Entertainment

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony opens with Sly Stone tribute, induction of Bad Company

2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Show Stevie Wonder, from left Jennifer Hudson and Maxwell perform during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES — Stevie Wonder led a funky and flashy tribute to the late Sly Stone to open the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Wonder was joined Saturday night by Questlove, Leon Thomas, Maxwell, Beck, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for rousing renditions of Sly and the Family Stone hits “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People" and “Thank You.” Jennifer Hudson joined them to wail through “Higher.”

Stone, who was inducted into the hall in 1993, died in June. Brian Wilson, who died two days later, will also get a tribute from Elton John at the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac began the ceremony proper by inducting Bad Company. He called the British group founded by Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs in 1973 "classic rock legends" and "one of the first super groups," but said that, more importantly, "they were four great musicians who came together for the love of music."

Rodgers had to skip the ceremony because of health issues and Ralphs died earlier this year, so drummer Simon Kirke was the only member who took the stage.

He was joined by an ad hoc super group that blasted through a few of the super group's biggest hits.

Black Crowes singer took lead vocals on their hit “Feel Like Makin' Love,” with Nancy Wilson of Heart and Joe Perry of Aerosmith on guitars. Bryan Adams took the stage to sing “Can't Get Enough.”

“I've never played in a tuxedo before” said Kirke as he accepted the honor for the group.

He got emotional as he thanked Ralphs' wife Susie for taking care of him.

Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa and Soundgarden will also be among the newly minted members at the ceremony.

Missy Elliott inducted Salt-N-Pepa, reminding the audience that the group paved for women in hip-hop. "The female rappers had to step to the mic and show that they could go toe to toe with the guys. And Salt, Pepa and Spinderella did it.”

From Chubby Checker to the White Stripes, artists representing every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s will be inducted as part of the hall's class of 2025.

Chappell Roan is set to induct Lauper, and Avril Lavigne is set to take the stage with her. Donald Glover has been tapped to induct Outkast.

How to watch the Rock Hall induction show

This year's ceremony returns to Los Angeles in the city's three-year rotation with New York and Cleveland, the home of the hall itself.

Fans at home can watch the five-hour long ceremony in a livestream on Disney+, a new development since 2023. The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific.

It will be available to stream on Hulu starting Sunday. And it will get its traditional edited telecast on ABC on Jan. 1.

Who will be inducted

Here's a look at the rest of the class 2025 and a few of their defining songs.

Outkast: American rap duo that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Hey Ya,” “Ms. Jackson” and “Roses”

Salt-N-Pepa: American rap group formed in the 1980s. Key songs: “Push It,” “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Shoop”

Chubby Checker: American singer who began releasing records in the 1950s. Key songs: “The Twist,” “Limbo Rock,” “Let's Twist Again”

Joe Cocker: English singer who began releasing records in the 1960s and died in 2014. Key songs: “You Are So Beautiful,” “Up Where We Belong,” “With a Little Help From My Friends”

Cyndi Lauper: American singer and songwriter whose solo career began in the early 1980s. Key songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “True Colors”

Soundgarden: American rock band formed in 1984. Key songs: “Black Hole Sun,” “Fell on Black Days,” and “Outshined.”

Warren Zevon, American singer-songwriter who began releasing solo records in the early 1970s and died in 2003. Key songs: “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” “Werewolves of London,” “Keep Me in Your Heart”

Thom Bell, American music producer and songwriter starting in the 1960s who died in 2022. Key songs: the Delfonics' “La-La (Means I Love You),” the Spinners' “The Rubberband Man,” the Stylistics' “You Make Me Feel Brand New.”

The White Stripes: American rock band that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Seven Nation Army,” “We're Going to Be Friends,” “Doorbell.”

Carole Kaye: American session musician who played on scores of hits starting in the 1950s, primarily on bass. Key songs: The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were”

Nicky Hopkins, English session musician who played keyboards on dozens of hits starting in the 1960s and died in 1994. Key songs: the Beatles’ “Revolution,” the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful”

Lenny Waronker. American music producer and executive starting in the 1970s. Key songs from artists he produced or signed: Rickie Lee Jones' “Chuck E's in Love,” Prince's “Purple Rain,” R.E.M.'s “Losing My Religion”

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