Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony postponed due to coronavirus

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has postponed its annual induction ceremony due to escalating concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Originally scheduled for May 2 in Cleveland, where the organization is headquartered, this year’s event will instead take place later this year on a date yet to be determined, the Rock Hall announced Thursday in a statement.

“Given recent news regarding coronavirus and the urging by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine regarding large public gatherings, we have made the decision to postpone” the ceremony and a variety of accompanying concerts and parties, the statement read.

“Additional details, including new dates and ticket information, will be announced shortly and shared directly with ticket holders and supporters.”

Artists due to be inducted in 2020 include the Notorious B.I.G., Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, T. Rex and Whitney Houston.

The ceremony, expected to include performances by some of the inductees, was set to be broadcast live for the first time on HBO, which previously had aired edited excerpts from the show in the weeks after the annual event.

The Rock Hall’s announcement follows other coronavirus-related cancellations and postponements in the music world, including the scrapping of this year’s South by Southwest conference and Coachella’s move from April to October.