The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has revealed the names of 16 artists or other musical figures who will be inducted in 2024. It’s a diverse list that stretches from R&B/rock pioneer Big Mama Thornton to pop superstars Cher and Dionne Warwick, and from ’70s-rooted rockers like Peter Frampton, Foreigner and Ozzy Osbourne to ’90s icons the Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige and A Tribe Called Quest.
Surprisingly, Jimmy Buffett pops up among the inductees — unexpected because not only was the late singer/songwriter not on the ballot this year, but he had never even been nominated before. But the Rock Hall’s committee was clearly in a sentimental mood after his death seven months ago, and took the liberty of ushering Buffett in via a separate, non-voted category, for “musical excellence.”
That honorary category is also the side door through which the committee installed two other performers who had been nominated before without ever being selected by voters: Warwick and MC5. The latter group had been nominated six times without ever being voted in (only Chic had been nominated more times and remained shut out); with the “musical excellence” classification, the Rock Hall finally took matters into its own hands in installing the influential 1960s trio.
For the first time, the inductees were announced as part of an “American Idol” broadcast, during a Sunday night episode themed around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
View this post on Instagram
Following is the complete list of inductees for 2024:
Performer Category:
- Mary J. Blige
- Cher
- Dave Matthews Band
- Foreigner
- Peter Frampton
- Kool & The Gang
- Ozzy Osbourne
- A Tribe Called Quest
Musical Influence Award:
- Alexis Korner
- John Mayall
- Big Mama Thornton
Musical Excellence Award:
- Jimmy Buffett
- MC5
- Dionne Warwick
- Norman Whitfield