The Rock and Roll Hall of Fane has announced the Finalists for the 2025 Class, and as always they did do in random fashion, with an announcement the day before that always changes.

The nominees are:

Bad Company.  Eligible since 2000, never nominated.  Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is a long time coming for Paul Rodgers, whose band has huge support for the Rock Hall.

The Black Crowes.  Eligible since 2016, never nominated.  Ranked #240 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Black Crowes netted their first nomination and were outliers in their time.

Chubby Checker.  Eligible since 1986, never nominated.  Ranked #280 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Nobody waited longer than Checker, who receives his first nomination after being eligible for the entire duration of the Hall’s existence.

Joe Cocker.  Eligible since 1995, never nominated.  Ranked #34 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Cocker is another who waited a long time to finally gain a nomination.

Billy Idol.  Eligible since 2007, never nominated.  Ranked #118 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The prince of pop-punk secures his first nomination after 18 years.

Mana.  Eligible since 2013, never nominated.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.  Who?   Bluntly, they were never on our radar but this Mexican group is massively popular and can fill to this day arenas across the United States. 

OutKast.  Eligible since 2019, never nominated.  Ranked #40 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Southern Hip Hop looks to enter the Hall for the first time, and who better than Outkast to spearhead it.

Phish.  Eligible since 2016, never nominated.  Ranked #131 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Could Phish become the next jam band to enter the Hall?

Mariah Carey.  Eligible since 2016, nominated in 2024.  Ranked #130 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Carey is on the ballot for the second straight year.

New Order/Joy Division.  Eligible since 2004, nominated in 2023.  Ranked separately on Notinhalloffame at #5 and #11 respectively.  The Hall is trying it again by combining the two groups.  This is not unprecedented as they indicted the Small Faces/The Faces together.

Cyndi Lauper:  Eligible since 2009, nominated in 2023.  Ranked #105 on Notinhalloffame.com. Lauper is nominated for the second time, and sees a ballot with only one other female act.

Oasis:  Eligible since 2024, nominated in 2024.  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Oasis is on the ballot for the second straight year, and would that not be fun to hear a Gallagher brothers acceptance speech!

The White Stripes: Eligible since 2023, nominated in 2023.  Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Jack and Meg White return to the ballot, and look to be fixtures until they are inducted.

Soundgarden: Eligible since 2012, nominated in 2020 & 2023.  Ranked #19 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is the third kick at the can for the Grunge act.

It is unknown when the Rock Hall will announce the 2025 Class, but we would like to congratulate those who were nominated. 

This is not the first time that we have heard this from a musical icon.

Cher, 77, was a guest on the Kelly Clarkson Show yesterday, and when the topic of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came up, she did not hold back.

“You know what, I wouldn’t be in now if they gave me a million dollars.  I’m never going to change my mind.  They can just go you-know-what themselves.”

No ambiguity there.

With the recent ousting of Jann Wenner amidst his controversial comments about women in rock, Cher’s candidacy for a Rock Hall of Fame nomination is strong, and the Hall have nominated people in the past who said they would not go in.

As always, this remains one of the most toxic Halls of Fames in the world.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has severed ties with Jann Wenner, who was the mastermind and co-founder behind the institution, and was still on the Board of Directors.  This stemmed from the backlash from comments he made in an interview with the New York Times while promoting his book, where he criticized black female artists.

The statement was very direct:

“Jann Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation."

Ouch!

In the Times interview, he was pressed on why he only profiled white male rockers, and he retorted that black and female musicians were not “as articulate” as those he wished to profile.  He doubled down on the ignorance:

"For public relations sake, maybe I should have gone and found one Black and one woman artist to include here that didn't measure up to that same historical standard, just to avert this kind of criticism.”

While Wenner apologized for those remarks, his apology was clearly not accepted by his own creation.

The “Hall of Fame Season” has come to an end with the announcement of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class, and it is the largest class in recent memory.

The Cleveland based institution elected Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, George Michael and The Spinners. Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin enter via the Musical Excellence Award. Link Wray and DJ Kool Herc will receive the Musical Influence Award and Don Cornelius will get the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Four of the elected members, Elliott, Nelson, Crow and Michael enter on their first appearance on the ballot. Missy Elliott becomes the first female rapper inducted, and Nelson capped off an incredible week, first by turning 90 and now with this induction, though unlike Elliott, who only became eligible, has been eligible for decades. George Michael won the fan vote, continuing the trend of fan vote winners entering the Hall.

