Each year, fans of rock music wait in anticipation to find out which solo artists and bands will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The list for 2018 makes for exciting reading as some of the most iconic rock artists are finally being honored by becoming members of the elite group of musicians who are included in this institute.
The induction will take place on April 14, 2018, at Cleveland’s Public Hall. This is when fans will finally hear the full list of those included. Details of how to obtain tickets to watch this event have not yet been announced, On the same day, there will also be an announcement on radio station SiriusXM. Prior to the official announcements, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has already revealed that those on the list include Bon Jovi, Nina Simone, the Moody Blues, Dire Straits, and the Cars.
To be eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a group or solo artist must have released a single or an album at least 25 years earlier. The only group on this year’s ballot list that had only become eligible for consideration this year was Radiohead. Unfortunately, they were not selected for induction on this occasion. Bon Jovi was the only act in this year’s class who started later than the 1970s.
Bon Jovi is delighted at being inducted, according to their keyboardist David Bryan. In fact, he has described it as a dream for himself and his bandmates. Someone else who is equally thrilled to become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is Justin Hayward, the singer from the Moody Blues.
The induction ceremony is providing an opportunity for some former bands to reunite for the occasion. One example of this is Dire Straits who have not performed together since they split in 1992. Fans of this group will have to wait to see if they will finally perform together again as frontman Mark Knopfler has yet to declare whether he is willing to take part in a reunion performance for the occasion.
On the other hand, Bon Jovi has already said he is willing to reunite and perform with Alec John Such, the original bassist, and Richie Sambora, the former guitarist. Equally willing to perform together are the Moody Blues.
Some of those being inducted have sadly passed away and will not have the opportunity to know they are being honored in this way. Nina Simone died in 2003 but made such a contribution to music that she is a deserving posthumous recipient of this honor.
In addition to these artists and groups, there is also an Early Influence Award being handed out. The recipient of this award in 2018 is Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Sadly, she passed away in 1973 but there has been a resurgence of interest in her music in the last decade and it is for this reason she is being honored with the award.
It is traditional at the induction ceremony for those who have been inducted to take to the stage together at the end of the ceremony to perform an all-star jam. The difficulty is deciding which songs to choose as all the artists included in the list have made such amazing music over the years.
