Grammy Hall of Fame inducts recordings by Memphis cult band Big Star, Stax star Eddie Floyd

Memphis cult band Big Star's "#1 Record" and Stax star Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood" are among the recordings that have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .

On Thursday, the Grammys announced their annual list of additions to the Hall, adding eight albums and five singles "that exhibit qualitative or historical significance." The recordings will be honored during a Grammy Hall of Fame Gala on May 16 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

In addition to Big Star and Floyd, the new Grammy Hall of Fame inductees include JAY-Z's "Reasonable Doubt," Cat Stevens' "Tea For the Tillerman," and Santana's "Supernatural," as well as recordings by Clara Ward, Emmylou Harris, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, Geeshie Wiley, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Linda Martell and Luther Vandross.

The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973 and recordings are selected annually by a special member committee. With the 13 new titles announced for 2025, the Grammy Hall of Fame has reached 1,165 inducted recordings.

In something of a surprise, power-pop band Big Star saw its 1972 debut LP, "#1 Record" gain induction. The group — singer/guitarists Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel, and drummer Jody Stephens — recorded the album at the local Ardent studios.

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Though "#1 Record" — released by the Stax-distributed Ardent label — did not sell well upon its release, the album and the band would go on to become legendary in underground circles, influencing a whole generation of alternative rock bands. Big Star would enjoy regular reissues and periodic reappraisals of its work, and the band did eventually reunite — with a Chilton/Stephens-led lineup — starting in 1993. By the early '00s, Big Star's reputation had grown to the point where all three of its original LPs would be included the Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.  

Stephens is the only surviving member of the group, as Bell died in 1978, and Chilton and Hummel passed away in 2010.

Stax hitmaker Eddie Floyd's 1966 single "Knock on Wood" was also among the new Hall of Fame recordings. The song, composed by Floyd and Booker T. & The MGs guitarists Steve Cropper, was famously written at Memphis' Lorraine Motel during a thunderstorm, inspiring its lyrics.

The track was originally intended for Otis Redding (who would later cut a duet version with Carla Thomas), but it was Floyd's own recording that became a hit, reaching #28 on the pop charts, and #1 on the R&B charts. "Knock on Wood" would later be recorded David Bowie in 1974, and became a #1 pop hit for Amii Stewart, in a disco version, in 1979.    

In a statement announcing the 2025 inductees, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason said: "It's a privilege to recognize these eclectic recordings. Music has the unique power to shape culture and mark moments in time. Each inducted recording reflects that spirit, and we're excited to celebrate these impactful works, ensuring their legacies continue to inspire generations to come."

Michael Sticka, president/CEO of the Grammy Museum, added that the Grammy Hall of Fame, "serves as a vital bridge between music's past and present, honoring recordings that have left a lasting mark on our cultural landscape. We're proud to preserve and share these influential works at the annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala this spring."

2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Inducted Recordings

Big Star: "#1 Record" (Album)

Eddie Floyd: "Knock on Wood" (Single)

Linda Martell: "Color Him Father" (Single)

Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine: "Conga" (Single)

Clara Ward: "How I Got Over" (Single)

J.D. Crowe & The New South: "J.D. Crowe & The New South" (Album)

Geeshie Wiley: "Last Kind Words Blues" (Single)

Luther Vandross: "Never Too Much" (Album)

JAY-Z: "Reasonable Doubt" (Album)

Santana: "Supernatural" (Album)

Cat Stevens: "Tea For the Tillerman" (Album)

Emmylou Harris: "Wrecking Ball" (Album)

Fela Kuti & Afrika 70: "Zombie" (Album)

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grammy Hall of Fame inducts recordings by Big Star, Eddie Floyd, more