Outspoken guitar legend Ted Nugent didn’t pull any punches when discussing the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, accusing the institution of “pissing in the face” of rock history.

“It says ROCK and Roll Hall of Fame. And they basically pissed on Chuck Berry’s grave, the way I look at it,” Nugent declared during a recent interview with Sirius XM’s Eddie Trunk. When the host asked specifically about Chubby Checker, an early rock pioneer on this year’s ballot, Nugent doubled down on his criticism.

“Chubby Checker, if he’s not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but Grandmaster Flash [is]… I’m not knocking Grandmaster Flash. Maybe I am. But there’s a bunch of people that are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that is just sacrilege. It’s just rude. It’s dishonest. It’s pissing in the face of Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and Little Richard and all these magnificent, real rock and roll masters.”

 

 

Nugent proceeded to take aim at the Hall’s decision to include artists from other genres, most notably hip hop, country and pop.

“I’m referencing the difference between REAL rock and rollers and people who are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that have nothing to do with rock and roll, whether it’s Madonna or Grandmaster Flash,” the guitarist proclaimed, describing some of the Hall’s decisions as “inexcusable.”

Ted Nugent Wants to See These Artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

As his conversation with Trunk continued, Nugent named a handful of acts who he believes are worthy of the Hall. Among them, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, the ‘60s band known for such hits as “Jenny Take a Ride” and “Devil With a Blue Dress On,” as well as a trio of Nugent’s contemporaries.

“If you list the credentials of why any real rock and roller is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I think we can come to the conclusion honestly that REO [Speedwagon] and Triumph and Styx should be in it,” Nugent noted. He also argued for Grand Funk Railroad’s induction, calling them “the definitive soundtrack of real American rock and roll.”

 

Despite an impressive career, Nugent himself has never been a nominee for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. While the guitarist spent most of his energy during the interview campaigning for other artists, he admitted to Trunk that he feels his own career is also worthy.

 

“If you just have a list of credentials, a list of accomplishments, I certainly should have been in before Madonna or Grandmaster Flash,” he insisted, “but I never make the case for me.”

145 Artists Not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Many have shared their thoughts on possible induction.

Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff

Bryan Adams

YouTube

Bryan Adams

Eligible since 2005, Bryan Adams hasn’t been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – and he’s stayed surprisingly quiet about that. He almost found himself on stage for an induction ceremony anyway, after being invited to a 2021 tribute to Tina Turner, his partner on the hit duet “It’s Only Love.” Unfortunately, Adams ended up missing the event after a positive COVID test. (Matt Wardlaw)

Alice in Chains

Jeffrey Mayer, WireImage

Alice in Chains

Despite releasing several chart-topping, critically acclaimed albums that made them one of the leaders of the ‘90s grunge revolution, Alice in Chains has yet to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since becoming eligible in 2016. “It’s not something that’s gonna make or break your career, but it’s always nice to be recognized for your work,” Jerry Cantrell told WMMR in 2021. “I don’t really spend a whole lot of time thinking about it.” (Bryan Rolli)

Gregg Allman

Tom Hill, Getty Images

Gregg Allman

Gregg Allman’s relationship with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is unique. He was drunk for just about every part of the process when the Allman Brothers Band was inducted in 1995, including the ceremony itself. “It should have been the greatest week of my life,” he later wrote in My Cross to Bear, “but instead I hit an all-time low.” The experience was so profound that it prompted Allman to seek professional help and finally overcome his addiction once and for all. Allman released eight albums before his death in 2017 and has been eligible for solo induction since 2012, but has not been nominated. (Allison Rapp)

America

Jack Kay, Daily Express, Hulton Archive, Getty Images

America

Not only has America been eligible for induction into the Rock Hall since 1997, they’ve never been nominated. Their 1971 debut self-titled album featured the international hit “A Horse With No Name,” success they followed up with in singles like “Ventura Highway,” “Lonely People” and “Sister Golden Hair.” They’ve won multiple Grammys and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006. (Rapp)

