Rage Against the Machine, the rare metal band to catch the ears of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters, have thanked the institution for their upcoming induction in the class of ’23. In a joint statement from all four members, the band called the recognition “surprising” and appreciated Rock Hall voters “for recognizing the music and the mission of Rage Against the Machine.”
“It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” the group wrote. “In 1991 four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves Rage Against the Machine.”
The group goes on to list its members’ collective values — “opposition to the U.S. war machine, white supremacy, and exploitation” — and achievements like spreading a leftist message on commercial airwaves, shutting down the New York Stock Exchange, suing the U.S. State Department over torture in Guantanamo Bay, landing “Killing in the Name” at the top spot of the U.K. charts, and funding Zapatista communities in Mexico, among others.
“We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we’ve worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art,” the band wrote.
Last month, Rage guitarist Tom Morello told Rolling Stone how much it would mean to him for the band to be inducted. “This is Rage Against the Machine’s fifth nomination for the Hall of Fame,” he said. “The thing I share, with many fans of many bands, is that if the Rock Hall is going to be inducting artists of so many diverse genres, there are a lot of artists from multiple genres that deserve to get in. It would be a great place to be. I certainly think Rage Against the Machine, among a lot of other bands, deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
In addition to Rage, the 2023 Rock Hall class includes Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, and the Spinners. Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin will receive the Musical Excellence Award; DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will be presented with the Musical Influence Award; and Don Cornelius is getting the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Read Rage Against the Machine’s full Rock Hall statement:
It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1991, four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves Rage Against the Machine.
A band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy and exploitation.
A band whose songs drove alternative radio to new heights while right wing media companies tried to purge every song we ever wrote from the airwaves.
A band who shut down the N.Y. Stock Exchange for the first time in its history.
A band who was targeted by police organizations who attempted to ban us from sold-out arenas for raising our voices to free Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners.
A band who sued the U.S. State Department for their fascist practice of using our music to torture innocent men in Guantanamo Bay.
A band who wrote rebel songs in an abandoned, industrial warehouse in the valley that would later dethrone Simon Cowell ‘s X Factor pop monopoly to occupy the Number One spot on the U.K. charts and have the most downloaded song in U.K. history.
A band who funded and organized delegations to stand with Mexican rebel Zapatista communities to expose the Mexican government’s war on indigenous people.
A band whose experimentation in fusing punk, rock, and hip hop became a genre of its own.
Many thanks to the Hall of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of Rage Against the Machine. We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we’ve worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art.
-Brad, Tim, Tom & Zack