RATM enters on their fourth attempt, and their induction should help other Alternative acts from the 1990s. The Spinners also enter on their fourth try, and have been eligible since 1986. Kate Bush, who has been enjoying a renaissance was also nominated twice before.

Failing to gain entry were A Tribe Called Quest, Cyndi Lauper, New Order/Joy Division, Iron Maiden, White Stripes, Soundgarden and Warren Zevon.

We will begin work on revising our Notinhalloffame Rock List for next year.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the impending members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has put forth one of the most diverse group of nominees for the Class of 2023, and let’s get right into who they have nominated:

A Tribe Called Quest is nominated for the first time, and should the Alternative Hip-Hop group get in, it would open the doors for many of their ilk.

Cyndi Lauper receives her first nomination since being eligible in 2009.  With a barrage of 80s hits, and an activist legacy that plays well to the voter base, this is a great ballot for her, as only Kate Bush falls close to her category.

Iron Maiden collects a second nomination, but the Heavy Metal gods face an uphill climb as the voters have shown that they do not care for their genre.

Joy Division/New Order are in for a combined nomination, which greatly improves the chances for all parties in question.  This is not unprecedented, as the Hall previous nominated and inducted, as the Small Faces and Faces were put forth together.  Neither group has been nominated before, and this first nomination could be their only one as this is a very strong candidate.

Kate Bush earned her fourth nomination, and no artist has enjoyed more of an interest in her music over the past twelve months with her song, “Running Up That Hill” featured on Stranger Things.  Cyndi’s appearance on this ballot, could delay Bush one more time.

George Michael receives his first nomination after being eligible since 2010.  The mastermind behind Wham!, had a monstrous solo career generating five number ones as a solo, and two more as a duet (one with Aretha Franklin and one with Elton John).  This would be a posthumous induction, as Michael passed away on Christmas Day, 2016 from heart disease.

Missy Elliot is nominated in her first year on the ballot, and should she get in, she will be the first female rapper inducted.  Generally, we try not to equate everything to gender, but the above fact makes her a near-lock for induction, but we have had similar thoughts before.

Rage Against the Machine received a fifth nomination, and now fifth in the last six years.  Will RATM get in this year, or does Soundgarden siphon off some of their votes?

Sheryl Crow is also a first-time nominee.  Eligible since 2019, Crow was very successful in the 1990s with many hits, but she may not have the influence factor to get over some of the other artists here.

Soundgarden is now a two-time nominee, the first coming in 2020.  The Seattle group could cancel out RATM, and arguably this is a bad ballot for both.

The Spinners return with another nomination, their fourth overall and first since 2016.  Could the Philly Soul pioneers play spoiler?

Warren Zevon is nominated for the first time after being eligible since 1995, and it a long time coming for the acclaimed Singer/Songwriter.  We have seen before how the voting body reacts to a first-time nominee who has eligible for 20 years, but he is not the only one with that credential here.

The White Stripes are in the same camp as Missy Elliot, as they are nominated on their first year.  This is the type of group that the Hall drools over; successful, influential, a tad eccentric and polotically in tune with their ideals.  

Willie Nelson finally got his first nomination after decades of eligibility, and following Dolly Parton last year, does this not feel like Willie is getting in?

The Class will be announced on a date yet to be determined.

We would like to congratulate the 2023 nominees for making it to this step.

Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame is filled with exceptional artists and creatives who made their mark in the music industry. Being inducted into the hall of fame is no mean feat, especially if you are black and a lesbian. The black community has seen multiple artists make their way into the hall of fame thanks to their standout talents that made them hard to ignore. Being a lesbian in today’s world comes with multiple challenges, especially heavy criticism. Many lesbians struggle with coming out of the closet, yet some have already done so. 

This article highlights a few notable black Rock’n’Roll artists who have made their mark in history.

1.   Rosetta Tharpe

Tharpe will go down in history as arguably the most musically talented black guitar-playing heroines, and rightfully so. Springing from the deep musical traditions of the Pentecostal church, Rosetta Tharpe achieved milestones that no performer in her time did. With her amazing voice, Tharpe took Pentecostal music and presented it to the world. Her amazing soprano and unrivaled guitar-playing techniques made audiences go crazy whenever she performed. Tharpe’s guitar-playing ability was a level higher than most performers in the industry. 

Tharpe is respected and loved by many, and for good reasons. Big-name artists like Elvis Presley, among others, have given testimonials on how much Tharpe was a major influence on their careers. While her success never went unnoticed, one thing few people knew was her dating life. On several occasions, she was rumored to be a black lesbian dating lover. At one point, fans even thought that she was dating another popular singer, Rosetta’s standout talents were officially acknowledged by the music industry when she officially became a Hall of Famer.

Regardless, you can still open any dating site for black lesbian dating and meet her true fans seeking someone like-minded there. The best part is that if you are a black lesbian yourself, you can open a dating site and use the topic of music and Rosetta, in particular, as an icebreaker. You’ll be surprised by how many black lesbians find her inspiring and therefore are always happy to meet someone who appreciates great music and outstanding black female heroines.

2.   Ma Rainey

Being regarded as the mother of an entire music genre is no mean feat. Rainey’s impact on the music industry has been quite extensive. Gifted with a deep beautiful voice and notable stage presence, Rainey took over the music industry by storm. She was born in the early 20th century, back when segregation was at extreme levels. 

Despite being black, Rainey seemingly drew large crowds of mixed races thanks to her standout talent. She was an inspiration to many singers, including Janis Joplin. Rainey also mentored many people who became stars, like Bessie Smith. She is a current Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer, and rightfully so. Some of her lyrics highlight her love for women, and one can only assume that she was a lesbian.

3.   Janelle Monae

Janelle’s name might be a household name these days, but few people know what it took for her to make it in the music industry. Born to parents who wore a uniform to work day in and out, Monae has had an explosive impact on the music industry. She has released several exceptional albums and won multiple Grammy awards nominations. She’s also featured in several movies. 

One of her biggest achievements is coming out in support of the lesbian community and women. Monae advocates for equality and has, on several occasions, come out to speak up against the harassment of women, particularly in workplaces. She has gone on record to state that she is pansexual. While she might not yet be inducted into the hall of fame, the path to achieving that milestone appears to be well-lit. 

4.   Dana Owens

Widely regarded as an icon by many female artists, Dana Owens, also known as Queen Latifah, embodies grit and awesomeness. She was born in March 1970 and has worn many hats over the years. Apart from being an actor, she is also a rapper, songwriter, and TV personality.

Dana Elaine Owens’ name ought to be engrained in the hall of fame because of the influence that she’s had in the world of entertainment. Not only is Dana a great poet and songwriter, but she’s also arguably the best female entertainer. Owens has reached genres of people from all around the world. She has many different albums that have sold millions of copies. Her songs have motivated people to pursue their passions and even spread awareness of numerous different cultures worldwide. Her work is exceptional and deserves to be recognized among the few top black entertainers. 

5.   Tracy Chapman 

In 1964, an almost angelic-voiced Tracy Chapman was conceived. From an early age, she relished singing, and little did she know that music would change her entire future. Like most women on this list, Tracy had a tough upbringing that motivated her later in life decision to become a feminist. 

Chapman has been an inspiration to successful and aspiring singers alike. For years, she’s worked as an activist and gone ahead to speak and perform for countless nonprofit organizations. While there’s so much Chapman has done, one thing she’s yet to do is to talk publicly about her private life. While there have been rumors that she’s a lesbian, there’s no record of her coming out and admitting to anything. 

Conclusion

When it comes to sheer talent, the black community has many different top talents. Many talented and influential black artists have impacted their communities and the world. Besides Dana Owens, Sister Tharpe, and more on this list, several other lesbian female stars have been a shining light for many.

We will argue that is days like these that created this website.

Over a decade ago, constant debates of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame led us to create our own list of who we thought that should be considered.  Since we put out our first list in 2009, we can state unequivocally that our criticism of the Rock Hall has shrunk, but it remains the most divisive Hall-based institution and their inconsistent schedule remains an issue, as do the way they arbitrarily induct acts who were not voted in through vague categories.

No matter.

Here are the newest members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Usually, the Rock Hall inducts the top five vote getters, but this year they chose the top seven.

Eminem was as close to a lock as you can get, and the rapper enters on his first year on the ballot.  Frankly, it felt like he has been a first ballot inductee for over a decade, and while often controversial, his lyrics are often deeply introspective and vulnerable, even when embracing outright misogyny.  

