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Experience the sights, sounds and stories that represent the new Inductee class of 2025.

Find Lenny Waronker in the 2025 Inductees Exhibit

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Mo Ostin's immense success in the music business can be attributed to the fact that he never lost sight of music as art.

Mo Ostin

Doc Pomus was a bonafide hit machine: "Save the Last Dance for Me," "This Magic Moment" and "Viva Las Vegas" are just a small sample of the anthems he wrote.

Doc Pomus

Seymour Stein is the co-founder and chairman of Sire Records, the label that put punk and New Wave—not to mention the maverick likes of Madonna—on the map.

Seymour Stein

Madonna demolished pop boundaries, boldly redefining what it means to be a rock star. She proved art could be both controversial and commercially successful.

Madonna

A singer-songwriter with bite, Randy Newman has been one of pop music’s secret hidden weapons for more than four decades.

Randy Newman

The Beach Boys embodied the sun-kissed dream of California, courtesy of their buoyant surf-rock vibe and heavenly harmonies.

The Beach Boys

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This baroque-pop cover of a Buffalo Springfield song by Stephen Stills  became a Top 40 hit, putting producer Waronker on the map.

Sit Down, I Think I Love You 

The most expensive album ever made at the time was a commercial failure but is now considered a classic. The artist-friendly approach was born. 

Song Cycle

A seminal, star-studded James Taylor album, co-produced with Russ Titelman, it contains Taylor’s perennial “Shower the People.”

In the Pocket 

The best-selling album by Waronker’s childhood friend Randy Newman contains Newman’s biggest radio hit, “Short People,” and the much-covered “Baltimore.”

Little Criminals

Co-produced with Beck, this album was considered a comeback for Yoakam, hitting No. 18 on the Billboard album chart. 

3 Pears

Iconic Artist-Friendly Exec

**Impact**

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Dwight Yoakam

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**Influence**

Russ Titleman

John Cale

Michael Ostin

Van Dyke Parks

Shel Talmy

Robert “Bob” Krasnow

Lionel Newman

Snuff Garrett

Mort Shulman

Jimmy Bowen

**Induction**

**Producer, label president, A&R head, and tastemaker Lenny Waronker pioneered the artist-first approach in the music business.** Prioritizing creativity and development over quick financial returns and commercial hits, he redefined the role of the record label, shaping DreamWorks and Warner Brothers into musician-friendly, collaborative havens. Significantly responsible for the careers of Randy Newman, Rickie Lee Jones, R.E.M., and Prince, he elevated pop music in the culture.  

This is the signature that appears on the inductee’s plaque at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to officially commemorate their induction.

sealed with a **signature**

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Lenny Waronker pioneered the artist-first approach in the music business, prioritizing creativity and development over quick financial returns and commercial hits.

Lenny Waronker

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{{year}} Induction | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

This award is given to artists, musicians, songwriters, and producers whose originality and influence have had a dramatic impact on music.

Ahmet Ertegun Award

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces the {{year}} Inductees for music’s highest honor.

{{year}} **Inductees**

This award recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives to crafting influential, important music infused with originality, achieving a level of timeless distinction.

Musical Excellence

This award acknowledges artists whose music and performance style have directly influenced, inspired, and evolved rock & roll and music impacting culture.

Musical Influence

Celebrating the iconic artists who have created music whose originality, impact, and influence has changed the course of rock & roll.

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Music’s Highest Honor. The Hall of Fame features the Inductee Signature Gallery and the New Inductee exhibit.

The Hall of Fame

The Fan Vote joins the ballots of more than a thousand historians, music industry professionals, and artists to select each year’s induction class.

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The Class of {{YEAR}}

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame puts the spotlight on the music & artists who’ve stood the test of time. Explore all the ways this museum celebrates the music that connects us all.

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See what's up next on our set list. Choose from live performances, fan experiences, film screenings and much more.

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PRESS RELEASE

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Beatles

John, Paul, George, & Ringo kickstarted the seismic British Invasion that swept the U.S. in the ‘60s and rewrote the rules of what performers could be and do.

The Beatles

AC:DC

Since 1975, AC/DC has carved out a niche between punky hard rock and heavy metal, inspiring countless musicians with crank-up-the-volume radio staples 

AC/DC

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The Rolling Stones have married their love of blues and American R&B to a vast array of styles and genres. The constant throughline has been the band’s swagger.

The Rolling Stones

Bon Jovi

Bursting out of New Jersey in 1984, Bon Jovi’s irresistible combo of heavy metal and pop brought multiple chart-topping hits and worldwide rock stardom. 

Hard rock and heavy metal as we know it wouldn't exist without Led Zeppelin, one of the most popular and innovative rock bands ever.

Led Zeppelin

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There's a reason the Eagles' "best of" album was the first album ever to be certified platinum.

The Eagles

Prince

Prince redefined artistic possibility, mixing rock, funk, soul, pop and jazz into a genre-defying blend that both challenged and satisfied audiences. 

Queen was one of the most popular, ambitious and beloved classic rock bands ever.

Queen

Bruce

Bruce Springsteen rose from Jersey street poet to socially conscious cultural icon, an artist whose voice spoke to—and for—multiple generations worldwide. 

Bruce Springsteen

Pink

Architects of two major music movements – psychedelic rock and progressive rock – Pink Floyd were renowned for biting political, social and emotional commentary. 

Pink Floyd

Maonna

Janis Joplin had one of the most powerful voices of the Sixties. Her voice is equal parts tough and vulnerable, a shout into the void that resonated with a generation.

Janis Joplin

Fleetwood

Fleetwood Mac delivered some of the  most indelible songs of the ‘70s, creating a distinctive “California sound” that endures as a sonic touchstone for countless bands.

Fleetwood Mac

The first female-fronted hard rock band, Heart proved women can rock with the best of them. Heart's mix of hard rock and folk yielded one of the longest lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time.

Heart

Tina Turner worked hard to reimagine the role of a Black woman in rock and roll — one not related to the edges.

Tina Turner

aretha

The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin was an artist of passion, sophistication and command, whose recordings remain anthems that defined soul music.

Aretha Franklin

Cher

Pop’s enduring icon – and the only woman with No. 1 hits across seven decades. With her distinctive contralto voice, Cher mastered folk-pop, rock, disco, and electropop.

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Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott holds the record for most platinum albums by a woman rapper. She forged new paths by unapologetically owning her body and her Blackness. 

Missy Elliott

With her prodigious songwriting talent, vocal and instrumental prowess, charisma, and trademark style, Dolly Parton has achieved immense global success as a musician and blazed a trail for generations of artists to come.

Dolly Parton

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts smash genre (and gender) boundaries by fusing punk, glam and heavy metal with '50s and '60s rock & roll.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Elvis

The first anointed King of Rock & Roll. Elvis Presley ignited a revolution with his firebrand take on blues, country, R&B, pop, bluegrass and gospel. 

Elvis Presley

Billy Joel comes off as such a determinedly average guy that it's tempting to undervalue his extraordinary gifts.

Billy Joel

The founder and creative beacon of Elektra Records. Jac Holzman's diverse taste and engineering knowledge yielded a catalogue of music ranging from classical to hard rock to simply sound effects, all of the highest quality.

James Brown

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Van Halen kicked the American hard rock scene into high gear in the late Seventies, became rock heroes on MTV in the Eighties, and gave rise to a steady stream of shredders and trailblazers ever since.

Van Halen

Michael Jackson redefined both the sound and look of pop, worldwide. Transcending  cultural and racial boundaries, his music continues to influence generations.

Michael Jackson

Jimi Hendrix was the most gifted instrumentalist of all time.

Jimi Hendrix Experience

The window-breaking, earth-quaking, soul-shaking Who.

The Who

The unmistakeable vocal timbre of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2019 Inductee Stevie Nicks’s voice has dominated rock.

Stevie Nicks

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Earth, Wind & Fire’s distinctive blend of funk, soul, jazz, Africana, and pop melodicism ruled the ‘70s and ‘80s airwaves. 

Earth, Wind and Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire

RUN DMC was a group of firsts. The trio established “street-style,” shattered boundaries between rap and rock and transformed the sound and audience of hip-hop.

Run DMC

RUN DMC

Eminem

Unbridled controversy. Unparalleled talent. Unmatched superstardom. Eminem solidified hip-hop as the most commercially successful music on the planet.

Celebration Week begins Sunday, November 2, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with an exciting day packed with music, interactive activities, and special exhibits!

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Celebration Day 2025

Museum

Join us for an exclusive interview with 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke!

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A Conversation with Bad Company's Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke

Induction

A Conversation with Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke

We’re showcasing the iconic SNL film, The Blues Brothers, a spin off from the TV show’s 1978 recurring musical sketch.

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Join us for our 2025 Fall Film Series, where we explore films that highlight the powerful connection between music and comedy, in celebration of our new exhibit

2025 Fall Film Series: The Blues Brothers

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, set to take place on Saturday, November 8 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and live on Disney+.

Impact

Lenny showed that the really timeless producers don’t make their own record, they make the artist’s record. That’s the key to recording music that becomes part of the listeners’ lives.

Iconic Artist-Friendly Exec

Sit Down, I Think I Love You

Song Cycle

In the Pocket

Little Criminals

3 Pears

Influence

Shop the class of 2025

Shop the class of 2025

more from
the hall

explore the hall of fame

explore the hall of fame

Impact

Lenny showed that the really timeless producers don’t make their own record, they make the artist’s record. That’s the key to recording music that becomes part of the listeners’ lives.

Iconic Artist-Friendly Exec

Sit Down, I Think I Love You

Song Cycle

In the Pocket

Little Criminals

3 Pears

Influence

Shop the class of 2025

Shop the class of 2025

more from the hall

explore the hall of fame

explore the hall of fame

more from
the hall