The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame live-streamed its annual induction ceremony on Disney+ in a rollercoaster evening of performances, speeches and surprise guest appearances.

Stevie Wonder started the ceremony with a tribute medley to Sly Stone. The performance featured Flea, Questlove, Beck, Maxwell and Jennifer Hudson. Mick Fleetwood inducted Bad Company. The group was praised by Fleetwood for capturing audiences with their interpretation of blues and soul in hard rock.

Drummer Simon Kirke backed Joe Perry, Nancy Wilson, Chris Robinson and Bryan Adams to perform “Feel Like Making Love” and “Can’t Get Enough” before accepting the award. He immediately recognized Paul Rodgers, whose health issues prevented him from attending. “This award is not shared just by Paul and [I]…but Mick Ralphs and Boz Burrell, who are amongst us in the stars tonight; they couldn’t be here,” Kirke said.

The ceremony took an energetic turn when Missy Elliot inducted Salt-N-Pepa. Elliot was a powerful testimony to Salt-N-Pepa’s lasting influence through their unapologetic and unforgettable presence. “These three women are the brick layers of the foundation that holds hip hop together. They gave us their shoulders to stand on. I thank y’all for teaching me that life is all about expression.”

They performed “Shoop,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “What A Man” and “Push It.” En Vogue appeared with the group for “What A Man,” while their longtime producer Herby Azor and Kid ‘N Play provided backup for “Push It.” Each member gave an inspiring speech on the difficulties of breaking into the music industry as young Black women. Spinderella, who made history as the first female DJ to be inducted, captured the journey well: “I had to carve my own lane. It was my dedication, it was my craft and I’ve never missed a beat…I carry every female DJ who dared to dream, every woman who ever touched a turntable; this is for you.”

David Letterman inducted his late friend Warren Zevon with a perfect balance between heartfelt and comedy. He called Zevon’s work “dense with historic illusion, love and sadness with an unexpected whimsy delivered with third rail rock and roll or sweetheart breaking lust melodies.” Letterman focused on Zevon’s last words to the public: “enjoy every sandwich.” Zevon, who made his final appearance on Letterman’s show, said the phrase as parting words of wisdom before his death in 2003. The simplicity, yet truth of the phrase was something that has stuck with Letterman in the years since Zevon’s passing and in his eyes, showed the type of soul the musician was.

Next were The White Stripes, inducted by Iggy Pop. He described the Detroit duo as a “21st century Adam and Eve who had started a rock band.” He emphasized the unwavering energy that members Jack and Meg White brought to the scene when they first arrived in 1997. “Today the White Stripes represent the sound of Detroit punk and garage rock and all of its bands and artists and the garage rock movement that caught folks’ imaginations,” White said, dressed in the band’s iconic solid red and black color scheme.

His speech, which was co-written by the unpresent Meg, was cheeky, yet inspiring. “To the homeless, the powerless and the forgotten, we always say thank you. To the young artists, I want to say get your hands dirty and drop the screens and get obsessed. Get obsessed with something, get passionate. We all want to share in what you might create.”

OutKast was inducted by Donald Glover. Glover shared the versatility in the duo’s music and how it comforted and inspired him. The brothers, Andre 3000 and Big Boi, redefined Southern music as funk, gospel and psychedelic soul at a time when rap was only East and West coast. Glover differentiated their music from other Black artists at the time, saying many focused on dealing with reality, while OutKast explored what could be and that “art can argue and harmonize all at once.”

After winning “rock, paper, scissors” to see who would speak, Big Boi thanked his family and manager, inviting them onstage in a long-winded speech. He then performed “ATliens” and “Hey Ya!” with J.I.D., Janella Monae, Doja Cat, Sleepy Brown and Tyler, the Creator. The medley was on a high until Monae joined in for “Hey Ya,” her voice and dancing not suited for the song, ending the hit awkwardly.

Jim Carrey was the shocking choice to induct Soundgarden. He addressed any confusion quickly in his typical, joking way, revealing they met in 1996 when Carrey hosted “SNL” and requested the band as his musical guest. From there, he kept in contact with lead singer Chris Cornell, whom he called “a monumental musical artist, inspirer and innovator.”

Cornell’s oldest daughter, Lily, also speaking, celebrated her father and the band. She introduced the band along with guests Jerry Cantrell, Mike McCready, Brandi Carlile and Taylor Momsen – Carrey’s “Grinch” co-star. Momsen rocked “Rusty Cage” with a deep grunge sound, better at capturing the band’s spirit than Brandi Carlile, who fronted “Blackhole Sun.” Her performance was only countered by Cornell’s younger daughter, who sang “Fell On Black Days” alongside Nancy Wilson, following the band’s speeches.

The surviving members of Soundgarden offered appreciation to supporters and Cornell. Drummer Matt Cameron said it best with his brief remarks: “I accept this on behalf of all the fans of our music, also the misfits, the loners and the introverts who found solace in the lyrics and music of my hero and bandmate Chris Cornell. I love you, Chris.”

The induction of Cyndi Lauper by Chappell Roan was sweet, but awkward. Roan stunned in an extravagant Lauper-inspired outfit and headpiece, but was clearly nervous and struggled to read the teleprompter. Roan commended Lauper’s unique sense of style, talent and advocacy, calling the singer one of her inspirations. “She paved the way for artists like me to freely express themselves.”

Lauper sang “True Colors,” which was praised in her pre-induction video and by Roan in her speech. The rendition was softer than usual, Lauper without the powerhouse vocals she is known for, but still rocking the house with a bold message. Afterwards, she had everyone put their phone flashlights on: “Look at us, we’re a community of light. Don’t forget that, in case it gets really dark.” Lauper, with her own flashlight on, began with “Time After Time.” She was joined by Raye for the number, followed by Avril Lavigne and Salt-n-Pepa for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

The ensemble of women onstage brought the performance together in a true moment of empowerment – even her backing band was full of excited, talented women.

Bryan Adams inducted Joe Cocker, completing the night. He praised Cocker’s ability to make music uniquely from the heart. The tribute to Cocker was an ensemble number led by the Tedeschi Trucks Band and Nathaniel Rateliff, starting with “The Letter,” eventually welcoming Adams, Teddy Swims, Lauper and Robinson for a version of Cocker’s “A Little Help From My Friends.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions were long, but heartwarmingly powerful, uniting artists and music lovers over shared passions and appreciation for industry greats.