Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1986, The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame has held an induction ceremony, honoring new inductees while also featuring commemorative tribute and musical performances. To be eligible for induction, artists must have released their first recording at least 25 years earlier and have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence by influencing other artists and perpetuating rock and roll. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's nominating committee selects nominees each year, and sends out ballots to an international voting body of hundreds of artists, historians and members of the music industry. Those performers who receive the highest number of votes -- and more than 50 percent of the vote -- are inducted. The Foundation generally inducts five to seven performers each year. The first ceremony, held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, included: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, DJ Alan Freed, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Sun Records founder Sam Phillips and Elvis Presley. Through 2006, VH1 aired an edited version of highlights a few nights after the event. In 2007 and 2008, VH1 Classic broadcast the even live. Then, Fuse also aired the event live for the following three years. Since 2012, HBO has telecast the induction ceremony weeks after the actual event.

The 28th Annual ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY, held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 18, 2013, was televised by HBO on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 9pm ET. The 2013 event featured inductees Heart (inducted by Chris Cornell), Randy Newman (inducted by Don Henley), Public Enemy (inducted by Harry Belafonte and Spike Lee), Rush (inducted by Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins), Donna Summer (inducted by Kelly Rowland), Albert King (inducted by John Mayer), Quincy Jones (inducted by Oprah Winfrey) and Lou Adler (inducted by Cheech and Chong).

On Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 8-11:10pm ET/PT, HBO broadcast the 29th Annual ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY, which took place on Thursday, April 10 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, marking the first time the induction ceremony had been held in Brooklyn. The 2014 even featured inductees Peter Gabriel (inducted by Chris Martin), Linda Ronstadt (inducted by Glenn Frey), KISS (inducted by Tom Morello), Cat Stevens (inducted by Art Garfunkel), Daryl Hall & John Oates (inducted by Questlove), The E Street Band (inducted by Bruce Springsteen), and Nirvana (inducted by Michael Stipe). Plus, the ceremony featured performances by most new members (except KISS) and the people inducting them, plus Youssou D'Nour; Carrie Underwood, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow; Joan Jett, Kim Gordon, St. Vincent & Lorde.

HBO premiered the 2015 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY on Saturday, May 30, 2015 from 8-11pm ET/PT. The 30th annual event, which was held on April 18 at Cleveland's Public Auditorium, featured inductees Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (inducted by Miley Cyrus), The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (inducted by Peter Wolf), Bill Withers (inducted by Stevie Wonder), Green Day (inducted by Fall Out Boy), The '5' Royales (inducted by Steve Cropper), Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (inducted by John Mayer), Lou Reed (inducted by Patti Smith), and Ringo Starr (inducted by Paul McCartney). Plus, the night featured collaborative jams, like Ringo and Paul being joined Joan Jett, Miley Cyrus, Dave Grohl, Tom Morello, Zac Brown, Gary Clark Jr., Leon Bridges, Green Day, Karen O, Beck, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Bill Withers to perform "With a Little Help from My Friends" -- with Paul Shaffer and members of the CBS Orchestra serving as backup band for several of the night's performances.

On Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT, HBO premiered the 2016 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY, featuring inductees Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A., Steve Miller, and Bert Berns. Plus, the special includes performance tributes to David Bowie and Glenn Frey, with a celebration for Prince that includes footage from his 2004 induction. The 31st annual induction ceremony took place April 8 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and this 2.5-hour program spotlights some of the most memorable names in music through special reunions, touching tributes and heartfelt speeches from both presenters and inductees. The ceremony opened with "Fame," a rousing tribute to David Bowie performed by The Roots, David Byrne and Kimbra. Glenn Frey of The Eagles was remembered in a poignant duet by Sheryl Crow and Grace Potter on "New Kid in Town."

