Ozzy Osbourne, Cher and Mary J. Blige are among the members of this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee class.
The Rock Hall entries, first announced during Sunday's broadcast of “American Idol,” include Black Sabbath founder Osbourne, pop chameleon Cher and R&B titan Blige among its lineup of performers. Folk-rock adventurers Dave Matthews Band, '80s rockers Foreigner, guitar hero and singer-songwriter Peter Frampton, funk and R&B mainstays Kool & the Gang and influential rap group A Tribe Called Quest round out the Promotion of 2024.
Four of the eight chosen in the artist category are first-time candidates on the ballot: Cher, Foreigner, Kool & the Gang and Frampton.
The musical influence award will go to pioneering American blues and R&B singer Big Mama Thornton (who first recorded “Hound Dog,” later recorded by Elvis Presley) and influential mid-century British blues guitarists Alexis Korner and John Mayall.
This year's Musical Excellence Awards will honor two recently deceased artists, beloved country-rock singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and proto-punk guitarist and MC5 founder Wayne Kramer, along with rock and R&B legend Dionne Warwick and the Late Motown songwriter Norman Whitfield. Buffet was recently feted at the Hollywood Bowl with a mix of performances by the Eagles, Paul McCartney and many others.
This year's Ahmet Ertegun Award, given for achievements in the music industry, will go to Suzanne de Passe, a producer and executive who for decades worked with Motown and its Motown Productions division, which produced film and television projects, and the “Showtime at the Apolo” live performance series.
To be eligible for the Rock Hall, an artist or band must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the nomination year. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on October 19 in Cleveland and will stream on Disney+.
