Phil Collins delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, moving the audience to tears, while Cynthia Erivo paid tribute with an electrifying performance. Oprah Winfrey honored the late Luther Vandross, the crowd enthusiastically sang along with Billy Idol, and the Wu-Tang Clan energized the stage with a raucous celebration during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony held on Saturday night.
Inducted at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles were Queen Latifah, Oasis, MC Lyte, Sade, Joy Division/New Order, and Iron Maiden, in addition to producer Rick Rubin, who was humorously celebrated with a long-bearded tribute from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
What initially seemed like it might be a lackluster night due to the absence of several key inductees turned into an event filled with energy and excitement, as is customary at the induction ceremonies.
U2 surprised attendees by opening the night with their new single Silencio, accompanied by dancers in riot gear. They followed up with their classic hit from 1984, Pride (In the Name of Love), as lead singer Bono alternated between raising a peace sign and a fist.
Run DMC and Aerosmith closed the night with a powerful rendition of their 1986 hit, Walk This Way, a collaboration produced by Rubin.
Queen Latifah, left, and Megan Thee Stallion perform during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
Collins becomes emotional, Idol ignites the crowd
The 75-year-old Collins, who has faced mobility issues and other health challenges preventing him from performing, slowly made his way to the stage with the help of two canes, visibly moved by the warm reception from the audience, which included his daughter, actress Lily Collins, and four of his other children.
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Queen Latifah, Billy Idol, Sade and Oasis among artists being inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Travis Barker, drummer for Blink-182, introduced Collins and acknowledged his remarkable achievements as both a drummer and a successful pop singer during the 1980s.
“I grew up just wanting to play the drums,” Collins reflected. “Everything else has been a wonderful surprise. When I look back, I can’t believe how my life has unfolded.”
Phil Collins, left, is introduced by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker during Saturday’s ceremony, before Collins shared a tearful speech. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
Collins was already recognized in the hall as a member of Genesis, but this time he received a solo honor.
Later in the evening, the audience erupted with excitement, singing along to White Wedding during Billy Idol’s induction — one of the few artists whose presence was guaranteed for the event.
Idol was inducted alongside his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal of No Doubt, who joined him for a duet of Eyes Without a Face.
Oprah honors Luther Vandross
Winfrey enthusiastically declared Vandross as “the maestro of the love song,” mentioning that he was once aptly referred to as “the top artist that people make love to.”
Vandross, an R&B singer known for his smooth voice, was among the most iconic artists of the 1980s and ’90s, having passed away in 2005.
“Luther Vandross sang with such depth and emotion that it could touch something deep inside you that you never even realized needed to be touched,” Winfrey remarked.
Hip-hop artists make their mark
The Wu-Tang Clan, the hip-hop collective hailing from Staten Island, New York, filled the stage with its ten current members, delivering a memorable acceptance speech and a performance that had the audience dancing. Accompanied by a large jazz band, their musical medley featured tracks like C.R.E.A.M., Method Man, and the late member Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s Shimmy Shimmy Ya.
“Wu-Tang changed the landscape of hip-hop without any major backing,” said comedian Chris Rock, who inducted the group.
Audience members raise Wu-Tang Clan hand signs while the group performs during the ceremony on Saturday. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
MC Lyte, a pioneering female rapper from the late 1980s, was the first artist to be inducted, with hip-hop star Remy Ma presenting the honor. Later in the night, Latifah was inducted by Megan Thee Stallion, who highlighted that Latifah “taught us to recognize royalty within ourselves.”
Latifah expressed that she would have found it hard to believe that this night could happen for a long time.
“Being a woman in hip-hop is challenging enough,” she noted, “let alone being a hip-hopper in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Inductee Queen Latifah speaks during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday in L.A. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
Latifah and MC Lyte then took the stage together to perform a medley of their hits, including Latifah’s U.N.I.T.Y. and MC Lyte’s Ruffneck.
They were recognized in the hall as recipients of the Early Influence Award alongside posthumous inductees Gram Parsons, Fela Kuti and Celia Cruz, all of whom were honored via video tribute.
A stage filled with Rick Rubins
Renowned rock, hip-hop, and country music producer Rubin accepted his induction with a succinct one-sentence speech.
“Rock ‘n’ roll cannot be extinguished,” he stated before departing the stage.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers donned white wigs and long fake beards to imitate Rick Rubin during their performance at the ceremony on Saturday. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers then took the stage, each sporting white wigs and long white fake beards to mimic Rubin’s iconic look as they performed their 1991 hit Give It Away, one of the many tracks he produced for them.
Oasis and other absentees
Oasis, the youngest inductees, were notably absent. Guitarist Noel Gallagher was performing a concert back in Britain, while his brother Liam Gallagher expressed that he simply did not want to attend.
“Is anyone surprised they didn’t show up?” asked actor and Oasis superfan Bob Odenkirk, who inducted the band. “It would’ve been unusual if they had. I would have been concerned.”
Iron Maiden, the iconic British heavy metal band from the 1980s, as well as famous singer Sade, were also not present at the event. Joy Division and New Order received a joint induction, with only Peter Hook, the bassist of both bands, making an appearance.
After live streaming the ceremony for several years, the hall reverted to its previous format, meaning the public will have to wait for an edited version set to air on ABC and Disney+ on December 9.