Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day, and what better way to celebrate than by honoring the 55 influential women that have been inducted into the performers’ section of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
While 2019 sees the addition of Janet Jackson and Stevie Nicks (the first woman to be a double-inductee), women only comprise just over seven percent of the performers’ section of the Rock Hall. (The performers’ section is currently made up of 751 musicians.)
While there are plenty of women eligible and worthy for induction, scroll through the list below and see who’s made it into the Rock Hall so far. Hopefully, significantly more women will be added in future years.
Aretha Franklin – Inducted in 1987
The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson) – Inducted in 1988
LaVern Baker – Inducted in 1991
Tina Turner – Inducted in 1991 with Ike & Tina Turner
Ruth Brown – Inducted in 1993
Etta James – Inducted in 1993
Cynthia Robinson – Inducted in 1993 with Sly & the Family Stone
Donna Jean Godchaux – Inducted in 1994 with the Grateful Dead
Janis Joplin – Inducted in 1995
Martha and the Vandellas (Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford-Holmes, Annette Sterling-Helton, Lois Reeves, Betty Kelly) – Inducted in 1995
Gladys Knight – Inducted in 1996 with Gladys Knight & the Pips
The Shirelles (Shirley Alston Reeves, Addie Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, Beverly Lee) – Inducted in 1996
Maureen Tucker – Inducted in 1996 with The Velvet Underground
Grace Slick – Inducted in 1996 with Jefferson Airplane
Joni Mitchell – Inducted in 1997
Christine McVie & Stevie Nicks – Inducted in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac. Nick is the first woman double inductee as part of the 2019 induction class for her solo work.
Cass Elliot & Michelle Phillips – Inducted in 1998 with The Mamas & the Papas
Dusty Springfield – Inducted in 1999
Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples & Yvonne Staples – Inducted in 1999 with The Staple Singers
Bonnie Raitt – Inducted in 2000
Brenda Lee – Inducted in 2002
Tina Weymouth – Inducted in 2002 with Talking Heads
Chrissie Hynde – Inducted in 2005 with The Pretenders
Debbie Harry – Inducted in 2006 with Blondie
The Ronettes (Veronica, Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley) – Inducted in 2007
Patti Smith – inducted in 2007
Madonna – Inducted in 2008
Agnetha Fältskog & Anni-Frid Lyngstad – Inducted in 2010 with ABBA
Darlene Love – Inducted in 2011
Claudette Rogers Robinson – Inducted in 2012 with The Miracles
Laura Nyro – Inducted in 2012
Ann & Nancy Wilson – Inducted in 2013 with Heart
Donna Summer – Inducted in 2013
Linda Ronstadt – Inducted in 2014
Joan Jett – Inducted in 2015 with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Joan Baez – Inducted in 2017
Nina Simone – Inducted in 2018
Janet Jackson – Inducted in 2019
Erica Banas is rock/classic rock news blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.