The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday celebrated some of the industry 's greatest legends the best way it knew how : by turning up the music . Along with the typical acceptance speeches at the 2014 event were some performances so awe-inspiring one of them kept going long after the show was done . Held in Brooklyn 's Barclays Center , the Rock Hall of Fame welcomed six new members : Nirvana , KISS , Hall & Oates , Cat Stevens ( now known as Yusuf Islam ) , Linda Ronstadt and Peter Gabriel . Gabriel was the first to take the stage on Thursday , performing his cut `` Digging in the Dirt '' from 1992 's `` Us . '' He then brought out Coldplay 's Chris Martin -- who gave Gabriel 's induction speech -- to duet with him on `` Washing of the Water , '' followed by a performance of `` In Your Eyes '' with Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour . Perhaps Gabriel helped set a mood of kindness and peace , because when all four original members of KISS took the stage there was n't a trace of their famous animosity to be seen . Inducted by Tom Morello -- a known KISS fan who crowed that `` Kiss was never a critics ' band . Kiss was a people 's band ! '' -- Gene Simmons , Ace Frehley , Paul Stanley and Peter Criss seemed sincere when they accepted their honor . `` This is a profound moment for all of us . We are humbled that the fans gave us the chance to do what we love doing , '' Simmons said . `` And so I 'm here just to say a few kind words about the four knuckleheads who , 40 years ago , got together and decided to put together the band that you see on stage , critics be damned . ... We would n't be here today without the initial Fantastic Four . '' There was n't a performance from KISS , but there were plenty more to look forward to : Stevens gave a rendition of `` Father And Son '' accompanied by an acoustic guitar , Hall & Oates performed classics like `` I Ca n't Go For That , '' and the E Street Band took on `` The River '' and `` Kitty 's Back '' after receiving the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's Award for Musical Excellence from none other than the Boss himself . `` I thank you my beautiful men and women of E Street , '' Springsteen said in a speech that dug back to the group 's very beginning . `` You made me dream and love bigger than I could have ever without you . And tonight I stand here with just one regret : that ( the late ) Danny ( Federici ) and Clarence ( Clemons ) could n't be with us here tonight . '' And then , there was the tribute to Nirvana , eerily timed to come within days of the 20th anniversary of Kurt Cobain 's death . R.E.M . 's Michael Stipe inducted the landmark rock group , calling them `` singular , loud and melodic and deeply original . ... Nirvana defined a moment , a movement for outsiders , from the fags and the fat girls to the shy nerds and the goth kids in Tennessee and Kentucky , for the rockers to the awkward to the too-smart kids and the bullied . We were a community . '' That community included Cobain 's widow , Courtney Love , who was subdued Thursday when she took the stage to accept the recognition along with Dave Grohl , Krist Novoselic and members of Cobain 's family , including his mother . `` He would have been so proud , '' Cobain 's mother , Wendy , said of her son . `` He 'd say he was n't , but he would be . '' While some may have been expecting Love to embrace her Love-ness and deliver one of the most talked about moments of the night , she was focused on family . `` I have a big speech , but I 'm not going to say it . ... This is my family I 'm looking at right now , '' she said , as she pushed past her tension with Grohl to walk over to him and give him a hug . `` I just wish Kurt was here to see this , '' she concluded . For their performance , Nirvana recruited some top talent , from Joan Jett to Kim Gordon to Lorde , to help them light a fire with `` Smells Like Teen Spirit '' and `` All Apologies . '' According to Pitchfork , their collaboration continued into the early hours of Friday morning as Nirvana , joined by St. Vincent , Joan Jett and Kim Gordon , headed over to a secret show .
Cat Stevens and inducted a new class on Thursday . Inductees Peter Gabriel , The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performed . Nirvana gave an emotional induction speech and performance . The 2014 ceremony was the 20th time it was held in Cobain .