Lionel Richie soared. Pat Banar roared. Duran Duran stumbled but remained subtle. Eminem was Eminem.
The 4 acts found plenty of other ways to rejoice on a Saturday night, although now without end all can say they are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. So are Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Harry Belafonte, Judas Priest and Dolly Parton, who gave an enthusiastic hug after the honor was quickly turned down.
After a memorable speech by shaved-headed Robert Downey Jr. included the first act at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Duran Duran took the stage and launched his 1981 hit “Girls on Film”.
There was a screaming crowd for it, but there was no music. Although the band differed from vocalist Simon Le Bon, whose vocals were mainly a cappella.
It was a pleasant if ominous start to a largely cunning and sometimes triumphant appearance.
“The wonderfully intuitive world of rock ‘n’ roll!” Le Bon, 64, screamed as the band stopped for a do-over.
He kicked off at full volume again, participating in a set that included “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Ordinary World”, soon after what Downey referred to as his critically high quality: “CSF – Quiet, Sophisticated Fun “
Lionel Richie introduced each cold and heat to the room hours later, opening his set with an additional rendition of his ballad “Hello,” which appeared to practically break him from the weight of another.
Lenny Kravitz noted in Richie’s inclusion, “His songs are the soundtrack to my life, your life, everyone’s life.”
After “Hello”, Richie entered his 1977 hit with the Commodores, “Easy”. The vibe came out cleanly triumphant when Foo Fighters entrance Dave Grohl made a shocking appearance playing guitar solos and swapping vocals with Richie. This led to a single, celebratory rendition of 1983’s “All Night Long”, which garnered the biggest response of the night.
In his acceptance speech, Richie lashed out at these throughout their profession, accusing them of straying too far from their black roots.
“Rock ‘n’ Roll is not a color,” he noted. “It’s a feeling. It’s a vibe. And if we let that vibe in, this room will grow and grow and grow.”
Eurythmics took the stage with a soulful, danceable rendition of 1986’s “Missionary Man.”
“Well, I was born an original sinner, I was born of original sin,” singer Annie Lennox said as the audience clapped and brought her feet to the 4 Hours Present. This was followed by a spirited rendition of their best-known hit, “Sweet Dreams”.
Moments later his musical partner, Dave Stewart, was referred to as Lennox, “one of the greatest artists, singers and songwriters of all time.”
“Thank you, Dave, for this great adventure,” noted a tearful Lennox.
Eminem stood out as he has been through his profession. He was one of the many inspiring hip-hop artists, one whose rise came after the nineteenth-eighties, and he introduced an edge to the night that was lacking outside of Judas Priest’s heavy metal style.
He also took Guest Star Sport to a different level. After making a brief debut with 1999’s “My Name Is”, he enlisted Steven Tyler of Aerosmith to perform a refrain from “Dream On” for 2003’s “Sing for the Moment”, which samples Aerosmith Basic. He then introduced Ed Sheeran to sing half his song on the 2017 Eminem Jam “River” as it rained on the stage.
“I probably don’t want to be here tonight for some reason,” said Eminem, sporting a black hoodie, as he accepted the honor. “One, I know, that I’m a rapper and this is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
He is only the tenth hip-hop artist out of over 300 Hall of Fame members.
He was joined by his producer and mentor, Dr. Dre, whom he credits with saving his life.
But the hitmakers of the nineteenth eighties underlined the night time.
Sheryl Crow noted in her speech involving Benar, “Pat always got into the deepest part of himself and came roaring from the speakers.”
Benatar, inducted with her longtime music partner and husband Neil Giraldo, took the stage with her and displayed moments of that energy later.
“we are young!” The 69-year-old sang, her long, flowing brown hair waved by a model from 1983’s “Love is a Battlefield.”
Those absent from the ceremony included Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor, who has been battling prostate cancer for better than 4 years, Belafonte, 95, and Simon, who lost sisters Joanna Simon and Lucy Simon, both vocalists. Cancer in back-to-back days of the past month.
Carly Simon was nominated for the first time this year, more than 25 years after she became eligible. Olivia Rodrigo, 60-years-old Simon’s junior and by far the youngest nighttime performer, took the stage to sing Simon’s signature tune, “You’re So Vain.”
Janet Jackson appeared in a black swimsuit with a huge pile of hair on top of her head, remaking the duvet from her breakthrough album “Control”, she enlisted the 2 men who made her and several others with her. Other info, writer-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
When the nominees were introduced in May, Parton “respectfully” declined, saying it was not appropriate for him to take a position as a country-to-core artist. She was satisfied in any other respect, and ended Saturday night’s headliner.
“I’m a rock star now!” She cried as she accepted the honor. “It’s a very, very, very special night.”
Parton mentioned that he should earn his spot retrospectively. She disappeared and moments later was decked out in black leather with an electric guitar and broke into a tune she had written just for the incident.
“I’m rockin’ rockin’ rockin’ from the day I was born,” she sang, “and I’ll be rockin’ till the day I’m gone.”
She kicked off a nighttime main on her country native “Jolene,” an all-star jam featuring her fellow inductees. Le Bon, Benatar and even Judas Priest singer Rob Halford took a poem.
“We’ve got a star-studded stage here,” Parton noted. “I feel like a hill in town.”
