Rather than recognizing only past glories, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a joyful appreciation of living history. “The people who created this music — the inventors of an entire half-century-old movement — are still around, alive and performing,” noted Bruce Springsteen, a familiar face at the annual induction ceremonies. Ever since the first gathering at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria on January 23rd, 1986, these events have brought together some of music’s finest for show-stopping, genre-defying jam sessions.

One night a year, the rock stars align in unlikely lineups to deliver classic songs in a completely new way. We expect new inductees Cheap Trick, N.W.A, Deep Purple, Chicago and Steve Miller to continue this grand tradition. As the Rock Hall turns 30, we fast-forward through the awards to the real party — when generations of musicians take the stage to swap riffs.