Duran Duran entered on their first time on the ballot, though they have been eligible since 2007.   Known for their style and image, Duran Duran was an underrated band, who still tour.  They ran away with the official fan vote.

Lionel Richie also gets in on his first ballot, and like Duran Duran, he has been eligible for a significant since the 2007 ceremony.   Richie’s blend of R&B and soft pop generated a slew of hits in the 1980s, but this has to impact the Commodores, Richie’s original group who had a far more diverse discography than Richie did as a solo.

Dolly Parton enters after asking the voters not to choose her, but come on, of course they voted for the queen!  She was first eligible in 1986, but this was her first time on the ballot.  We guarantee she will show up and be the classiest person there.

Carly Simon was finally nominated after 25 years of eligibility and the singer/songwriter fills the niche that the Rock Hall loves. 

Pat Benatar made the ballot for the second time this year, having been nominated two years ago with her musical collaborator and husband, Neil Giraldo.  Nominated on her own this time, the voters responded and one of the most copied looks of the early 80s is now in Cleveland.  

Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart) have been eligible since 2007 (that makes three?), and this was their second nomination.  With Lennox, Simon, Benatar and Parton, this marks four woman inducted in four separate acts, the most that have ever been voted in.

The other inductees are:

Judas Priest comes in through the Musical Excellence Award, which is the Hall’s way of inducting people who the Rock Hall wants, but either can’t get voters to select, or worthy inductees (see next entry) that have no viable path to enter.  The Rock Hall has a metal problem, so while this is good to see them enter, it is clear that Rock voters are not Metal connoisseurs.  

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis also were chosen through the Musical Excellence Award, and it is no stretch to say that they are producing geniuses who helped shape popular music over the last forty years.

Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotton will be inducted in the Early Influence category and the Ahmet Ertegun Award went to Attorney Allen Grubman, executive/producer Jimmy Iovine and Sugar Hill Records founder Sylvia Robinson.

Those who were nominated but did not get in:

A Tribe Called Quest, Beck, Devo, Dionne Warwick, Fela Kuti, Kate Bush, MC5, New York Dolls and Rage Against the Machine.

This means it is time for us to get to work, as we will remove those who were inducted, add those eligible for the next vote, and revise those already on based on your votes and comments.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and you can believe that will be watching the impending ceremony, scheduled to take place on November 5, at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.

We can’t say that we are surprised.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will soon be announcing the newest members to their Cleveland-based institution, and Dolly Parton, who was nominated, late in the process respectively asked herself to be removed from consideration.  Realistically, when she made that request to the voters, many of the ballot were already in, or on its way, so whether that had any impact on the tally is suspect, but it did create a quandary of what the Rock Hall would do if she was chosen.  In an interview with NPR’s Morning Edition, she was asked by the host, Rachel Martin, what she would do if she was inducted:

“Well, I’ll accept gracefully. I will just say thanks and I will accept it because the fans vote, but when I said that, it was always my belief that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was for the people in rock music.”

While the vote is not decided by fans, but by past inductees, and industry professionals, we expected that she would find a way to gracefully accept if she was chosen, which we would not be surprised if she was.

That didn’t take long.

Following Dolly Parton’s Instagram post where she respectfully asked to be removed from the ballot, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame responded:

“All of us in the music community have seen Dolly Parton’s thoughtful note expressing her feeling that she has not earned the right to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  In addition to her incredible talent as an artist, her humility is another reason Dolly is a beloved icon by millions of fans around the world.

From its inception, Rock & Roll has had deep roots in Rhythm & Blues and Country music.  It is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture.  Dolly Parton’s music impacted a generation of young fans and influenced countless artists that followed.  Her nomination to be considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame followed the same process as all other artists who have been considered.

Dolly’s nomination, along with the other 16 for the class of 2022 was sent out earlier this month to our 1,200 general ballot voters, the majority of whom are artists themselves, for consideration for induction at our ceremony.

We are in awe of Dolly’s brilliant talent and pioneering spirit and are proud to have nominated her for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”

We applaud the Rock Hall’s quick response, and we wonder if their verbiage indicates that she might have been selected, or likely to be, as many of the votes have already come in.  

Either way, we will be watching the drama unfold.

We did not see this coming, nor did we think anyone did.

