Cher gets into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, says her divorces were easier

Cher‘s love-hate relationship with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has reached its natural conclusion: She has finally been welcomed as a member of the elite roster of musicians.

During the Oct. 19 ceremony, the singer wasn’t just among the many inductees — she was the first of them to be honored. In fact, the Goddess of Pop opened the ceremony by performing her iconic 1998 single “Believe” with Dua Lipa. Afterwards, Zendaya stepped out, paying homage to Cher’s iconic Bob Mackie looks in a vintage gold dress. 

“She has navigated a multitude of musical genres, defined new ones and reinvented others,” said the Euphoria star, introducing the performer. “Her music touches your heart, your spirit, makes you dance, makes you rock, and has stood the test of time.”

Welcomed back by the sound of a screaming crowd, Cher took the stage once more to perform another one of her big hits, 1989’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” before delivering her acceptance speech.

“It was easier getting divorced from two men than it was getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” she immediately quipped as she got to the mic.

The singer went on to thank her longtime “guardian,” producer David Geffen, and credited her mother with teaching her that she was special and to “never give up.”

“She said, ‘You know, if you’re down and you’re out, you get up again.’ And in my life, I’ve been so down,” Cher said. “As my mother would say, ‘lower than a snake’s belly.’ That’s how down I’ve been. People have told me that I was finished, that I was through, that I have 10 minutes. The one thing that I think I got from my mom is I never gave up.”

She then retraced the ups and downs of her career — from her Sonny & Cher days to becoming an actress to pursuing her solo career. “Honestly, I believe what my mom said, but I’m lucky,” the Grammy winner admitted. “I’ve had really bad things happen. I was dropped by four labels. When it was completely over, I did ‘Believe,’ and it was like, ‘Yes!’ I’ve just been really lucky, and I have had number ones for seven decades, which surprises me, because I’m a good singer.”

“You know, I’m a good singer,” she continued, before adding, “I’m not a great singer,” which elicited a wave of laugher and disagreement from the audience.

Cher laughed. “You know what? I’ll take it,” she said. “And also, I changed the sound of music forever, alright? And ‘Believe’ really changed the sound of music.”

She concluded her remarks by talking directly to the women of the world. “You guys are on your own,” she said. “We’ve been down and out, and we keep striving, and we keep going, and we keep building, and we are somebody. We are special. As my mom would say, ‘We’re special.'”

The big moment comes nearly a year after Cher lamented being shut out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and said she’d never accept an invitation to be inducted. “You know what? I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars. I’m not kidding you,” Cher said during a December 2023 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, adding that she was “never gonna change” her mind. Months later, she walked her comments back.

Alongside Cher, the Rock Hall’s Class of 2024 includes A Tribe Called Quest, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Kool & the Gang, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne, and Peter Frampton. The Hall also gave special awards to musicians including Alexis Korner, John Mayall, and blues songstress Big Mama Thornton, while Dionne Warwick, Norman Whitfield, rock band MC5, and Jimmy Buffett each earned their own Musical Excellence Award. The five-hour ceremony featured performances from Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah, Sammy Hagar, Keith Urban, and more, and presenters included Dr. Dre, Jack Black, and Julia Roberts, among others.