Jack White Honours Non-Inducted Influences During Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Speech

The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday (8 November), and Jack White's speech has made headlines.

Upon accepting the duo’s induction, with a speech made by the Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop, Jack White opened his speech by acknowledging his previous musical partner, Meg White, before sending acknowledgements to the team behind Third Man Records.

White then thanked his brothers and sisters, and parents, “for adding pieces of my life to my life and to help push me forward. And for letting me make all that noise in the house all the time growing up.”

Of course, as a father, he couldn’t not make mention of his children, “Scarlet, Henry Lee, and my wife, Olivia Jean, for also pushing me to make all that noise in the house nowadays.”

However sweet the introduction to his speech was, White made the most waves by naming 30+ artists who inspired the band, all of whom haven’t themselves been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“Meg and I want to thank just a few of the bands and the artists that inspired us and came before us and also helped us along the way,” White said. Then, he rolled out the names:

The Gories, The Gun Club, Loretta Lynn, Fugazi, The Misfits, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Love and Arthur Lee, The Flat Duo Jets and Dexter Romweber, The Henchmen, Dick Dale, Beck, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Tampa Red, The Sonics, Pavement, Jethro Tull, The Strokes, Black Flag, Tampa Red, Sleater-Kinney, Death, Jethro Tull, The Creation, The Breeders, The Cramps, Merle Haggard, The Hives, Them, The Damned, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Troggs, Minor Threat, The Rats, and Captain Beefheart.

To them, we all say, ‘Thank you.’

Before concluding his speech with a poem for Meg White, Jack reminded everyone in the audience that he had been “in a lot of bands you’ve probably never heard of,” but for some reason, the world connected to The White Stripes. He urged budding musicians to “get obsessed” and “get passionate” about sharing their creations.

“I, myself, have been in a lot of bands you’ve probably never heard of,” he said. “But for some reason, people especially connected with this one two-piece duo project that I was in called The White Stripes.

“We don’t know why these things connect with people. But when they do, it’s the most beautiful thing you can have as an artist or a musician when people are responding and sharing with you. And so, to the young artists, I want to say: get your hands dirty, drop the screens, and get out into your garage or your little room and get obsessed.

“Get obsessed with something. You know, get passionate. We all want to share in what you might create.”

You can see White’s speech below.

Jack White was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, Carole Kaye, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, and Warren Zevon.

Performers and presenters who appeared at the ceremony included Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, Elton John, Iggy Pop, Killer Mike, Doja Cat, Flea, Missy Elliott, twenty one pilots, Questlove, RAYE, Teddy Swims, and more.

Jack White thanks over 30 artists not inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during The White Stripes' acceptance speech pic.twitter.com/IDMFit9qKU

— BrooklynVegan (@brooklynvegan) November 10, 2025