After three rounds and a full year of public online voting, the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced their second full class.

Joining last year’s first class of The Blues Brothers, Spinal Tap and the Monkees are Gorillaz and Tenacious D. 

Like last year, these selections can be considered controversial as both groups certainly blur the line between real and fictional.

Gorillaz were this year’s runaway leader in the votes.  Created by Blue front man, Damon Albarn and comic genius, Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz is a virtual band complete with four animated members:

2D (lead vocals & keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar & vocals), Noodle (guitar, keyboard and backing vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums).  Each member has a distinct backstory and have actually toured live, sometimes fronted by animation and sometimes by the actual performers behind the group.

Tenacious D were also chosen.  While they comprise comedic actors, Kyle Gass and Jack Black, they did have their own televsion program and had a fictionalized origin story film, “The Pick of Destiny”, thus “qualifying” them for the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

These two inductees beat out the following finalists (in order of their vote totals) in the Final Round:


- Sex Bob-Omb (Scott Pilgrim Vs the World)

- The Be-Sharps (The Simpsons)

- Dr. Teeth & the Electric Mayhem (The Muppets)

- Wyld Stallyns (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure)

- Jerome “Chef” McElroy (South Park)

- The School of Rock (School of Rock)

- Phoebe Buffay (Friends)

- Michigan J. Frog (Looney Tunes)

- Marvin Berry and the Starlighters (Back to the Future)

- Alvin and the Chipmunks

- The Wonders (That Thing You Do!)

- The Archies (The Archie Show)

- Hannah Montana (Hannah Montana)


Voting is now open for the Preliminary round for the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class, which can be found here.

Like last year, there will be a Preliminary round leading to 40 Semi-Finalist Candidates, which will pared down to 15 Finalists. 

You know what we want you to do!

Take a look at the next batch of nominees and cast your votes for who should comprise the 2017 Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Although Gorillaz only “exist” in the virtual world, their success in the commercial world was quite extensive.  Created by Blur frontman, Damon Albarn and visual designer, Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz (along with their multiple collaborators) the blend of Alternative Hip Hop, Trip Hop and Electronica received nearly as much critical love as Albarn’s band, Blur did, and had their not been an alleged falling out between Albarn and Hewlett, their chances for Hall of Fame induction would grow.  Saying all that, would a stoic institution be ready to induct someone who technically doesn’t exist?  Well, we know a Hall of Fame that would!

We aren’t sure which one blurs the line between reality and fictional music more on the ballot for our readers here, but for our money, we are the most befuddled by the virtual band, Gorillaz.

Gorillaz has an extensive catalogue of music, and have won awards, but though they have had songs that appeared on Billboard, and technically gone on tour, they exist only in the virtual world. Through the musicianship of Damon Albarn (Blur) and comic book artist, Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz was formed which musically combined multiple genres and visually gave us a band that was what they felt music was coming to. The end result was brilliant, award winning and leaving fans for years wondering what they would actually see if they attended a Gorillaz concert (which did occur).

So what does this mean? We have a group that in the studio did a great job, had an amazing virtual presence, but again was something that technically does not exist in the physical world.

Does this count for our Hall of Fame? Is this something that should be associated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame only? Hell, we aren’t sure ourselves, and we are glad that the vote on the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is yours.



The Bullet Points:
Albums Appeared:
Gorillaz (2001)
Demon Days (2005)
Plastic Beach (2010)
The Fall (2011)

Musicians:
Damon Albarn (2D, Vocals)
Phil Cornwell (Murdoc Niccals, Bass)
Damon Albarn (Russel Hobbs, Drums)
Miho Hatori (Noodle, Keyboard & Guitar)

Songs you might remember:
Feel Good Inc.
Clint Eastwood

Why you should vote for them:
Music wise, this could be the best act here.

Why you should not vote for them:
We are not even sure that they belong on the ballot. You might feel the same.