Snubbed Stars! The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Biggest Brush-Offs

By JC Villamere. 22 Feb 2021 2:50 PM

You know rock & roll is too cool for rules. That’s why there is no firm number of nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame each year. A committee of rock & roll historians picks six nominees. Or 10. Sometimes they pick 12. But one thing’s for certain, it’s usually between six and 12. Then, from the nominees, experts vote to select the year’s five inductees. Or six inductees. You see where we’re going. There is just one rule: No babies allowed. Only acts who put out their debut record over 25 years ago are eligible. Who are we to criticize the choices of an organization that holds itself to such high standards? Behold these egregious grudges, and you’ll see why we couldn’t hold our tongues.

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LL Cool J, Country Stars... And Friendship

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Tina Turner
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You know her. You love her. She's been a superstar for, like, your whole life. But not just any kind of superstar. She's been dubbed the Queen of Rock & Roll and she’s one of the bestselling female artists of all time. So how can the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have snubbed her for a whopping 23 years? Yes, she's been inducted as part of a duo with her abusive ex, but you know what? That wasn't Ike singing "What's Love Got To Do With It?" That wasn't Ike fighting Mad Max. That's not Ike on the Bond soundtrack. We don't even know what Ike's legs look like. Turner is nominated for the class of 2021, but that doesn't guarantee an induction — and in this case, it should.
The Guess Who
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They wrote a whole song to tell an American to stay away from them, and still, our slighted southern neighbours agree that these Winnipeg rockers are the victims of snubbery. From These Eyes, this is No Time to let them leave the Hall of Fame with No Sugar Tonight because the awkward way we've shoehorned Guess Who song titles in here is nowhere near as embarrassing as snubbing the "Undun" hitmakers for 26 years and counting. Anyway, Adrienne Clarkson came to the rescue in 2002 with these neat medals for the guys at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.
Carole King
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This American singer-songwriter has been eligible for 37 years and nominated twice, but the "You've Got A Friend" singer hasn't been able to seal the deal. She did get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002, though. King isn't the only one who's been waiting for over 30 years. Both "My Guy" hitmaker Mary Wells, and the Marvelettes of "Please Mr. Postman" fame, have been eligible for 35 years, nominated twice, and never inducted.
Pat Benatar
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She’s a rock singer. Do you know how you can tell? One hint is her four consecutive Grammy wins for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. With tracks like "Hit Me with Your Best Shot", "Love Is a Battlefield", and "We Belong”, Benetar made some of the ‘80s’ biggest hits and sold over 30 million records. She's been eligible for 22 years and lost out on a 2020 nomination. Here are some of your other ‘80s faves who have yet to get into the Hall of Fame: INXS, George Michael, Duran Duran, and Kate Bush. Queen Elizabeth II appointed Bush as a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2013. Bush has been nominated for the class of 2021 so there’s a chance that this could be her year.
Pixies
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'Doolittle' is practically a cliched reply when asked for your fave rock album but Pixies have been snubbed for nine years and counting. They're in a snub club together with Oasis, Blur, Sonic Youth, the Smiths, and Stone Roses. What a cool bunch of losers.
Soundgarden
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Yep, you can release the albums 'Superunknown' and 'Badmotorfinger' and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can still snub you for 10 years and counting. Soundgarden have two Grammys but they lost their bid for the class of 2020. You know who else isn't in the Hall? Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, and Alice In Chains. Add to that Rage Against the Machine, who have had three nominations in the four years they've been eligible. And kick out the jams for MC5 who have had five nominations in 30 years but are still awaiting an invite to their inauguration.
DEVO and Kraftwerk
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Listen, we know that some of you think that DEVO (pictured) is just the American version of Kraftwerk. And we know that some of you believe that DEVO's hats are much nicer than Kraftwerk's. We are not here to referee those arguments. We're here to tell you that the Hall has snubbed both, and you can unite in your disappointment. Kraftwerk have six noms in their 26 years of eligibility, and Devo have two noms in their 19 years.
Peter Frampton
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The classic rock radio staple behind the smash-hit live album 'Frampton Comes Alive' has been deemed unworthy of the Hall. It's the same case for other '70s rockers like Gram Parsons, Joe Cocker, Jim Croce, Bad Company, the Doobie Brothers, the Runaways, Procol Harum, the Jam, Jethro Tull, T. Rex, and King Crimson.
Iron Maiden
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Despite very little airplay on TV or radio, these heavy metal heroes have sold over 90 million records with a long list of hit albums, including 1982's 'The Number of the Beast', 1983's 'Piece of Mind', 1984's 'Powerslave', 1986's 'Somewhere in Time', and 1988's 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'. These guys were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk on Sunset Boulevard in 2005, but we're not here to trumpet their inclusion in the RockWalk. We're here to talk snubs and snubs only. And, sure, Maiden is nominated for the class of 2021, but that's not going to stop us from highlighting 17 years of snubs. These other '80s rockers are also on the outside of the Hall looking in and probably smoking: Billy Idol, New York Dolls, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Tool, Slayer, Motorhead, and Judas Priest, who have been eligible for 22 years and nominated twice.
Diana Ross and Mariah Carey
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Yes, the Supremes are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but as a solo artist, Ross has 27 top-40 hits and one of the most successful music careers of all time. If they can induct Stephen Stills twice in the same year, they can get Ms. Ross caught up on her inductions. Put Mariah Carey on the list, too. Her '80s chart rival Madonna was inducted in 2008. Madonna's had 12 #1 hits, but Mimi has had 18 #1 hits, and she hasn't even been nominated in the six years she's been eligible.
Chic, War, and Rufus with Chaka Khan
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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has totally and utterly forgotten to bring the funk. These disco-tinged superstars are the Hall's Susan Luccis. Chic, of "Le Freak" fame, has been nominated 11 times in the 19 years they've been eligible. California funk band War has three nominations in 25 years. Hall delegates must not have not considered War's contributions to the "Dazed and Confused" soundtrack, which would have been weak without their hits "Why Can't We Be Friends?" and "Low Rider". Rufus with Chaka Khan have had four nominations in 23 years. Although sometimes it feels like it's just a matter of time, more acts become eligible each year and can reduce legacy artists' chances.
LL Cool J, Country Stars... And Friendship
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Why is rap's first superstar not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? It's not because he's a rapper and the Hall of Fame is a rock & roll thing: Tupac and Biggie have already been inducted. So have N.W.A., Beastie Boys, and Run-DMC. But for the Cool James whom Ladies Love, it has been a roller-coaster ride of nominations and letdowns. In his 12 years of eligibility, he has been nominated and shut out six times. And while we're talking about genre inclusion into a rock mecca, if the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can stretch to include some rap, why can't they let in country crossover superstars Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson, too? There are snubs as far as the eye can see! We're not the only ones holding snub grudges, though. Comedian John Mulaney thinks fellow Chicago natives Smashing Pumpkins should be inducted, although he regularly mocks the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony as “half a dozen ungrateful bands” dressed “like John Varvatos pirates.” Last year, he told 'Rolling Stone', "You know who should be inducted? The friendship of Joe Walsh and Ringo Starr. They are together so much, it warms my heart."

Snubbed Stars! The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Biggest Brush-Offs

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