Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2020 Inductees Announced

By Paris Close

January 15, 2020

Whitney Houston

This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees are in!

On early Wednesday morning (January 15), Whitney Houston, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, T. Rex, and The Doobie Brothers, and The Notorious B.I.G. were announced as the latest stars to be inducted during the 35th annual induction ceremony. Additionally, Jon Landau and Irving Azoff will be presented with the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which recognizes songwriters, producers, disc jockeys, record executives, journalists and other industry professionals who have had a major influence on rock and roll.

To be considered for the Hall of Fame, an artist or band must have released their first commercial record at least 25 years before the year of nomination. Among the other artists cast on this year’s ballot included Kraftwerk, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Pat Benatar, Dave Matthews Band, MC5, Judas Priest and Soundgarden.

Inductees Houston, B.I.G., late Doobies drummers Michael Hossack and Keith Knudsen, and every T. Rex bandmate save for drummer Bill Legend will be honored posthumously.

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who have made the ballot three different times, was “pretty freaked out” by the news. “When I look back at how Nine Inch Nails are received, it always seems like we fall between the cracks,” Reznor told Rolling Stone. “I don’t know if it’s a defense mechanism, but I just assumed we’d stay in that category, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see us acknowledged. It feels pretty good.”

The 35th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction takes place at Cleveland’s Public Hall on May 2, with tickets for the event going on sale starting on February 27.

Photo: Getty Images

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