The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame has ushered in a new class of musical titans. This year’s inductees were Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, Carol Kaye, and Lenny Waronker.
Although The White Stripes was one of the evening’s honorees, Jack White took a moment to pour into newer acts. Inducted by fellow trailblazer Iggy Pop, White used his speech to poetically encourage the next generation of musicians.
“Get your hands dirty, and drop the screens, and get out in your garage or your little room and get obsessed,” said White. “Get obsessed with something, you know. Get passionate. We all want to share in what you create.”
While Meg White opted out of attending, seemingly due to her battle with anxiety, White used the remaining time onstage to honor her. Watch Jack White’s full speech below.
Earlier in the evening, The White Stripes was honored with performances of their hits by Twenty One Pilots (“Seven Nation Army”), Olivia Rodrigo and Feist (“We’re Going To Be Friends”).
Read Jack White’s full induction speech at below.
“Get your hands dirty, and drop the screens, and get out in your garage or your little room and get obsessed. Get obsessed with something, you know. Get passionate. We all want to share in what you create.
One time a girl climbed a tree, and in that tree was a boy, her brother she thought. And the tree looked so glorious and beautiful. But it was just an oak tree. And these two so loved the world that they brought forth a parade float, one they built in their garage behind the oak tree with their own bare hands.
And the boy looked at this giant peppermint on wheels and felt pride. Pride that It was produced in the Motor City, just like in the big factories. But it was just in their garage. He looked at the girl, his sister he thought, and like the little rascals they said let’s put on a show!
And they paraded this float through the Cass Corridor, standing atop the peppermint, pulled by white horses, or maybe it was a red Econoline van, and many of the blocks they traveled were empty, but some had people, and some of those people cheered, and some laughed, and some even threw stones. And with their bare hands the two started to clap and sing and make up songs. And some people kept watching, and swaying and moving, and then one person even smiled.
And the boy and the girl looked at each other and also smiled. And they both felt the sin of pride, but they still kept on smiling. Smiling from a new freedom, knowing that they had shared and made another person feel something. And they thought the person smiling at them was a stranger, someone they didn’t even know. But it wasn’t just a stranger; it was God.“
On January 1, 2026, ABC will air the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame across its network stations. Find more information here.