Lorde fronts Nirvana in New York

Lorde (R) performs with Joan Jett (L) and Dave Grohl after Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and...
Lorde (R) performs with Joan Jett (L) and Dave Grohl after Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

New Zealand singer Lorde has fronted Nirvana in New York as the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The 17-year-old belted out All Apologies with the remaining band members as they performed Kurt Cobain's music for the first time since his death 20 years ago.

Lorde, who was born two years after Cobain died in 1994, tweeted after the show: "So honoured and happy i got to help celebrate nirvana's rock and roll hall of fame induction tonight. true f****** rock stars, all, forever".

Three other female artists - Joan Jet, Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth and Annie Clark from St Vincent performed with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear at Brooklyn's Barclays Centre.

Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility amid widespread speculation about whether they'd perform instrumental numbers and if not, who would step in for Cobain.

Novoselic, the band's bass player, said fans still came to him every day.

"Nirvana fans walk up to me every day and say thank you for the music," he said.

"When I hear that, I think of Kurt Cobain."

Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, hugged the two surviving band members, with whom she's had bad blood in the past.

"I just wish Kurt was here to do this," she said.

Kiss, thumbing their noses at critics who have dismissed them, them, also entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt and Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

The original four members of Kiss didn't perform because of a dispute between active original members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley and retired members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. But the original four made peace and saluted each other in heartfelt induction speeches.

The theatrical quartet put on make-up, belched blood, shot fireworks out of Frehley's guitar and sang their classic anthem Rock and Roll All Nite.

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