Hey, everybody! Reader here, and over the weekend, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame welcomed its class of 2025, in a ceremony in Los Angeles.
Two of my favourite groups, the White Stripes and hip-hop icons Outkast, were among this year’s inductees, along with a diverse group of performers, including early rock pioneer Chubby Checker, grunge legends Soundgarden, Joe Cocker, Bad Company, and the unforgettable Cyndi Lauper.
Rap duo Salt N Pepa went in under the Musical Influences category, along with the late Warren Zevon, the man behind “Werewolves of London.”
The Musical Excellence category saw the induction of session musicians Carol Kaye and Nicky Hopkins, and producer Thom Bell, while the Ahmet Ertegun Award for impact on the music industry went to record executive Lenny Waronker.
But for me, this year’s class is all about the White Stripes and Outkast.
It’s one of the great regrets of my life, that I didn’t go to see Jack and Meg when they played in Saskatoon in 2007. To see the White Stripes live would’ve been an incredible show. They have so many amazing tunes, from “Fell in Love with a Girl,” “We’re Going to be Friends,” and “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” to “The Hardest Button to Button,” “Icky Thump,” and the iconic “Seven Nation Army.”
There aren’t many songs you can identify from the first note, but that one definitely falls under that category…
Right?
Fellow Michigander Iggy Pop inducted the White Stripes, and he paid a loving tribute to them, saying they blended the classic Detroit rock sound with something new and modern, and Jack White accepted the honour alone, as Meg White did not attend, but he paid tribute to her, and all of the musical influences that shaped their sound.
He also took a moment to ask young artists to keep creating, and finished with a beautiful message for Meg…
Simply perfect.
Twenty-One Pilots honoured the White Stripes with their rendition of “Seven Nation Army,” while Canadian Feist performed “We’re Going to be Friends.” A great tribute.
Meanwhile, Atlanta Rap icons Outkast were also honoured for their amazing, groundbreaking body of work, that started with their first album, 1994’s “Southernplayalisticaddilacmusik,” all the way to their final (at this point) album, the 2006 soundtrack to their movie “Idlewild.”
I love Outkast. They have never been afraid to take Hip-Hop into different directions, and making it sound amazing! Songs like “Player’s Ball,” “Elevators (Me & You), “Rosa Parks,” “Ms. Jackson,” “So Fresh, So Clean,” “B.O.B,” and “Hey Ya” were so different from what many other rappers were doing, and their style was all their own.
Andre 300 and Big Boi accepted their award, but the haven’t performed together in a long time.
Instead, several artists – Killer Mike, Tyler, the Creatod, Doja Cat, Janelle Monae and JID performed an all-star tribute.
But in one of the more emotional moments of the night, Andre 3000 called back to something Jack White said earlier in the evening, tearing up about the importance of “little rooms,” when it comes to creating something big…
“Jack said something about little rooms. We started in a little room… Great things start in little rooms.”
Man, I love those guys.
Congratulations to all of this year’s honourees. Who’ll go into the Hall in 2026? Let the debate begin!
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