Music has some new royalty after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its new class of inductees Wednesday, including four first-time nominees like Whitney Houston and Notorious B.I.G.
John Goehrke, the Hall of Fame’s Director of Fan Engagement, told Cheddar this class of inductees “celebrates the diversity of Rock and Roll.” In addition to Houston and Biggie, the Doobie Brothers, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and T. Rex join the prestigious club.
“I think it's a very diverse class of inductees, which, to us, is awesome because rock and roll has never been one thing. It’s always been more about the spirit and an attitude than about the music sounds, the way an artist looks,” said Goehrke.
Artists become eligible for admission 25 years after the release of their first records. Ballots are sent to more than 1,000 artists, scholars, current living Inductees, and members of the music industry. An artist’s influence on other artists, the length of their career, and their musical impact are all factors taken into consideration when voting for a new class of inductees.
This year, the Hall of Fame also received more than 8.2 million votes from the official Fan Vote, an increase from the 3.3 million votes it got in 2018. Despite the outpouring (especially for Dave Matthews Band fans), the top five Fan Vote-getters comprise a single “fans’ ballot” which get counted along with the thousand others.
There were 16 nominees this year, and for those fans whose idols didn’t land on top, Goehrke noted there is no expiration date. “If you feel a little disappointed today, that’s okay. Hopefully, next year, or the year after, will be your year,” Goehrke said.
This year’s induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 2 in Cleveland. For those not lucky enough to get a ticket, it will also be available to watch on HBO.
There's a new ETF designed to offer investors exposure to 'meme stocks.' Roundhill Investments launched it earlier this month and says the ETF is the first that is explicitly designed to track the performance of meme stocks. Roundhill Investments Vice President of Research Mario Stefanidis joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Mobile bill payment application Papaya recently raised $50 million in a series B round led by Bessemer Venture Partners.
Papaya lets users take a photo of any bill, and the app's AI-powered 'bill understanding technology' pays the bill in seconds. The company says its goal is to help people spend more time on things that matter, by making bill-paying as painless and quick as possible. Papaya CEO and co-founder Patrick Kann joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
According to the CDC, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The grim statistic is one of the main reasons why two organizations came together to do something. The Bump and the National Medical Association are partnering to launch The Black Maternal Health hub. The online resource will help expecting mothers feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout pregnancy and the early days of parenting. Jennifer Lee at The Bump and Dr. Rachel Villanueva, a clinical assistant professor of OB/GYN and member of the National Medical Association join Cheddar News to talk about the initiative.
If you're looking for a date, 2022 might be your year. Online dating platform Bumble is buzzing with dating predictions from its latest survey. Shan Boodram, sex and relationships expert at Bumble, joined Cheddar to discuss some of the findings and what people can expect from the future dating landscape. Some of the results showed that public displays of affection are back on the rise as more people get vaccinated and that more users are opting for alcohol-free first dates. She also explained the trend of "explori-dating," a way that users are attempting to get out of their comfort zone. "People are willing to date outside of their city to get to that," she said.
Cheddar is looking back at the 12 biggest buzzwords of the year leading up to Christmas. The seventh term in the countdown is Transitory. Definition: (adjective) of brief gratification, not permanent.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Omorpho Co-Founder explains the innovation driving gravity sportswear; Cool Beans CEO breaks down the science behind 'good mood food;' A look at Curiosity Stream's 'Building The James Webb Telescope.'
Stefan Olander, Co-Founder of Omorpho, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how they are bringing innovation into athleticwear by creating 'gravity sportswear.'
Tyler Mayoras, CEO of Cool Beans, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss the science behind being a 'good mood food,' and what makes these burritos good for the environment.