Inductees for the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class were announced on Wednesday, with this year’s class made up of Tina Turner, Foo Fighters, Carole King, The Go-Go's, Jay-Z and Todd Rundgren.
In addition,LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads will be honored with the Musical Excellence Award, and Kraftwerk, Gil ScottHeron and Charley Patton will receive the Early Influence Award.
Following the announcement several artists shared their reaction to the news, including:
- The Go-Go’s Gina Shock tells Rolling Stone, they’re “extremely excited about this,” noting, “I feel like we’re getting the Academy Award of Music. It’s like a Lifetime Achievement Award. I’m extremely excited and very grateful.”
- The Go-Go's Katy Valentine added, “I have to say how quickly hope and anticipation can turn into elation. It’s pretty amazing. It’s amazing to find out. It’s really, really exciting,” with Charlotte Coffee noting, “We feel honored. It’s just very special. It feels like we’re in the right place, like we belong here. That feels really, really good.”
- Carole King, who’s being inducted for the second time (her first was in 1990 with her ex-husband and songwriting partner Garry Goffin), tells Billboard, “It was a 'wow' moment." She is also the first woman to be inducted as both a performer and a songwriter, which she says “rocks,” and is only the third woman along with Stevie Nicks and Tina Turner to be inducted twice. “Well, I’m in great company, let me just say, with those women,” she tells Rolling Stone. “That’s good company to be in. It’s a great honor; it really is. It’s great.”
- Foo Fighters reacted with a simple post on social media noting, “Holy sh*t! The guitar player from The Germs is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!!!,” referring to Foo member Pat Smear. Frontman Dave Grohl’s induction will make him only the 10thmusician to be inducted into the HOF twice as a member of two groups. His first induction came in 2014 with Nirvana. Dave later told Rolling Stone of the honor, "I’m mostly happy for (bandmates) Pat [Smear] and Nate [Mendel] and Chris [Shiflett] and Taylor [Hawkins] andRami [Jaffee]. I don’t think any of us ever imagined that this would happen.
- On Instagram LL Cool J posted a message of thanks, adding, “You can do anything you put your mind to. Thank you.✊🏾🌹🙏🏾♥️ " He later told Rolling Stone, "It’s humbling and it’s inspiring,” adding,. “It makes me want to get in the studio and give something back for this recognition”
- Todd Rundgren commented on the inclusion with a picture that read "I'm happy for the fans. They've waited a long time for this."
photo: Getty Images