The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation Announces Its 2023 Inductees

The Performer Category comprises the music artists whose work has impacted the course of rock n’ roll. Dolly Parton received the award in 2022.

The inductee class of 2022 included:

• Dolly Parton
• Duran Duran
• Pat Benatar
• Eminem
• Eurythmics
• Carly Simon
• Lionel Richie

Kate Bush is among the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Bush finally made it to the honor on her fourth nomination. 

Hailing from Bexleyheath, Kent, Bush's affinity towards music ignited from her family's influence. Bush started writing songs when she was just 11.

She has released 10 studio albums in her career. Several coveted artists like Elton John, Alanis Morissette, Damon Albam, and more have admired her work and legacy.

She has been nominated for the BRIT Awards 13 times throughout her career. However, she has only won once in 1987 for the category of Best British Female.

Her song, Running Up That Hill emerged as a sleeper hit after it was featured in the fourth season of the American sci-fi horror drama TV series Stranger Things. This led to a surge in her popularity.

Sheryl Crow is the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Women inductee for 2023. The decorated American musician boasts a triumphant career trajectory.

Sheryl's music embraces the elements of Pop, Rock, Blues, and Folk. The singer has sold 16 million certified albums in the US according to RIAA.

It wasn't a surprise for Sheryl to be inclined to the music considering the fact that the singer was brought up with family members involved in the music industry.

Her music career started right after her graduation from the University of Missouri when Sheryl started working as a music teacher at Kellison Elementary School.

She has released 11 studio albums since the early days of her career in 1987. With record sales of 50 million albums across the globe, Sheryl is the proud recipient of nine Grammy Awards out of thirty-two nominations.

Missy Elliott is another Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 inductee. She started her career as a member of Sista.

Sista was an R&B group in the 1990s. Later, Elliott became involved in the Swing Mob, a collective alongside her longtime collaborator and childhood friend Timbaland.

Elliott then embarked on her solo career journey in 1997 with the release of her debut album Supa Dupa Fly. The album successfully debuted on the Billboard 200 at number three.

The remix version of the single Hot Boyz from her second album Da Real World broke the record for most weeks on the US R&B chart at #1.

Often referred to as the 'Queen of Rap' Missy Elliott has sold 40 million records across the globe. She made history as the first female rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

George Michael is being posthumously inducted into the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was a decorated British singer and songwriter.

Michael commenced his career in 1981 with his friend Andrew Ridgeley. Known as Wham, the duo made it to the charts both in the United States as well as the United Kingdom with their outstanding sound.

Later, he launched his solo career after disbanding in 1986. The eponymous single of Michael's debut album Faith peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #1 whereas at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

He breathed his last on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53 at his home. The family members of the singer expressed their gratitude through his Instagram page following the announcement of the inductees of 2023.

Willie Nelson is another overdue inductee in The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This honor is the perfect birthday gift for the singer's 90th birthday.

The 90-year-old musician is a decorated personality in the music industry with a career spanning over six decades. He dropped his debut solo album ...And Then I Wrote in 1962 and has since dropped 73 solo albums.

Nelson received his #1 in 1975 with 'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain'. He has released 51 compilation albums, 41 video albums, and two soundtrack albums Honeysuckle Rose and The Electric Horseman.

The American singer is the recipient of fourteen Grammy Awards. He has sold over 40 million albums in the US alone.

The Spinners also finally made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after three nominations on May 3, 2023, Wednesday.

The prominent American R&B group marks itself as the 21st Detriot artist to be included in the Rock and Hall since its inception in 1983.

The group started their journey with the release of their hit single That's What Girls Are Made For through the Motown label. Later their contract sign with Atlantic Records helped them shape their career trajectory for good.

Henry Fambrough, the sole founding member of the Spinners, expressed his happiness and gratitude for getting the nod for the honor.

Prior to Rage Against the Machine induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023 they had been nominated four times already.

The American rock band commenced their musical journey with the release of their self-titled debut album in 1992. They earned commercial success following their performances at the Lollapalooza Festival in 1993.

Since the release of their debut album, the rock band has dropped 3 studio albums to date.

Rage Against the Machine took to their Instagram to share a post to thank and recount the radical journey that led up them to the honor.

The Musical Influence Award is presented to performing artists or groups whose music has helped inspire and evolve the genre of rock and roll and impact youth culture.

The 2022 winners of this award were:

• Harry Belafonte
• Elizabeth Cotten

DJ Kool Herc is being inducted into the Hall of Fame in the category of the Musical Influence Award.

He is the third Jamaican musician to make it to the list of the honors following Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff who were inducted in 1994 and 2010 respectively.

It was the perfect time to induct DJ Kool for the honors as Joel Peresman, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame President and CEO, detailed in the announcement of the inductees' list.

Brought up in Washington, D.C., DJ Kool, released his debut album The Music Ain't Loud Enuff in 1990 through SOH and Creative Funk. So far, he has released four studio albums in total.

Link Wray finally made his cut to the list after over six decades from his first hit titled Instrumental Rumble. He was widely celebrated as a guitarist.

The Indigenous musician made it to mainstream attention in the late 1950s. He is also posthumously inducted to the honors like George Michael.

He is credited for the invention of the power chord. Wray has emerged as an influential figure for a wide range of artists including Iggy Pop and Neil Young.

Wray breathed his last succumbing to heart failure on November 5, 2005, in Copenhagen at the age of 76.

The Musical Excellence Award is presented to artists, songwriters, musicians, and producers whose remarkable music-creating skills have had a huge impact on music.

The 2022 inductees for this list were:

• Judas Priest
• Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

Al Kooper himself is amused to learn that he has been inducted for the Musical Excellence Award in 2023.

The 79-year-old made his professional debut as a guitarist at the age of 14 in the Royal Teens. Thus far, Kooper has worked with the likes of Bob Dylan and The Blues Project.

He is the proud recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. The celebrated musician was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2008.

Chicago singer Chaka Khan has finally ascended to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She is widely known as the frontman of the band Rufus.

She has ascended to the Rock And Roll of Fame with a successful music career span of 50 years. Khan will be honored as a solo artist as well as will be recognized for her work with her band.

Bernie Taupin will accept the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for the category of Musical Excellence on November 3, 2023, in Brooklyn.

The American singer has released three solo albums: Tauplin, He Who Rides the Tiger, and Tribe so far. Besides his triumphant music career, Taupin is also a songwriter and visual artist.

This isn't going to be the first time he is going onstage for the award. Elton John brought Taupin, his longtime songwriting partner, with the gratitude that he couldn't have made it possible without him.

After nearly three decades, Bernie himself has finally made the cut to the inductees' list of honors.

The Ahmet Ertegun Award is presented to non-performing industry professionals who are honored for their influence on the development of Rock and Roll.

The 2022 inductees for this award were:

• Allen Grubman
• Jimmy Iovine
• Sylvia Robinson

Unlike the aforementioned awards, this award goes to the personalities who have impacted youth culture through their dedicated belief and support of artists and their music.

The latest inductee to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Ahmet Ertegun Award is Don Cornelius. The TV show host is being posthumously inducted for the honors in 2023.

He is to be receiving the Award this November. The decorated TV show host and producer passed away at the age of 75 succumbing to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.