Lionel Ritchie, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics and Carly Simon will also join the class of 2022 in the Performers category.
Dolly Parton, the iconic country singer, had initially rejected the award, taking to social media to “respectfully bow out” on account of feeling she hadn’t “earned that right”. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation responded by saying ballots had already been sent and that it was up to voters – consisting of more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals – to decide the outcome. The ever-humble Parton subsequently accepted.
John Sykes, chairman of the Rock Hall, said in a statement on Wednesday that each of the stars had been inducted for having “had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ’n’ roll.”
Elsewhere, heavy metal band Judas Priest will receive the Musical Excellence Award along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; ‘Banana Boat (Day-O)’ singer Harry Belafonte and the legendary folk and blues musician Elizabeth Cotten will be awarded the Early Influence Award at the ceremony in LA’s Microsoft Theatre on 5th November.
Contrary to a lot of years, all of those being inducted into the Performers category are alive and either touring currently or have done so in recent years.
Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon said “Crikey O’Reilly, slap my face and call me Charley” in response to the news.
Eminem, in his first year of eligibility, joins the likes of Jay-Z and Tupac Shakur as solo rappers inducted into Rock and Roll’s Hall of fame.
Responding to the news, Duran Duran’s frontman, Simon Le Bon, said rather brilliantly: “Well Crikey O’Reilly, slap my face and call me Charley! Here in the wild, beautiful world of Duran Duran, I think we’re all in a little bit of a daze about this.
“It’s one thing to be nominated – but a totally different thing altogether to be actually voted up for induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which is to my mind the closest thing you’ll ever get to a rock & roll knighthood.
“This truly is a special and most valued kind of recognition for our lifetime’s dedication to new music. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all our fans, and everybody else who kept us in the number one slot for almost the entire duration of the Rock Hall 2022 Public Vote. We are humbled and truly elated by the depth of your support and wish to share this momentous day for Duran Duran with all of you.”
To hear the event, including some of the live performances, there will be a radio simulcast on SiriusXM’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame radio channel. The event will also air a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max.
