The Most Memorable Moments of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction 2024

Living legends raise the roof at rock’s annual honors concert

Jim Sullivan,

AARP

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Published December 31, 2024

Cher performs at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland on October 19, 2024

Disney

Warm vibes abounded at the 39th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland Oct. 19, and you can share them when the show airs Jan. 1, 8 p.m. ET on ABC. (That's the three-hour version with commercials; you can also watch the entire five-hour-plus event streaming on Disney+.)

This year's inductees include Cher, 78, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, 74, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, 76, A Tribe Called Quest, Foreigner and The Dave Matthews Band, inducted by superfan Julia Roberts, 57. Dionne Warwick, 84, and the late Jimmy Buffett took Musical Excellence Awards, and James Taylor, 76, joined Kenny Chesney, 56, for a sweet and subtle rendition of Buffett's beautifully mournful "Come Monday," with the Coral Reefer Band's Mac McAnally, 67, playing Buffett's own guitar.

Here are some other highlights from the evening.

Nobody can turn back time like Cher

The ceremony opened with a video salute to Cher. Zendaya, sporting a Bob Mackie gown like Cher's in 1972, credited her with influencing every female artist alive. A stretch? Maybe, but who could resist Cher and Dua Lipa dueting on “Believe” and Cher soloing on “If I Could Turn Back Time?” There's a clip of Cher — the only singer with No. 1 hits in each of seven decades — saying she could care less whether she was inducted (last year, she said she wouldn't appear if the Hall of Fame gave her a million dollars). And then we see her live at the ceremony crowing, "I'm happy that I'm in!"

Kool & the Gang gave a celebration to last throughout the years

Robert “Kool” Bell, 74, joined James “JT” Taylor, 71 (not to be confused with the "Fire and Rain" singer) on the hits “Ladies Night,” “Jungle Boogie” and (of course!) “Celebration," introduced by Public Enemy’s Chuck D., 64, and backed by the Roots. “I made it to the Hall, mom!" Taylor exclaimed, then invited the audience to stand and salute the 13 Kool & the Gang members no longer with us: "When you mention someone’s name in reverence, you draw their spirit into your presence.”

Foreigner showed why it's the band that will not die

Sammy Hagar, 77, hailed the band that helped define mainstream FM rock half a century ago and rocks on (with zero original members). "Still filling theaters and amphitheaters," Hagar said. “That’s how good the songs are!" Original singer Lou Gramm, 74, bassist Rick Wills, 77, and Al Greenwood, 73, were joined by Guns N’ Roses' Slash, 59, and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, 63, but not main songwriter Mick Jones, 80, who stepped down from the touring fray in 2024, announcing he had Parkinson’s. Movingly, his daughter Annabelle Dexter-Jones accepted the award. Singing the hits were Demi Lovato on “Feels Like the First Time,” Hagar on “Hot Blooded” and Kelly Clarkson and Gramm on “I Want to Know What Love Is."

Dionne Warwick made it to the pantheon — at last!

Warwick ribbed Hall of Fame voters for repeatedly nominating yet failing to induct her (maybe they couldn't figure out if the smooth pop singer was indeed rock'n'roll). She said, “They finally got it right!" She got it right onstage, singing the slinky Burt Bacharach song "Walk On By" and “I’ll Never Walk That Way Again” with Jennifer Hudson.

Frampton's very much alive!

As Roger Daltrey, 80, noted, Frampton, 74, was an overnight star at 26, with the bestselling double live album of all time, Frampton Comes Alive! Fame “brought such joy and excitement," Frampton said, "and then immense stress to follow through — what goes up must come down.” The former Humble Pie member got humbled. But toured with David Bowie and climbed back up to solo success. The induction show proved he's still musically on top, defying the inclusion body myositis disease that impairs his walking. He and Keith Urban, 57, played “Do You Feel Like We Do,” with sizzling twin guitar leads. And, yes, there's a talk box!

Mary J. Blige gave wise advice; Frampton seconded that emotion

Blige, 53, the queen of hip-hop soul, sang "Be Happy," “Love No Limit” and “Family Affair,” and philosophized, "Life is full of peaks and valleys, so be careful how you treat others, because you never know who you're going to need on your way up or your way down...we are all works in progress." In the audience, Peter Frampton applauded. As he put it in his segment, "Kindness is king."

The Prince of Darkness lit up everyone's hearts

Inductee Dave Matthews, 57, called Ozzy Osbourne "one of the nicest people in the world", but he lived up to his image, holding court on a skull-studded bat throne. “Ozzy is completely nuts," said Paul McCartney, 82, in a video tribute, "and that’s why he’s a very good front man.” Ozzy, who’s battled Parkinson’s since 2019, wasn't able to perform, but he sang along as Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, 60, Billy Idol, 69, Zack Wylde, 57, Wolfgang Van Halen, Chad Smith, 63, and Robert Trujillo, 60, played “Crazy Train.” Ozzy shouted, "All aboard!" Tune in for the wild ride on New Year's Day.

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Jim Sullivan covered music and pop culture for The Boston Globe for 26 years, freelances for WBUR, The Forward and AARP, and is the author of Backstage & Beyond: 45 Years of Classic Rock Chats & Rants.