Rock & Roll Hall of Fame turns up starpower to induct Cher, Foreigner, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy and more

CLEVELAND (AP) — Hollywood stars Julia Roberts and Zendaya bookended Saturday’s inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, giving a little stardust to an eclectic lineup that included pop icon Cher, heavy metal’s Ozzy Osbourne, hip-hop soul queen Mary J. Blige, soft rockers Foreigner and 83-year-old soul icon Dionne Warwick.

It was a five-hour-plus show that also honored hip-hop trailblazers A Tribe Called Quest, punk pioneers the MC5, the effortless dance music of Kool & the Gang, the soft rock of Foreigner, the beach bum tunes of Jimmy Buffett and the jam band fusion of Dave Matthews Band.

Dua Lipa opened the show singing Cher’s “Believe” before the 78-year-old icon joined her onstage, giving way to Zendaya who noted that Cher is the only woman to have a No. 1 hit on a Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. “Cher has got the goods,” Zendaya said before Cher performed a rocking version of “If I Could Turn Back Time.”

In her speech, Cher thanked her mother for instilling in her to always get back up after defeat. “I never give up," she said. "I'm talking to the women — down and out, we keep going.”

Roberts helped induct Dave Matthews Band — she’s a self-avowed superfan and she appeared in the band’s video for the 2005 single, “Dreamgirl.” Roberts, wearing a band T-shirt, said the appeal of the group is “spontaneous abandon,” adding the first time she danced with her husband was to one ofn their songs.

The jam band, with their mix of funk, folk-rock, jazz, blues and pop, then played “Ants Marching” — asking the crowd to sing the chorus — “Crash” and “So Much to Say.” The arena was still full when they hit the stage after midnight, with the crowd singing along and swaying.

Matthews hugged Roberts, handed out the trophies to his bandmates, and called the class of 2024 impressive. “We're swimming in very deep water here,” he said. He thanked the current and former band members and the bar owner who gave them a home in Charlottesville, Virginia. When he thanked the fans, they roared back.

Dr Dre inducted Blige, who is credited with creating a completely new category of music — hip-hop soul. The nine-time Grammy-winner’s best-known song is ”Family Affair″ from her triple-platinum 2001 album “No More Drama.” “When you listen to Mary, you understand you’re not alone in heartbreak,” Dre said.

Blige, wearing shiny black hat, a sparkly dress and long black gloves and boots, sang a mix of her hits, including “Love No Limit,” “Be Happy” and “Family Affair.” At the end of her set, a dancer brought up a cloak to wrap around her, in an echo of James Brown. “Move with grace. Trust the journey,” she advised. “You are worthy.”

Chuck D inducted Kool & the Gang, saying “This is a long-due celebration.” The band had 12 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including the 1980 chart-topper “Celebration” as well as “Cherish,” “Get Down On It,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Ladies Night” and “Joanna.” They’ve been eligible for the hall since 1994.

The Roots helped the band do a medley of hits that got the crowd grooving led by Robert “Kool” Bell — bass guitarist, co-founder and last original member — and longtime singer James “JT” Taylor. Confetti shot into the arena and Taylor asked the crowd to use their cellphone lights as he read off the names of 10 members who were critical to the band's success.

Warwick arrived at the ceremony only a few days after attending a memorial to her longtime friend and collaborator, Cissy Houston. Teyana Taylor called her “truly one of a kind” as well as telling off the teleprompter operator for not putting "Ms." before her name. Jennifer Hudson sang “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and was joined by Warwick, who also sang “Walk On By.”

Warwick said this year was the third time she was nominated for the Hall. “I am so pleased to be here,” she said. “I'm just going to say this and get off the stage: Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Dave Chappelle helped induct A Tribe Called Quest — Q-Tip, Jarobi, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late Phife Dawg — the lone hip-hop group to make the cut this year. Chappelle said the group incorporated "jazz and soul in a way hip-hop had never seen." Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Common, The Roots and De La Soul were on hand to perform a medley of Tribe hits, including “Bonita Applebum,” “Scenario” and “Can I Kick It?"

Sammy Hagar introduced Foreigner, and thanked their fans for their tenacity to demand inclusion. The English-American rockers — with hits like “Cold as Ice,” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You” — topped the charts in the 1970s and ’80s but never made it into the Hall — much less a ballot — until last year, despite being eligible for more than 20 years.

