Blind Ballot Hall Of Fame Inductees (Through 2034)

Blind Ballot Hall Of Fame Inductees (Through 2034)


Performers

2Pac
A Tribe Called Quest
ABBA
AC/DC
Adele
Aerosmith
Al Green
Alice Cooper
Alice In Chains
Aphex Twin
Arcade Fire
Aretha Franklin
B.B. King
Bad Brains
Bauhaus
Beck
Bee Gees
Beyonce
Big Star
Bill Haley And The Comets
Billy Idol
Billy Joel
Billy Withers
Bjork
Black Flag
Black Sabbath
Blondie
Blood, Sweat And Tears
Blue Oyster Cult
Blur
Bo Diddley
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band
Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland
Bobby Darin
Brian Eno
Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band
Buddy Holly and the Crickets
Can
Carl Perkins
Carole King
Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)
Cheap Trick
Chic
Chicago
Chuck Berry
Cliff Richard And The Shadows
Clyde McPhatter
Coldplay
Connie Francis
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young
Curtis Mayfield
Daft Punk
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Dave Matthews Band
David Bowie
De La Soul
Deep Purple
Def Leppard
Del Shannon
Depeche Mode
Devo
Dick Dale And The Del-Tones
Dion and The Belmont
Dire Straits
Donna Summer
Donovan
Dr. John
Duane Eddy
Duran Duran
Dusty Springfield
Eagles
Earth, Wind And Fire
Eddie Cochran
Electric Light Orchestra
Elton John
Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Elvis Presley
Emerson, Lake And Palmer
Eminem
Emmylou Harris
Eric Clapton / Derek And The Dominos / Blind Faith
Etta James
Eurythmics
Faith No More
Fats Domino
Fleetwood Mac
Foo Fighters
Foreigner
Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention
Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers
Franz Ferdinand
Gang Of Four
Gary Numan / Tubeway Army
Gene Pitney
Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps
Genesis
George Harrison
Gladys Knight And The Pips
Gram Parsons / The Flying Burrito Brothers
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five
Grateful Dead
Green Day
Guns N Roses
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
Harry Nilsson
Heart
Huey Lewis And The News
Husker Du
Ike and Tina Turner
INXS
Iron Maiden
Jackie Wilson
Jackson Browne
James Brown and the Famous Flames
James Taylor
Jan And Dean
Janet Jackson
Janis Joplin / Big Brother And The Holding Company
Jay-Z
Jefferson Airplane / Jefferson Starship
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jethro Tull
Jim Croce
Jimmy Cliff
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
John Lennon
John Mellencamp
Johnny Burnette And The Rock N Roll Trio
Johnny Cash
Joni Mitchell
Journey
Joy Division
Judas Priest
Kanye West
Kate Bush
King Crimson
KISS
Kool & the Gang
Kraftwerk
LCD Soundsystem
Led Zeppelin
Leonard Cohen
Link Wray and his Ray Men
Little Richard
Liz Phair
LL Cool J
Lloyd Price
Love
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Madonna
Manfred Mann / Mannfred Mann's Earth Band
Mariah Carey
Martha And The Vandellas
Marvin Gaye
Massive Attack
MC5
Megadeth
Metallica
Michael Jackson
Midnight Oil
Minor Threat / Fugazi
Modest Mouse
Motörhead
Muse
N.W.A.
Neil Diamond
Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse
Neu!
New Order
Nick Cave (And The Bad Seeds)
Nine Inch Nails
Nirvana
Oasis
Otis Redding
OutKast
Ozzy Osbourne
Parliament-Funkadelic
Patti Smith (Group)
Paul McCartney / Wings
Paul Revere & The Raiders
Paul Simon
Pavement
Pearl Jam
Pet Shop Boys
Peter, Paul And Mary
Peter Gabriel
Phil Collins
Pink Floyd
Pixies
PJ Harvey
Prince And The Revolution
Procol Harum
Public Enemy
Queen
Queens Of The Stone Age
R.E.M.
Radiohead
Rage Against The Machine
Randy Newman
Ray Charles
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Ricky Nelson
Ringo Starr
Ritchie Valens
Rod Stewart
Roxy Music
Roy Orbison
Rufus & Chaka Khan
Run DMC
Rush
Ruth Brown
Sam And Dave
Sam Cooke
Santana
Scott Walker
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Simon and Garfunkel
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Slayer
Sleater-Kinney
Sly & The Family Stone
Smashing Pumpkins
Solomon Burke
Sonic Youth
Soundgarden
Sparks
Steely Dan
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Wonder
Steppenwolf
Stone Temple Pilots
Suicide
Supertramp
Sweet
T. Rex / Marc Bolan
Television
The (Young) Rascals
The Alan Parsons Project
The Allman Brothers Band
The Animals
The B-52's
The Band
The Beach Boys
The Beastie Boys
The Beatles
The Buzzcocks
The Byrds
The Carpenters
The Cars
The Chemical Brothers
The Clash
The Coasters
The Commodores
The Cure
The Damned
The Dave Clark Five
The Dead Kennedys
The Dells
The Doobie Brothers
The Doors
The Drifters
The Everly Brothers
The Flaming Lips
The Four Seasons
The Four Tops
The Guess Who
The Hollies
The Impressions
The Isley Brothers
The Jackson Five
The Jam
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Killers
The Kinks
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Mamas And The Papas
The Marvelettes
The Miracles
The Monkees
The Moody Blues
The Moonglows
The New York Dolls
The Notorious B.I.G.
The O'Jays
The Offspring
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
The Platters
The Police
The Pretenders
The Ramones
The Replacements
The Righteous Brothers
The Rolling Stones
The Ronettes
The Sex Pistols
The Shirelles
The Silver Apples
The Smiths
The Sonics
The Spencer Davis Group
The Spinners
The Staple Singers
The Steve Miller Band
The Stone Roses
The Stooges / Iggy Pop
The Stranglers
The Supremes
The Talking Heads
The Temptations
The Velvet Underground
The Ventures
The White Stripes
The Who
The Yardbirds
Thin Lizzy
Three Dog Night
Throbbing Gristle
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Tom Waits
Tommy James And The Shondells
Tool
Tori Amos
Traffic
U2
Van Halen
Van Morrison
Wanda Jackson
War
Warren Zevon
Weezer
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Wilson Pickett
Wu-Tang Clan
X
Yes
ZZ Top


