The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced their 2024 Nominees, which if we had a million tries, we never would have guessed this group.  It is completely different than what we have seen in the past, and (taking this from a personal point of view as the Chairman of the Site) I don’t know whether this makes me happy or not.  There is a plethora of first-time nominees, many of whom have never been nominated, and it is nice to see different acts get a shot, but with this group, we have no artist whose peak began before the 70s that are here.  Is that window closed?  There are also no punk acts, and I can’t remember the last time that happened.

Also, is this a reaction to Jann Wenner’s New York Times comments that got him excommunicated from his own creation.

As Arsenio used to say, “Things that make you go…Hmmmm”

Let’s look at the 15 nominees.

A Tribe Called Quest:  Eligible since 2015, this might be the most predictable nominee as they were nominated the previous two years. 

Cher:  A few months ago, Cher was on the Kelly Clarkson Show ripping on the Rock Hall and stating that she would never accept induction.  So, what do they do?  They nominate her for the first time after being eligible since 1991.  Bluntly, what is more Rock and Roll than telling them off?

Dave Matthews Band:  The beloved jam band received their second nomination, with their first coming in 2020.

Eric B. & Rakim:  Somehow, this nomination was already leaked, which is the first to my recollection.  The hip hop duo has been eligible since 2012, the same year they received their first nomination.

Foreigner:  Arena Rock bands have a hard time gaining a nomination, but often when they get one, they get inducted.  This is their first nomination after being eligible since 2003.

Janes Addiction:  Receiving their second nomination (their first was in 2017), the body of work is not huge, but the legacy is. 

Kool and the Gang:  Finally!  It took 29 years for the group to get its first nomination, but sadly there are few of them left. 

Lenny Kravitz:  Kravitz is also another first-time nominee, and has been eligible since 2015.  He has a tough road ahead in this group.

Mariah Carey:  Does Whitney’s induction pave the way for Mariah?  It should, and if we look at commercial success, there is no better candidate than this.  Eligible since 2016, this is her first nomination.

Mary J. Blige:  Blige is now a two-time nominee (her first was 2021), but like the last time, she faces a very tough ballot for her.

Oasis:  The kings of Brit-Pop are finally here, and arguably they should have been on their first year of eligibility in 2020.  The Gallaghers giving a speech together?  As unlikely as that is, it would be money.

Ozzy Osbourne:  Already in with Black Sabbath, Ozzy receives his first solo nomination.  He has been eligible since 2006.

Peter Frampton:  Best known for his album, “Frampton Comes Alive”, Frampton receives his first nomination after 24 years of eligibility.

Sade:  Another first-time nominee, Sade has been eligible since 2010, but this is a very hard ballot for her with the high amount of women on the ballot, who all arguably have higher profiles.

Sinead O’Connor:  O’Connor passed away last year and was never nominated when she was alive.  Her first year of eligibility was 2013.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the artists who have made it as Finalists for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame season continues in full gear as the Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced their seven member Class of 2023.

Here are the inductees:

Glen Ballard:  Ballard is best known for his collaboration with Alanis Morissette, and he co-wrote all the hits from her monster 1994 album, “Jagged Little Pill”.  He also wrote Michael Jackson’s hit, “Man in the Mirror”, “The Space Between” (Dave Matthews) and “Hold On” (Wilson Phillips).

Gloria Estefan:  Estefan penned many of her hits, including “Don’t Wanna Lose You”, “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Let’s Get Loud”.

Jeff Lynne:  Lynne was the mastermind behind E.L.O., the band that generated hit songs like 

Teddy Riley:  Riley wrote many New Jack Swing standards, such as “My Prerogative” (Bobby Brown) and “Make It Last Forever” (Keith Sweat),

Liz Rose:  Rose is best known for collaborating with Taylor Swift early in her career.

Sade:  Sade wrote her biggest hits, including “Smooth Operator”, “No Ordinary Love” and “The Sweetest Taboo”.

Snoop Dogg:  Snoop is one of the most successful and well-known hip-hop artists of all-time, with his hits, “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, “Nuthin’ But A Thang”, “Gin & Juice” and “Next Episode”. 

Additional special awards honorees will be announced at a later date.

Those who were nominated but were not chosen were:

Bryan Adams

Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty

Blondie (Clem Burke, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein)

Dean Dillon

The Doobie Brothers (Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald & Patrick Simmons)

Vince Gill

Franne Golde

Bobby Hart/Tommy Boyce

Heart (Ann Wilson & Nancy Wilson)

Sandy Linzer/Denny Randell

Roger Nichols

Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham

Dean Pitchford

Patti Smith

Tom Snow

Steve Winwood

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

From London by way of Nigeria came an exotic voice with an even more exotic look. Sade Adu could be considered to be the best in the Adult Jazz subgenre. Crossing into R&B and Mainstream Pop success, Sade had a lot of success in the States which could help her achieve a nomination at least, but her laid back style may not be what the voters are looking for.