This multi-step, project-based activity introduces students to historical thinking while also introducing students to each other! Students will use popular Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artifacts as primary source examples to practice analyzing with a three-step approach: look, think,…
This creative, music-centered activity invites students to introduce themselves through the lens of an album. Students design a cover, create a title, and build a track list of five songs that represent their identity, personality, and lived experiences. By blending…
This educator toolkit includes everything needed to teach and learn about the Building Blocks of Music. In this engaging set designed for elementary, students will learn about five building blocks of music--rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, and color (timbre)--and how musicians…
This photo shows 2021 Inductee Carole King performing live onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Already inducted in 1990 as a songwriter…
This aerial photograph captures the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Celebration Day in 2021, a special event that kicked off Induction Week with free museum admission for Ohio residents, live music, and a festival-like atmosphere. The image highlights…
Lionel Richie presents Clarence Avant with the Ahmet Ertegun Award during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 30, 2021. Avant, often referred to as “The…
This photograph captures Taylor Hawkins, drummer for Foo Fighters, performing onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 30, 2021. Foo Fighters were inducted that…
This close-up photo features LL COOL J performing onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Known as one of hip-hop’s pioneers, LL…
This dynamic photo captures LL COOL J passionately performing onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Inducted in the Musical Excellence category, LL…
This photograph features LL COOL J speaking onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. A pioneer of hip-hop and one of the genre’s earliest crossover superstars, LL…
This photo shows hip-hop icons Dr. Dre and Eminem backstage at the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Captured by photographer Kevin Mazur, the…
This photo captures Clarence Avant, also known as The Black Godfather, onstage receiving the prestigious Ahmet Ertegun Award during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland,…
This photograph shows 2021 Inductee Carole King speaking onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Taylor Swift looks on smiling in the…
This photo captures 2021 Inductee Carole King speaking onstage at the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Earlier in the ceremony, Taylor Swift paid…
This photograph features Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin, members of the pioneering all-female band The Go-Go’s, during their performance at the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Go-Go’s…
This photograph captures a dynamic moment from the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. LL COOL J is pictured performing alongside fellow rapper Eminem…
This photo captures a high-energy moment from the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. LL COOL J is joined onstage by Jennifer Lopez, who…
This photo captures a powerful moment between two generations of rock: Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters performing together onstage at the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on October 30, 2021, at…
This photograph features Taylor Hawkins, drummer for Foo Fighters, speaking onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2021, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Hawkins is shown second from the…
This seven-minute video features Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider reflecting on his 1985 testimony before the U.S. Senate in response to the Parents' Music Resource Center (PMRC), which sought to label rock albums for explicit content. Intercut with original…
Looking for a starting point with your students on early garage rock? The Rock Hall EDU's short guide series summarizes various topics and musical styles commonly covered in rock history courses (including the Rock Hall's course with Ohio's Cuyahoga Community…
This photo captures a powerful moment from the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where Queen Latifah honors Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott for her groundbreaking contributions to music and culture. Queen Latifah stands at the podium mid-speech with…
Elton John and Missy Elliot backstage at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The ceremony took place on November 23rd, 2023 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. An in-demand songwriter, pathbreaking producer, label exec,…
This dynamic image shows Missy Elliott performing during her 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Dressed in a gold sequin bucket hat and matching tracksuit, Elliott smiles confidently into the microphone, radiating the signature energy, style, and…
This high-energy photo captures Missy Elliott performing with a group of backup dancers during her 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Elliott is dressed in her iconic gold sequin bucket hat and matching tracksuit, commanding the stage…
2023 inductee Missy Elliott wore this headpiece in performance of “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” on the Cleveland date of her 2024 Out of This World Tour. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the music video for “The Rain” as number one…
Missy Elliott wore this headpiece in performance of “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” on the Cleveland date of her 2024 Out of This World Tour. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the music video for the song as #1 on their list…
Initially a group with Detroit origins, The Spinners’ lush, soulful harmonies and magnetic stage presence helped define Philadelphia soul’s sound and style. The Spinners set the tone for R&B music and beyond, starting strong in the 1960s and reaching new…