Anthrax

Paul Natkin, Getty Images

Anthrax

The irreverent younger cousins of thrash metal’s Big 4, Anthrax has never been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, despite being eligible since 2009. “I’ve never had a discussion with anybody about it,” Joey Belladonna told the Misplaced Straws podcast in 2021. “I mean, hell, Rush just got in there not too long ago. I wouldn’t even wanna put myself in that position to even compare anything.” Still, he conceded that “we’ve done some cool stuff. If we were to get in, by any chance, I think there’s a nice story there. There’s some cool stuff there.” (Rolli)

Argent

Fin Costello, Redferns

Argent

Argent has been eligible for Rock Hall induction since 1996. They’ve never been nominated, though group namesake Rod Argent was inducted in 2019 as a member of his prior band, the Zombies. At that time, Argent acknowledged his career’s challenges. “This is the pinnacle, to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” he said. “What a reward for all of the ups and downs over the years.” (Wardlaw)

Asia

Redferns, Getty Images

Asia

Members of Asia were in famous rock bands such as King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but only guitarist Steve Howe has been recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Howe and Asia bandmate Geoff Downes are both also members of 2017 inductees Yes, but Downes was not recognized with the others. They achieved quadruple-platinum success with John Wetton and Carl Palmer on Asia’s 1982 self-titled debut album, but frequent lineup changes and dipping commercial success may have made them unlikely candidates for enshrinement. (Matthew Wilkening)

Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Bachman-Turner Overdrive hasn’t been nominated for the Rock Hall since becoming eligible in 1999. Founding member Randy Bachman has also been in the running since 1991 with his previous band, the Guess Who. He didn’t mince words when the subject came up in a 2012 radio interview, going so far as to wonder if it was because they’re Canadian. “It really pisses me off every year,” he said. “I don’t begrudge the groups that get in, but … being in the Guess Who in their peak years, the ‘American Woman’ years when I wrote the songs, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive during the peak years, when we were selling 30, 40 million records – to not get a nod from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and other bands who have had lesser artistic or commercial success get in there, it does really tick you off.” (Wardlaw)

Bad Company

Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Bad Company

Bad Company has been eligible for Rock Hall induction since 2000, but they’ve never been nominated. Simon Kirke suggested the band’s name has been in the conversation many times, and he admitted to being irked by their continued exclusion. “Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, I think [the induction process] sucks. I really do,” he told Vinyl Writer Music in 2021. Kirke went on to add that he believes there might be some extenuating circumstances at play. “I think it’s political. I think that maybe along the way, we made some enemies.” (Wardlaw)

Badfinger

Michael Putland, Getty Images

Badfinger

Badfinger first became eligible for the Rock Hall in 1996. Their original incarnation existed for a relatively brief time from 1968 to 1973, during which they released five albums with the Beatles’ Apple label and toured extensively. Still, Badfinger became well-known as a power-pop group, selling an estimated 14 million records before their legacy was clouded with tragedy: Pete Ham committed suicide in 1975, as did Tom Evans in 1983. They have never been nominated for the Rock Hall. (Rapp)

Beck

Emma Mcintyre, Getty Images

Beck

As a genre-blurring musical chameleon, Beck has enjoyed a long and influential career. He’s been nominated for 23 Grammys, taking home 8 awards including Album of the Year in 2015. Since his debut LP Mellow Gold arrived in 1994, Beck has been one of the most consistently popular forces in music, landing 14 songs in the Top 20 of Billboard’s Alternative chart, including such memorable tracks as “Loser,” “Where It’s At,” “E-Pro,” “Blue Moon” and “Dreams.” Beck was a first-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee in 2022, but is still awaiting induction. (Corey Irwin)

The B-52s

Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

The B-52’s

If you’re really going to have a party at the Rock Hall, the B-52’s should be there. They’ve been eligible since 2004 and, in the words of R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, made it OK to dance at a time when things had gotten very specific due to punk rock. Stipe, a 2007 Rock Hall inductee, said the un-nominated B-52’s also helped put his musical hometown on the map. “During the early days of R.E.M., whenever we would go on tour we always began our set by announcing that we were from Athens, Georgia,” he told the Pitchfork Review. “The only reason that meant something to anyone was because of The B-52’s. We wore that badge proudly.” (Wardlaw)