Dolly Parton was nominated this year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time in her storied career, but in a post on her Instagram, the legend has asked to bow out of consideration.

She had this to say:

“Dolly here!  Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right.  I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.

I do hope that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again – if I’m ever worthy.  This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock’n’roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!  My husband is a total rock ‘n’ roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one.  I wish all of the nominees good luck and thank you again for the compliment.  Rock on!”

This, of course, raises many questions, the first being why say this now?

Her nomination took place months ago, and ballots have already been sent out, with many returned, presumably with many going to Parton.  Conceivably, with the votes already being counted, there is a good chance that she would receive the necessary votes to enter this year’s class.

While she is not a rock star by traditional means, we have openly asked what the words “rock and roll” even mean, and there are many other inductees in Cleveland that don’t fit what the layman would define as rock.

So, now what?

There have been instances before where nominated artists have stated that they don’t want any art of the Hall.  The Sex Pistols were inducted in 2006, but lead singer, Johnny Rotten, faxed a handwritten note, calling the hall a ‘piss stain”  and how they would never come.  

We can safely state that no such message would come from Dolly, but would the Hall discount incoming votes, and induct her anyway if she was chosen?  Would she show up?  

Either way, we will be paying attention, and we know what ever Dolly does, it will be pure class.

The Hall of Fame season ramps up with today’s announcement of the Rock and Roll Hall Fame who announced this year’s Finalists.  Unlike other Halls, the Rock Hall has no discernable pattern as to when they announce their classes.  As typical, this group was announced with only 24 hours notice.

Here are this year’s nominees:

Beck:  Beck is a first time nominee after three years of eligibility.  His quirky style and critical love plays into what the Hall loves.

Devo:  Devo returns to the ballot after being nominated last year and 2019.  The New Wave pioneers have been eligible since 2003.

Dionne Warwick:  Warwick has a trophy case full of Grammys and a laundry list of hits, but with an Adult Contemporary sound, her rock and roll credibility is suspect.  That hasn’t stopped Hall voters before.  This is her second straight nomination, and she has been eligible since 1988. 

Carly Simon:  The Singer/Songwriter makes her first nomination since first being eligible in 1997.

Dolly Parton:  This is the first nomination for the Country/Pop legend, who has been eligible since 1989.  While she is not considered a rock star, her stardom even in this list, has few equals.

Duran Duran:  The masters of the video genre of the 1980s, finally obtain their first nomination.  They have been eligible since 2007.

Eminem:  Eminem is a Finalist in his first year of eligibility and the rap superstar is a lock to enter in his first year of eligibility.  If anyone is a lock it is the man born as Marshall Mathers.

The Eurythmics:  Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart have their first nomination in four years, and they have been eligible since 2007.

Kate Bush:  Bush’s unique singing voice was only matched by her unique material. She was nominated twice before in 2018 and last year.

Fela Kuti:  The African legend is on the ballot for the second year in a row, and if the Hall wants to go truly International, this is the guy.

Judas Priest:  Priest is the Heavy Metal representative this year, and it is their third nomination in the past five years.  They have been eligible since 2000.

Lionel Richie:  This is the first nomination for Richie, who has been eligible since 2007.  His previous band, the Commodores, have never been nominated.

MC5:  The proto-punk pioneers are nominated for the sixth time, with five coming in the last six years.  They have been eligible since 1992.

The New York Dolls:  The Dolls return after being nominated last year, and it is their third after first appearing on the ballot in 2001.

Pat Benatar:  Benatar was nominated in 2020 for the first in her 20^th year of eligibility, but it was as a dup with her songwriter husband/partner, Neil Girardo.  This time, she is nominated on her own.

Rage Against the Machine:  RATM is on their fourth ballot of five years eligible, and finding a group that fused rap and hard rock/metal better than them is a daunting task.  

A Tribe Called Quest:  This is the first nomination for the influential hip hop group, who have been eligible since 2015.

We know there will be copious amounts of anger regarding who was not nominated.  There always is.  We do feel that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee did a good job nominating musicians across a musical landscape, and have for the last eight years. 

This ballot also has the greatest number of women in nominating history.

What happens next is up to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters.

Congratulations to all the Finalists, and let the debate again.

When you do long lists, it takes you a long time to do revisions.