Hagar noted that Foreigner currently tours without any original members. “That's how good the songs are,” he said. “Who deserves this more than Foreigner?” Demi Lovato and Slash joined the touring Foreigner for “Feels Like the First Time” and Hagar then took lead for "Hot Blooded." Kelly Clarkson thrilled with a powerful “I Want to Know What Love Is” but the arena erupted when original singer Lou Gramm joined her.

Saturday's induction ceremony was at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, where the Hall has promised to return to every few years. A TV special with performance highlights will air on ABC on Jan. 1.

Roger Daltrey of The Who inducted Frampton. “It’s about bloody time!” he said. “Peter has had the most amazing career of all time. It’s probably easier to name the people he hasn’t worked with than the people he has,” Daltrey said.

Frampton earned his way into the Hall in large part on the strength of his 1976 live double album “Frampton Comes Alive!,” buoyed by the hit songs “Show Me the Way” and ″Baby, I Love Your Way.” Daltrey noted Frampton has always played with a wide smile.

A fittingly grinning Frampton — who played at last year's ceremony to honor Sheryl Crow — brought on Keith Urban to trade licks on “Do You Feel Like I Do” and showed why he is considered one of rock's great guitarists. He hooked up his famous talk box effect and the crowd roared.

Dave Matthews — before his band's inducement — helped honor Buffett with an acoustic version of the late singer-songwriter’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty.” James Taylor then came out to call Buffett — who popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist song “Margaritaville” — “larger-than-life but at the same time right-sized and always authentic.” Taylor, Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally then performed Buffett's “Come Monday.”

Musician-actor Jack Black toasted Osbourne, saying that “heaven opened up above me” when he first listened to the album “Blizzard of Ozz.” Black called Osbourne “the Jack Nicholson of rock” and joked that his reality TV show “The Osbournes“ was possibly “the most evil thing he ever did.”

Osbourne, seated in a throne, credited the late guitarist Randy Rhoads and his wife, Sharon, for his career and life. This is the second time Ozzy has entered the Hall, the first time being in 2006 with the seminal metal band Black Sabbath. A tribute band to the Prince of Darkness — including Jelly Roll, Billy Idol, Maynard James Keenan, Wolfgang Van Halen, Steve Stevens and Robert Trujillo — played “Crazy Train,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “No More Tears.”

The In Memoriam section included tributes, among others, to Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, David Sanborn and Liam Payne. Dave Matthews Band performed “Burning Down the House” from the Talking Heads as fans filled out.

Queen Latifah, from left, Spliff Star, Common, Posdnuos, Busta Rhymes, Black Thought perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jack Black, left, and Ozzy Osbourne appear during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jack Black speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jack Black, left, and Ozzy Osbourne appear during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Carter Beauford, left, and Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews band perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dave Matthews, left, and Julia Roberts embrace during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Julia Roberts speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Mary J. Blige speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Method Man, from left, Dr. Dre, and Mary J. Blige appear during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Mary J. Blige performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Mary J. Blige speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Keith Urban, left, and Peter Frampton perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Peter Frampton raises his hand in recognition of David Bowie during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jennifer Hudson performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Lou Gramm of Foreigner performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Chad Smith, left, on drum, and Demi Lovato perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

James "J.T." Taylor, left, and Robert "Kool" Bell of Kool & the Gang perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Teyana Taylor speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

James "J.T." Taylor, left, and Robert "Kool" Bell of Kool & The Gang perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

CORRECTS NAME OF PERSON SHOWN - Roger Daltrey speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dionne Warwick, left, and Jennifer Hudson perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Zendaya speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dua Lipa performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dua Lipa performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cher, left, and Dua Lipa during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Robert "Kool" Bell of Kool & the Gang performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Chad Smith, from left, on drums, Kelly Clarkson, and Lou Gramm of Foreigner perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Zendaya speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Peter Frampton performs during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

James "J.T." Taylor, left, and Robert "Kool" Bell of Kool & The Gang perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cher speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dionne Warwick speaks during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cher, left, and Dua Lipa perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cher, left, and Dua Lipa perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cher, left, and Dua Lipa perform during the 39th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

