Cher, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne and more inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Cher, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne and more were officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Some of music's biggest stars -- including Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, Dua Lipa, Keith Urban and Dionne Warwick, among others -- came together at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, for an unforgettable celebration.
The evening kicked off with a performance by Dua Lipa of Cher's hit "Believe," which turned into a duet when Cher joined her toward the end. Cher later took to the stage by herself, performing "If I Could Turn Back Time."
During the evening, Zendaya, who gave Cher's induction speech, paid tribute to her legendary fashion style with a barely there nude outfit reminiscent of Cher's Bob Mackie looks.
In her speech, Zendaya described Cher as "so iconic she only needs one name," noting, "It’s impossible to measure the influence that Cher has had and continues to have on every one of us."
Cher has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1990 and joked in her speech about how long it took her to get in.
"It was easier getting divorced from two men than getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame," she said.
She then credited her mom with her persistence and the fact that she's still here making music.
"My life has been just a roller coaster, and the one that thing I have never done is I never give up," Cher said.
The night also saw Osbourne being enshrined in the rock hall for the second time, after previously being inducted in 2006 with Black Sabbath. Jack Black did the honors, and Osbourne, who has been dealing with various health issues over the past couple of years, took to the stage in a giant, demon-adorned throne.
While the Prince of Darkness didn't perform, he did yell the iconic "All aboard!" opening for his song "Crazy Train," which was then sung by Tool's Maynard James Keenan, backed by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and producer Andrew Watt, as well as a guitar solo from Wolfgang Van Halen.
Smith, Trujillo and Watt were then joined by Jelly Roll and Ozzy's longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde for "Mama, I'm Coming Home," and Billy Idol for "No More Tears."
Blige was also among the night's inductees.
Following an introduction from longtime collaborators Dr. Dre and Method Man, Blige took to the stage to perform a medley of her hits with help from The Roots, Lucky Daye and Ella Mai.
She started her speech by thanking God, and went to name a few others before expressing gratitude to Method Man and Dr. Dre for helping her earn her first Grammy and Emmy, respectively.
"To my fans, y'all endured blood, sweat and tears with me and help me heal," she said. "Just as much as you said. I hope you heal. None of this would be happening if it wasn't for you guys supporting us and sharing us, cheering us on, and for your die-hard love and loyalty."
She shared advice to "be careful how you treat others" and reminded aspiring talent that "faith without works is dead."
Blige's moment at the ceremony was preceded by Chuck D's introduction of Kool & The Gang, who performed their hits and shouted out their late founding members.
In addition to Cher, Blige, Osbourne and Kool & The Gang, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also honored Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton and A Tribe Called Quest with inductions in the prestigious performer category.
Dave Matthews Band was inducted by Julia Roberts, who starred in the band's video for the song "Dreamgirl." They performed their songs "Ants Marching," "Crash into Me," "So Much to Say" and "Too Much."
Also taking part in Saturday’s festivities were Clarkson and Lovato, with both helping to welcome Foreigner into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Foreigner was inducted into by former Valen Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar.
Guns N' Roses shredder Slash and Chad Smith joined members of the current touring incarnation of Foreigner, while Lovato, Hagar and Clarkson sang "Feels Like the First Time," "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is," respectively, the last of which also featured original vocalist Lou Gramm.
Warwick and the late Jimmy Buffett were both inducted into the musical excellence category, with Teyana Taylor and James Taylor handling the induction speeches, respectively. James Taylor also performed Buffett's classic "Come Monday" with Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally.
Alexis Korner, Big Mama Thornton and John Mayall received the Musical Influencer Award, recognizing artists whose music profoundly shaped and evolved rock 'n' roll, leaving a lasting impact on youth culture.
Meanwhile, television, music and film producer Suzanne de Passe received the Ahmet Ertegun Award, a recognition for "non-performing industry professionals who have had a major influence on the creative development and growth of rock & roll music that has impacted youth culture," according to a press release.
ABC will air a special featuring performance highlights and moments from the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nduction ceremony on Monday, Jan. 1, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET. The special will be available on Hulu the next day.
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