This day in history: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first class
- - This day in history: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first class
Yasmin MustefaJanuary 23, 2026 at 10:20 PM
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January 23rd celebrates the 40-year anniversary of the inaugural class in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The first class was celebrated in New York City during a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s grand ballroom. Today’s ceremony rotates among the Hall of Fame Museum, which opened 9 years later in Cleveland, Ohio; the Barclays Center in New York; and the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The first-ever induction ceremony celebrated 10 Rock & Roll stars who left a long-lasting mark on the genre. The recipients included Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. Cooke, Holly, and Presley were inducted posthumously. Sons of John Lennon, Julian and Sean, shared their father’s thoughts about Presley. Julian read to the room, “Those people who picked up brush paint brushes like Van Gogh probably wanted to be Renoir or whoever went before him. I wanted to be Elvis.”
The night was full of performances and speeches. Each guest was given a cassette tape with music from each inductee, such as Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and Presley’s “Hound Dog.” At the event, Berry led his own jam session. Other artists, including Billy Joel, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood, joined in.
Other aspects of the musical genre were also recognized. Record label legends Sam Phillips, who founded Sun Records and John Hammond, an A&R for Columbia Records, were inducted. Additionally, blues icon Robert Johnson and Alan Freed, who is credited with coming up with the phrase “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” were inducted.
However, the night did not go unnoticed for its lack of honoring women. Singer Roberta Flack stated, “All of my heroes are being honored tonight, with the exception of some people whose names I’d also like to call,” Flack said. “Tina Turner, Big Maybelle, LaVern Baker, Janis Joplin. Maybe next year will be the year for women.” The following year, Aretha Franklin became the first woman to be recognized. Tina Turner was honored 35 years later in 2021.
Since the inaugural class, numerous Rock & Roll legends have been inducted, from classic artists like The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson to early-modern artists like N.W.A, Nirvana, and Jay-Z. Today, the event has grown to include televised broadcasts and is open to the public through ticketed sales.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
