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.