Event takes place this fall in New York
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announces its 2023 Inductees. Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners will be inducted into the Performer Category with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray receiving the Musical Influence Award and Chaka Khan, Al Koper and Bernie Taupin the Musical Excellence Award, and Don Cornelius the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
The announcement was streamed on Apple Music 1 during a one-hour special with hosts Ebro Darden, Rebecca Judd, Matt Wilkinson, Brooke Reese, and Kelleigh Bannen with special guests Sheryl Crow and Bernie Taupin. Inductees were also announced SiriusXM’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Radio.
“This year’s incredible group of Inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock & roll,” states John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “We are honored that this November’s Induction Ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture; the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop.”
“Honored to be announced as a 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee! Among great company…” Nelson comments.
“Can’t believe it!” Crow adds. “Congratulations to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023! I’m so honored!! And thanks everybody for all your support.”
“Many thanks to the Hall of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of Rage Against the Machine. We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we’ve worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art,” Rage Against the Machine write in part of a lengthy social media statement.
“This has been a lifelong dream, I never imagined back in Ferndale, when we all started in 1954, that we’d be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” shares Henry Fambrough, founding member of The Spinners. “I do wish my original guys were around to celebrate this with me, but I’m happy to share this with my current bandmates CJ, Jessie, Ronnie, and Marvin. We’re so grateful for this acknowledgement, I really believe that everything happens in succession, at the right time.”
Artists become eligible 25 years after releasing their first recording. Elliott will enter upon her first year of eligibility and appears for the first time along with Crow and Nelson. Rage Against the Machine has appeared on the ballot five times since its first year of eligibility in 2018 with Bush being nominated four times each since 2004 as well as The Spinners since 1987.
Michael led the fan vote ballot with more than one million votes, followed by Cyndi Lauper with 928,113, Warren Zevon with 634,130, Iron Maiden with 449,682 and Soundgarden with 427,040 votes.
The 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on November 3rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
