Jann Wenner Stepping Down As R&R HoF Chairman, John Sykes Next Up

Jann Wenner will step down from his role as chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Jan. 1, but he will remain on the board of directors. The new chairman will be current board member John Sykes. 

Wenner, the co-founder and editorial director of Rolling Stone magazine, has shepherded the R&R HoF since its annual incarnation as an “industry dinner” in 1986. He took over the role as chairman from music industry legend Ahmet Ertegun in 2006. 

The announcement of Wenner’s abdication drew comments from a few recognizable names. 

“Jann is always the man with a vision and he had a great one for the Hall of Fame,” Bruce Springsteen said in a statement. “He built a beautiful and credible home for our history and deserves our appreciation and respect for this tremendous accomplishment.” 

Mick Jagger also commented: “A long time ago, when no one was thinking about our music and its posterity, Jann saw that we needed a place to celebrate popular music and recognize the people who had made the music grow. It was a visionary idea and he stuck with it.”

The new chairman, Sykes, is president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia, and was a co-founder of MTV and VH1. 

This year’s inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, Radiohead, The Cure, Roxy Music and the Zombies.