Why the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Won't Change Its Name Despite Multiple Stars' Complaints

Mar. 15, 2025

John Sykes in Cleveland in October 2024.Photo:Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame isn’t changing its name anytime soon.Musicians from various genres have been inducted into the prestigious organization over the years, andDolly Partoneven spoke publicly about not feeling like she deserved the honor as a country musician — so why not just change its name to something more general?In anew interview with Vulture, Rock Hall chairman John Sykes said he understands certain genre-based frustrations with the organization and explained why he wouldn’t alter its long-held name.Dolly Parton in Los Angeles in November 2022.Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame"I think it’s because some people don’t understand the meaning of rock and roll," he told the outlet. “If you go back to the original sound in the ’50s, it was everything. As [2023 inductee]Missy Elliottcalls it, it was a gumbo. It just became known as rock and roll.“Sykes continued, “So when I hear people say, ‘You should just change it to the Music Hall of Fame,’ rock and roll has pretty much covered all of that territory. Rather than throwing the name out, it’s doing a better job of communicating to people where rock and roll came from and what it’s truly about. Once they hear it that way, they understand.“He then recalled a conversation with “great friend"Jay-Z, who was inducted in 2021. “I was so excited. But he told me, ‘Rock is dead. It should be called the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.’ And I said, ‘Well, hip-hop is rock and roll.’ He goes, ‘No, it isn’t.’ And I said, ‘We’ve got to do a better job explaining it. Little Richard, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry — these artists were the cornerstones of rock and roll. If you look at the sounds over the years, those artists ended up influencing hip-hop,'” said Sykes.Jay-Z in Cleveland in October 2021.Kevin Mazur/GettyWhile the rap icon “hemmed and hawed” at the idea, he still attended the induction ceremony, which meant a lot to Sykes: “That made me feel like we had done our job to communicate that rock and roll is open to all.“One month after Parton, 78, was revealed to be on the ballot for induction in 2022, sheattempted to remove herselfin order to ensure other acts got a fair shot.“Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” she said at the time. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.“Dolly Parton in Los Angeles in November 2022.Christopher Polk/Variety via GettyHer request, however,came too late— and she then changed course. “I’ll accept gracefully. I’ll just say, ‘Thanks,’ and I’ll accept it because the fans vote,” she toldNPR’sMorning Edition.“But when I said that, it was always my belief that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was for the people in rock music,” said Parton. “I just felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me, ‘cause I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously there’s more to it than that.“Ultimately, Parton was among the 2022 Rock Hall inductees — and she also used the moment to inspire her 2023 rock album, aptly titledRockstar.“I’m gonna have to live up to it if I’m gonna be in the Hall of Fame,” shetold PEOPLEin November 2022.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame isn’t changing its name anytime soon.

Musicians from various genres have been inducted into the prestigious organization over the years, andDolly Partoneven spoke publicly about not feeling like she deserved the honor as a country musician — so why not just change its name to something more general?

In anew interview with Vulture, Rock Hall chairman John Sykes said he understands certain genre-based frustrations with the organization and explained why he wouldn’t alter its long-held name.

Dolly Parton in Los Angeles in November 2022.Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

“I think it’s because some people don’t understand the meaning of rock and roll,” he told the outlet. “If you go back to the original sound in the ’50s, it was everything. As [2023 inductee]Missy Elliottcalls it, it was a gumbo. It just became known as rock and roll.”

Sykes continued, “So when I hear people say, ‘You should just change it to the Music Hall of Fame,’ rock and roll has pretty much covered all of that territory. Rather than throwing the name out, it’s doing a better job of communicating to people where rock and roll came from and what it’s truly about. Once they hear it that way, they understand.”

He then recalled a conversation with “great friend"Jay-Z, who was inducted in 2021. “I was so excited. But he told me, ‘Rock is dead. It should be called the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.’ And I said, ‘Well, hip-hop is rock and roll.’ He goes, ‘No, it isn’t.’ And I said, ‘We’ve got to do a better job explaining it. Little Richard, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry — these artists were the cornerstones of rock and roll. If you look at the sounds over the years, those artists ended up influencing hip-hop,'” said Sykes.

Jay-Z in Cleveland in October 2021.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

While the rap icon “hemmed and hawed” at the idea, he still attended the induction ceremony, which meant a lot to Sykes: “That made me feel like we had done our job to communicate that rock and roll is open to all.”

One month after Parton, 78, was revealed to be on the ballot for induction in 2022, sheattempted to remove herselfin order to ensure other acts got a fair shot.

“Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” she said at the time. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”

Dolly Parton in Los Angeles in November 2022.Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

Her request, however,came too late— and she then changed course. “I’ll accept gracefully. I’ll just say, ‘Thanks,’ and I’ll accept it because the fans vote,” she toldNPR’sMorning Edition.

“But when I said that, it was always my belief that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was for the people in rock music,” said Parton. “I just felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me, ‘cause I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously there’s more to it than that.”

Ultimately, Parton was among the 2022 Rock Hall inductees — and she also used the moment to inspire her 2023 rock album, aptly titledRockstar.“I’m gonna have to live up to it if I’m gonna be in the Hall of Fame,” shetold PEOPLEin November 2022.

source: people.com