was surprised to learn he hadn’t been inducted as a performer. Cliff Bernstein, a member of our nominating committee, made a strong case that while we’ve honored the song “The Twist” before, Chubby Checker hadn’t received the recognition he deserved. He received a lot of votes, and while some artists are inducted immediately, it often takes years for others.

How did you choose L.A. as a regular market for the induction ceremony?

When I became president in 2020, I promised to bring more induction ceremonies to Los Angeles. The city has been incredibly important to the history and development of rock and roll. For a long time, the Rock Hall felt centered in New York and Cleveland, even though many of the biggest artists came from Los Angeles. That’s why we now rotate the ceremonies between those two cities and Los Angeles every three years. Los Angeles is now a key part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I’m really pleased about that.

Just like the Grammys – which people think of as a single event, but actually involves work throughout the year – how can we keep the hall in the national spotlight all year long?

Over the past two years, we’ve been working to expand our presence in Los Angeles. We’ve hosted screenings of significant documentaries like “San Francisco Sound” and, more recently, Bruce Springsteen’s “Road Diaries” (which premiered on Hulu last year) in LA. Our goal is to move beyond just the annual induction ceremony and create year-round opportunities for fans to connect with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and its inductees.

Are there any plans to bring the exhibits to cities like Los Angeles, New York, or Detroit?

Rock ‘n’ roll has deep roots in many American cities – Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, New York, and both coasts, like San Francisco and Los Angeles. While traveling exhibits are great, we’re focusing on creating a digital experience. This virtual hall will allow fans worldwide to explore the history of rock ‘n’ roll, connect with the artists, and celebrate its lasting impact. We’re building this platform now and greatly expanding our social media presence to share these amazing artists and stories.

What’s the timeline for that?

As a huge fan of music history, I’m really excited about what’s happening with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They’re currently working on a documentary series, which I think will be amazing, and they’re planning to be much more active online. What I love is that they want to make the Hall accessible to everyone, no matter where they are. Of course, visiting the museum in Cleveland is incredible, but they’re building a way for fans all over the world to experience everything the Hall has to offer – including access to their archives – even if they can’t travel there themselves. It’s all about sharing the music and the stories with as many people as possible.

What are your favorite items in the archives?

We’re really thrilled with a new exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, created in partnership with “Saturday Night Live” to mark 50 years of music on the show. Lorne Michaels visited, and Fred Armisen even performed on our stage! The exhibit features around 1,500 to 2,000 performances – every musical moment from “SNL” is available to watch on demand, and it’s exclusive to the Hall of Fame. We also recently hosted a fantastic exhibit on The Beatles’ “Get Back” with Peter Jackson. But what I truly love is what we have in our archives – a series of in-depth interviews with rock legends, sharing their life stories. We have warehouses full of amazing artifacts that we’re excited to share with fans, and some of these hidden gems will be featured in a new expansion of our museum in Cleveland, opening in 2027.

We sadly lost several music icons this year, including Brian Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne, and Sly Stone. It’s crucial to remember and celebrate these artists and ensure their music and impact continue to be appreciated for generations to come, which is what halls of fame are for.

Just like baseball has Cooperstown and football has Canton, Ohio, the city of Cleveland is the home of musical history for the last four decades. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, led by president Greg Harris, deeply honors the legacies of influential artists and their impact on music, politics, and culture. Visitors are consistently amazed by the museum’s extensive collection and the stories it tells. This year’s induction ceremony will be no different, celebrating icons like Sly Stewart, Brian Wilson, Warren Zevon, and others we’ve lost. Expect unforgettable performances and some exciting surprises! The event will draw major stars, including Elton John, alongside up-and-coming artists like Chappell Roan and Doja Cat, paying tribute to their musical heroes. We’ve seen incredible moments in the past – Olivia Rodrigo performing “You’re So Vain” and Harry Styles joining Stevie Nicks on “Gold Dust Woman” – and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame stage consistently brings together today’s biggest artists to celebrate the legends who paved the way.

Of course, you want talented performers, but they also need to be a good fit for the project. When you’re specifically looking for someone who can sing like Joe Cocker, your options are pretty limited.

Teddy Swims will perform songs by Joe Cocker, with support from the Tedeschi Trucks Band, who often include Cocker’s music in their own shows. The event will feature younger artists honoring musical legends, and even established stars like Cyndi Lauper will share the stage with well-known musicians. Jack White will also be there, and while it’s unclear if he’ll perform, the show promises a fantastic celebration of The White Stripes’ music with a lineup of incredible artists.

With a band like Soundgarden, are suggestions made about who they collaborate with on vocals, or do they choose singers completely on their own?

We collaborate closely with the artists. Rick Krim, who leads our Hall of Fame nominating committee, works directly with them to shape the show. It always begins with a discussion, and the artists share their own ideas. Ultimately, we support their choices for celebrating their achievements – it’s about who they want to recognize their success with.

I imagine as well it’s a heavy thing for the artists and families inducting people they have lost.

This event is massive, and we – along with the artists and their families – treat it with the utmost importance. We strive to make it the most memorable night of their lives. It’s crucial to acknowledge not just their successful careers, but also their significant contributions to the development of rock ‘n’ roll and its lasting cultural influence. Considering rock ‘n’ roll emerged around 70 years ago, in the 1950s, from a blend of rhythm and blues, gospel, and country music, you can see how all modern music traces its roots back to those foundational sounds.

Do you see a common thread between all these artists?

What makes rock ‘n’ roll so special is its diversity – the artists come in all styles and sounds. But they all share a powerful attitude that has resonated with audiences for decades. That’s what the induction ceremony celebrates – bringing together artists like Cyndi Lauper, who defined the 80s, and Outkast, who revolutionized music in the late 90s. Despite their differences, they all belong to the vibrant world of rock ‘n’ roll.

Then when you’re curating it, it becomes the biggest festival in the world.

It’s a huge effort, but the chance to work with so many incredible and influential artists, bringing them together for a night to honor their music and everyone involved, is truly amazing. Essentially, we help them plan and then let them shine.

You can buy tickets to the 40th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at AXS US. The event will be held on November 8th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

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2025-11-06 14:34