Cher, Peter Frampton and More

Backstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, Cher confirmed that she had once declared she “didn’t give a flying fuck if I got in.” But if the pop superstar (pictured above in an opening duet of “Believe” with Dua Lipa) found her way toward being completely glee about the Saturday night occasion, who else was going to be in anything less than full-on Thanksgiving mode?

Every Rock Hall of Fame induction ceremony has its own distinctive vibe. And during the 2024 event, a marathon five-and-a-half hour concert at Cleveland’s sold-out Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, gratitude was the prevailing theme from presenters, performers and inductees alike.

With one exception that was not Cher, there was almost no infighting or drama leading up to (or at) the ceremony, and the event itself focused on the artists and music. The special guests and collaborators felt well-matched, and the presenters — including actress Julia Roberts (Dave Matthews Band), actor-comedian Jack Black (Ozzy Osbourne), comedian Dave Chappelle (A Tribe Called Quest), and musicians Chuck D (Kool & the Gang), Sammy Hagar (Foreigner) and Roger Daltrey (Peter Frampton) — all brought sincerity, humor and genuine fandom to their speeches.

The notable exception to the nothing-but-positive vibe was Foreigner drummer Dennis Elliott, who publicly announced he wasn’t coming to the ceremony the week before the event. But during the band’s induction acceptance, there was no negativity and Elliott was spoken of warmly, as was founding member Mick Jones. The latter was unable to attend due to health reasons but his daughter Annabelle Dexter-Jones, who spoke some words on his behalf, noted he was watching at home.

Cher set an upbeat tone for the night as the show’s opener, first dueting with Dua Lipa on “Believe” and then putting on a typically powerhouse solo performance of “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Her acceptance speech was heartfelt and candid, as she chose to talk about empowerment and resilience rather than her notoriously conflicted feelings about entering the Rock Hall. Backstage, she elaborated more about how she used to feel — and her change of heart.

“I said I didn’t give a flying fuck if I got in,” she confirmed, before describing her “love-hate relationship” with induction over the years. “I thought, ‘What do I have to fucking do to be inducted into this place?’ Like really — what do you have to do to be part of it? And so then I was really proud to say, ‘I don’t want to be part of it,’ and ‘Don’t get me in posthumously.’”

What changed her mind was the rest of the class — “I got really softened when I heard the people that were going to be in, and people that I admire,” she says — plus a motivational talk from her one-time boyfriend David Geffen. “He was [like] ‘Sweetheart, this is great and you deserve it,’” she said. “And I felt good. I can say that I’m happy that I’m in. Because if I didn’t feel like it, I wouldn’t say it, I wouldn’t be here.”

Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally, who performed a beautiful, subtle version of Jimmy Buffett’s “Come Monday” with Kenny Chesney and James Taylor, also spoke of the late Buffett’s feelings about Rock Hall induction. “We’ve had conversations about this and it was something he had hopes for,” McAnally said backstage. “He was quirky about awards, so it’s the best-case scenario that he left the world and then got this award, because he never wanted to feel like he was done. He wanted to make music all the way to the end and then get recognized for it. That’s the way it worked out, so it was perfect.”

McAnally added that he brought a guitar of Buffett’s to place onstage during the performance. “He was up there with us tonight,” he continued. “And I feel like he’s here anyway; he’s getting a kick out of this. But nobody packed their life any tighter than Jimmy Buffett. He enjoyed every second of every day, and if that doesn’t count as rock ‘n’ roll, I don’t know what does.”

When asked her reaction to being inducted, Dionne Warwick was her usual honest self. “You want the real truth? I was like, ‘Why?’” she said lightly during a backstage appearance. “I never considered myself rock ‘n’ roll — and I think I’m being inducted for my music, not because I am rock ‘n’ roll. I feel so elated that they thought my music deserved being honored. It makes me feel very good.”

The “Walk On By” singer also couldn’t say enough good things about Teyana Taylor, who inducted Warwick and is also portraying the icon in a forthcoming biopic. “First of all, she’s a triple threat: She sings, she dances and she’s an actress,” Warwick said. “I’ve seen her films and got to know her and as I got to know her, I found that she was doing all the research that you could find on me. She knows more about me than I know about myself. I think she’s going to be the one.”

Backstage, several presenters used their platform to advocate for other overlooked artists to be inducted. Tom Morello, who gave a fiery speech inducting the MC5, reiterated something he’s said many times, that Iron Maiden should be in the Rock Hall. (Given that Morello is listed on the 2024 nominating committee, he has at least some sway in getting them on the ballot.)