Everything we now recognize as the massive cultural force of hip hop began 50 years ago in the Bronx with the turntables of DJ Kool Herc, one of the founding fathers of hip hop music. Herc emigrated from Jamaica to…
As creator, producer, and host of Soul Train, Don Cornelius, 2023 inductee, engineered the “hippest trip in America” for over two decades. He created a vehicle for soul, R&B, dance, and hip hop to find their way into our living…
This photograph captures Missy Elliott on stage delivering her acceptance speech at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Known as a trailblazing artist, producer, and cultural icon, Elliott made history as the first female hip-hop artist…
This activity is part of the virtual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Fam Jam series presented by the John P. Murphy Foundation and hosted in partnership with The Cleveland Public Library, The Beck Center for the Arts, and The…
Musical score for The Accidentals’ “Requiem for a Lark,” for their performance with the Cleveland Youth Orchestra. “Requiem for a Lark” was inspired by composer Bela Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances, a series of six dances originally written for piano but…
Cher’s success comes from her distinctive voice, stage presence, and avant-garde fashion. She is a darling within several communities: women, the counterculture, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Among many awards and recognitions, Cher is the only woman to put a Number…
In this stirring finale performance from the 2005 American Music Masters Series honoring Sam Cooke, legendary artists Aretha Franklin and Solomon Burke unite to perform “A Change Is Gonna Come.” As the song builds, the entire cast of the evening’s…
In this eleven-minute Rock & Roll Night School lecture, Mahalia Jackson's powerful voice and influence are explored through the lens of the Civil Rights Movement. The video examines how gospel music, rooted in both spiritual resilience and protest, served as…
This eleven-minute video, part of the Rock & Roll Night School lecture series, explores how radio played a powerful and complex role in the civil rights movement. It highlights how radio helped break racial barriers by amplifying Black voices and…
This audio recording features The Accidentals performing their song "Requiem for a Lark" in collaboration with the Cleveland-based Contemporary Youth Orchestra. The track was recorded at the studio on Tri-C's Metro Campus and highlights the group's classical training and orchestral…
This Rock & Roll Night School segment explores Bob Dylan's early career and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement through folk music. Students learn how Dylan used songwriting to respond to racial injustice, from protest ballads like "The Death…
This playlist introduces students to the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin—an artist whose voice defined gospel-infused soul and who became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Spanning from early R&B hits to her later…
Parenting Musically is a podcast that explores how families can make music a meaningful and enriching part of daily life. Hosted by Dr. Lisa Huisman Koops, Professor of Music Education at Case Western Reserve University, the series blends personal stories…
This playlist highlights Foreigner’s mastery of radio-ready rock and power ballads, inviting students to analyze how musical elements—like riffs, keyboard textures, and vocal phrasing—can craft memorable, emotionally resonant hits. Students will explore the collaborative brilliance of Lou Gramm and Mick…
Mahalia Jackson was a pioneer of gospel music and a strong voice of the civil rights movement. She was the rare devotional-music performer who could headline concerts in large, non-church venues; her voice hitting audiences with the force of a…
This playlist introduces students to the genre-blurring sound and philanthropic spirit of the Dave Matthews Band (DMB), a group that rose from college town shows to global stardom through relentless touring, improvisational live performances, and thoughtful songwriting. Known for their…
This 12-minute video, adapted from the Rock Hall's Rock & Roll Night School lecture series, explores how Stax and Motown Records reflected and influenced the Civil Rights movement. It highlights racial integration at Stax, Motown's cultural reach, and the release…
This playlist introduces students to the versatile and expressive artistry of Peter Frampton—guitar virtuoso, live performer, and talk box pioneer. From early success with The Herd and Humble Pie to his record-breaking solo career, Frampton's music is a study in…
This playlist explores the musical legacy of Kool & the Gang—a band that bridged jazz, funk, disco, and pop over five decades. Beginning with instrumental-driven tracks and evolving into global pop hits, the group’s story mirrors the growth of funk…
This six-page Hip-Hop Culture Guide offers an in-depth exploration of the life, career, and cultural impact of Missy Elliott—the first female rapper inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Created in collaboration with Jahi of Public…
This playlist showcases the dynamic and emotionally raw voice of Ozzy Osbourne, the “Prince of Darkness” and a founding force behind heavy metal. His unmistakable vocal tone, theatrical stage presence, and lyrical exploration of madness, war, and alienation shaped the…
This fifteen-minute video, part of the Rock & Roll Night School lecture series, explores Sam Cooke's role as both a musical innovator and a civil rights figure. It examines how Cooke bridged gospel and pop, challenged segregation through his touring…
This six-slide resource invites students to analyze Sam Cooke’s iconic song “A Change is Gonna Come” (1964), a powerful anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. Students explore the historical and personal context behind the song, examine specific lyrics, and reflect…
This five-slide resource guides students through a thoughtful analysis of John Mellencamp’s 1985 song “Small Town.” Known for his role in shaping heartland rock, Mellencamp wrote this song as a tribute to rural life and his Indiana hometown. Students are…
