John Sykes, Rock Hall Chair, On This Weekend’s Ceremony, Inclusivity

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Chairman John Sykes has not only done it all – created MTV, rebranded VH-1, been an agent at CAA, served as president of Champion Entertainment and a force at Chrysalis Records, then EMI Publishing where he signed Counting Crows and Stone Temple Pilots, CEO of Infinity Broadcasting and is now president of iHeartMedia Entertainment Enterprises – he’s shaped the last half century of how pop culture is seen, consumed and developed.

Since taking the helm at the Rock Hall Foundation in 2020, he’s worked to create a Hall that recognizes all the diverse artists who inform rock ‘n’ roll.

With inductions Nov. 8 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles celebrating electees Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes, Musical Influence and Musical Excellence Inductees Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye, plus Ahmet Ertegun Awardee Lenny Waronker, it’s going to be a big night. In the process of “full build-out mode,” Sykes explains it all to Pollstar.

Pollstar: What’s the biggest shift in the Rock Hall since 2020?
John Sykes: The most important thing – and the teams we’ve assembled agreed – we were long overdue recognizing the powerful impact of women and people of color who’ve influenced rock music.

It’s been a thing …
It was right in front of our eyes, but no one had acted on it. It’s not as hard as people say, either. If you follow the lineage and the evolving sounds, it’s right there: the collision of rhythm & blues, the blues, gospel and country. You can’t get stuck on one decade or section of the timeline. Rock bands are important, but they’re one piece of what was created by Hank Williams, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Elvis Presley. 

The lack of women; there’s been movement.
You feel it when you look at Meg White (of The White Stripes), Cyndi Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa, Carol Kaye, as well as Thom Bell. What a talent! Outkast, too. Rock ‘n’ roll knows no gender, no color. It knows style and attitude.

When people say, “I like how you’ve made this evolve,” I always respond, “No, we didn’t. I’ve actually gone back to the origins to celebrate what rock’s made of.” If you go back, then look at who’s coming in, these artists are more alike than you think.

Perception is everything.
The fact that Disney+ picked us up three years ago and signed on for another two feels that way. It will also be the third year we’re on broadcast TV; ABC airs a three-hour Best of on New Year’s Day.

The artists seem more invested in the Rock Hall this year.
Yes. It’s not just a tribute to the past, but it’s being in the present with this great music. Getting inducted isn’t about a string of No. 1s or an album or a tour; it recognizes the entirety of a career. This is the artist’s life work we’re honoring.

We bring these artists, their peers, together. This year, we will have Chappell Roan, Teddy Swims, Doja Cat all paying tribute to their heroes. The way Eminem came for LL Cool J and Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift inducting Carole King and Paul McCartney’s speech for the Foo Fighters. It connects a lot of pieces of the music.

Every year, those surprise moments – Prince’s guitar solo on “My Guitar Gently Weeps,” standing next to George Harrison’s son and Tom Petty – it’s played every day on YouTube. Jeff Beck saying he was fired from the Yardbirds, when Rob Halford is singing next to Dolly Parton, where else is that going to happen?

That previous and public reluctance from Dolly Parton or Jay-Z seems to be fading.
Jay-Z wasn’t sure. We had some long talks, and I told him, “Everything about you is rock ‘n’ roll.”

It’s a combination of style, attitude and what goes into your music. Like Chuck D said, “It’s not just the rock, it’s the roll.” That’s so important – the roll.

And when Jay gave his speech in Cleveland, when he held his award up, it all came together.

And that the committee?
Committees. We also have three for the Influences, Excellence and Ahmet Ertegun Awards.

When Jon Landau retired two years ago, he’d set a really high bar and tone for the standard of who gets on the ballot. Because nobody gets paid, they’re all doing it for the love of music. I call the meetings a combination between an intellectual gathering and WWE, because to get to those 12 names, it gets pretty passionate.

It’s like going to Cooperstown. They’re all going up on that wall, and you see how excited they are. Recognized by their peers, for their influence and impact. I love seeing the conversations so many artists have, seeing the artists coming together. s