Which Rock Hall award category was formerly called the Non-Performers award?

The Rock Hall award category formerly called the Non-Performers award is the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The category recognizes influential music-industry figures whose work was essential to rock and roll but who were not primarily honored as performing artists. Eligible figures have included songwriters, producers, disc jockeys, record executives, journalists, and other behind-the-scenes contributors.

The award was renamed for Ahmet Ertegun, the Atlantic Records co-founder and influential record executive who helped bring rhythm and blues artists to a broad audience. Ertegun was himself inducted into the Hall in 1987, before the award category took his name. The renamed title emphasizes his lasting role in the development of recorded music.

It is easy to confuse this category with the Award for Musical Excellence. That award can honor performers, musicians, songwriters, and producers whose creative work had exceptional impact, while the Ahmet Ertegun Award focuses more specifically on industry influence and contributions beyond conventional performer recognition. The Hall also has categories for performers and early influences.