The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday in Los Angeles. Meg White made history as just the third female drummer to receive this honor. This ceremony comes nearly 15 years after the band split, but debates about her drumming skills continue.
Meg joins Maureen Tucker from the Velvet Underground, who was inducted in 1996, and Gina Schock from the Go-Go’s, who was honored in 2021. The White Stripes formed in 1997 in Detroit and released six albums before their breakup in 2011. Their 2003 album, Elephant, won multiple GRAMMYs and featured hits like “Seven Nation Army,” which helped them become household names.
Despite their success, Meg White has faced criticism over her drumming since the band rose to fame. A viral tweet two years ago labeled her “terrible,” sparking backlash online, with Questlove and Jack White defending her. During their active years, Meg rarely gave interviews. The duo released their last album, Icky Thump, in 2007, but they canceled their tour after Meg experienced “acute anxiety,” as stated in a letter to fans.
Meg’s drumming was key to the band’s sound in songs like “Little Room,” “The Hardest Button to Button,” and “My Doorbell.” She also provided backing vocals on “I’m Slowly Turning Into You” and sang lead on “In the Cold Cold Night” from Elephant. Jack White once said, “Meg always says, ‘The more you talk, the less people listen.’ She’s right. She doesn’t open her mouth very much.”
After the band’s breakup, Meg stepped back from the spotlight, becoming a sought-after figure in music journalism. Jack White revealed in 2014 that he had lost touch with her.