The 2017 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY premiered on HBO on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 8-11pm ET/PT, featuring inductees ELO, Joan Baez, Yes, Tupac Shakur, Journey and Pearl Jam. Nile Rodgers earned was the Award for Musical Excellent Inductee, and the event features special performance tributes to Prince and Chuck Berry. Plus, the ceremony boasted these guests and presenters: Pharrell Williams, David Letterman, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Jackson Browne, Alicia Keys, T.I., YG, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Dhani Harrison, Pat Monahan, Indigo Girls, Treach and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

The 2018 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY premiered on HBO on Saturday, May 5, 2018 from 8-11pm ET/PT, featuring inductees Bon Jovi, The Cars, Nina Simone, The Moody Blues, Dire Straits and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Plus, the special features special tributes to Tom Petty and Chris Cornell. Special guests and presenters include: Mary J. Blige, Jerry Cantrell, Felicia Collins, Andra Day, Brandon Flowers, Brittany Howard, Questlove, Paul Shaffer, Howard Stern, Steven Van Zandt and Ann Wilson. The 33rd annual induction ceremony took place April 15 The Public Auditorium in Cleveland, OH. The HBO special spotlights some of the most memorable names in music through special reunions, touching tributes and heartfelt speeches from both presenters and inductees. The ceremony opened with "American Girl," a tribute to Tom Petty performed by The Killers. Chris Cornell was remembered in a performance of "Black Hole Sun" by Ann Wilson and Jerry Cantrell.

The 2019 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY premiered on HBO on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 8-11pm ET/PT, featuring inductees The Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music and The Zombies. Special guests and presenters include: Harry Styles, Janelle Monae, Don Henley, Brian May, David Byrne, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Trent Reznor, Ian Hunter and Susanna Hoffs. The 34th annual induction ceremony took place March 29 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The HBO special spotlights some of the most memorable names in music through special reunions, touching tributes and heartfelt speeches from both presenters and inductees.

Delayed by six month because of the COVID-19 pandemic, The 2020 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY premiered on HBO on Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 8-10:10pm ET/PT, featuring inductees Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G., and T-Rex. Jon Landau and Irving Azoff are Ahmet Ertegun Award honorees. A live event was originally planned for May 2, but it was replaced by a two-hour special. The special will feature guests including Luke Bryan, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Miley Cyrus, Billy Gibbons, Dave Grohl, Don Henley, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brad Paisley, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron, Nancy Wilson and more, all highlighting the importance and influence of the 2020 inductees. Dave Grohl kicks off the show with a heartfelt introduction to this year's class of inductees, and the special guests will speak further on how the 2020 inductees impacted their personal and professional careers.

The 2021 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY debuted on HBO on Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 8-10:30pm ET/PT, featuring inductees Tina Turner, Carole King, The Go-Go's, JAY-Z, Foo Fighters, and Todd Rundgren in the Performer category, along with Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron for Early Influence, LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads for Musical Excellence, and Clarence Avant for the Ahmet Ertegun Award. The presenters and performers, who took the stage on October 30 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, inlude: Angela Bassett inducting Tina Turner, with performances by Christina Aguilera, Mickey Guyton, H.E.R., and Bryan Adams; Taylor Swift inducting Carole King, with performances by Taylor Swift and Jennifer Hudson; Drew Barrymore inducting The Go-Go's; Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters; Lionel Richie inducting Clarence Avant for the Ahmet Ertegun Award; and more.

For 2022, the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY debuted on HBO on Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 8pm-Midnight ET/PT on HBO, featuring performer inductees Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, and Carly Simon. More information about inductees and special guests: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo inducted by Sheryl Crow; Duran Duran inducted by Robert Downey, Jr.; Eminem inducted by Dr. Dre with performances by Ed Sheeran and Steven Tyler; Eurythmics inducted by The Edge; Dolly Parton inducted by P!nk with performances by P!nk, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, and Zac Brown Band; Lionel Richie inducted by Lenny Kravitz with performance by Dave Grohl; Carly Simon inducted by Sara Bareilles with performances by Olivia Rodrigo and Sara Bareilles; Judas Priest inducted by Alice Cooper; and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis inducted by Janet Jackson.
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On Friday, November 3, 2023 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, the 2023 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY streamed live on Disney+ from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This year's ceremony features rare once-in-a-lifetime performances and collaborations celebrating the legacy and influence of the class of 2023: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, Bernie Taupin and Don Cornelius. Additional performers and guests include Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Brandi Carlile, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Common, Dave Matthews, Elton John, H.E.R., Ice-T, LL COOL J, Miguel, New Edition, Olivia Rodrigo, Queen Latifah, Sia and St. Vincent. The event makes it linear television debut as a three-hour primetime special on New Year's Day (Monday, January 1, 2024) from 8-11pm ET/PT on ABC.