The Black Crowes

Mick Hutson, Getty Images

The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes debuted in 1990, making them first eligible for the Rock Hall in 2016. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson were then in the midst of conflict, though they’ve since made amends. Still, don’t expect them to appear together should the un-nominated Black Crowes ever be inducted. Chris Robinson has told Howard Stern that he wouldn’t attend the ceremony: “I’m not going. Look, Jerry Garcia didn’t go, I’m not going,” he said. “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, to me, is like going to the mall or something.” (Rapp)

Blackfoot

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

Blackfoot

Blackfoot is among a number of Southern rockers who are not in the Rock Hall. Founding member Rickey Medlocke plays with Lynyrd Skynyrd these days, and he pondered Blackfoot’s prospects after his current group was inducted in 2006. “Blackfoot sold millions of records, and we were on a different cutting edge than other bands were. We played heavier, with a blues influence, and we were still Southern,” Medlocke told author David Iozzia. “Maybe at some point in time, Blackfoot deserves to be in there.” (Wardlaw)

Blind Faith

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Blind Faith

Collectively, the four members of Blind Faith have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame five times. But three of those honors belong to Eric Clapton, who was voted in alongside Blind Faith bandmate Ginger Baker for their work in Cream in 1993, with the Yardbirds a year before that and as a solo artist in 2000. Steve Winwood was inducted as a member of Traffic in 2004, while Blind Faith bassist Ric Grech, who was briefly a member of Traffic, got left out. Blind Faith was together for less than a year and released only one studio album. Perhaps the Rock Hall voters consider their trophy cases suitably full at the moment. (Wilkening)

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Blood, Sweat and Tears earned three straight No. 2 singles in 1969, the highlight of a brief golden era that left us with horn-heavy classics such as “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” and “Spinning Wheel.” They’ve been eligible for induction since 1994, but never nominated. (Wilkening)

Blue Cheer

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Blue Cheer

Rock Hall nomination has eluded proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer since they became eligible in 1994, and that seems to suit them just fine. “It’s not anything that excites us. We’d be more interested in the Rock & Roll Hall of Infamy,” the late Dickie Peterson told Rock ’N’ Roll Universe in 2007. “If you want to make it a Hall of Fame type of band, that’s up to somebody else, not up to us. If they think we’re going to pay money and try to buy fame, they’re wrong. Not to mention most of the guys who get in end up playing Atlantic City, Las Vegas, or they die. We’re more interested in the gig tomorrow night than being in the Hall of Fame.” (Rolli)

Blue Oyster Cult

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Blue Oyster Cult

The 40-plus years of cultural ubiquity enjoyed by songs such as “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Burnin’ for You” and “Godzilla” haven’t yet been enough to sway the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s voters on Blue Oyster Cult. Buck Dharma theorizes that their exclusion might have something to do with “something personal” between the band’s songwriting partner Richard Meltzer and longtime Hall of Fame executive Jann Wenner. “You know, there’s lots of bands that should be in the Hall of Fame that aren’t. There’s probably some bands that are in that shouldn’t be,” Dharma told the Austin Chronicle in 2017. “Do I care? It would be a nice feather, but I’m not holding my breath.” (Wilkening)

Jon Bon Jovi

Larry Busacca Archive/WireImage, Getty Images

Jon Bon Jovi

To put it mildly, Jon Bon Jovi’s relationship with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been complicated. He felt slighted that his namesake band had to wait 10 years after becoming eligible to finally get inducted. During their induction, Bon Jovi joked that he’d written two speeches – one a “thank you” speech, the other a “fuck you” speech. Could these previous issues with the Rock Hall hinder efforts to enter as a solo artist? It’s tough to say. Bon Jovi’s solo career has included two studio albums and such hit songs as “Blaze of Glory” and “Miracle.” Outside of the Hall’s voting room, his popularity remains high. Still, it’s the voters inside who carry the most weight. (Irwin)

