Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025: OutKast, Soundgarden, and More

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held in Los Angeles on November 8th, featuring electrifying performances, stunning tributes, and many long-overdue nominations.
by Emery Brown

Legendary Atlanta hip-hop duo OutKast was one of the many inductees of the evening, with a great number of their hits performed by modern rap stars, such as Doja Cat’s rendition of “Ms. Jackson” and J.I.D.’s joint performance of “ATLeins” with founding member Big Boi. Most notably, Tyler, the Creator would deliver an explosive cover of “Bombs Over Baghdad,” his high-octane performance mimicking Andre 3000’s original energy, going viral in the process (Billboard).

After being introduced by hip-hop artist and actor Donald Glover, Andre and Big would unite on stage to deliver an emotional speech, paying homage to Rico Wade, whose family owned The Dungeon, the basement studio in which the duo would get their start in the early ‘90s. “Jack [White of The White Stripes] said something about little rooms. We started in a little room,” Andre said, “Great things in little rooms” (HipHopDx).

Introduced by actor-comedian Jim Carrey, grunge icons Soundgarden would pay tribute to late singer Chris Cornell, who passed away in 2017. A supergroup featuring fellow Seattle legends Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains would cover Soundgarden’s signature hit “Black Hole Sun” (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), while Toni Cornell would honor her father by performing “Fell On Black Days” (Page Six). 

The White Stripes, inducted by Iggy Pop, would be represented by Jack White, one half of the “Seven Nation Army” duo that ruled alternative rock charts in the early 2000s. “I spoke with Meg White the other day,” He said about his former wife and bandmate, who didn’t attend, “She said she’s very sorry she couldn’t make it tonight, but she’s very grateful for the folks who have supported her throughout the years. It really means a lot to her tonight” (Pitchfork).
Other artists honored on this night include “The Twist” legend Chubby Checker and pop icon Cyndi Lauper, as well as posthumous inductions from Joe Cocker and select members of Bad Company (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame). 

The full induction ceremony is streaming on Disney+, while a primetime special cut of the ceremony will be available to watch on ABC on January 1, 2026.