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The Cleveland museum announced its 2025 nominees on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Among the contenders are Long Island native Mariah Carey, Philadelphia's own Chubby Checker, and New York City-born Cyndi Lauper.
Several British acts are among the nominees, including rock group Bad Company, Southern blues-style band The Black Crowes, punk rock legend Billy Idol, raspy blues singer Joe Cocker, post-punk group Joy Division/New Order, and recently reunited Britpop band Oasis. Also in the running are Mexican rock band Maná, hip-hop duo Outkast, grunge pioneers Soundgarden, jam band Phish, and alt-rockers The White Stripes.
Mariah Carey: R&B's Ultimate Diva
Born in Huntington, New York, and raised in nearby Greenlawn, Mariah Carey reshaped pop music with her five-octave vocal range, signature runs, and chart-topping hits. She has 19 No. 1 singles—second only to The Beatles—along with five Grammy Awards, 19 World Music Awards, and 220 million records sold.
Carey made an early mark by pitching her own demo to CBS Records at 17 years old. Her eponymous debut album in 1990 produced four No. 1 hits, earning her a Grammy for Best New Artist. She revolutionized pop-R&B collaborations, working with Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard on the "Fantasy" remix, a move that set the stage for the genre's dominance in the 2000s.
Beyond music, Carey co-founded Camp Mariah to support inner-city youth, starred in the critically acclaimed film "Precious", and continues to influence generations of singers. Her holiday anthem, "All I Want for Christmas Is You", remains one of the best-selling singles of all time and seemingly re-enters the charts every holiday season.
Chubby Checker: The King of Dance Crazes
Chubby Checker, a Philly native born in South Carolina, ignited a dance revolution in the 60s with hits like "The Twist", "The Pony", and "Limbo Rock". His appearance on "American Bandstand" in 1960 turned "The Twist" into a nationwide phenomenon, making it the only song to top the Billboard charts twice in separate years.
Checker, whose real name is Ernest Evans, had his career take off after impressing Dick Clark's wife Barbara Mallery with his Fats Domino impression, leading to his stage name. He went on to chart 32 hits between 1960 and 1966, along with starring in films like "Twist Around the Clock".
In 1988, the Fat Boys helped bring "The Twist" back into the Top 40 with a hip-hop remix. Checker is appearing on the Hall of Fame's ballot for the first time.
Cyndi Lauper: Breaking Barriers
With her unmistakable voice, bold fashion, and genre-spanning hits, Brooklyn, NY-born Cyndi Lauper became a defining figure of the 80s. Her debut album, "She's So Unusual", made history with four consecutive top-five singles, including "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Time After Time".
Lauper continued to evolve as a songwriter and advocate, winning a Tony Award for "Kinky Boots" and launching True Colors United to support LGBTQIA+ youth. In 2024, she embarked on a farewell tour, coinciding with the release of her documentary "Let the Canary Sing".
Her impact is felt across generations, with modern artists like Lady Gaga, P!nk, Nicki Minaj, and Chappell Roan citing her as an influence.
Voting Open Now
To be nominated for the Hall of Fame, musicians must wait at least 25 years after their first commercial recording before being eligible for induction.
"Each year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's Nominating Committee selects the group of artists nominated in the performer category," the museum's website said. "Ballots are then sent to more than 1000 historians, members of the music industry, and artists—including every living Rock Hall inductee—and the five to seven performers receiving the most votes become that year's induction class."
You can also help decide on the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2025. Fans can vote online for up to seven artists per day through Monday, Apr. 21.
The inductees are expected to be announced in late April and the induction ceremony will be held in Los Angeles in the fall.
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