Cleveland turned into the center of the music universe last night as the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted one of its most stacked lineups in years — OutKast, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, and more. The result? A marathon celebration that felt like a mixtape of everything rock and pop ever meant: rebellion, reinvention, and raw emotion.
OutKast’s Crowned Comeback
When Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) took the mic to induct OutKast, it already felt like Atlanta’s moment. “They made every experiment sound like destiny,” he said — and he wasn’t wrong. Both André 3000 and Big Boi showed up, their chemistry still untouchable even after years apart.
Big Boi kept it real: “Iron sharpens iron. Thank you for making me the best I can be,” he told André. The duo then played their own nostalgic game of rock-paper-scissors to see who’d talk next (yes, seriously).
And then came the show: J.I.D. opened with “ATLiens,” Doja Cat flexed through “Ms. Jackson,” Tyler, the Creator went nuclear on “B.O.B.,” and Janelle Monáe made everyone feel alive again with an acoustic “Hey Ya.” It all ended with Big Boi and Killer Mike uniting the room for “The Whole World.”
This wasn’t just nostalgia. It was proof that OutKast’s imagination still sets the standard for what hip-hop — and art itself — can be.
"Great things start in little rooms. We started in a little room." — André 3000 and @BigBoi accept @Outkast’s Induction into the Rock & Roll of Fame.#RockHall2025 pic.twitter.com/lYI8xjENLB
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) November 9, 2025
OutKast Big Boi Performed “The Way You Move” With Sleepy Brown And “The Whole World” With Killer Mike, JID, Tyler The Creator, Doja Cat And Janelle Monae At The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall Fame Induction Ceremony #RockHall2025 pic.twitter.com/9UR0N0nMLV
— GNX Tour Highlights (@kdotszagnxeraa) November 9, 2025
The White Stripes Bring Garage Rock to the Grand Stage
Iggy Pop introducing The White Stripes as “a 21st-century Adam and Eve who started a rock band” set the tone perfectly. Jack White, all passion and humility, took the stage solo — Meg White staying true to her low-profile life since their 2011 split.
Jack’s speech was a sermon for the next generation: “Drop the screens. Get obsessed. Get passionate.” He thanked Meg, who “added punctuation and corrections” to his words — a vintage Jack touch.
Then came the tribute: Olivia Rodrigo and Feist strummed a tender “We’re Going to Be Friends,” before Twenty One Pilots took over with a blistering “Seven Nation Army.” The line between eras blurred — Gen Z pop royalty saluting the duo that rewired 2000s rock.
twenty one pilots | seven nation army tribute to the white stripes #rockhall25 pic.twitter.com/sBy4vXEglR
— .eleanør (@toldadnauseam) November 9, 2025
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ0vSl1EZ_C/
Soundgarden’s Emotional Resurrection
When Jim Carrey showed up to induct Soundgarden, the crowd didn’t expect him to go so deep. The comedian turned reflective, holding up Chris Cornell’s gifted Telecaster and calling it his “most prized possession.”
The ceremony then turned intimate — Cornell’s daughters, Lily and Toni, both took part. Lily spoke about her father’s purpose; Toni sang “Fell on Black Days” with Nancy Wilson from Heart. It was haunting, heartfelt, and the kind of performance that made the room still.
Seattle royalty — Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, Brandi Carlile, and Taylor Momsen — joined Soundgarden’s surviving members for “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun.” The message was clear: grunge isn’t dead; it just evolved.
Cyndi Lauper: Icon Energy Forever
If anyone could turn the Rock Hall into a dance floor, it’s Cyndi Lauper. Introduced by Chappell Roan, the new pop rebel calling her a “blueprint for courage,” Lauper showed up and showed out.
She opened with “True Colors,” got emotional on “Time After Time” with RAYE, and turned the arena into karaoke chaos with Avril Lavigne and Salt-n-Pepa on “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Her speech? All grace and power: “I stand on the shoulders of the women before me, and my shoulders are broad enough for the ones after.” That line alone could be framed in the Rock Hall lobby.
From one icon to another ✨ @chappellroan inducts @cyndilauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.#RockHall2025 pic.twitter.com/5VSn9JBTNK
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) November 9, 2025
Girls just want to have fun! Cyndi Lauper is joined by @RAYE, @AvrilLavigne, and @TheSaltNPepa to celebrate her induction with this timeless anthem.#RockHall2025 pic.twitter.com/ngRaMjwt2J
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) November 9, 2025
Why This Night Mattered
The 2025 Rock Hall felt like a generational handshake — legends from every corner of music history nodding at each other across time. It reminded everyone that genre walls are fake, pop and rock share the same rebel DNA, and that artists like OutKast, Lauper, and Soundgarden didn’t just define eras — they bent them.
If the night had a message, it came straight from Jack White’s playbook: get obsessed. The next revolution might just start in another small room, with another wild idea.
FAQ
Who were the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees?
OutKast, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, Warren Zevon, and others were honored at the Cleveland ceremony.
Did Meg White attend the Rock Hall ceremony?
No, Meg White did not appear publicly, though Jack White confirmed she sent her gratitude and was moved by the tribute.
Who performed at the 2025 Rock Hall?
Performers included Olivia Rodrigo, Feist, Twenty One Pilots, Doja Cat, Janelle Monáe, Tyler, the Creator, Brandi Carlile, and Avril Lavigne.
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