January 15, 2020
by Carla Hay
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2020 Inductees in the performer category:
Depeche Mode
Doobie Brothers
Whitney Houston
Nine Inch Nails
The Notorious B.I.G.
T. Rex
The 35th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, May 2, 2020. The show will have a live radio broadcast on SiriusXM. HBO, which has been televising edited highlights of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show for the past several years, will have its first live telecast of the ceremony on May 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets go on sale to Rock Hall members on February 25, 2020, and to the public on February 27, 2020, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Exhibits showcasing the new inductees will be on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in conjunction with the induction ceremony.
Performers eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are those whose first single or first album was released at least 25 years before the artist can be inducted. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voting members (which number about 1,000 people), as well online voting from the public, determine who will be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Ahmet Ertegun Award, given to people who are not artists, will go to longtime music-industry managers Jon Landau and Irving Azoff. Landau is best known for being Bruce Springsteen’s manager. Azoff (who used to be an executive at MCA Records and Live Nation) is best known for being the longtime manager of The Eagles and the CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment, a venture with The Madison Square Garden Company.
Artists who were nominated for the 2020 induction but didn’t make the cut were Dave Matthews Band, Pat Benatar, Soundgarden, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead, Todd Rundgren, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Kraftwerk and MC5.
Depeche Mode released this statement: “We’re honoured to be included as one of this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and to stand alongside the other incredible acts in the Rock Hall and those joining this year. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us and our music over the years.”
The Doobie Brothers had this comment on their Twitter account: “Congratulations to The Doobie Brothers on their induction into the @RockHall of Fame! Thanks to all who voted and made it possible.”
Houston died of a drug-related accidental drowning in 2012. The Notorious B.I.G. (also known as Biggie Smalls), whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was murdered in a drive-by shooting in 1996. His murder remains unsolved. T. Rex founder/lead singer Marc Bolan died in a car accident in 1977. The closest surviving family members of the deceased are expected to attend the induction ceremony. The show’s presenters and performers are to be announced.
March 24, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been postponed and rescheduled for November 7, 2020.
July 8, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been cancelled. On November 7, 2020, HBO will televise a pre-recorded tribute special about the inductees instead of the live ceremony.