Recently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the belated Class of 2021, which was originally intended to be announced last December.  This means that we had some work to do at Notinhalloffame.com, and this involved three components:

Remove those who were chosen.  This means that Kraftwerk, Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Todd Rundgren, Gil Scott-Heron, Tina Turner, The Go-Go’s, Carole King, LL Cool J and Billy Preston.

Add those who are now eligible for the next class.

Alter those ranked based on your comments and votes.

Seems simple enough, right?

Let’s move on!

Our entire list can be found here, but we would like to present our new top ten.

Eminem is his first year of eligibility, and he takes over the number one spot.  There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that he will enter on his first year of eligibility.

Oasis moves up from #4 to #2.  While there should not be any dispute of their Hall of Fame credentials, the British rockers would not likely attend the ceremony…especially with each other.

Jethro Tull climbs back to #3, which equals their highest previous rank.  Despite being eligible since the 1993 vote, the progressive rock group have never been nominated.

The Smiths go to #4, which is also their highest ranking.  The have been nominated twice before, 2015 & 2016.

At #5, Gram Parsons cracks the top five for the first time.  Parsons has been nominated three times before, but the last was way back in 2005.

MC5 inched up one rank to #6, which matches their highest previous rank.

Judas Priest, who was nominated in 2018 and 2020, achieve their highest rank yet with #7, two higher than last year.

Willie Nelson moves up from #10 to #8.

Iron Maiden cracks the top ten for the first time at #9.  They also received their first nomination last year.

New Order returns to the top ten, edging up one spot.

There are other new additions to our list:

Nickelback (#98), Spoon (#130), The Hives (#199), Fiona Apple (#232), Matchbox Twenty (#256), Fatboy Slim(#283), Shakira (#295), The Spice Girls (#353), Mogwai (#433), Staind (#444), Placebo (#503), and Doves (#561).

Eventually (and we know we said this many times) we will expand this list to an even 1,000.  We will get there, we promise!

You know what we want you to do!

Cast your votes, and give us your opinions.

As always, we thank you for your support.

As much as we openly criticize the lack of transparency of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the day that announce their newest members is like Christmas morning to us.  We openly said that this year’s list of nominees is one of the best in the last twenty years, and it was poised to be a great class no matter who was selected.

Having said that, it is a large class, with six performers, three early influences, three Musical Excellence inductees and one Ahmet Excellent Award recipient.  

While we appreciate the wide breadth of inductees, the crowbarring of certain inductees is obvious.

The six members inducted through the traditional method were:

Carole King:  King is already in as a writer (with Gerry Goffin), but her singing career is worthy in its own right.  This was her second nomination, with her first coming all the way back in 1989.

Foo Fighters:  Dave Grohl is now a two-time inductee (with Nirvana), and in both cases, entered on the first year of eligibility.  

The Go-Gos:  The all-girl band finally were nominated this year, and they enter on their first try.

Jay-Z:  One half of the biggest power couples in music, enters on his first year of eligibility.   Jay-Z is one of the most successful artists regardless of genre, and his expansion into other fields is a blueprint for other musicians to follow.

Tina Turner:  Turner was already in with her ex-husband, Ike, but Her ascension in the 80’s as rock’s top solo female act while in her 40s, bordered on miraculous.  She also won the Fan Vote.

Todd Rundgren:  Rundgren is a rare dual-threat, as he is equally lauded as a producer as he is as performer.  Had he not gotten in, we thought that he might receive the Musical Excellence Award, but as we will see later, they went a different route.

The Early Influence Award Inductees are:

Kraftewerk:  The German synth pioneers had been nominated six times before, but not this year.  This is long overdue.

Charley Patton:  Patton was the father of the Delta Blues, and is the definition of “Early Influence”.

Gil Scott-Heron:  The master of the spoken word, and forefather of rap enters in a politically charged year.  We love this induction.  Scott-Heron had never been nominated.

The Musical Excellence Award Inductees are:

LL Cool J:  The hip hop star was nominated for the fifth time this year, but the inevitable comparison to Jay-Z did him no favors on this ballot.  Clearly, the Hall wanted him in, but this is a strange way to do it.

Billy Preston:  Preston is a great choice as his combined solo and sideman work.  We suspect he has been a name tossed around for years.

Randy Rhoads:  Rhoads was a legendary axeman who was huge in the development of Heavy Metal.

The Ahmet Ertegun Award winner is:

Clarence Avant: Known as the “Black Godfather” managed and produced many African-American artists, and would later form his own record label and radio stations.