Non-Performers

Ahmet Ertegun
Alan Freed
Alan Lomax
Art Rupe
Ashford And Simpson
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
Bernie Lowe
Bernie Taupin
Berry Gordy Jr.
Bert Berns And Jerry Ragovoy
Bill Graham
Bob Geldof
Brian Eno
Bruce Morrow (aka Cousin Brucie)
Casey Kasem
Chris Blackwell
Clive Davis
Col. Tom Parker
Conny Plank
Cosimo Matassa
Danger Mouse
Daniel Lanois
Danny Elfman
Dave Bartholomew
David Geffen
Dick Clark
Doc Pomus And Mort Shuman
Doctor Demento
Don Cornelius
Don Kirshner
Dr. Dre
Dr. Robert Moog
Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
Frank Barsalona
Fritz Pfleumer
Gamble And Huff
George Martin
Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Giorgio Moroder
Glyn Johns
Herp Alpert & Jerry Moss
Hilly Kristal
Hipgnosis
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Hugh Padgham
Jac Holzman
Jann Wenner
Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
Jerry Wexler
Jesse Stone
Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall (Photographer)
Jim Stewart And Estelle Axton
Jimmy Savile
Joel Whitburn
John Hammond
John Peel
Johnny Otis
Jon Landau
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Leo Fender
Leonard Chess
Lester Bangs
Lew Chudd
Lou Adler
Mark Ronson
Milt Gabler
Mo Ostin
MTV’s 5 Original VJs (Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, J.J. Jackson)
Neil Bogart
Nesuhi Ertegun
Nile Rodgers
Norman Petty
Otis Blackwell
Paul Ackerman
Perry Farrell
Phil Chess
Phil Ramone
Phil Spector
Quincy Jones
Ralph Bass
Richard Perry
Rick Rubin
Russell Simmons
Sam Philips
Seymour Stein
Steve Barri And P.F. Sloan
Syd Nathan
Thom Bell
Thomas Edison
Todd Rundgren
Tom Donahue
Tom Dowd
Tony Wilson
Van McCoy
Willie Mitchell
Wolfman Jack


Influences

Albert Collins
Allen Toussaint
Amos Milburn
Andy Williams
Bessie Smith
Big Joe Turner
Big Mama Thornton
Bill Monroe
Billie Holiday
Bing Crosby
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
Buchanan And Goodman
Cab Calloway
Charles Brown
Charlie Christian
Conway Twitty
Dean Martin
Dinah Washington
Django Reinhardt
Duke Ellington
Eddie Lang
Ella Fitzgerald
Elmore James
Esther Philips
Fats Waller
Frank Sinatra
Freddie King
George Jones
Gil Scott-Heron
Hank Williams
Harry Belafonte
Howlin’ Wolf
Irving Berlin
Ivory Joe Hunter
Jacques Brel
Jelly Roll Morton
Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Yancey
Johann Sebastian Bach
John Coltrane
John Lee Hooker
Johnnie Ray
Johnny Ace
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Lead Belly
Lena Horne
Les Paul
Les Paul And Mary Ford
Lightnin' Hopkins
Little Willie John
Lonnie Donegan
Louis Armstrong
Louis Jordan
Ma Rainey
Mahalia Jackson
Miles Davis
Mississippi John Hurt
Muddy Waters
Nat “King” Cole
Nina Simone
Patsy Cline
Pete Seeger
Professor Longhair
Ravi Shankar
Robert Johnson
Roy Brown
Sarah Vaughan
Scott Joplin
Sister Rosetta Thorpe
Sonny Boy Williamson II
T-Bone Walker
Terry Riley
The Carter Family
The Clovers
The Crew Cuts
The Dominoes
The Four Aces
The Four Freshmen
The Ink Spots
The Kingston Trio
The Mills Brothers
The Orioles
The Ravens
The Robins
The Soul Stirrers
The Weavers
Thelonious Monk
Tom Lehrer
Townes Van Zandt
W.C. Handy
Wendy Carlos
Willie Dixon
Willie Nelson
Woody Guthrie
Wynonie Harris