FILE - Ozzy Osbourne performs at the 10th annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert in Los Angeles on May 12, 2014. (Photo by Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Mick Jones of the band Foreigner performs in concert during the "Soundtrack of Summer Tour 2014" in Camden, N.J., on July 3, 2014. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Thom Gimbel, from left, Michael Bluestein, Mick Jones, Kelly Hansen, Jeff Pilson and Bruce Watson of Foreigner pose for a portrait during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on Jan. 20, 2017. (Photo by Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Peter Frampton performs during "Finale - The Farewell Tour" at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Members of the Dave Matthews Band, Tim Reynolds, Jeff Coffin, Boyd Tinsley, Rashawn Ross, Dave Matthews, Stefan Lessard and Carter Beauford arrive at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Jimmy Buffett performs at the after party for the premiere of "Jurassic World" in Los Angeles, on June 9, 2015. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Dionne Warwick performs at MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

FILE - English blues singer John Mayall performs with his band The Bluesbreakers, on the stage of the Miles Davis hall during the 42nd Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, late Monday, July 7, 2008. (Sandro Campardo/Keystone via AP, File)

FILE - Dave Matthews, of Dave Matthews Band, performs on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, Ga. (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Wayne Kramer, co-founder of the protopunk Detroit band the MC5, plays a guitar at his recording studio in Los Angeles on Jan. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — George Russell put Mercedes on the pole for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in an upset over teammate Lewis Hamilton, who had been considered the favorite but struggled in Friday night's final qualifying session.

“It feels incredible to be back on pole, we've been so quick all weekend,” Russell said of the fourth pole of his career. “But I'm just so happy and we've got to do some deep diving to find out why we've been so quick because it's been a bit of a surprise.”

Hamilton was fastest in the first two practice sessions of the weekend with Russell fastest in Friday night's third and final session. But come qualifying, Hamilton made two mistakes in the final group and wound up a distant 10th as Russell will lead the field to green in Saturday night's race.

Russell snagged the top starting spot at the buzzer after Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc seemed to sweep the front row. Russell's late lap then pushed Sainz to second, Pierre Gasly slid into third, and Leclerc wound up fourth.

“That was a tight quali, a bit closer to pole than what I was expecting, I thought I had pole and then George came very, very quick at the end,” Sainz said. “We need to stay confident that tomorrow we could be fighting closer to the front even more than today so that tomorrow we might have a chance at going for the win and that will be the target.”

Championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull qualified fourth. Verstappen needs only to score three points more than challenger Lando Norris on Saturday night to win his fourth consecutive world championship, and the McLaren driver qualified sixth.

Verstappen had struggled much of the weekend as Red Bull used an incorrect setup on the rear wings of its two cars but claimed the issues had been corrected in time for qualifying.

But the fix didn't help Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who was knocked out of the first group of qualifying for the sixth time this season and will start 16th on Saturday night in Red Bull's uphill fight to remain in the race for the constructor championship. The two-time reigning constructor winners are third in the standings with three races remaining.

“Unbelievable, it doesn't get any better,” Perez said on his radio. “I can't find any grip.”

He later said Las Vegas has been a struggle for Red Bull.

“The whole weekend I've been struggling quite a lot with the grip. It is really hard to put a lap together,” he said. “I did expect a very difficult qualifying and it turned out to be quite a tough one.”

Franco Colapinto, one of the drivers sometimes mentioned as a possible replacement at Red Bull for Perez, had his own miserable qualifying session when he crashed hard into the wall as the second qualifying group came to a close. The contact completely destroyed his Williams less than 24 hours before the start of the race.

In addition to delaying the start of the the third session, the crash may have impacted Colapinto's future on the F1 grid. He also crashed during the last race at Brazil when, running 16th, he crashed coming onto the main straight as the field was under safety car conditions due to rain.

Although unhurt, the incident cost Williams millions of dollars in damage and the Las Vegas crash only added to the growing total. Colapinto was a midseason replacement for Logan Sargeant, who was fired for underperforming, and will be replaced at Williams next year by Sainz.

He'd overperformed in two of his six races with the team by finishing in the points, but the former F2 driver is now hurting his chances to land an F1 seat in 2025.

Williams took a second hit when Alex Albon also failed to advance out of the first qualifying group.

McLaren driver Lando Norris, of Britain, talks with his crew after the final practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, talks with his crew after the final practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, sits in is carvduring qualifications for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, of Spain, drives during the final practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, waits in the garage area prior to a practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, waits in the garage before the final practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)