Radiohead, Kate Bush, Rage Against The Machine Lead Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2018 Nominees
Early next year, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will induct a new class of honorees — usually about five bands or artists. And this morning, the Hall Of Fame has announced its list of 19 nominees — artists who might make the cut. Artists are eligible for the first time when it’s been 25 since their first records were released, which means artists who debuted in 1992 are now eligible. So for the first time, Radiohead and Rage Against The Machine have been nominated for the Hall Of Fame. (Radiohead are not amped about it.) But this year’s slate of nominees features a number of artists who are being nominated for the first time, and many of them stretch the definition of the term “rock and roll.”
Art-pop queen Kate Bush is one of this year’s most interesting nominees. She’s been eligible for years, but this is her first time being up for the honor. The same is true of Civil Rights jazz titan Nina Simone, a massive and important influence who was never really considered to have anything to do with “rock and roll” during her lifetime. Synthpop greats Eurythmics and gospel/blues originator Sister Rosetta Tharpe (whose career began in the ’30s, during the decidedly pre-rock era) are also nominated for the first time.
This year’s nominees include more women and people of color than we’ve seen in recent years. But there are also plenty of down-the-middle rock bands who have been nominated plenty of times. Here’s the complete list of nominees:
Bon Jovi
Kate Bush
The Cars
Depeche Mode
Dire Straits
Eurythmics
J. Geils Band
Judas Priest
LL Cool J
MC5
The Meters
Moody Blues
Radiohead
Rage Against The Machine
Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan
Nina Simone
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Link Wray
The Zombies
It’s also worth noting the snubs, the bands who have been nominated in previous years but who didn’t make the cut this time. That list includes Nine Inch Nails, the Smiths, Janet Jackson, Jane’s Addiction, the Replacements, Bad Brains, and the nominated-11-times Chic, whose frontman Nile Rodgers got a special induction last year. Also, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins, who (somewhat bafflingly) have never been nominated, have been left off of the list once again.
While the Hall Of Fame’s panel of experts will decide most of next year’s inductees, fans can vote on who should be included. You can do that here. The inductees will be announced in December, and HBO will broadcast next year’s induction ceremony, which is happening in Cleveland.