Sidemen

Adrian Belew
Al Kooper
Benny Benjamin
Bernard Fowler
Bernard Purdie
Bill Black
Billy Cox / Buddy Miles
Billy Preston
Bob Babbitt
Bobby Keys
Booker T. and the MG's
Boots Randolph
Buckethead
Buddy Rich
Carlos Alomar
Carmine Appice
Carole Kaye
Chester Thompson
Chet Atkins
Clarence Clemons
Cornell Dupree
D.J. Fontana
"Daddy G" Gene Barge
Darlene Love And The Blossoms
Daryl Stuermer
Davey Johnston
Del Casher
Dr. John
Earl Palmer
Ellie Greenwich
Eric Johnson
Floyd Cramer
Gary Chester
Glen Campbell
Gregg Bissonette
Hal Blaine
Hubert Sumlin
Huey "Piano" Smith
Jabo Starks And Clyde Stubblefield
Jack Nietzche
Jackie Brenston
Jah Wobble
James Burton
James Jamerson
Jeff Porcaro
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
Jesse Ed Davis
Jim Horn
Jim Keltner
Jimmy Nolen
Joe Satriani
John McLaughlin
Johnnie Johnson
Kenny Aronoff
King Curtis
Klaus Voorman
Lee Allen
Leland Sklar
Leon Russell
Little Walter
Mal "Sticks" Evans
Martha Wash
MFSB
Mick Ronson
Mickey "Guitar" Baker
Mike Bloomfield
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Nicky Hopkins
Paul Carrack
Philip Paul
Rae-letts
Randy Rhoads
Rick Derringer
Ry Cooder
Sam "The Man" Taylor
Scotty Moore
Sheila E.
Sly And Robbie
Spooner Oldham
Steve Douglas
Steve Vai
The Andantes
The Cookies
The Dixie Flyers
The Funk Brothers
The Hi Rhythm Section
The J.B.'s
The Jordanaires
The Love Unlimited Orchestra
The Mar-Keys
The Memphis Horns
The Meters
The Sweet Inspirations
The Tennessee Three
The Wrecking Crew
Tommy Bolin
Tommy Tedesco
Zakk Wylde

Blind Ballot Hall Of Fame By Year (Through 2034)

Blind Ballot Hall Of Fame By Year (Through 2034)


1986:

Performers

Chuck Berry
James Brown
Johnny Cash
Ray Charles
Buddy Holly
Elvis Presley
Little Richard

Non-Performers

Sam Philips
Alan Freed

Influence

Robert Johnson
Louis Jordan

Sidemen

Scotty Moore
The Funk Brothers


1987:

Performers

Sam Cooke
Bo Diddley
Fats Domino
The Everly Brothers
Bill Haley And His Comets
Jerry Lee Lewis
Roy Orbison

Non-Performers

Berry Gordy Jr.
Phil Spector

Influence

Hank Williams
Les Paul

Sidemen

Earl Palmer
James Burton


1988:

Performers

The Beach Boys
The Beatles
The Drifters
Bob Dylan
The Miracles
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye

Non Performers

Leonard Chess
Ahmet Ertegun

Influences

Jimmie Rodgers
T-Bone Walker

Sidemen

Bill Black
Floyd Cramer


1989:

Performers:

The Coasters
The Four Seasons
Aretha Franklin
B.B. King
Otis Redding
The Rolling Stones
The Temptations

Non-Performers

Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
Wolfman Jack

Influences

Muddy Waters
Howlin’ Wolf

Sidemen

Hal Blaine
Johnnie Johnson


1990:

Performers

The Animals
The Kinks
Carl Perkins
Simon and Garfunkel
The Supremes
The Who
Bob Marley And The Wailers

Influences

John Lee Hooker
Frank Sinatra

Sidemen

Chet Atkins
The Wrecking Crew

Non-Performers

Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Holland-Dozier-Holland


1991:

Performers

The Byrds
Eddie Cochran
Dion and The Belmont
Ricky Nelson
Ike and Tina Turner
Jackie Wilson
The Yardbirds

Non Performers

John Hammond
Jerry Wexler

Influences

Louis Armstrong
Woody Guthrie

Sidemen

The Jordanaires
Booker T. and the MG's


1992:

Performers

Cream
Bobby Darin
The Four Tops
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Isley Brothers
Jefferson Airplane
The Velvet Underground

Non Performer

Leo Fender
George Martin

Influence

The Carter Family
Lead Belly

Sidemen

D.J. Fontana
King Curtis


1993:

Performers

David Bowie
Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Doors
Grateful Dead
MC5
Pink Floyd
Sly & The Family

Non-Performers

Dick Clark
Dr. Robert Moog

Influences

Nat “King” Cole
Big Joe Turner

Sidemen

Nicky Hopkins
Little Walter


1994:

Performers

The Band
Deep Purple
Fleetwood Mac
Elton John
John Lennon
Van Morrison
Wilson Pickett

Influences

Bing Crosby
Bessie Smith

Sidemen

Mickey "Guitar" Baker
Billy Preston

Non-Performers

Otis Blackwell
Quincy Jones


1995:

Performers

Alice Cooper
The Allman Brothers Band
Crosby, Stills And Nash
Janis Joplin
Led Zeppelin
Neil Young
T. Rex

Influences

Miles Davis
Wynonie Harris

Sidemen

Glen Campbell
Steve Douglas

Non-Performers

Bernie Lowe
Bernie Taupin


1996:

