Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. & Rakim, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Jane’s Addiction, Kool & the Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinéad O’Connor, Ozzy Osbourne, Sade and A Tribe Called Quest comprise an eclectic cast of nominees for the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the final list of which will be revealed in late April.
Ten of the 15 nominees — Carey, Cher, Foreigner, Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Kravitz, Oasis, O’Connor, Osbourne and Sade — were selected after appearing on the Rock Hall ballot for the first time.
Osbourne was already inducted in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath, while the enshrinement of the famously feuding Oasis and/or Sade could potentially lead to a reunion of the former for the first time in 15 years and the latter’s first live appearance since 2011. O’Connor is the lone deceased artist to be nominated; she passed away in July 2023 at the age of 56.
This list will again extend the debate on what actually constitutes a rock artist, as Blige and Carey are two of the most successful R&B vocalists of their generation and Cher has more often been associated with pop and even dance music later in her career. She didn’t mince words when discussing the Rock Hall during a December appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, telling the host, “I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars. I’m never going to change my mind. They can just go you-know-what themselves.”
This year’s induction ceremony will be held in the fall in Cleveland, where the Rock Hall is based. It will stream live on Disney+ and on Hulu the next day, while ABC will air a version at an as-yet-unannounced later date.
Last year’s inductees included Rage Against the Machine, Willie Nelson, George Michael, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush and the Spinners. Hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc and the late influential guitarist Link Wray were inducted as Musical Influence Award winners, while R&B star Chaka Khan, Bob Dylan sideman Al Kooper and Elton John lyricist Bernie Taupin received the Musical Excellence Award. Soul Train creator Don Cornelius was honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