This thirteen-slide presentation guides late elementary and early middle school students through a hands-on experiment exploring how sound vibrations travel and how we perceive sound direction. Students work in pairs using toilet paper and paper towel tubes to investigate why…
This multi-part activity introduces students to the career of U2, focusing on the band’s use of music as a platform for political activism and global humanitarian efforts. Through key moments—such as their performances at Live Aid and A Conspiracy of…
This six-slide resource guides students through a thoughtful analysis of 2Pac’s 1995 song “Dear Mama,” which serves as both a personal tribute to his mother and a powerful reflection on hardship, resilience, and gratitude. The presentation introduces students to Tupac…
This seven-slide resource introduces students to Nina Simone’s protest song “Mississippi Goddamn,” written in response to the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and other racial injustices of the Civil Rights era. Students are guided through a multi-faceted analysis of…
Nina Simone was an important Civil Rights activist. Her song “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” speaks to the experience of being Black in 1960s America. Use this activity to lead students through a guided…
This six-slide resource invites students to engage in a reflective and critical analysis of Joan Baez’s recording of “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos),” a protest song originally written as a poem by Woody Guthrie in response to a 1948…
This playlist highlights the music and legacy of Ruth Brown—an R&B trailblazer whose vocal style helped shape early rock & roll and helped to launch Atlantic Records as a music industry powerhouse. Known for her powerful delivery and charismatic phrasing,…
This resource depicts the Chuck Berry exhibit displayed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in early 2020s. Chuck Berry was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 as its very first Inductee. While no…
In the 1960s, after tiring of the music industry’s attempts to clean up his image, Wray moved back to his family’s farm in Maryland and converted a chicken coop into a recording studio. After installing his brother Vernon's three-track tape…
Link Wray was the original punk, the inventor of the power chord, and the architect of a sound that laid the foundation for metal, punk, and every genre that relies on raw, untamed noise to convey its message. Every young…
If there is one musician with an overriding influence over all rock guitarists – from 1960s British rock to 1970s punk to 1980s hardcore to 1990s grunge – that musician is Link Wray. One of the most influential and innovative…
This playlist showcases the rise of Bon Jovi as icons of arena rock and power ballads. Known for their energetic performances, singalong choruses, and over-the-top visuals, Bon Jovi became one of the definitive bands of the 1980s “big hair” rock…
In this interview, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Director of Education Mandy Smith speaks with acclaimed roots musician Amythyst Kiah about the intersections of race, identity, and music. Kiah reflects on her experience growing up in Tennessee, the importance…
This playlist explores the groundbreaking contributions of Big Mama Thornton—whose raw, powerful vocals and commanding stage presence helped shape rock & roll before it even had a name. Students will examine her signature style, combining blues, gospel, and proto-rock into…
This playlist traces the vibrant and under-recognized influence of Latin music on early rock and roll. Through Afro-Cuban rhythms, Afro-Brazilian dance patterns, and instruments like congas, maracas, and trumpets, Latin styles helped shape the rhythmic and melodic foundations of rock…
This playlist introduces students to the sonic and lyrical world of Kate Bush—an artist known for her theatricality, poetic writing, and genre-defying compositions. Emerging in the late 1970s, Bush brought baroque pop and art rock into the mainstream through a…
This interactive activity invites students to analyze a 1957 concert poster from the Bluefield Auditorium in West Virginia—a popular but segregated venue for rock & roll performances during the mid-20th century. Students begin by closely examining the poster and responding…
This one-page worksheet engages young students in identifying and categorizing musical instruments commonly used in rock and roll. Students draw a circle around percussion instruments, a square around guitars, and a triangle around keyboard instruments. The activity introduces instrument families,…
This three-page worksheet, designed for analyzing performance photographs, guides students in exploring the technical, aesthetic, and historical elements of rock and roll imagery, using high-quality photos by photographer Dan Dion as examples. Part 1 (Technical Elements) prompts students to examine…
Do your students wonder about the differences between the electric guitar and the bass guitar? This PowerPoint compares the body, neck, head, pickups, tuning pegs, and strings of the two instruments. The final slide shows how the bass guitar has fewer…
In this audio interview with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Former Director of Education, Mandy Smith, Plasmatics drummer Stu Deutsch offers insight into the band’s provocative and theatrical live performances. Known for their shock-value stage antics, the Plasmatics…
In this episode of the Drum History Podcast, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Director of Education Mandy Smith joins host Bart van der Zee to explore how drummers have been recognized through Rock Hall Inductions. Together, they highlight famous…
In this video interview with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Former Director of Education, Mandy Smith, Plasmatics drummer Stu Deutsch shares stories from his early career navigating the 1970s music scene in New York. Deutsch recalls auditioning for…