Performers

Black Sabbath
The Jackson Five
Joni Mitchell
Parliament-Funkadelic
The Platters
The Stooges
Frank Zappa

Non-Performers

Jim Stewart And Estelle Axton
Tom Dowd

Influences

Patsy Cline
John Coltrane

Sidemen

Al Kooper
The Meters


1997:

Performers

Leonard Cohen
Al Green
Billy Joel
Kraftwerk
Paul McCartney / Wings
Santana
The Shirelles

Non-Performers

Doc Pomus ANd Mort Shuman
Jesse Stone

Influences

Willie Nelson
Bill Monroe

Sidemen

Ry Cooder
Mick Ronson


1998:

Performers

Can
Eagles
The Impressions
Michael Jackson
Etta James
The Moody Blues
Roxy Music

Non-Performers

Clive Davis
David Geffen

Influences

Little Willie John
The Weavers

Sidemen

Carole Kaye
Buddy Rich


1999:

Performers

Aerosmith
King Crimson
Queen
Rush
Paul Simon
Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band
Rod Stewart

Non-Performers

Don Cornelius
Alan Lomax

Influences

Billie Holiday
Elmore James

Sidemen

The Memphis Horns
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section


2000:

Performers

Bee Gees
Genesis
Electric Light Orchestra
KISS
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Dusty Springfield
Steely Dan

Non-Performers

Casey Kasem
Johnny Otis

Influences

Ella Fitzgerald
Big Mama Thornton

Sidemen

Rick Derringer
Jabo Starks And Clyde Stubblefield


2001:

Performers

AC/DC
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
Ruth Brown
Clyde McPhatter
Earth, Wind And Fire
Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band
Yes

Non-Performers

Giorgio Moroder
Norman Petty

Influences

Duke Ellington
Ma Rainey

Sidemen

Clarence Clemons
Dr. John


2002:

Performers

Donovan
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Ramones
Sam And Dave
Sex Pistols
Talking Heads
Gene Vincent

Non-Performers

Herb Alpert And Jerry Moss
Tom Donahue

Influences

The Soul Stirrers
Karlheinz Stockhausen

Sidemen

Philip Paul
The Tennessee Three


2003:

Performers

The Clash
The Police
Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Eric Clapton / Derek And The Dominos / Blind Faith
Blondie
The Spinners
ZZ Top

Non-Performers

Brian Eno
Lee "Scratch" Perry

Influences

Bob Willis And His Texas Playboys
Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Sidemen

Leland Sklar
Darlene Love And The Blossoms


2004:

Performers

ABBA
The Cars
The Cure
Joy Division
Prince And The Revolution
James Taylor
Van Halen

Non-Performers

Cosimo Matassa
Jann Wenner

Influences

Jimmy Reed
Dinah Washington

Sidemen

Jesse Ed Davis
Randy Rhoads


2005:

Performers

U2
The Mamas and the Papas
The Steve Miller Band
Judas Priest
Johnny Burnette & The Rock N Roll Trio
Cheap Trick
Traffic

Non-Performers

Nesuhi Ertegun
Richard Perry

Influences

Jimmy Yancey
Professor Longhair

Sidemen

Leon Russell
Jim Keltner


2006:

Performers

Chicago
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Connie Francis
George Harrison
Love
John Mellencamp
New York Dolls

Non-Performers

Kenneth Gamble And Leon Huff
Bill Graham

Influences

Willie Dixon
Nina Simone

Sidemen

Mike Bloomfield
Bernard Purdie


2007:

Performers

Brian Eno
Depeche Mode
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five
Curtis Mayfield
New Order
R.E.M.
Donna Summer

Non-Performers

Thomas Edison
Ellie Greenwich And Jeff Barry

Influences

Blind Lemon Jefferson
Pete Seeger

Sidemen

The Andantes
Spooner Oldham


2008:

Performers

The Beastie Boys
Duran Duran
Iron Maiden
Jethro Tull
Madonna
Metallica
The Zombies

Non-Performers

Dave Bartholomew
Fritz Pfleumer

Influences

Cab Calloway
Django Reinhardt

Sidemen

Carmine Appice
Klaus Voorman

2009:

Performers

Devo
Neil Diamond
Peter Gabriel
Gang Of Four
Run DMC
The Smiths
Stevie Ray Vaughan

Non-Performers

Rick Rubin
Jimmy Savile

Influences

Mississippi John Hurt
The Kingston Trio

Sidemen

Del Casher
Sam "The Man" Taylor

2010:

Performers

Solomon Burke
The Dave Clark Five
Jim Croce
The Dead Kennedys
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sonic Youth
Sparks


Non-Performers

Jon Landau
Russell Simmons


Influences

The Ink Spots
Roy Brown


Sidemen

Lee Allen
The Sweet Inspirations


2011:

Performers

Bobby "Blue" Bland
Dire Straits
The Doobie Brothers
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Motorhead
The Alan Parsons Project
Tom Waits


Non-Performers

Willie Mitchell
John Peel


Influences

Jelly Roll Morton
Johnnie Ray


Sidemen

Steve Vai
Tommy Bolin


2012:

