Rock and Roll Hall of Fame facts for kids
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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017
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| Established | April 20, 1983 Dedicated September 1, 1995 |
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| Location | 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard (East 9th Street at Lake Erie) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. 44114 |
| Visitors | 543,000 (2016) |
| Public transit access |  East 9th–North Coast |
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, often called the Rock Hall, is a cool museum and hall of fame in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, right by Lake Erie. This museum tells the story of rock music. It celebrates the artists, producers, and other important people who helped rock and roll become what it is today.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation started on April 20, 1983. It was created by Ahmet Ertegun, who founded Atlantic Records. After looking for the perfect spot, Cleveland was chosen in 1986 as the museum's permanent home. A famous architect named I. M. Pei designed the building. The museum officially opened its doors on September 1, 1995.
Contents
How the Rock Hall Started
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was created in 1983 by Ahmet Ertegun. He gathered a team of music experts, including Jann S. Wenner, who published Rolling Stone magazine.
The Foundation began adding artists to its Hall of Fame in 1986. But the museum itself didn't have a home yet! Many cities wanted to be the home of the Rock Hall. These included Philadelphia, Memphis, Tennessee, Detroit, Cincinnati, Ohio, and New York City.
Cleveland worked hard to get the museum. City leaders promised $65 million to help build it. They pointed out that WJW radio DJ Alan Freed first used the phrase "rock and roll". He also played a lot of this new music. Cleveland was also where Freed's Moondog Coronation Ball happened. Many people say this was the first big rock and roll concert. Alan Freed was even one of the first people added to the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Cleveland also mentioned radio station WMMS. This station helped many big bands become famous in the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. These bands included David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Roxy Music, and Rush.
Designing the Iconic Building
When planning the museum, the Foundation first thought about a spot along the Cuyahoga River. But they finally chose the location by Lake Erie, on East Ninth Street. They asked architect I. M. Pei to design a brand new building.
Pei came up with the idea of a tall tower with a glass pyramid sticking out. He first wanted the tower to be 200 feet (61 meters) tall. But he had to make it shorter, 162 feet (49 meters), because it was close to Burke Lakefront Airport. The building's base covers about 150,000 square feet (13,935 square meters).
The building's construction officially began on June 7, 1993. Famous musicians like Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry, and Billy Joel were there for the groundbreaking ceremony.
The museum was dedicated on September 1, 1995. Yoko Ono and Little Richard helped cut the ribbon in front of over 10,000 people. The next night, a huge concert was held at Cleveland Stadium. It featured stars like Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, and many more.
The museum shows the whole history of rock and roll. It doesn't just focus on the artists who have been added to the Hall of Fame. The special Hall of Fame area is in a part of the building that reaches out over Lake Erie.
Since 1986, new artists have been chosen for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame every year. The official induction ceremony has been held in New York City many times. It has also been held in Los Angeles a few times. And it has been held in Cleveland six times. As of 2018, the ceremonies switch between New York and Cleveland each year.
In 2020, the Rock Hall announced plans to make the museum even bigger. A company called PAU will lead this expansion project.
What's Inside the Museum?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame building has seven levels.
- The lowest level is the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall. This is the main gallery. It has exhibits about the roots of rock and roll, like gospel, blues, rhythm & blues, and folk. It also shows how different cities like Memphis, Detroit, and London influenced rock music. You can learn about hip hop music, rock and roll radio, and even protests against rock and roll. This floor also has exhibits about specific artists like the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. There's a theater here that shows films about things like American Bandstand.
- The first floor is where you enter. It has a café and a stage for special performances. There's also a section called "Backstage Stories".
- The second floor has interactive screens. You can learn about "one-hit wonders" and the "Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". This level also has exhibits with cool items about Les Paul and the history of sound technology.
- You enter the Hall of Fame section on the third floor. Here, you can experience "The Power of Rock Experience". This includes a film with amazing musical moments from past induction ceremonies.
- You leave the Hall of Fame section on the fourth floor. This level has the Foster Theater, a modern 3-D theater used for special events.
- The top two levels of the museum have large, temporary exhibits. Over the years, these have featured famous artists like Elvis Presley, the Who, U2, John Lennon, and the Rolling Stones.
The Building's Cool Design
The building was designed by I. M. Pei. It stands tall by the shores of Lake Erie. It's made of different shapes and parts that stick out. A 162-foot (49-meter) tower holds up a glass "tent" that looks like two triangles. This glass part stretches out over a large plaza, which is the main entrance.
The building has over 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) of space for exhibits. It also has offices, a gift shop, and a café.
I. M. Pei said he wanted the building to show the "energy of rock and roll." He hoped it would become an important landmark for Cleveland and for rock and roll fans everywhere.
New York City Branch
In 2006, the Rock Hall opened a branch museum in New York City. It was called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC. It opened on November 18, 2008, in the SoHo area of Manhattan. The Annex was an underground space that was 25,000 square feet (2,322 square meters) big.
