In addition to inducting artists into the Performers category, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors musical acts under the Musical Excellence and Early Influences banners. I’m not sure what differentiates Musical Excellence inductees from Performers.
The definitions on the Rock Hall’s site say that the former group “have had a dramatic impact on music” while the latter have “changed the course of rock & roll,” but I don’t think every “Performer” in the Hall satisfies that lofty criteria.
At any rate, the three acts inducted into the 2022 Musical Excellence class were Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin. Kooper is a prolific studio musician — that’s him playing the organ on Bob Dylan’s ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ — and Taupin is the principal lyricist for Elton John, suggesting this category recognizes the talented folks behind the famous faces.
That doesn’t explain the presence of Chaka Khan, a star who has had multiple hits and won eight Grammys as a solo artist. Why not restrict this category to the side contributors and put all of the front men and women in the Performers category?
The 2023 Musical Excellence inductees showcase a similar split. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis are a songwriting and production team who have worked with a laundry list of popular acts, including Janet and Michael Jackson, George Michael, Lionel Richie, Prince, and, yes, Chaka Khan.
Then there’s Judas Priest, the English heavy metal band considered, by those who care for this sort of thing, one of the greatest in the genre. Again, I wish they would have kept things clean by inducting Judas Priest as Performers.
Finally, in the category of Early Influences we have Harry Belafonte, inducted in 2022, less than a year before his death at age 96. Belafonte’s calypso music, including hit song ‘Day-O (Banana Boat Song),’ was just one of the many ways he contributed to American culture in the 50s, 60s and beyond.
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Work all night on a drink a rum
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Stack banana ’til the mornin’ come
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot, bunch
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, bunch
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day, me say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
A beautiful bunch of ripe banana
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Hide the deadly black tarantula
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot, bunch
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, bunch
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day, me say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and me wan’ go home)
Meet Me In Montauk 
Yeah, these categories don’t really make a whole lot of sense, but Belafonte being inducted as an early influencer seems about right.
Early influences definitely he belongs and how about Sinatra???? Just saying