Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inducts Mary J. Blige, Cher, Foreigner, and More

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest class of inductees, including music legends such as Mary J. Blige, Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & The Gang, and Ozzy Osbourne. This diverse group of artists has broken down musical barriers and influenced countless others in the industry.

In addition to the main inductees, Alexis Korner, John Mayall, and Big Mama Thornton received the Musical Influence Award, while the late Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick, and Norman Whitfield will be honored with the Musical Excellence Award. Pioneering music executive Suzanne de Passe will also receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The induction ceremony is set to take place on October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, and will be streamed live on Disney+ with an airing on ABC at a later date. It will also be available on Hulu the following day.

While some notable artists like Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Sade were nominated but did not make the cut this year, there was a strong push to get Foreigner into the hall, with support from Mark Ronson, Jack Black, Slash, Dave Grohl, and Paul McCartney.

Cher, who has had a No. 1 song in each of the past six decades, and Mary J. Blige, with multiple platinum albums and Grammy Awards, will help increase the representation of women in the hall, which has been a point of criticism in the past.

The induction process involves a vote by over 1,000 artists, historians, and music industry professionals, as well as input from fans who can vote online or in person at the museum. The top five artists chosen by the public make up a “fans’ ballot” that is combined with the professional votes.

Overall, this year’s class of inductees represents the ever-evolving nature of rock ‘n’ roll and the impact it has had on culture and generations of music lovers.