Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Includes Outkast, The White Stripes, and More

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the names of 13 artists who will be inducted in 2025.

The 2025 class includes Outkast, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker, and Joe Crocker, all of whom enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as performers.

In addition, Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon will be recognized with the Musical Influence Award, while Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye are set to be honored for Musical Excellence. Lenny Waronker, a longstanding producer for Warner Bros. Records, will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Sadly, four members of this year’s class aren’t alive to see their induction, as Bell passed away in 2022, Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell in 2017, Zevon in 2003, and Hopkins in 1994.

Presenting the #RockHall2025 Inductees…
Bad Company ⭐ Thom Bell ⭐ Chubby Checker ⭐ Joe Cocker ⭐ Nicky Hopkins ⭐ Carol Kaye ⭐ Cyndi Lauper ⭐ Outkast ⭐ Salt-N-Pepa ⭐ Soundgarden ⭐ Lenny Waronker ⭐ The White Stripes ⭐ Warren Zevon pic.twitter.com/rcLtTrgg0Y

— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) April 28, 2025

Introducing the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class

“Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever,” John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement on Sunday. “Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”

All seven of the artists who earned inductions in the performer category have landed top-five albums on the Billboard 200: Chubby Checker’s 1962 album Your Twist Party (No. 2), Joe Cocker’s 1970 LP Mad Dogs and Englishmen (No. 2), Bad Company’s 1974 self-titled debut (No. 1), Lauper’s 1984 album She’s So Unusual (No. 4) and 1986 LP True Colors (No.4), Soundgarden’s 1994 album Superunknown (No. 1), Outkast’s 2003 double-album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (No.1), and The White Stripes’ 2007 LP Icky Thump (No. 1).

Six nominees who failed to make the cut this year were Mariah Carey, Oasis, Phish, Billy Idol, Joy Division + New Order, and the Latin rock group Maná.

Outkast’s Big Boi took to Instagram on Sunday to celebrate the news, writing, “Rock n Roll Hall of Fame! The last infinity stone in the Thanos Glove! Outkast is everlasting.”

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