🎸 2021 – Genre Walls Fully Smashed
- Foo Fighters
- The Go-Go’s
- Jay-Z
- Carole King
- Todd Rundgren
- Tina Turner
Foo Fighters first year eligible and straight in.
Jay-Z inducted while still culturally dominant.
Tina Turner getting in as a solo artist too? Absolute legend status confirmed.
🎤 2022 – 80s Edge & Arena Power
- Duran Duran
- Eminem
- Pat Benatar
- Eurythmics
- Lionel Richie
- Carly Simon
- Dolly Parton
Eminem first year eligible? Straight in.
Dolly initially tried to decline, then dropped a rock album. Only Dolly could do that.
🎶 2023 – Alt, Hip-Hop & Shred Royalty
- Kate Bush
- Sheryl Crow
- Missy Elliott
- George Michael
- Willie Nelson
- Rage Against the Machine
- The Spinners
Kate Bush finally in after the Stranger Things revival bump? Timing is everything.
Rage in the Hall feels deliciously ironic.
🥁 2024 – Big Voices & Indie Icons
- Mary J. Blige
- Cher
- Dave Matthews Band
- Foreigner
- Peter Frampton
- Kool & The Gang
- Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy inducted as a solo artist after Sabbath already went in?
Prince of Darkness officially double-stamped.
🔥 2025 – Modern Rock Meets Legacy Cool
- Bad Company
- Chubby Checker
- Cyndi Lauper
- Joe Cocker
- OutKast
- Soundgarden
- The White Stripes
OutKast and Soundgarden sharing a class?
That’s southern hip-hop and Seattle distortion shaking hands in Cleveland.
🎸 2021–2025 Verdict
At this point the Hall has:
- Fully embraced hip-hop
- Cemented grunge and 90s alt royalty
- Recognised arena legends long overdue
- Continued blurring genre lines completely
Love it. Argue about it. Rage-tweet about it.
The Hall isn’t tidy.
Rock never was.
And that’s exactly why we keep watching it. 🤘🔥
We’ve now officially covered 1986–2025.
Forty years. Hundreds of legends. Endless debate.
Rock history, archived loud.
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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