Boston

Richard E. Aaron, Getty Images

Boston

Tom Scholz recorded the bulk of Boston’s 17-times platinum debut album in his basement. In a sense, he remains stuck downstairs waiting for Rock Hall recognition, after becoming eligible for induction in 2002. If Scholz is irked by the exclusion, he has yet to comment on it – probably because he’s admittedly no stranger to snubs. “We happened before [critics] even knew that we happened,” Scholz told Guitar World in 2006, “and I think that really irritated some people – because they felt that they were the gatekeepers and we had passed right through it. You do that and people are going to get mad.” (Wardlaw)

Brownsville Station

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Brownsville Station

Brownsville Station has been eligible since 1996, but never nominated for a possible Rock Hall induction. Fans include fellow Detroit export Alice Cooper, who cited Brownsville Station as an example of some of the “best hard rock” to emerge from the city. He praised the “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” rockers during a 2016 interview, alongside Bob Seger, the Stooges and others. (Wardlaw)

Canned Heat

Legacy / Liberty Records

Canned Heat

Founded in 1965 in Los Angeles, Canned Heat grew out of a small jug band to become one of the ’60s most popular counterculture groups. They’ve never been officially nominated. One possible reason why: Dozens of musicians have performed in the lineup over the years, perhaps making it difficult to narrow down who exactly would be included if they were to be honored. (Rapp)

The Chambers Brothers

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

The Chambers Brothers

Best known for the 11-minute 1967 psychedelic-soul hit “Time Has Come Today,” the Chambers Brothers have been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1992 but never nominated. Two years prior to the release of “Time Has Come Today,” a crowd at the Newport Folk Festival memorably rushed the stage and broke down fences during their performance. “Newport had never seen or heard anything like that,” guitarist Joe Chambers told Goldmine in 1994. After their show, the Newport MC appeared on stage and said: “Whether you know it or not, that was rock ‘n’ roll.” (Rapp)

Joe Cocker

Gijsbert Hanekroot, Getty Images

Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker has one heavy-hitting proponent of his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame candidacy. Billy Joel voiced his support back in 2014, the same year Cocker died: “I’m amazed that he’s not in yet, but I’m throwing in my vote for Joe Cocker,” Joel told fans at Madison Square Garden, while covering “With a Little Help From My Friends” as Cocker once did. He’s been eligible since 1995, but never nominated. (Wardlaw)

Phil Collins

YouTube

Phil Collins

Phil Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010, but his solo career yielded five straight multiplatinum albums in the ’80s. His former bandmate Peter Gabriel was inducted as a solo artist in 2014, but Collins has yet to be nominated. “Whatever I did was compared to Peter,” Collins noted of his own solo career in a 2016 Guardian interview. “He was far more intellectual than I was.” It’s also possible that the inevitable backlash to Collins’ ’80s solo success, which included movie roles and taking a Concorde across the Atlantic Ocean to play both Live Aid shows on the same day, has had an impact: “I was always in your face. People were talking about me, usually not in a nice way. There was definitely too much of me.” (Wilkening)

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Gijsbert Hanekroot, Getty Images

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Oddly enough, all of the members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are in the Rock Hall – just not as a foursome. CSN was inducted in 1997, without Young, and they’ve also been included for their work in other bands: Crosby for the Byrds, Stills for Buffalo Springfield and Nash for the Hollies. Young was inducted first as a solo artist in 1995 then again for his work with Buffalo Springfield in 1997, though he did not attend the latter event. “Although I accept the honor, in the name of rock ‘n’ roll, I decline to take part in this TV presentation and be trotted out like some cheap awards show,” Young said at the time. “There are already too many of these.” (Rapp)

The Cult

Jeff Kravitz, FilmMagic

The Cult

The Cult have never been nominated for the Rock Hall, despite being eligible since 2010 — a fact that neither surprises nor upsets Ian Astbury. “The only award we got of any significance was at the CMJ Awards in 1985 or ’86,” he told The Toronto Sun in 2016. “It was at the Apollo Theater in New York. It was for Song of the Year for ‘She Sells Sanctuary.’ And Yoko Ono got up to present it to us, and she made a speech about John Lennon and young songwriters directed at us. That moment was transcendent. There wasn’t really much that could top that.” (Rolli)

