The Rock Hall 2025 induction ceremony kicked off with a Sly Stone tribute that was anything but subtle. A powerhouse all-star lineup—Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Maxwell, Questlove, Beck, Leon Thomas, and Flea—tore through a medley of Sly and the Family Stone’s greatest hits: “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” (The tribute honored Sly Stone, who passed in June 2025 at age 82.)
Before you could catch your breath, Brandi Carlile shut it down with a haunting take on Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” (Carlile helped induct Soundgarden, alongside Taylor Momsen and Jim Carrey.)
But the real chill-inducing moment? That belonged to Susan Tedeschi, the 1990s Blues/Rock vocal powerhouse and underground legend. She stepped up for a Joe Cocker tribute that had the crowd floored. Backed by husband Derek Trucks and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, she opened with “The Letter”—a raw, soulful echo of Cocker’s signature grit. (The set later featured Nathaniel Rateliff, Teddy Swims, and Chris Robinson, closing with “With a Little Help From My Friends.”)
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Also on a splendid, smile-worthy side note: Jim Carrey reunited with Cindy Lou Who herself, actress-turned-rocker Taylor Momsen, 25 years after How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The duo posed on the red carpet at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, where Carrey gave a moving speech and Momsen performed “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun” with Soundgarden. (Momsen’s holiday album Pretty Reckless Christmas dropped October 31, just in time for the full-circle moment.)
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Which tribute hit you hardest—Sly, Soundgarden, or Cocker? And did the Grinch reunion make your heart grow three sizes? Drop your thoughts below.
