Honors — April 11, 2014 at 6:37 am

‘This is not just pop music’: Michael Stipe inducts Nirvana into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Michael Stipe

Backed by images of the late Kurt Cobain and his bandmates, former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe inducted Nirvana into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night at a massive ceremony at the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn, declaring of the genre-shaping alt rock act that, “This is not just pop music. This is something much greater than that.”

Related: Nirvana enlists Joan Jett, Kim Gordon, Lorde, J Mascis for Rock Hall, secret gig

Stipe said of the band:

“Nirvana were artists in every sense of the word. Nirvana tapped into a voice that was yearning to be heard. Nirvana were kicking against the mainstream. They spoke truth and a lot of people listened.”

Below, you can watch a 17-minute clip featuring Stipe’s full induction speech, plus the acceptance speeches by surviving members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic (via Randi J.).

 

Video: Michael Stipe inducts Nirvana into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

 

 

18 Comments

  1. I always thought Nirvana were overrated,2 or 3 decent songs. Quickly became bored with their shtick, they inspired lots of other terrible bands which cluttered up “alternative” music with moaning middle class rebels. R.E.M. were vastly superior.

  2. There is no doubt that Nirvana was an incredibly influential band in the early 90’s, but when compared to their contemporaries such as Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mother Love Bone, Alice In Chains and the such, they were, at the very best, an extremely mediocre band musically. They happened to hit at just the right time and luck played a big part in their fame.

  3. Recording 101

    Focus on the central figure and stay there…

  4. James – you could say the same thing about the Ramones and the Sex Pistols.

  5. Another induction ceremony, and once again TRIUMPH is criminally overlooked.

  6. HesterMofet

    I loved how Stipe invited Grohl and Novaselic to the stage and up comes Courtney and Frances Bean and I think Kurt’s mom and sister? The video cuts off before any of them speak. I am guessing there was no fight as it would have been reported, but I bet you will never see them on the same stage again. Nirvana deserved the honor. They blew me away the first time I heard them and were really wicked live.

  7. 2 or 3 good songs? That’s 2 or 3 more than I can think of. Overrated from day one. Garbage that destroyed music for many, many years, and it’s only now recovering a bit. If KC was still around today, he would likely be a tragic joke, similar to Courtney Hole. If you want to see a criminally overlooked exclusion, try the vast and varried career of SPARKS. They should have been in there long ago.

  8. Michael’s speech was dead on. They were right band at the right moment in history. Stipe is a freaking genius, shame he is on permanent vacation

  9. Yeah I heard of ’em. I played the CD too, actually I played the hits I was told about. Then I put up with the rest of the CDs and it never came out again. Not sure about all that, “truth that needed to be heard,” stuff, seems to me they found a commercial formula that clicked. Nothing wrong with that.

    I agree with Boo Hiss though, when is SPARKS gonna get it? “I Predict,” not any time soon.

  10. Good speech, other than the obligatory Stipe leftwing bullshit about Reagan. He hasn’t matured.

  11. Gilson Dee

    HAHAHA a bunch of people that doesnt know ART… I believe most of the comment are from americans… hahaha NIRVANAFOREVER!

  12. delta-mode

    There is no doubt that Nirvana were highly influential and really seemed to make an impact back in the early 90s but I didn’t get it then and I still don’t get it now, I think Nirvana were dreadful, that’s just my opinion. I’d also like to add that it seems a tad ludicrous that Nirvana have been inducted before certain 80s groups that were obviously a big influence on them, i’ll never understand this Hall of Fame.

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