The 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions will air live next year, breaking the tradition of having only a truncated edit of the show broadcast at a later date. In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, John Sykes, co-founder of both MTV and VH1, and now the President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia, Inc. shed light on some of the Rock Hall’s changes. Sykes, who’ll replace Jann Wenner as chairman of the Rock Hall, said, “My mantra for my entire career has been, ‘If you want to win, follow the artists,’ because they are the blood that flows through the veins of all our business. We will be celebrating those artists, whether fans go to the physical building in Cleveland or see what we’re doing on Instagram or YouTube, we want to be everywhere.”
Sykes explained: “We have new board members. The induction ceremony will be live next year instead of taped. We’re also looking to do a lot more in California, because it is a cornerstone of the music business. The best time to reinvent is when you’re on top of the game. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is setting new attendance records, it has gained recognition as a true cultural institution. I think now is our chance.”