And rapper Method Man, who inducted Mary J. Blige alongside Dr. Dre, beat the drum for the induction of new wave icons Adam Ant and Billy Idol. “I got to meet freaking Billy Idol, man,” he added, noting one of his Cleveland highlights. “And I sang ‘White Wedding’ to him; he had no idea who I was, and I loved every minute of it. … I did not know that I needed Billy Idol in my life. He still has abs. Isn’t he like 103? Like, this dude looks amazing.”

Method Man also revealed that Blige requested he induct her. “She actually called me to be here for her tonight,” he said. “What can I say? You watch someone go through trials and tribulations most of their career being misunderstood, being put in spaces that she does not belong in or she’s too big for. And the humility to just stand in those spaces and still thrive means a lot. To see her up there receiving her blessings is big. I love her; I’m always rooting for her.”

That mix of humor and admiration permeated the night’s speeches. Both the Who’s Roger Daltrey and Peter Frampton traded off hilarious stories about their respective careers as Daltrey inducted the guitar legend. Dave Chappelle quipped, “Thank you for those brief comments,” after a notably elongated acceptance speech from A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, while Phife Dawg’s father also rattled off a few charming dad jokes that drew big laughs when he had the podium. “Cher — I got you babe,” he said, and then added, “I’m headed to San Jose but I don’t have GPS, so Ms. Warwick, I need your help.”

During Kool & the Gang’s acceptance speech, James “JT” Taylor teared up while mentioning his late mother and also invoked some wisdom from his grandmother: “When you mention someone’s name in reverence, you draw their spirit into your presence.” He then encouraged the crowd to stand if they could and hold up their cell phones, while he named off the members who helped Kool & the Gang become a success — a goosebump-inducing moment. Backed by the Roots as a house band, Kool & the Gang were also one of the night’s performance highlights, especially as Taylor joined the group alongside co-founder Robert “Kool” Bell, a Youngstown native.

The Roots also elevated Cher’s set and the phenomenal all-star A Tribe Called Quest tribute set, which featured royalty like Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Black Thought and Common. (As has been the case recently, hip-hop sets at Rock Hall inductions always rank among the night’s highlights.) And Peter Frampton and Keith Urban teamed up for sn “Do You Feel Like I Do” that became an instant classic when, much to the audience’s delight, Frampton brought out the talkbox.

Frampton was humble backstage talking about finally being inducted. “I was overwhelmed when I heard that I’d been nominated,” he said. “And then when I realized that I got inducted, it was almost [like] I didn’t know how to deal with it because I didn’t expect this after so long. I kind of like crossed that off my list, because it hadn’t happened when I thought maybe it would have happened. … Basically I got very, very excited — and it scared me in a way because I knew I had to do this.” He laughed. “But it’s so enjoyable and I thank everybody.”

Ozzy Osbourne sat in an appropriately badass heavy metal throne to accept his induction as a solo artist and then watched as a parade of rock icons did his catalog justice, highlighted by Maynard James Keenan and Wolfgang Van Halen tearing through “Crazy Train,” Billy Idol and Steve Stevens doing a thunderous “No More Tears” and Jelly Roll knocking “Mama, I’m Coming Home” out of the park.

And the Foreigner performance was equal parts raucous and moving. Backed by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Demi Lovato tore through “Feels Like the First Time” and Sammy Hagar tackled “Hot Blooded.” These were followed by a wonderful duet performance of “I Want to Know What Love Is” with Kelly Clarkson and former vocalist Lou Gramm.

Gramm, who left the group in 2003, received multiple rousing ovations from the crowd as he belted the song, reinforcing why he was considered one of rock ‘n’ roll’s premiere vocalists. Clarkson, meanwhile, showed once again why she’s one of the most dynamic interpreters around these days, as she belted out the song where needed and matched Gramm’s more nuanced vocals elsewhere.

If there was any complaint, it’s that the sound mix in the venue had some off moments, particularly when inductees were accepting their awards. Warwick’s mic was so low it was difficult to hear her speech. Other performances sounded markedly different live than they did on the broadcast. Cher’s voice was far more raw and powerful in the moment, while the raucous guitar solo Wolfgang Van Halen ripped during “Crazy Train” came across as muted on TV.

But by the time the night ended with a solid set of originals from Dave Matthews Band — which was the clear crowd favorite; the audience roared every time Dave’s name was even mentioned — and then the band covering Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” to close out the show, any quibbles were forgotten in a night that went down as one of the smoothest, most solid Rock Hall inductions in recent memory.

The 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is available to stream on Disney+, and ABC will air a special featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.