The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2024 inductees, featuring a lineup of 16 artists and music industry icons. This year’s selection spans a range of genres, including the R&B and rock blend of Big Mama Thornton, pop legends Cher and Dionne Warwick, classic rock figures like Peter Frampton and Foreigner, as well as heavy metal veteran Ozzy Osbourne.
The list also celebrates ’90s music with the inclusion of Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Check out the full list of 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees
In a surprising turn, Jimmy Buffett has also been included among this year’s inductees. His induction is particularly notable as he was neither on this year’s ballot nor had he ever been nominated previously. The decision by the Rock Hall’s committee to include Buffett posthumously in a special category for “musical excellence” comes seven months after his passing, reflecting a poignant gesture of recognition.
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Here 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
Ahmet Ertegun Award:
- Suzanne de Passe
A key point of interest now is Cher’s response to her induction. In a candid interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show last December, Cher expressed strong disinterest in joining the Hall of Fame, stating, “You know what, I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars … I’m never going to change my mind. They can just go you-know-what themselves.” At that time, she had not yet been nominated. However, now that she has been inducted on her first appearance on the ballot, it remains to be seen whether she will reconsider her previous stance.
Peter Frampton’s induction into the Hall of Fame this year goes beyond his achievement of having one of the all-time greatest albums. His nomination likely holds sentimental value, as he is in the later stages of his musical career. Frampton has been on an intermittent farewell tour since 2019 after being diagnosed with the debilitating disease, inclusion body myositis, in 2015. He recently concluded the latest series of scheduled tour dates, although he has not definitively stated that these will be his last.
This year, Ozzy Osbourne earns the distinction of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time; his band, Black Sabbath, was inducted back in 2006. There is often debate about whether artists who have already been inducted as part of a group should also be prioritized for induction as solo artists, ahead of other potential inductees. Nevertheless, voters have determined that Osbourne’s career following his time with Black Sabbath has cemented his status as a major figure in rock music, independent of his influential beginnings as a frontman.
That said, this leaves criticism abound for those who are still waiting on their chances to claim their spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Mariah Carey, Jane’s Addiction, Sade, Sinéad O’Connor, Oasis, Lenny Kravitz and the duo Eric B. and Rakim.