Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced Class of 2023: Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against the Machine and more.
Missy Elliott Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2023
Missy Elliott reacts to Rock Hall Induction: “I want to say this is HUGE not for just me but all my Sisters in HIPHOP”
The hip-hop icon was among the 2023 inductees announced on Wednesday, joining Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, the Spinners, and Willie Nelson. Elliott became the first female rapper ever nominated for the honor earlier this year.
“We’re very happy with this year’s class,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO and President Joel Peresman, per Rolling Stone. “People always try to pigeonhole what rock and roll is, but our story has always been that it’s a wide tent. It includes all different kinds of genres. We think this class really shows the breadth of rock and roll. When you have Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, and the Spinners along with Rage Against The Machine and Willie Nelson, you’re covering a lot of things.”
The ceremony, which will unfold at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Nov. 3, DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the Musical Influence Award. The Musical Excellence Award, meanwhile, will be given to Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and longtime Elton John songwriter Bernie Taupin. Soul Train creator Don Cornelius will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award posthumously.
“This year’s incredible group of inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock’n’roll,” added John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “We are honored that this November’s induction ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture; the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th Anniversary of the birth of hip-hop.”
Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Missy Elliott, and Willie Nelson are making the Rock Hall after their first nominations. Kate Bush is being inducted on her fourth nomination, Rage Against the Machine get the nod on their fifth try, and the Spinners were also inducted after four nominations.
DJ Kool Herc, who co-hosted the 1973 party identified as the place of hip-hop’s public liftoff, is recognized as the genre celebrates its 50th anniversary. The North Carolina–born guitarist Link Wray, whose Indigenous upbringing influenced his material, is recognized as an early architect of edgy, exploratory rock music.
Bernie Taupin and Chaka Khan are both recognized for their standard-bearing work in the pop arena with Musical Excellence Awards, in addition to Al Kooper, who worked as a rock-focused manager, producer, and songwriter.