Those not chosen:

Chaka Khan:  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee really wants the Chicago diva in, as she has been nominated both as a solo, and with Rufus multiple times.  We can guarantee, they will nominate her again next year.

Devo:  This was Devo’s second nomination, but until Kraftwerk gets in, it might be a tough road for induction.

Dionne Warwick:  With all due respect, Warwick has the least rock credibility, but she has the most hits.  

Fela Kuti:  The nomination of Kuti was a surprise to many, but the pioneering African is arguably the most influential nominee if we look at music globally.

Iron Maiden:  Heavy Metal remains underrepresented in Cleveland, and had the British legends got the nod, they were unlikely to attend anyway.

Kate Bush:  Bush was a darling of the alternative crowd in the 80s, and her catalogue is unique, but with so many other strong women on the ballot, “running up that hill” proved too hard for her.  This was her second nomination.

Mary J. Blige:  Blige was a bit of a surprise as a nominee, but once you get nominated, you are entrenched on their radar…unless you are Mary Wells.

New York Dolls:  The Dolls were a huge part of proto-punk and were wildly influential.  This was their first nomination since 2001.

Rage Against the Machine:  RATM was the 90s alternative selection this year, and in this politically charged year, this was arguably their best shot of the three times they have been nominated.  They will likely be nominated again next year.

With this announcement, we will begin work on revising our Notinhalloffame.com list of those to consider for the Rock Hall.  Look for that next month.

We would like to congratulate the newest members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

We have said since we began our website a decade ago that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has no little love for the Heavy Metal genre.  The metal artists know it too, but generally, we don’t hear them utter those statements often, so when they do, we consider it news.

On his Twitter, Twisted Sister front man, Dee Snider said the following about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee:

"The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we're not their definition of cool. The fan vote is their 'throwing a bone' to the peasants. I want to say FU, but I want them to have to deal with us!"

Iron Maiden is nominated for the first time this year, but they have been eligible for fifteen years.  Judas Priest and Motorhead have been nominated before, but have failed to get in. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan vote is open until April 30, but has no impact on who will get in.

When you follow halls of fame as diligent as we do, it is a festive season when you have the Baseball Hall of Fame and Football Hall of Fame announce their classes a week about.  Throw in the fact that the Rock and Roll Hall is now announcing their Finalists, we have an unprecedented time on our hands.

Due to COVID-19, the nomination process for the Class of 2021 was delayed by several months, but until two days ago there was no set date as to when it we learn who would be on the ballot.

The nominees are:

Carole King:  Ranked #87 on Notinhalloffame.com.  King entered the Rock Hall a long time ago as a songwriter with her partner, Gerry Goffin, but her solo work as a performer is also Hall worthy.  This is the first time she has been nominated since 1989.

Chaka Khan:  Ranked #168 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Hall wants Chaka Khan in, as they have nominated her in the past as a solo, and later with the group, Rufus.  Again, as a solo, this is her sixth overall nomination.

Devo:  Ranked #80 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Devo returns to the ballot after a year, and their work in Post-Punk/New Wave is among the most influential of its day.

Dionne Warwick:  Ranked #362 on Notinhalloffame.com. Warwick has a trophy case full of Grammys and a laundry list of hits, but with an Adult Contemporary sound, her rock and roll credibility is suspect.  That hasn’t stopped Hall voters before.

Fela Kuti:  Ranked #397 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Every year there is a wild card, and this is year it is Fela Kuti, the most important singer from Africa.  If the Rock Hall voters value world music, he is the best choice they could make.

Foo Fighters:  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Foo Fighters are in their first year of eligibility and it should be no surprise to anyone that they were nominated, nor should anyone be shocked to see them gain immediate entry.  An induction will make Dave Grohl a two-time inductee, having already been enshrined with Nirvana.

The Go-Go’s:  Ranked #111 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Go-Go’s were he first all-female band to go #1 on Billboard, and this is their first nomination since being eligible in 2006.

Iron Maiden:  Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is a pleasant surprise as the Heavy Metal gods have never been nominated despite being eligible since the 2004 vote.  Heavy Metal has struggled to find representation in the Rock Hall, and in the past few years, Judas Priest and Motorhead have been on the ballot, but failed to gain entry.  It might be a hard call to see Iron Maiden achieving what the others did not.