Performers

Duane Eddy
Guns N Roses
INXS
Neu!
Soundgarden
Scott Walker
The (Young) Rascals


Non-Performers

Glyn Johns
Mo Ostin


Influences

The Orioles
The Ravens


Sidemen

The Hi Rhythm Section
Daryl Stuermer

2013:

Performers

Public Enemy
Pixies
Suicide
The Guess Who
Three Dog Night
Gram Parsons
The Ventures

Non-Performers

Ashford And Simpson
Ralph Bass


Influences

Mahalia Jackson
Charlie Christian


Sidemen

Jim Horn
The Cookies


2014:

Performers

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
Gladys Knight And The Pips
Daryl Hall And John Oates
Journey
Nirvana
The Replacements
Thin Lizzy


Non-Performers

Bob Geldof
Hugh Padgham


Influences

Jacques Brel
Les Paul And Mary Ford


Sidemen

Huey "Piano" Smith
Rae-letts


2015:

Performers

N.W.A.
Nine Inch Nails
The Jam
Green Day
Martha and the Vandellas
Pavement
The Carpenters


Non-Performers

Chris Blackwell
Lester Bangs


Influences

Charles Brown
Ravi Shankar


Sidemen

Adrian Belew
Eric Johnson


2016:

Performers

Smashing Pumpkins
Alice In Chains
Def Leppard
Jackson Browne
The Pretenders
The Righteous Brothers
Blur


Non-Performers

Paul Ackerman
Dr. Dre


Influences

The Dominoes
Eddie Lang


Sidemen

Joe Satriani
Gary Chester


2017:

Performers

Tori Amos
PJ Harvey
The Buzzcocks
Pearl Jam
2Pac
Wanda Jackson
Manfred Mann / Mannfred Mann's Earth Band


Non-Performers

Seymour Stein
Todd Rundgren


Influences

Allen Toussaint
Lena Horne


Sidemen

Jeff Porcarco
The Dixie Flyers


2018:

Performers:

Radiohead
Big Star
The B-52's
Bjork
Tool
Beck
Procol Harum

Non-Performers:

Barry Mann And Cynthia Weil
Phil Ramone

Influences:

The Clovers
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers

Sidemen:

Tommy Tedesco
Chester Thompson


2019:

Performers

Dick Dale And The Del-Tones
Faith No More
The Monkees
Rage Against The Machine
The Stranglers
Throbbing Gristle
Television


Non-Performers

Milt Gabler
Don Kirshner


Influences

Sonny Boy Williamson II
The Four Freshman


Sidemen

Bob Babbitt
Boots Randolph


2020:

Performers

Jimmy Cliff
Oasis
The Hollies
Foreigner
Phil Collins
Weezer
The Lovin' Spoonful


Non-Performers

Syd Nathan
Frank Barsalona


Influences

Freddie King
The Mills Brothers


Sidemen

Cornell Dupree
Sheila E.


2021:

Performers

Bauhaus
Kate Bush
The Chemical Brothers
Jay-Z
OutKast
Siouxsie And The Banshees
The Staple Singers


Non-Performers

Thom Bell
Joel Whitburn


Influences

The Crew Cuts
The Robins


Sidemen

Jack Nietzche
Jimmy Nolen


2022:

Performers

Eminem
Heart
Midnight Oil
The O'Jay's
The Ronettes
Silver Apples
Bill Withers


Non-Performers

Neil Bogart
Jac Holzman


Influences

Johnny Ace
Johann Sebastian Bach


Sidemen

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
James Jamerson



2023:

Peformers:

Black Flag
Blood, Sweat And Tears
The Spencer Davis Group
Del Shannon
Foo Fighters
Slade
Link Wray And His Ray Men


Non-Performers:

Steve Barri And P.F. Sloan
Jim Marshall


Influences:

Lonnie Donegan
The Four Aces


Sidemen:

Jackie Brenston
Hubert Sumlin


2024:

Performers:

Coldplay
Emmylou Harris
Randy Newman
Gary Numan / Tubeway Army
Ozzy Osbourne
The Stone Roses
Sweet


Non-Performers:

Daniel Lanois
Van McCoy


Influences:

Irving Berlin
Lightnin' Hopkins


Sidemen:

Benny Benjamin
Ellie Greenwich


2025:

Performers:

Husker Du
Massive Attack
Patti Smith Group
Ritchie Valens
The White Stripes
Peter, Paul And Mary
X


Non-Performers:

Lew Chudd
Tony Wilson


Influences:

Buchanan And Goodman
Scott Joplin


Sidemen:

Bobby Keys
Jah Wobble


2026:

Performers:

The Marvelettes
Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)
Steppenwolf
The Notorious B.I.G.
Tommy James And The Shondells
Harry Nilsson
Lloyd Price


Non-Performers:

Jim Marshall (Photographer)
Art Rupe


Influences:

Fats Waller
Andy Williams


Sidemen:

Gregg Bissonette
John McLaughlin


2027:

Performers:

Daft Punk
The Flaming Lips
Jan And Dean
Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers
Muse
Ringo Starr
Warren Zevon


Non-Performers:

Hilly Kristal
Col. Tom Parker


Influences:

Ivory Joe Hunter
Esther Philips


Sidemen:

Mal "Sticks" Evan
Sly And Robbie


2028:

Performers:

Dr. John
Janet Jackson
Huey Lewis And The News
Gene Pitney
Cliff Richard And The Shadows
Wu-Tang Clan
"Weird Al" Yankovic


