The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which took place in L.A. on Saturday, enshrined some of the biggest acts of the ’80s — Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Duran Duran and Pat Benatar — alongside heavy metal gods Judas Priest, rap icon Eminem, singer/songwriter Carly Simon and mega-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Duran Duran was inducted by a shaven-headed Robert Downey Jr., who recalled that when the band played his 50th birthday party, the wife of a “prominent Hollywood director” threw her bra onstage in the middle of the performance. The band performed “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Girls on Film” and “Ordinary World.” At the podium, singer Simon Le Bon read a letter from original guitarist Andy Taylor, explaining that he couldn’t be there because he’s been battling stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer.
Janet Jackson then took the stage to induct Jam and Lewis, who produced her career-defining albums Control, Rhythm Nation 1914 and janet., and dozens more for other artists. “I feel like we broke through the music industry together,” she said.
Sheryl Crow inducted Pat Benatar and her husband/musical partner Neil Giraldo. She held up a copy of Rolling Stone magazine from 1980 which featured the duo on the cover, and recalled that when she was 18, she “wanted to be Pat Benatar.” Benatar and Giraldo played “All Fired Up,” “Love Is a Battlefield” and “Heartbreaker.” Referring to the fact that she’d been passed over for induction for years, Benatar told the crowd, “All is forgiven.”
Carly Simon missed the ceremony because two weeks ago, according to Rolling Stone, her two sisters died of cancer just one day apart. Sara Bareilles inducted Simon, and then performed her smash “Nobody Does It Better,” from the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. Olivia Rodrigo then took the stage to perform Carly’s famed kiss-off anthem, “You’re So Vain.”
U2‘s The Edge inducted Eurythmics, who reunited for their first performance since 2019, doing “Would I Lie to You,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Missionary Man.” “After 45 years, we still rock,” said Dave Stewart. Annie Lennox, who got a standing ovation, told the crowd, “We musicians are a diverse and peaceful people. We spread love, not hatred and division.”
Lenny Kravitz inducted Lionel Richie, saying that the crooner “happens to be the funniest person I’ve ever met.” Lionel performed “Hello,” and then brought out Foo Fighters‘ Dave Grohl to play with him on “Easy.” Of course, he concluded with “All Night Long.”
The night ended with Pink inducting Dolly Parton. She and Sheryl Crow also helped perform some of Parton’s songs, and joined Dolly to sing her classic “Jolene,” along with Benatar, Lennox, Simon LeBon and Judas Priest‘s Rob Halford.
The night’s final jam session included a tribute to the recently departed Jerry Lee Lewis, featuring Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp.
The ceremony will air November 19 on HBO.
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