Today: February 9, 2025
Dua Lipa and Cher opened the Rock & Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday night by singing ‘Believe,’ before giving way to a medley of rump shakers by funk masters Kool & the Gang and a powerful performance by gospel icon Dionne Warwick, bringing the house down at 83.
This year, it was a five-hour plus show whose inductees include hip-hop soul queen Mary J. Blige, hip-hope trailblazers A Tribe Called Quest, and heavy metal’s Ozzy Osbourne. Dave Mathews Band and posthumous recognition for Jimmy Buffet, punk pioneers the MC5, Alexis Korner, the soft rock of Foreigner, John Mayall, Norman Whitfield, and Big Mama Thornton.
“Where do I even begin? Cher is not one person,” Zendaya said when inducting Cher. “Her name is just as legendary as her legacy,” Zendaya noted that Cher, 78, is the only woman to have a No.1 hit on the Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. ‘Cher has got the goods,’ Zendaya said before the singer performed a rocking version of “I Could Turn Back Time.”
While giving her speech, Cher expressed her gratitude to her mother for instilling in her the ability to always get back up after defeat. ‘ I never give up, ‘ she said. ‘I’m talking to the women—down and out, we keep going.’
Chuck D inducted Kool & the Gang, saying, “This is a long-due celebration.” The band has 12 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the 1980 chart-topper ‘Celebration’ as well as ‘Cherish,” “Get Down On It,” “Jungle Boogie,” ‘Ladies Night,” and “Joanna.” They’ve been eligible for the hall since 1994.
Roberts, on the other hand, helped induct the Dave Matthews Band. She’s a self-avowed superfan and appeared in the band’s video for the 2005 single “Dreamgirl.” Roberts, wearing a band T-shirt, said the appeal of the group is “spontaneous abandon,” adding that the first time she danced with her husband was to one of their songs. In 2019, the Dave Mattews Band became the first artist to win the fan vote but not get voted in for induction.
Winners of the 2023 fan vote, DMB demonstrated their value from the signature snare drum smack that ushers in “Ants Marching.” With his guitar held high and against his chest, his eyebrows cocked in that way could be quizzical or menacing depending upon the setting, Mattews unleashed his quirky vocals.
Brielle Duddy is a freelance writer and editor with a background in journalism. She has written for a variety of publications, with a passion for exploring the intersection of technology and society. Brielle is passionate about social justice and equality, and her writing often focuses on these issues. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and exploring the vibrant cultural scene in her hometown of Los Angeles.