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The 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced Wednesday. They cover a wide range of styles from glam boogie and pop ballads to dark and edgy dance music.
T.Rex [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
A generation of glam rockers was spawned by the British group T. Rex, fronted by the late Marc Bolan. Rock Hall voters put the band in the hall of fame on its first ballot appearance.
Martyred hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G. also makes the cut this year as a first-time nominee.
The Notorious B.I.G. [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
Born as Christopher Wallace, the singer is cited as an influence by a number of performers, including Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Eminem.
The 1980s line-up of the Doobie Brothers [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
It was also the first time on the ballot for classic rock favorites the Doobie Brothers, who have maintained a five-decade career across different musical styles and personnel changes.
The late pop balladeer Whitney Houston is the sole female inductee in this year’s class. She grew-up in a family full of musical influences, including her mom, Cissy, and cousin, Dionne Warwick. She’s cited as an influence for performers ranging from Beyonce to Christina Aguilera to Jennifer Hudson.
Depeche Mode [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
Depeche Mode enters the hall of fame after two previous tries. The British band made its mark with a dark but danceable pop sound dominated by synthesizers.
Pennsylvania-bred Trent Reznor spent several formative years playing in Cleveland bands and dabbling in a local studio before creating Nine Inch Nails.
Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
Reznor has since added film composer to his resume and a sample from his song "34 Ghosts IV" was used to build Lil Nas X’s 2019 mega-hit “Old Town Road.”
Finally, famed music writer, producer and Bruce Springsteen manager Jon Landau is going into the hall of fame as a recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, given to non-performers who “who have had a major influence on rock & roll.”
The induction ceremony takes place in Cleveland’s Public Auditorium on May 2.
