Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inducts Phil Collins, Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan

Ed Sullivan received the Ahmet Ertegun Award, given to nonperforming industry professionals with a major influence on music. The Hall credited his weekly "Ed Sullivan Show" with giving more than 10,000 artists a stage before a national audience, from the late 1940s into the early 1970s.

A closer look at four inductees

Collins has sold more than 150 million records worldwide as a solo artist and as a member of Genesis. He joined that band in 1970 and became its lead singer in 1975, when Peter Gabriel left. His solo hits include "In the Air Tonight," "You Can't Hurry Love," "Against All Odds" and "Take Me Home."

Idol is credited with bringing the look and sound of punk rock to a mass audience. He came out of the London scene and became a household name in the U.S. in the 1980s with "White Wedding," "Hot in the City," "Eyes Without a Face" and "Flesh for Fantasy."

Iron Maiden's members, past and present, include Blaze Bayley, Clive Burr, Paul Di'Anno, Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers, Steve Harris, Nicko McBrain, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Dennis Stratton. The Hall said they created the blueprint for the look and sound of heavy metal bands. The British group released seven albums through the 1980s, with hits such as "Running Free," "The Number of the Beast," "2 Minutes to Midnight" and "Wasted Years."

Vandross created some of the era's most lasting love songs. His 1981 debut album, "Never Too Much," propelled him to stardom and into the pop charts. He produced for Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross, and recorded interpretations such as "Superstar" and "Endless Love." He died in 2005 at age 54.

The Hall said Wu-Tang Clan helped redefine what a hip-hop group could be, as a collective of rappers, an artistic brand and a musical powerhouse. Its business model let members including RZA, GZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Ol' Dirty Bastard, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadonna sign solo deals with different labels while staying part of the group.

The induction ceremony was held at LA Live in Los Angeles, where Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Oprah Winfrey and Collins were among the names in attendance.