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Rock

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Revealed on ‘American Idol’

The ceremony takes place Oct. 19 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum building, designed by architect by I. M. Pei, is seen in this 2009 Cleveland, Ohio.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum building, designed by architect by I. M. Pei, is seen in this 2009 Cleveland, Ohio.

George Rose/Getty Images

What’s more rock n’ roll than American Idol? Well, a few things, but the Sunday (April 21) episode of the long-running singing competition series found Ryan Seacrest and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Lionel Richie revealing which artists constitute the Rock Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. (The episode featured the 12 remaining contestants singing classics from previous Rock Hall inductees.)

Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige, stalwart pop icon Cher, roots rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, stadium rock hitmakers Foreigner, guitar pro Peter Frampton, funky R&B legends Kool & the Gang, metal god Ozzy Osbourne and alt hip-hop progenitors A Tribe Called Quest are all entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year in the performers category.


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But there will actually be quite a few more people entering the Rock Hall’s ranks when the ceremony goes down on Oct. 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Three guitar-slinging blues trailblazers will be inducted in the musical influence category: the late Alexis Korner, one of the founding fathers of British blues; John Mayall, the 90-year-old blues-rock legend whose outfit John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers fostered some of the biggest names in rock history; and “Big Mama” Thornton, an R&B pioneer whose big personality, guitar tone and brash vocals helped shape early rock n’ roll.

Four more artists make it into the Rock Hall in the musical excellence category: Jimmy Buffett, the standard bearer of laid-back, good-time rock until his death last September; MC5, the political firebrand proto-punk outfit; elegant, sophisticated pop hitmaker Dionne Warwick; and Motown Sound songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield.

And finally, Suzanne de Passe, a former Motown exec who brought the Jackson 5 to Berry Gordy and oversaw numerous music-related TV specials, will be given the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2024 ceremony will stream live on Disney+ on Oct. 19, be available on Hulu the following day and air in edited form on ABC at a later date.

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This article was first published by Billboard U.S.

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EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.
Courtesy of Girl Connected

EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.

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EMPIRE President Tina Davis Gives Strategic Advice to Women in Music at Girl Connected's New Speaker Series

On Friday (March 28), the president of EMPIRE, the Bay Area-independent label and music company, came to Toronto for Conversation with the Pros offering tangible advice to the mentorship program's community. Davis also spoke to Billboard Canada about her impressive journey in the industry.

Girl Connected has launched a new series that connects the next generation of women in Canadian music with powerhouse executives for the global industry.

On Friday (March 28), Tina Davis, president of EMPIRE, sat down with Girl Connected founder and music industry veteran Lola Plaku at Toronto Metropolitan University for the first in-person Canadian edition of Conversations with the Pros (Billboard Canada was a supporting partner). The series brings in inspiring music industry figures from Girl Connected's international network to talk about their journeys and offer actionable information and advice to help the budding music professionals develop their skills and reach the next level of their careers.

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