The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
by Marissa Bergen
Every year, a group of well-known musicians are selected for what many consider to be rock’s highest honor. They are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
This year offers an interesting bunch including many female artists. In fact, 2022 will mark the first time in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 37-year history that six female acts will be inducted. They include Pat Benatar, Annie Lennox, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, Elizabeth Cotten, and Sylvia Robinson.
Read on to find out more about this year’s inductees and what makes 2022 so exciting.
About the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony
The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Nov. 5. It will be filmed live at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. It will be aired at a later date on HBO, and it will stream on HBO Max.
The performer inductees include:
• Pat Benatar
• Duran Duran
• The Eurythmics
• Dolly Parton
• Lionel Richie
• Carly Simon
• Eminem
Judas Priest, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis will receive the Music Excellence Award. Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotton will receive the Early Influence Award. Allen Grubman, Jimmy Iovine, and Sylvia Robinson will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Artist Spotlight
Let’s take a closer look at our performer inductees.
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American rock singer/songwriter who released her first album in 1970. She has a legacy of two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 Billboard top 40 singles. She is a four- time Grammy winner and has sold over 35 million albums worldwide. She performs and writes with her guitarist/husband, Neil Giraldo who is a rock n’ roll legend in his own right.
Duran Duran
Duran Duran is an English new wave band that formed in England in 1978. The group was founded by keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor. The duo was later joined by drummer Roger Taylor, guitarist Andy Taylor, and singer Simon Le Bon. (The Taylors are not related).
The group has sold over a million records and is considered one of the best-selling music artists in the world. 30 of their songs have made it into the U.K. Singles Charts. 21 of their songs have made it into the U.S. Billboard Top 100.
The band has not been continually active, but they have made their share of comebacks over the years. They put out their most recent album in 2019 and still record and perform sans Andy Taylor.
The Eurythmics
The Eurythmics were a new wave duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They first played together in a band called The Tourists and continued to collaborate after the group broke up in 1980. They hit it big with their single Sweet Dreams which came out in 1983 and reached number one in Canada and on the U.S Billboard Top 100.
The band broke up in 1990 and Stewart went on to become a much sought-after record producer while Lennox pursued a solo career. However, they have reunited on multiple occasions for benefit and tribute contests.
The Eurythmics have sold about 75 million records worldwide. They have also won multiple awards including a Grammy Award, an MTV Video Music Award, and a Brit Award. They have also been inducted into the U.K Hall of Fame.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is a singer/songwriter, businesswoman and philanthropist. She got her start in the music industry when she released her first album, Hello, I’m Dolly in 1967. This set her on a path to success that lasted throughout the remainder of the decade.
Dolly’s musical career has seen its share of highs and lows, but she has countless impressive achievements under her belt. She has had 25 songs reach number one on the Billboard Country Music Charts. She has had 44 top country albums and 110 chart topping singles. She has also received gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards from the Recording industry Association of America.
The singer made waves when she initially refused her Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame nomination as she felt she wasn’t a rock singer and “didn’t feel worthy”. However, she changed her tune a few days later when she realized the honor wasn’t for rock singers only.
Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie is an American singer/songwriter who rose to fame in the 1970’s as a singer in the band The Commodores. He later achieved notable success as a solo artist. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has won four Grammy Awards; he won an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Carly Simon
Carly Simon is an American singer/songwriter, musician, and children’s author. She began performing with her sister as the Simon Sisters in the 60’s but achieved real fame when she broke through as a solo artist in the 70’s.
24 of her songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and she had 28 Billboard Contemporary charting singles. She won 4 Grammys and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The singer stopped performing in 1972 due to stage fright and her music sales dropped as a result. However, she has recently stated that the audience doesn’t scare her anymore, and occasionally steps back into the spotlight.
Eminem
Eminem is an American rapper, songwriter, and music producer. Many credit him with popularizing hip hop. He is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. His controversial music made him a symbol of underclass American angst in the 90’s and early 2000’s.
The rapper has sold over 200 million records and is considered one of the best-selling musical artists in the world. He has had 10 number one albums on the Billboard 200 becoming the first artist to achieve this award. He was also the first hip hop artist to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Eminem performs during The Concert for Valor in Washington, D.C. Nov. 11, 2014. Photo by EJ Hersom
Marissa Bergen is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles, CA. She is passionate about health, fashion, and music. When she is not writing, she enjoys playing music with her son, daughter, and husband in their family band The CheeseBergens.
