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Nirvana, KISS, Peter Gabriel, and More Named Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2014 Inductees

nirvana, rock and roll hall of fame

Check out the best moments of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2014 ceremony with Nirvana, Kiss, and more.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2014 inductees. Nirvana lead the pack, entering the pantheon in their first year of eligibility. (Guess alt-rock is now officially part of the classic-rock canon.) Rounding out the class of 2014 is KISS, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, Hall and Oates, and Linda Ronstadt.

As for the night’s other honors: the Award for Musical Excellence will be given to Bruce Springsteen’s the E Street Band; Beatles manager Brian Epstein and the Rolling Stones’ original manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, will both be recognized with the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers.

In an official statement, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic said, “This is a great honor. Thank you to the people who nominated and voted for us. Thank you most of all to Kurt Cobain. And to everyone who’s kept Rock music going strong for 60 years and counting.”

SPIN cover star and Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl had this to say: “For once… I’m speechless. From the basements, to the dingy clubs, to the broken down vans, to… the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I’d like to thank the committee not only for this induction, but also for recognizing Nirvana for what we were: pure rock and roll. Most of all, thank you to all of the fans that have supported rock and roll throughout the years, and to Kurt and Krist, without whom I would not be here today.”

Nominations were announced back in October, with Nirvana’s induction looking like a foregone conclusion. Of course, the gate-keepers at the Hall of Fame (a pool of more than 600 “artists, historians, and members of the music industry,” according to the Rock Hall) won’t pay respects to every scruffy, punk-worshipping band up for inclusion, which means Nirvana’s fellow nominees the Replacements didn’t make the final cut. Other all-time greats who were considered for induction but fell short: N.W.A., LL Cool J, Chic, the Zombies, Deep Purple, Yes, Link Wray, the Meters, and Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Last year’s round of inductees included Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Rush, Heart, Randy Newman, and Albert King.

To be eligible for a spot in the Cleveland museum, an artist or group’s first album or single must be at least 25 years old. Of all the artists nominated this go-around, Nirvana were the only ones tapped in their first year of eligibility (the band’s cover of Shocking Blues’ “Love Buzz” was released in 1988).

The induction ceremony will take place on April 10, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Tickets will go on sale in January, marking the first time that the event will be open to the public in New York City. The ceremony will then air on HBO in May. Stay tuned for details regarding presenters and performers.