Non-Performers:

Martin Hannett
Nile Rodgers


Influences:

W.C. Handy
Amos Milburn


Sidemen:

Kenny Aronoff
Bernard Fowler


2029:

Performers:

Arcade Fire
Kanye West
LCD Soundsystem
Slayer
Stone Temple Pilots
Supertramp
War

Non-Performers:

Doctor Demento
Lou Adler


Influences:

Sarah Vaughan
Townes Van Zandt


Sidemen:

Billy Cox / Buddy Miles
Buckethead


2030:

Performers:

Carole King
Dave Matthews Band
De La Soul
Mariah Carey
Minor Threat / Fugazi
Paul Revere & The Raiders
The Offspring


Non-Performers:

Hipgnosis
Perry Farrell


Influences:

Dean Martin
George Jones


Sidemen:

Davey Johnston
The Love Unlimited Orchestra


2031:

Performers:

Beyonce
Eurythmics
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Link Wray and his Ray Men
Megadeth
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Rufus & Chaka Khan


Non-Performers:

Bruce Morrow (aka Cousin Brucie)
Mark Ronson


Influences:

Thelonious Monk
Tom Lehrer


Sidemen:

The J.B.'s
Zakk Wylde


2032:

Performers:

A Tribe Called Quest
Bad Brains
Billy Idol
Franz Ferdinand
Pet Shop Boys
Queens Of The Stone Age
The Killers


Non-Performers:

Danny Elfman
MTV’s 5 Original VJs (Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, J.J. Jackson)


Influences:

Albert Collins
Gil Scott-Heron


Sidemen:

Martha Wash
The Mar-Keys


2033:

Performers:

Adele
Aphex Twin
The Commodores
The Dells
Kool & the Gang
LL Cool J
Sleater-Kinney


Non-Performers:

Danger Mouse
Phil Chess


Influences:

Harry Belafonte
Wendy Carlos


Sidemen:

Carlos Alomar
MFSB


2034:

Performers:

Blue Oyster Cult
Chic
Liz Phair
Modest Mouse
The Damned
The Moonglows
The Sonics


Non-Performers:

Bert Berns And Jerry Ragovoy
Conny Plank


Influences:

Conway Twitty
Terry Riley


Sidemen:

"Daddy G" Gene Barge
Paul Carrack

Blind Ballot Project - Automatic Nominees For 2035 Ballot

Nominations for the Blind Ballot Hall Of Fame Class of 2033 are now open. Please review the links posted above if you have questions about which artists have already been inducted and which artists are eligible for nomination.

Each voter can nominate a maximum of 3 performers, 1 non-performer, 1 early influence and 1 sideman.

The following individuals lost tiebreakers last year and are automatically nominated this year:

Performers:

Boston
Chubby Checker
Ministry
Nas
Sufjan Stevens


Non-Performers:

Frankie Knuckles
The Belleville Three


Influences:

Benny Goodman
Tampa Red


Sidemen:

Slash
The Applejacks


Nominations will close and voting will open at 11 PM Central on Wednesday, November 6th.  Voting will be done via email to hinesd24@gmail.com (Please put "BLIND BALLOT VOTE" in the subject line of your email) and close at 11 PM Central on Wednesday, November 13th.

Life In The Fast Lane: An analysis of the induction opportunities for each 2020 RNR HOF Nominee

It’s been just over a week since the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2020 nominations.  Depending on who you ask, the nominations either landed with a thud (Hall watchers online note the massive gender imbalance among nominees) or with enthusiasm (fans of the generally overlooked metal / hard rock genre saw much more representation than expected), but which artists have the best of chance of induction this year based on the composition of the ballot and which fans had best reserve their disappointment for the induction announcement?

With a ballot of 16 (generally well-qualified) nominees going out to voters who can only vote for “up to 5” nominated artists, the most important factor for induction may come down to:  Which artists have the least direct competition on the ballot?

As has been frequently observed in Oscar Nomination voting over the years, an actor with multiple great performances in the same year (most recently Amy Adams in 2016 with both “Arrival” and “Nocturnal Animals”) might end up splitting their votes evenly between the two performances, with neither getting enough votes to make the top 5 in their category.  With limited voting space on ballots, artists occupying similar genre and era spaces may end up splitting the votes available to them and falling short of the top 5-7 artists that get inducted.

So in a cluttered field of nominees, of nominees, which artists have the clearest path (or, shall we say “lane”) to induction in 2020?

The Carpool Lane (Next to no direct competition):

 

1.       Notorious B.I.G.

Genre: Hip Hop / Rap

Era: Early to Mid-90s

Direct / Indirect Competition: None

Contrary to what some would allege, in my opinion the RNR HOF has done a solid job of inducting Hip Hop artists in the early days of the genre’s eligibility.  Granted, they would have done well to include a few more of the less popular but highly influential acts that have been on the ballot in the past and LL Cool J remains a significant snub, but most of the biggest acts in the genre have gotten induction, several in their first year of eligibility.

