Pearl Jam, Journey, Joan Baez, ELO and Tupac in Rock&Roll Hall of Fame

Five first-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees -- Pearl Jam, Journey, Electric Light Orchestra, Joan Baez and Tupac Shakur -- will join three-time nominee Yes as the shrine's 2017 inductees.

Nile Rodgers, front-man of 11-time nominees Chic, will also receive an Award for Musical Excellence at the 32nd annual Rock Hall induction ceremony, taking place April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum in Cleveland will open a special exhibit on March 30 to honor the 2017 inductees.

Tupac Shakur

The inductees began reacting to the news immediately. Yes drummer Alan White told Billboard that after two previous nominations, “It's totally exciting. It's a great pleasure to be recognized for something you've been doing all your life and get recognition in the industry for the amount of work you've put in and to have done something that changed the course of history, I guess, over time.”

Baez issued a statement, saying, “I never considered myself to be a rock and roll artist. But as part of the folk music boom which contributed to and influenced the rock revolution of the 60's, I am proud that some of the songs I sang made their way into the rock lexicon. I very much appreciate this honor and acknowledgement by the Hall of Fame.”

Journey, as well as Yes and ELO, have often been cited as Rock Hall snubs in previous years.

Acts are eligible for the Rock Hall 25 years after the release of their first recording. In addition to Chic, others on the ballot this year included Bad Brains, Chaka Khan, Depeche Mode, Jane's Addiction, J. Geils Band, Janet Jackson, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, MC5, Steppenwolf, The Cars and The Zombies.

Pearl Jam

Source: Billboard