Kate Bush ‘Shocked And Honored’ To Be Among New Inductees For Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
Kate Bush is “completely shocked and honored” to be included in this years inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside other icons such as George Michael, Rage Against the Machine, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, and Missy Elliot; who’s the first female rapper to be inducted.
Bush recently spoke to Rolling Stone about the honor:
“It’s something I just never thought would happen. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. It means a great deal that you would think of me. It’s such a huge honor. Now, as part of the initiation ceremony, I get to find out about the secret handshake … there is one, right?”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began in 1983, with a physical museum opening in Cleveland in 1995. There are currently 365 acts in the Hall. Artists become eligible to join 25 years after the release of their first records, and must be voted in by a panel of more than 1,000 industry figures.
This year, the inductees have been regarded as acts that were taken from a larger pool of acts that were previously shortlisted; this year marks Bush’s third time being nominated.
Rage Against the Machine had been finalists five times before this year, and thanked the Hall of Fame for the recognition.
“[We thank the Hall of Fame] for recognizing the music and the mission in a surprising trajectory for a band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy, and exploitation.”
Willie Nelson, who recently turned 90, is being inducted on his first nomination, as are Michael, Elliot, and Crow. Michael was automatically inducted as a finalist to earn the most votes from a public poll.
Beyond the inductees, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin are receiving the musical excellence award. DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the musical influence awards, and Don Cornelius, who passed away in 2012, will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun award.
Joel Peresman, the Hall of Fame’s president and chief executive, told Rolling Stone that he hopes Bush will perform at the induction ceremony, which would mark her first live performance since her 2014 residency in London; which at the time was her first live performance in 35 years.
Bush’s induction into the Hall of Fame is not surprising to fans, old and new, as her song ‘Running Up That Hill’ was used throughout the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things, propelling the single to re-enter the charts. It became Number 1 in the UK and Number 3 on the US charts.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.