FYE status is exactly what I expect for Notorious B.I.G. this year.  With no other hip hop / rap artists on the ballot and only tangential competition from Rufus (funk being a fore bearer of hip hop) and Whitney (who had some R&B hits, though mainly fit in the pop genre), anyone who feels that he’s worthy of induction will put him on their ballot.  Seeing as how there was enough hip-hop support to induct Tupac Shakur as an FYE, I fully expect the same honor for the similarly credentialed B.I.G.

2.       T. Rex

Genre: Glam Rock / Art Rock

Era: Late 60s to Mid-70s

Direct / Indirect Competition: None directly, though any Classic Rock band competes indirectly

T. Rex should be a tremendous beneficiary of the Hall’s 2019 “British Invasion” as the induction of Def Leppard, The Cure, Roxy Music and to a lesser extent Radiohead led to a lot of English rock stars who grew up listening to Mark Bolan and T. Rex (who were a phenomenon in England in a way they never were in America) being added to the conversation.  Their influence, along with the induction of Roxy Music certainly led to T. Rex being nominated for the first time this year.

One could easily argue that T. Rex will face competition from the other classic rock artists on the ballot this year, but style-wise I don’t see many voters tossing a coin to decide between T. Rex and Benatar or the Doobies.  Rundgren may pull some art rock votes away from T. Rex, but I also see his music occupying a very different space in the genre, so it’s a mostly clear path to induction if voters feel that they’re worthy.

3.       Whitney Houston

Genre: Pop / R&B

Era: Early 80s to Mid-90s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Rufus feat. Chaka Khan (indirectly)

Whitney is clearly occupying the ballot space opened up by Janet Jackson’s induction last year and while their careers aren’t perfectly aligned genre-wise (Whitney being more of a traditional pop singer (after early R&B / Dance hits) than Janet, who occupied a more R&B-oriented space), nominating them both on the same ballot would have been a mistake.

With Janet inducted, Whitney takes over as the next MTV-era diva to get her shot at the HOF.  The path to induction is fairly clear for her, though she may lose some votes to Chaka Khan, a comparable artist from a similar genre, though one from a different generation.

The main obstacle to Whitney’s induction on her first ballot is the same that haunted Janet for years: the perception that her music is not “rock”, an argument that loses its validity with each passing year, but still persists in the background among voters.

 

4-Lane Freeway (One direct competitor, but both likely to be inducted):

 

4.       Pat Benatar

5.       Doobie Brothers

Genre: Classic Rock

Era: 70s – mid-80s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Each other (directly), Hard Rock nominees (indirectly)

No genre of music has had an easier time gaining the support of Hall voters than Classic Rock, in large part because most of the voters either played Classic Rock or grew up in the era where it dominated rock radio.

Considering that most casual rock fans would be surprised to learn than Benatar and the Doobie Brothers weren’t already in the Hall, it seems like their inductions are imminent, even if they face more competition than some other acts (Benatar, in particular, may lose votes to fellow 70s / 80s rockers like Judas Priest or Thin Lizzy).

 

Two-Lane Highway (Unique nominees in unproven sub-genres):

 

6.       Soundgarden

Genre: Grunge / Hard Rock / Metal

Era: Late 80s / 90s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Nine Inch Nails (indirectly)

Technically a metal band, Soundgarden’s path to the Hall is enhanced in part because their career began a decade after the prime of the other metal bands on this year’s ballot but in large part due to the band’s connection to the “Grunge” sub-genre of alternative rock, a genre that saw FYE inductions from Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the only acts in the genre to enjoy more critical or commercial success than Soundgarden.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Soundgarden used their Grunge affiliation to leapfrog over the older metal acts and gain induction soon, if not this year.

7.       Todd Rundgren

Genre: Classic Rock / Art Rock / Pop

Era: 70s – Early 90s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Any Classic Rock Nominee (indirectly)

A popular act among his fellow musicians due to his long career and work as both an artist and producer, Rundgren likely came close to induction last year and will likely come close again this year.  He doesn’t really face much direct competition on this ballot, nor would he on most ballots.

8.       Depeche Mode

Genre: New Wave / Electronic

Era: 80s – 90s (Still active)

Direct / Indirect Competition: Kraftwerk, Nine Inch Nails (indirectly)

Critical and commercial success propel Depeche Mode to the forefront of the New Wave / Electronic / Post-Punk genre in the eyes of the Rock Hall.  The genre is both a rich vein of talent that could be mined for years of inductees but also one that the voters have yet to warm up to, leading the Nom Com to limit the genre to one per ballot, a strategy that helped The Cure gain induction in 2019.  Competition from genre mates Kraftwerk and Nine Inch Nails will have a limited impact as each band had their own era to themselves.

The main question regarding Depeche Mode’s chances is whether the voters view The Cure as a singular artist worth inducting, regardless of genre, or if they’ve decided to further embrace the genre and open the flood gates for the foreseeable future.

9.       Nine Inch Nails

Genre: Industrial / Electronic / Alternative Rock

Era: Late 80s – Present

Direct / Indirect Competition: Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Soundgarden (indirectly)

The Nom Com indicated that Nine Inch Nails was their next highest priority among 90s alternative rock acts after Nirvana, Green Day and Pearl Jam were inducted.  They were deprioritized for two years when Radiohead took their spot on the ballot, but with Thom Yorke and co. inducted, the slot belongs to NIN again and they stand a good chance of using their position to gain induction in 2020.

