YEAR
2014
INDUCTED BY
Questlove
CATEGORY
Performers
Hall and Oates combined rock, soul and pop to make music that was at times infectious, at times poignant, and nearly always wildly popular.
United by Philadelphia’s burgeoning music scene, Hall and Oates struck up a friendship and collaboration whose success and longevity few can touch.
Daryl Hall
John Oates
HALL OF FAME
ESSAY
By Parke Puterbaugh
Back in 1984, the RIAA declared that Daryl Hall and John Oates were the most successful duo in rock history.
Statistically, they had surpassed such dynamic duos as the Everly Brothers and the Righteous Brothers. They’ve held onto this title over the ensuing thirty years. But that is just one element in a much deeper, richer tale of triumphs (and occasional travails) for this pair from Philadelphia.
For starters, they rank among the most long-lived acts of the rock era. Their friendship dates back to 1967, and initial stabs at collaboration began shortly thereafter, although their first album wouldn’t appear until 1972.