Listen to this interview between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Director of Education, Mandy Smith, and Stu Deutsch, drummer for the influential punk band the Plasmatics. Deutsch reflects on the early punk scene in New York City during…
This five slide visual thinking activity introduces students to Bootsy Collins’s iconic “Space Bass,” a custom mirrored instrument he played while performing with Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. The activity encourages students to observe, describe, and reflect on the artistic and…
This six-slide resource provides a guided analysis of Eminem’s 2013 song “Legacy,” encouraging students to explore themes of identity, bullying, neurodiversity, and self-acceptance. The activity begins with background information on Eminem’s career, songwriting style, and his self-identification with Asperger’s syndrome…
This photo captures an all-star tribute to Linda Ronstadt during her 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction. Pictured left to right are Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, and Carrie Underwood performing onstage at the 29th…
This eight-slide resource provides students with an overview of the origins of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Beginning with the establishment of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in 1983, the presentation walks through…
In this short video, DJ Hurricane, best known for his work with the Beastie Boys, defines and demonstrates the DJ technique of scratching. The clip offers a close-up look at how DJs manipulate vinyl records to create rhythmic and expressive…
In this 2022 Induction Ceremony speech, iconic producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis reflect on the lasting power of music and the enduring strength of their creative partnership. Known for their signature sound and groundbreaking work with artists like Janet…
In this powerful acceptance speech, Chuck D of Public Enemy uses the 2013 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony platform to reflect on the group’s journey, the traditions they come from, and hip-hop’s rightful place in the Rock…
In this 2016 Induction Ceremony speech, rapper and 2018 Inductee Kendrick Lamar honors N.W.A.—a pioneering hip-hop group whose unapologetic lyrics and powerful presence redefined what it meant to speak truth through music. Lamar, a fellow Compton native, delivers a deeply…
In this reflective interview excerpt, Kathy Valentine—bassist of the Go-Go’s—shares personal insights into her songwriting journey. She discusses the emotional and cathartic nature of writing songs solo, describing it as a therapeutic outlet that’s supported her throughout her life. Valentine…
At the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, vocalist Andra Day delivers a powerful performance of “I Put a Spell on You” in tribute to 2018 Inductee Nina Simone. With The Roots, led by Questlove on drums,…
In this Toddler Rock video, students meet Kathie Mayer, the Director of Retail Merchandising at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Kathie talks about managing three retail stores for the museum, and shows ways visitors can take a piece…
In this Toddler Rock video, students meet Kathie Mayer, the Director of Retail Merchandising at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Kathie talks about managing three retail stores for the museum, and shows ways visitors can take a piece…
In this 2022 interview, country music artist Jimmie Allen speaks with Sule Holder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Curatorial and Library & Archives divisions about genre, authenticity, and his path in the music industry. Allen offers a…
In this powerful 12-minute interview, 1993 Inductee Ruth Brown reflects on the realities of performing during segregation and the role rock & roll played in breaking down racial barriers in the 1950s. Brown vividly describes the physical separations at concert…
In this video, Darryl McDaniels of Run-D.M.C. and Chuck D. of Public Enemy discuss hip-hop's positive impact on a global scale.
In this reflective conversation recorded during the Rock Hall’s Hip Hop at 50 celebration, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-D.M.C. and Chuck D of Public Enemy discuss the origins of hip-hop and the sense of community that shaped it. Prompted by…
This video explores the powerful legacy of the phrase “Fight the Power,” originally voiced by The Isley Brothers in their 1975 funk anthem and reimagined in 1989 by Public Enemy. Chuck D of Public Enemy reflects on the inspiration and…
This live performance features Snoop Dogg and YG performing Tupac Shakur’s “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at the Barclays Center in New York City in 2017. The…
This instructional video introduces students to three common music production techniques--reverse, pitch shift, and time stretch/warp--used by hip-hop artists and producers to creatively manipulate sound. Music producer and PhD student Rafique Illyas-Watson demonstrates how artists "broke the rules" of sampler…
This instructional video introduces students to key sample-based music production techniques including looping, chopping/slicing, and pitch shifting. Music producer and PhD student Rafique Illyas-Watson demonstrates each technique using real-world examples for artists like Missy Elliott, Pete Rock, and J Dilla.…
This 13-minute video traces the evolution of hip-hop production from DJ Kool Herc's foundational turntable techniques to the creative use of modern samplers. Music producer and PhD student Rafique Illyas-Watson explains how early hip-hop artists broke traditional musical rules, laying…
In this clip from the Rock Hall’s Hip Hop at 50 celebration and exhibit opening, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-D.M.C. reflects on the group’s groundbreaking 1985 anthem “King of Rock” and how it was a bold declaration that turned out…
Recorded as part of the Hip-Hop at 50 exhibit opening at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, this interview features Chuck D of Public Enemy discussing the importance of preserving hip-hop’s history through authentic voices. Reflecting on…