One band that may throw a wrench in their plans is Soundgarden.  While the two bands weren’t exactly in direct sub-genre competition, they were both popular alternative rock acts in the late 80s and 90s and voters may split their 90s alt-rock votes between the two bands or favor the more radio-friendly Soundgarden.  It’s unlikely both will get in on the same ballot.

10.   Dave Matthews Band

Genre: Roots Rock / Pop

Era: 90s - Present

Direct / Indirect Competition: None really

While I personally think that they’re the “least worthy” artist on this year’s ballot (though still worthy of eventual induction) and that there are a handful of 90s rock acts that should have been nominated / inducted before DMB, their massive success and support among their fan base can’t be denied.  While I do think Phish are the true heir to the Grateful Dead’s legacy, DMB has successfully followed that model with nearly as much success.

I honestly have no idea how much any of that matters to the Rock Hall voters, but an induction this year seems unlikely, given they have no competition on this year’s ballot.  If voters want to vote for an act like DMB, they will do so, no question.

 

Speed Traps (Little direct competition, but proven lack of support on past ballots):

 

11.   Kraftwerk

Genre: Electronic / Art Rock

Era: 70s – Early 80s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails (indirectly)

Arguably the Rock Hall’s biggest snub, Kraftwerk has a bulletproof case for induction, having all but invented a genre of music (and the instruments required to perform it) that influenced many of the innovative genres to follow (EDM, hip hop, industrial).  Mainstream success and the support of the voters are the only thing keeping them out of the Hall.

The only direct competition Kraftwerk faces is from more popular bands that came later, though I think that the innovator card should keep votes from going their way instead of to Kraftwerk.

12.   MC5

Genre: Punk / Classic Rock

Era: Late 60s, Early 70s

Direct / Indirect Competition: None in particular

Along with the Stooges, the MC5 stood as the vanguard of proto-punk, the genre that would eventually evolve into punk and save rock n roll from itself.  Just like Kraftwerk, the lack of mainstream success will probably keep the MC5 out of the Hall, even though there isn’t any direct competition pulling votes from them.

13.   Rufus feat. Chaka Khan

Genre: Funk / R&B

Era: 70s – Early 80s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Whitney Houston (indirectly) 

Were it not for the multiple previous nominations for Rufus / Chaka Khan, I would have placed them in the first category.  They don’t face any direct competition, though the “black female vocalist” description does fit both Chaka and Whitney, so they’ll undoubtedly split votes in a way that “white male vocalists” never seem to.

Without access to voting information, it’s hard to say whether or not Rufus is being nominated year in and year out because of how close they are to induction or because a group of Nom Com members wants them on the ballot for their own reasons, but until they’re inducted they remain in the limbo of “Should be inducted, so why aren’t they?”

 

Gridlocked traffic that's so jammed up you could listen to a full album by Traffic before moving a mile (three artists occupying the same genre, era and voters):

 

14.   Judas Priest

Genre: Metal / Hard Rock

Era: 70s - Present

Direct / Indirect Competition: Motorhead, Thin Lizzy (directly)

Chronologically the next legendary Heavy Metal band that should be inducted (and likely the reason why the more popular Iron Maiden hasn’t been nominated yet), Priest has a 50 year legacy of great music (some of which crossed over into mainstream Classic Rock) and Rob Halford has an iconic voice and look, which should seemingly make the band a strong contender for induction by now except for one factor:

The rock hall voters don’t respect Metal.

Will that change now that Bon Jovi and Def Leppard (admittedly poppier, more mainstream versions of the original genre) have been inducted?  Quite possibly, which leads to the next reason why Priest is destined to get snubbed:

The Nom Com put three metal acts on the ballot, making it nearly guaranteed that they’ll split the votes of the limited number of voters who would vote for a Metal act.

15.   Motorhead

Genre: Metal / Hard Rock

Era: Late 70s / 80s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy (directly)

One could argue that Motorhead should have to wait for the induction of Judas Priest and probably Iron Maiden before it was “their turn” representing Metal in the Hall, but Motorhead does have an additional punk legacy (their style borrows from late 70’s punk bands like Ramones and helped to create speed and thrash metal) that helped them find a way to the ballot.

Motorhead has the same problem that Judas Priest does, though they probably have a less likely path to induction this year.

16.   Thin Lizzy

Genre: Hard Rock / Metal

Era: 70s / Early 90s

Direct / Indirect Competition: Judas Priest, Motorhead (directly)

It’s hard to say whether Thin Lizzy or the Dave Matthews Band are the biggest surprise on this year’s ballot, but I think that Thin Lizzy is by far the biggest long-shot, as they’re limited by direct competition on the ballot from Priest and Motorhead (both of whom loom much larger in the genre) and a limited radio legacy in the United States.

 

Summary 

 

In summary, it is my opinion that the current voting scenario of a large ballot (16 artists) with a low number of available votes per voter (up to 5 votes) dictates that (in the absence of “no-brainer” candidates) the artists with the best chance of induction are the ones that face the least amount of direct competition, meaning that while hard rock fans and metalheads may be excited by their genre’s oversized representation on the ballot, they are likely to be disappointed when the inductees are announced.

My predicted inductees:

Notorious B.I.G.
T. Rex
Whitney Houston
Pat Benatar
The Doobie Brothers

(If more than 5)

Soundgarden
Todd Rundgren