Roger Daltrey

McCarthy, Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Roger Daltrey

Like his Who bandmate Pete Townshend, singer Roger Daltrey was inducted into the Rock Hall as a member of the band in 1990 but has not been included as a solo artist. He has been eligible since 1999 and has released 10 solo albums. “You don’t realize how great a singer Roger Daltrey is until you try to do it yourself,” Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips once said. (Rapp)

The Spencer Davis Group

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

The Spencer Davis Group

The Spencer Davis Group has never been nominated, despite being eligible since 1991. “[Spencer Davis] was definitely a man with a vision, and one of the pioneers of the British invasion of America in the ’60s,” former band member Steve Winwood said to Rolling Stone in 2020. “I feel that he was influential in setting me on the road to becoming a professional musician, and I thank him for that.” (Rapp)

Derek and the Dominos

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Derek and the Dominos

Eric Clapton is already the only three-time inductee, for his work as a solo artist, with Cream and with the Yardbirds. If the voting committee really wanted to go for it they could also honor him for his one-album stints with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos, a short-lived supergroup whose 1970 album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs also featured Duane Allman. This theoretical induction would also make Allman a two-time member of the Hall of Fame. (Wilkening)

Rick Derringer

Chris Walter/WireImage

Rick Derringer

Rick Derringer has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1999 but hasn’t been nominated. The Ohio guitarist’s career goes far beyond his own history, which includes the perennial radio favorite “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” In addition to his work with both Edgar and Johnny Winter, Derringer became an in-demand sideman, playing on albums by Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, Kiss and many others. (Wardlaw)

Devo

Chris Walter, Getty Images

Devo

“The reality is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is bigger than just being about the most obvious traits of rock ‘n’ roll – it also includes concepts and ideas that changed rock ‘n’ roll,” Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh explained to NME in 2022. “At the risk of being immodest, I think Devo – bigger than our record sales – had an influence on the aesthetic and trajectory of rock ‘n’ roll, so it would be nice to be recognized.” The Hall has certainly had its chance to induct a band best known for hits like “Whip It” and “Freedom of Choice.” Devo has previously been nominated in 2018, 2021 and 2022. Should the band finally earn enshrinement, Mothersbaugh has a plan: “I’m going to buy a property right next door to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – maybe even just one parking space – and have all of Devo buried there.” (Irwin)

Dio

Pete Still, Redferns

Dio

Despite his successful stints in Rainbow and Black Sabbath and fronting his own eponymous band, Ronnie James Dio has never been given a Rock Hall nod. He was excluded from Sabbath’s induction in 2006, and his group has gone without a nomination since 2009. “They’re a bunch of fuckin’ assholes,” former Sabbath and Dio drummer Vinny Appice said of the Rock Hall in a 2022 interview on the Talkin’ Bout Rock podcast. “I’ve been to that place, and there wasn’t really much of Ronnie in there either. It’s like, Ronnie? C’mon!” (Rolli)

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Gaining respect for progressive rock has long been an uphill battle. That was Greg Lake’s view when considering why Emerson, Lake & Palmer hadn’t been inducted into the Rock Hall, despite being eligible since 1996. Years have passed and still they haven’t been nominated, which the late ELP vocalist took as a big slight. “Groups like ELP were playing stadiums. Not clubs, stadiums,” Lake told UCR in 2013. “It’s not something you can overlook: ‘Oh, I didn’t notice that.’” (Wardlaw)

Brian Eno

Erica Echenberg/Redferns, Getty Images

Brian Eno

Brian Eno was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music in 2019, but his resume outside of the group is also worthy of consideration. A pioneer of electronic and ambient music, Eno has released 28 solo studio albums, and has also joined forces with such acclaimed artists as Robert Fripp and David Byrne on collaborative projects. Eno has arguably had an even bigger impact behind the scenes as a groundbreaking producer on some of the biggest releases from U2, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Devo and Coldplay, among many others. (Irwin)

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Jimmy Goldsmith, Getty Images