This branch museum was similar to the one in Cleveland. It showed famous items like Prince's coat from Purple Rain and Elvis Presley's motorcycle jacket. But it also focused on New York City's rock history. It had the phone booth from CBGB (a famous music club) and Bruce Springsteen's own 1957 Chevrolet. There was even a 26-foot (8-meter) model of Manhattan showing important rock history spots.
The New York City Annex closed on January 3, 2010. It closed because of money problems and fewer tourists visiting the city. Its last big exhibit was about John Lennon and his time in New York City.
Museum Exhibits and Programs
Since 1997, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has had many temporary exhibits. Some are very large and fill the top two floors. Others are smaller and are in the main hall.
The museum also has exhibits about rock and roll photography and art. It has shown the work of famous photographers like Linda McCartney.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also puts on many public programs. These include concerts, interviews, talks, and film showings. They all help tell the story of rock and roll.
Every February, the museum celebrates Black History Month. They have concerts, films, and talks that show how important African-Americans have been to rock and roll.
Another program is the Hall of Fame Series. This started in 1996. It features interviews with artists who are already in the Hall of Fame. These interviews often happen in the museum's Foster Theater. After the interview, the audience can ask questions. Sometimes the artist even performs!
A similar program is the Legends Series. This series features artists who are not yet in the Hall of Fame. Musicians like Peter Hook of Joy Division and Spinderella of Salt n Pepa have been part of this series.
The museum's most well-known program is the annual American Music Masters series. Each year, the museum celebrates one Hall of Fame artist. They have a week of events, including interviews, films, and sometimes a special exhibit. The celebration ends with a big concert in Cleveland. Many different artists perform at these concerts, from Hall of Fame members to new musicians.
The American Music Masters series started in 1996. It has honored artists like Jimmie Rodgers, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, and Johnny Cash. In 2019, this concert series changed its name to Rock Hall Honors. The first Rock Hall Honors concert featured Mavis Staples.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won a special award in 2020 called the Webby People's Voice Award for Cultural Institution.
Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
The museum's curator, James Henke, and other music experts created a list of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". This list is part of a permanent exhibit at the museum. It includes songs from the 1920s through the 1990s. The oldest song on the list is "Wabash Cannonball" from around 1882.
Since then, 160 more songs have been added. The list is now simply called "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". The newest songs on the list are "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley and "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, both released in 2006. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones have the most songs on the 660-song list, with eight songs each.
25th Anniversary Concert
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert series. It happened over two days, October 29 and 30, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Many famous artists performed, including Jerry Lee Lewis, U2, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Metallica, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Mick Jagger. The first night lasted almost six hours!
Who Gets Inducted?
Artists are added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at an annual ceremony. Most of these ceremonies have been held in New York City. But they have also been held in Los Angeles and Cleveland. The plan now is for the ceremony to be in Cleveland every three years.
Usually, about six to twelve artists are inducted each year. Most living inductees attend the ceremonies. Another artist who was influenced by their music usually gives them their award. Both the presenter and the inductee speak. The ceremonies also feature many musical performances. As of 2021, there were 338 inductees.
The very first group of inductees was added on January 23, 1986. This group included Elvis Presley, James Brown, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly.
Performers
A special committee of rock and roll historians chooses names for the "Performers" category. This includes singers, bands, and musicians. Then, about 500 experts from around the world vote on these names. These voters include journalists and people from the music industry.
Artists can be considered for induction 25 years after their first record came out. They are chosen based on how much they influenced rock and roll. About five to seven performers are inducted each year.
In 2012, six more groups were added as performers by a special committee. These included the Miracles and the Famous Flames.
Early Influences
The "Early Influences" category includes artists from earlier times. These are mainly from country, folk, jazz, and blues. Their music inspired and influenced rock and roll artists. Some famous "Early Influences" inductees include Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, and Louis Armstrong.
Ahmet Ertegun Award
This award used to be called the "Non-Performers" award. It honors people who work behind the scenes in the music world. This includes record label bosses, songwriters, music producers, and radio DJs. After the Hall of Fame's co-founder Ahmet Ertegun passed away, this award was renamed in his honor in 2008.
Award for Musical Excellence
This award was first called the "Sidemen" award. It started in 2000. It honors experienced musicians who play in recording sessions or concerts. This award was renamed the "Award for Musical Excellence" in 2010. The president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation said this award helps them recognize people who might not usually get honored.
Library and Archives
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Library and Archives is a huge collection of materials about the history of rock and roll. It's located in a new building in Cleveland.
The goal of the library and archives is to collect, keep safe, and share these materials. People can visit the library to read books and magazines. They can also listen to music and watch videos. More serious researchers can make an appointment to look at special collections.
The library has books, academic papers, and other reference materials. It also has popular magazines, music journals, and recordings.
The archives include business records from music executives and record labels. They also have important personal items. These include letters written by Aretha Franklin and Madonna. There are also handwritten song lyrics by Jimi Hendrix and LL Cool J.
See also
In Spanish: Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll para niños
- List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
