Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2021
Rolling down the river and into the illustrious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are a handful of incredible artists including Tina Turner, Todd Rundgren, Carole King, Jay-Z, The Go-Go’s and Foo Fighters. The 2021 class for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced earlier today and it is “the first time three female artists have been inducted in the Performers category in a single class.” Here’s a breakdown of each performer who will be honored on Saturday, October 30th for the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony:
Tina Turner: The “Queen of Rock and Roll”, Ms. Turner is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. Turner rose to fame as part of a musical duo with then husband Ike Turner, recording such hits as “Proud Mary”, “Come Together”, “A Fool in Love”, and more. She then mounted what many consider to be “one of the greatest comebacks in music history” with hits such as “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, “Better Be Good to Me”, “Private Dancer”, and “Goldeneye” the theme of 1995’s James Bond movie of the same name.
Todd Rundgren: A singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Todd Rundgren is most famous for his lavish stage shows and unorthodox, sophisticated music. A former member of the band Utopia, Rundgren has been a pioneer of interactive entertainment and computer technology in music. He’s known for organizing the first interactive television concert in 1978, designed the first color graphics tablet in 1980, and created the first interactive album, No World Order, in 1994.
Carole King: While the name might not strike a chord with younger generations, Carole King “is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100.” Her most successful solo album, Tapestry, held the record for most weeks at No. 1 by a female artist for more than 20 years.
Jay-Z: What hasn’t been said about Jay-Z? The rapper, songwriter, record executive, businessman, and record producer extraordinaire is highly regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists in history, and perhaps the greatest rap artist of all time. He’s sold 50 million albums, 75 million singles sold worldwide, won 23 Grammy Awards, holds the record for the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200, with 14.
The Go-Go’s: A staple of early 80’s rock, this quintet was the first, and to date only, Billboard album chart topping all-female band writing its own material and playing its own instruments. Known for their catchy songs such as “We Got the Beat”, “Vacation”, and more, they were on of the leaders of “US new wave” style of rock that was popular.
Foo Fighters: Created by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters have cemented themselves as perhaps one of the most consistent rock bands of the last few decades. Debuting in 1994, the band has continued to put out chart-topping hits for a staggering 27 years. They’ve sold over 12 million albums in the US alone, and are the recipients of 12 Grammy Awards.
To learn more about all of the nominees, including those not in the performers category, be sure to click the link here. Want to share some of your favorite artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or start a conversation about who should be in? Click here to go to our forums and join the conversation. And if you’re in the mood for some classic Tina Turner, be sure to watch her performance of perhaps her most famous song Proud Mary, below.