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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced that Bon Jovi, the Moody Blues, Dire Straits, the Cars and Nina Simone will be inductees next year, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be given an Early Influence award. The induction ceremony will take place at Cleveland's Public Hall on April 14, 2018. HBO will later air an edited version of the event, and there will be a broadcast on SiriusXM satellite radio.
An artist or band becomes eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after their first commercial release. The Moody Blues released their first album in 1965, and helped pioneer art rock and prog rock with their second album, the highly conceptual Days of Future Passed. British rockers Dire Straits and American new-wave band the Cars both emerged in the late ’70s and enjoyed success throughout the 1980s, both selling tens of millions of records and commanding the charts along the way. Arena rockers Bon Jovi have sold over 130 million albums worldwide since their self-titled debut in 1984.
Current lineups of Bon Jovi and the Moody Blues have already expressed willingness to reunite and perform with original members for the celebration. Dire Straits haven’t performed since 1992, and so far, frontman Mark Knopfler hasn’t expressed interest in reuniting with other bandmates. The Cars reunited in 2010 after a decades-long hiatus, last performing at Lollapalooza in 2011.
Gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who died in 1973, influenced such legendary artists as Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. Nina Simone, who recorded over 40 albums during her illustrious career, passed away in 2003. High-profile artists influenced by Tharpe and Simone are expected to perform songs in their honor.