Sade Skips Rock Hall Ceremony But Sends Thanks To Supporters

Sade won’t be in the room when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors the band this weekend.

Instead, the four musicians are marking the moment with a message to everyone who’s kept their music close.

The group confirmed the decision in a statement on its official website, without explaining why they can’t attend. Sade, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul Denman signed the note together, making clear that missing the ceremony doesn’t diminish their appreciation.

“Please know that our absence takes nothing away from how much this recognition means to us,” the band wrote. Their thanks extended beyond the people who voted them in to the listeners who’ve made room for their songs.

That recognition covers a partnership that began in London in 1982 and has kept the same four members throughout. Sade’s voice sits alongside Matthewman’s saxophone and guitar, Hale’s keyboards and Denman’s bass across a catalog that has reached several generations.

Six studio albums have sold more than 50 million copies, with Diamond Life launching the group in 1984. The debut also earned them a Best New Artist Grammy, starting a run that later brought Love Deluxe and Lovers Rock.

Hip-Hop’s affection for that music has often taken a very personal form. Drake commissioned a nearly nine-foot sculpture inspired by Love Deluxe earlier this year, with artist Rebecca Maria spending six months shaping it by hand.

For their own tribute, Sade made sure longtime collaborators shared in the recognition. The statement thanked manager Roger Davies and dedicated the honor to producer and engineer Mike Pela, who died in 2022.

The ceremony takes place Saturday, November 14, at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater.