Cher, Dionne Warwick among the class of 2024 inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Dua Lipa and Cher opened the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday night with a performance Believe itbefore unleashing a mix of rump shakers by funk masters Kool & the Gang and a powerful performance by Dionne Warwick, bringing the house down to 83.

This year’s nominees include: Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Dave Matthews Band, the late Jimmy Buffett, MC5, the late Alexis Korrner, John Mayall and the late Big Mama. Thornton.

Zendaya brought in Cher. “Where do I start? Cher is not one person,” said the actress and singer. “His name is as legendary as his legacy.” Zendaya noted that Cher, 78, is the only woman to have had a number 1 on the Billboard chart in the past seven decades. “Cher’s got the goods,” Zendaya said before Cher did a rocking version If I Could Turn Back Time.

In her speech, Cher said she was inspired by Cinderella and thanked her mother for instilling in her the importance of always getting back up after defeat. “The thing I learned from my mother is not to lose hope,” she said. “I don’t give up. I talk to women – down and out, we keep going.”

Chuck D brought in Kool & the Gang, saying, “This is a celebration that’s been a long time coming.” The band had 12 top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including a 1980 chart-topper. A celebrationas well as Let me know, Get down to it, Jungle Boogie, Ladies Night again Joanna. They have been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1994.

The Roots helped the band create crowd-pleasing hits, led by Robert “Kool” Bell – bassist, founder and last original member – and longtime vocalist James “JT” Taylor. Confetti shot across the field, and Taylor asked the crowd to use cell phone flashlights as he read the names of the 10 members who were most important to the team’s success.

Warwick arrived at the event a few days after attending a memorial service for her longtime friend and collaborator, Cissy Houston, in Newark, N.J. Teyana Taylor called her “one of a kind,” and told a teleprompter that putting “Ms.” before his name. Jennifer Hudson sang I Will Never Love This Way Again he was joined by Warwick who also sang Go Good.

Warwick said this is the third time he has been nominated. “I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “I’m just going to say this from the stage: Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Saturday’s induction ceremony is being held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, where the Hall of Famer has promised to return every few years. It’s streaming live on Disney+ and a special with performance highlights will air on ABC on Jan. 1.

Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they are eligible for recognition. The nominees were voted on by over 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals.