The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony always manages to capture indelible moments, like when The Cure’s Robert Smith had an infamously apathetic response last year to an interviewer’s question about their induction. This year, however, the ceremony will look quite different. Not only will it be held virtually, but it will also take place this month rather than in May — and it looks like the ceremony’s schedule change is now permanent.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame CEO Joel Peresman addressed the shift this week, according to NME. Peresman said that rather than starting the nomination process in September and announcing the new inductees at the beginning of the next year, the entire process will be pushed back several months. “We moved the timing of the ceremony,” he said of this year’s event. “We’re going to move the ceremony permanently so it’s in the fall of each year because of COVID.”
Peresman continued, “We’re also moving the nomination process. Normally, the nomination process starts in September, we announce the nominees in October, and then we announce the inductees in January. This time the nomination meetings will happen in January, so we’ll announce the nominees in February and start that voting process then.”
While the future of live events in the US remains uncertain, Peresman is remaining optimistic about next year. Peresman added that he’s “hopeful by next fall in some form that we’ll be able to get together again.”
Even though the event is virtual this year, the lineup is still stacked with big-name artists. David Grohl will kick things off by announcing this year’s inductees, which includes Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, T. Rex, Depeche Mode, and the Doobie Brothers. Other artists that will make a digital appearance include Diddy, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, and more.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony streams on HBO 11/7 at 8 p.m. ET. Watch it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.