The Who

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  • Year:
    1990
  • Inducted by:
    U2
  • Category:
    Performers

Introduction

The window-breaking, earth-quaking, soul-shaking Who.

We’re not exaggerating when we say that they were the world’s loudest band at one point—they held a Guinness World Record. The Who went from stylized mods to an explosion of anarchy and energy. Their powerhouse performances changed lives.

 

 

Hall of Fame Essay

1990

Parke Puterbaugh

With the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the Who round out a triumvirate of British bands that revolutionized rock & roll, turning it into the preeminent pop-culture art form of the past quarter century.

The members of the Who never simply played rock & roll,- they attacked it (along with their instruments), making music that was physically liberating and disarmingly literate. In their early days they were masters of the single, articulating in explosive bursts less than three minutes in length the frustrations of their generation.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Program Cover 1990
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The Who - Quote Image
More than any other group that ever was, The Who were our role models.
Bono (U2)

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Gallery

Photography: Kevin Mazur, WireImage; Henry Diltz