Janet Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday and had a message: ‘Induct more women!’
via NYDN:
Jackson entered the Hall at a Barclays Center ceremony Friday night with Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks — who became the first woman inducted into the Hall twice. Also inducted were The Cure, Def Leppard, The Zombies, Radiohead, and Roxy Music.
“Never in a million years” did Jackson expect to make it to the Hall of Fame — and she added that watching her brothers, the Jackson Five, be inducted in 1997 was one of her proudest moments.
“I witnessed, along with the rest of the world, my family’s impact on popular culture,” Jackson said. “Tonight, your baby sister has made it.”
Jackson was inducted by fellow singer-actress Janelle Monáe.
“She became a blueprint for writing socially conscious jams,” said Monáe. “She let us know that her artistry could not be contained by any genre. … We celebrate you for going high when they go low. … We applaud you for your commitment to excellence.”
Jackson also had a special message for her fans.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all my ups, all my downs. I have never, I never have and I never will take you for granted,” she said. “I love you with all my heart.”
The new class of inductees shares space in Hall of Fame with the likes of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Etta James, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Simon & Garfunkel.
The Cure celebrated being inducted by performing the songs “Shake Dog Shake” and “Just Like Heaven.” When he accepted the statute, Cure lead singer Robert Smith said, “It’s a very nice surprise.”
For The Zombies, induction into the hall was a long time coming. Rod Argent, the group’s lead singer, gave a clue to how long the band has been around “Elvis actually had our records on his jukebox,” he said.
The band was first proposed for the Hall about 30 years ago. They were passed over again in 2017 and 2018.
We agree with Janet. Everything needs more women!
