Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes among Rock Hall of Fame inductees
NEW YORK
Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, the White Stripes and Soundgarden were among this year's inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8, adding their names to the pantheon of music's most esteemed and beloved acts.
New Yorker Lauper, who burst onto the pop scene with colorful punk looks and infectious tunes like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "True Colors" and "Time After Time," was inducted by "Pink Pony Club" singer Chappell Roan.
Praising her "four-octave range" and unapologetic style, Roan thanked Lauper for being an icon for any artist who may be called "too much, too loud, too eccentric or all of the above; their honesty becomes their greatest strength."
To induct Detroit rock band The White Stripes, known for sports arena favorite "Seven Nation Army" and "Fell in Love with a Girl," among others, singer Iggy Pop gave an exuberant speech peppered with curse words and his own screeching impressions of the band's raucous sound.
"The White Stripes music was coming from a foundation of love, not revolution," Pop said.
Singer-guitarist Jack White accepted on behalf of himself and drummer Meg White, who did not attend. He named a long list of industry heavies and bands before adding: "To the homeless and the powerless and the forgotten, we always say thank you."
Other inducted American performers included Atlanta's hip-hop duo Outkast, who topped charts with "Hey Ya," "Ms. Jackson" and "The Way You Move," and Seattle's grunge band Soundgarden, who had hits with "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman."
English singer Joe Cocker, who died in 2014, was inducted posthumously to honor his bluesy music, including "You Are So Beautiful," his cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" and the Grammy-winning duet with Jennifer Warnes "Up Where We Belong."
Other inductees included arena rockers Bad Company, who sang "Can't Get Enough," and "The Twist" singer Chubby Checker.
Groundbreaking New York hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa was honored with a Musical Influence Award for their hit songs "Let's Talk About Sex," "Push It" and "Shoop," which celebrate women's independence with playful sexuality in a male-dominated genre.
English session pianist Nicky Hopkins was honored with the Musical Excellence Award for his work with superstars including The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie and The Beatles.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, now features an exhibit with artifacts and memorabilia from this year's inductees.