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Best known for their 1986 hit “Tuff Enuff,” the Fabulous Thunderbirds have been eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 2005. Founding guitarist Jimmie Vaughan was at least able to accept induction honors on behalf of his late brother Stevie Ray Vaughan in 2015. “I’m just proud for him,” Jimmie told Rolling Stone after giving his speech and performing alongside his brother’s former band Double Trouble at the ceremony. “I can see my mother and father excited for this. It’s validation in a lot of ways, but we would have kept playing.” (Wilkening)

The Flaming Lips

John Shearer, Getty Images

The Flaming Lips

For over 40 years, the Flaming Lips have been wowing fans with their ever-evolving take on psychedelic rock and pop. Is it possible the Rock Hall simply doesn’t want to pay for cleaning up the confetti and glitter that will undoubtedly cover the stage after their induction performance? (Wilkening)

Focus

Gijsbert Thankeroot, Getty Images

Focus

Best known for mixing yodeling with progressive rock and somehow coming up with a big hit on 1971’s “Hocus Pocus,” Focus is one of the Netherlands’ most famous and enduring bands. They’ve released 11 studio albums over the years, and remain a popular touring attraction. Although their hopes for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction seem dim, frontman Thiijs Van Leer seems to take it all in stride, pointing out the absurdity of the song that brought him fame in the first place: “I studied a lot of classical piano, organ and flute, but I never studied yodeling,” he said in a Rockologist interview, “and it made me famous through the world. It’s really funny.” (Wilkening)

John Fogerty

Evening Standard

John Fogerty

John Fogerty refused to perform with his surviving bandmates when Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock Hall in 1993, after years of legal and personal disputes. He became eligible for inclusion into the hall as a solo artist six years after that, but has yet to be nominated. John Mellencamp once described Fogerty as “an American original,” who wrote “one great song after another.” Fogerty has released over half a dozen solo albums, including the No. 1 hit Centerfield from 1985. (Rapp)

Foghat

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Foghat

Foghat has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1998, with three members gaining separate eligibility in 1993 due to their prior ties with Savoy Brown. There have been no nominations for either band. “It doesn’t concern me one bit. My job is playing drums and helping the band stay on track and loving every minute of it,” drummer Roger Earl told Vintage Rock. “We’re happier being able to still record and tour, over being on display in some stuffy museum.” (Wardlaw)

Free

Michael Putland, Getty Images

Free

Paul Rodgers has the dubious honor of fronting two separate acts that appear on this list. His first taste of fame came in Free, who earned fans across the globe thanks to such memorable hits as “All Right Now” and “Wishing Well.” The group sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, but their reputation was really made as a dynamic live act. Like Rodgers’ other collaborators in Bad Company, Free have reportedly come up in conversation during Rock Hall meetings, yet have never received a nomination despite being eligible since 1994. (Irwin)

Ace Frehley

eOne

Ace Frehley

Although Ace Frehley was inducted into the Rock Hall as a member of Kiss in 2014, he found the experience less than rewarding. Paul Stanley declined to allow the band to perform after organizers limited inductions to the original four members. “There was some political stuff going on,” Frehley explained shortly afterward. “I don’t think politics and music work, I never did.” Frehley has been eligible for solo induction since 2004, and has released nine solo albums as a solo artist and with his ’80s band Frehley’s Comet. (Wilkening)

J. Geils Band

MIchael Ochs Archves, Getty Images

J. Geils Band

The J. Geils Band has been nominated five times for the Rock Hall since becoming eligible in 1996. Their most recent nominations happened back to back in 2017 and 2018. At that time, frontman Peter Wolf said he felt it was time for the J. Geils Band to get their due. He also stressed that their worth went far beyond being a “party band,” as some might perceive. “Besides putting on hellafied shows and giving 110 percent night after night, we really tried very hard to give an awareness to artists that we worshiped and adored,” he told Billboard. “At the end of the day, we turned a lot of people on to John Lee Hooker. We turned a lot of people on to Smokey Robinson with ‘First I Look at the Purse,’ and so many artists who would have gone unrecognized.” (Wardlaw)