Jay-Z:  Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Jay-Z is one of the most important, if not THE most important hip-hop artist in the last thirty years.  If you don’t agree with that assessment, you can’t deny that he is among the most successful.  Like Foo Fighters, Jay-Z is on their first year of eligibility and he should get in.

Kate Bush:  Ranked #132 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Bush’s unique singing voice was only matched by her unique material. She was nominated before in 2018.

LL Cool J:  Ranked #100 on Notinhalloffame.com.  LL Cool J is nominated for the fifth time, but he again he is not the biggest named Hip Hop artist on the ballot.  The nomination of Jay-Z hurts LL Cool J more than anyone else, but there is no reason that two Hip Hop stars can’t get inducted in the same year.

Mary J. Blige:  Ranked #252 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Blige earns her first nomination on her third year of eligibility. Her diverse catalogue earns her a spot, but with other more established African-American women on this ballot, this will be a tough one for her to get elected on.

The New York Dolls:  Ranked #89 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The New York Dolls are this year’s proto-punk/punk nominee and the David Johansen led group were nominated once before, back in 2001.

Rage Against the Machine:  Ranked #40 on Notinhalloffame.com.  RATM is on their third ballot, and finding a group that fused rap and hard rock/metal better than them is a daunting task.

Tina Turner:  Ranked #113 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Tina Turner was long ago inducted as one half of Ike & Tina, but Tina’s solo career far eclipsed the duo in popularity.  This is the first time that Tina has been nominated as a solo, and should she get in, she joins Stevie Nicks as female double-inductee.

Todd Rundgren:  Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Rundgren’s overall body of work as a performer, songwriter and producer puts many Rock and Roll Hall of Famers to shame.  Eligible since 1996, Rundgren had to wait until 2018 for his first nomination, and he was also on the ballot last year.  

We know there will be copious amounts of rage regarding who was not nominated.  There always is.  We do feel that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee did a good job nominating musicians across a musical landscape, and have for the last seven years. 

This ballot also has the greatest number of women in nominating history.

What happens next is up to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters.

Congratulations to all the Finalists, and let the debate again.

COVID-19 strikes again.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced today will not have an induction ceremony for the Class of 2020. Originally, the Cleveland based institution had planned their ceremony on May 2, but with the pandemic, it was rescheduled to November 7.  As it looks like COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, the call was made to have an exclusive special airing on HBO instead.

The Class of 2020 includes Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G., T-Rex, Jon Landau and Irving Azoff.

While we are sad that there will be no live performance, we anticipate a quality program by HBO and the Rock Hall in its place.

Maybe there is a light at the end of the Corona tunnel.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that the rescheduled 2020 induction ceremony will take place on November 7 at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio.  It is scheduled to be broadcast live on HBO, which will be the first time that the ceremony will not be aired on a multi-month delay.

The ceremony was originally scheduled in May, with the inductees being Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, the Notorious B.I.G., T-Rex, Jon Landau and Irving Azoff.

We are hoping that this will go through, and we are looking forward to watching it.

Coronavirus is affecting our little niche in the Hall of Fame world, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced that this year’s induction ceremony has been postponed indefinitely. There is no date set for a possible rescheduling.  

In a statement with Rolling Stone, Rock Hall President had this to say:

“We are very disappointed to announce the postponement of this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Our first concern is to the health and safety of our attendees and artists and we are complying to the direction of the local and state authorities and common sense. We look forward to rescheduling the ceremony and will make that announcement at the earliest convenience.”

The virus has caused cancellations of concerts, sports leagues and the shutdown of theme parks.  Wrestlemania is still scheduled next month in Tampa, as is the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. We expect that to be cancelled soon.

It flew under the radar of most music publications, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made a huge announcement as they added five new members to their Board of Directors.

They are:

Michele Anthony (Executive Vice President Universal Music Group)

Jody Gerson (Chairman & CEO Universal Music Publishing)

Pam Kaufman (President Viacom/CBS Consumer Products)

Jon Platt (Chairman & SONY/ATV Music Publishing)

Pharell Williams (Artist/Producer/Entrepreneur)

The RRHOF Board Chairman, John Sykes, brought this group in, and it is a strong step towards his mandate to have more diverse representation as it includes three women and one African-American.  

What this means going forward is still up for discussion.

As always, we will be watching!