The 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala brought music royalty, heartfelt tributes, and powerful performances to the Beverly Hilton on May 17, as the Recording Academy inducted 13 iconic recordings into its prestigious Hall of Fame.
Among the honored: Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, Santana’s Supernatural, Cat Stevens’ Tea for the Tillerman, and Gloria Estefan’s infectious “Conga.” In a moving moment, Estefan recounted writing the hit on a plane, while Leslie Grace’s electric performance brought the ballroom to its feet.
Jon Batiste stole the night with his rendition of “Georgia on My Mind,” accepting the inaugural Ray Charles Architect of Sound award. “To inherit that lineage is beyond words,” Batiste said, dedicating his performance to forgotten voices and the power of music to unify.
John Mellencamp, ever the rebel, honored Republic Records founders Monte and Avery Lipman with both praise and playful jabs. “They like music first,” he said. “That’s rare.”
The evening blended reverence with rock and soul, as legends old and new—Emmylou Harris, Susanna Hoffs, Ledisi, Conan Gray—celebrated decades of music that defined generations, proving once again: the past still plays loud.
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