David Gilmour

Matthew Weisman, Getty Images

David Gilmour

David Gilmour was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pink Floyd in 1996. He’s released four solo rock albums over the years, the same number as his estranged former bandmate Roger Waters. Still, spending another decade recording and touring as a member of Pink Floyd after their initial split seems to have pushed his solo career into a lower profile, and perhaps out of the nominating committee’s mind. (Wilkening)

Golden Earring

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Golden Earring

To borrow from their own catalog, Golden Earring are in the “Twilight Zone” when it comes to the Rock Hall. They’ve been eligible since 1991 and haven’t been nominated, despite scoring two Top 40 hits. Band members haven’t spoken about the exclusion, but they’ve shared the stage with plenty of Hall of Fame inductees including Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and the Doobie Brothers. (Wardlaw)

Grand Funk Railroad

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad has never received a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, despite five platinum albums and hugely popular hits like “Walk Like a Man” and “We’re an American Band.” The omission doesn’t sit well with Grand Funk co-founder Mark Farner. “It just shows the illegitimacy of that Rock Hall,” he told Sofa King Cool in 2021, “and the [fans] are definitely smart enough to know this. They need to be reminded, though, that the Rock Hall is not a representation of the will of the people; it is a representation of the will of the owners of the Rock Hall.” In the end, Farner said “I don’t need to be in a Rock Hall, ’cause without the people’s opinion, it’s fake. It’s politicized and, brother, it just ain’t real.” (Wilkening)

The Guess Who

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

The Guess Who

The Winnipeg-based Guess Who hasn’t received a nomination for the Rock Hall since becoming eligible in 1991, leading fans to take matters into their own hands. A group called Guess Who 4 the Hall launched an online campaign in 2021 to get the “American Woman” rockers inducted. “Speaking for myself as a fan and a Winnipegger, they were the original rock ‘n’ roll superstars,” campaign founder Jenny Motkaluk told CTV News in 2021. “They topped the global charts in the ’70s. Their music has stood the test of time. It’s the soundtrack of a generation. And for all those reasons, we believe that they absolutely deserve a spot alongside their peers in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.” (Rolli)

Sammy Hagar

Keystone, Getty Images

Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen in 2007, but neither Van Halen brother or David Lee Roth showed up. Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony were there but didn’t perform, with Velvet Revolver tacking a nearly unrecognizable snippet of the Hagar-era “Runaround” onto the end of their rendition of “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love.” So Hagar’ – who’s been eligible as a solo artist since 2002 – could use a do-over. “It means everything,” Hagar told WKYC in 2018 about his induction as a member of Van Halen. “It’s a validation. Yeah, ‘You made it.’ And you can show that to your grandkids. There’s so many bands that get up for nomination year after year and don’t get it. Everybody I know that isn’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but should be is bitter. So I’m not bitter.” (Wilkening)

Hawkwind

Jorgen Angel, Redferns

Hawkwind

Hawkwind has never been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since first becoming eligible in 1996. Dozens of musicians have shifted through the space-rock band’s ranks over the years, including drummer Ginger Baker (inducted into the Rock Hall as a member of Cream in 1993) and Lemmy Kilmister, whose main band Motorhead seems a likelier candidate for future induction. (Rolli)

Don Henley

Redferns, Getty Images

Don Henley

As the highest-selling American band in history, it makes sense that the Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Founding member Don Henley first became eligible for his solo work some two decades later, in 2008. Yet despite his stand-alone successes, Henley has yet to be nominated. That seems to be OK with him: “I’m not crazy about the whole idea of a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” he said in 2013. “It seems to me to be the antithesis of what rock ‘n’ roll is all about. Was it Groucho Marx who said ‘I wouldn’t want to become part of any club that would have me’? So, I’ve always felt a little queasy about the whole idea.” (Rapp)

Hole

Kevin Mazur, Getty Images

Hole

Fair or not, Hole will always reside in the shadow of the band fronted by Courtney Love’s husband Kurt Cobain. However, it’s unkind to compare them to Nirvana, and judging Hole on its own achievements reveals plenty of merit. For starters, Hole was loudly feminist and unafraid to tackle such heavy themes as abuse, body dysmorphia and sexual exploitation within their lyrics. For all her self-destructive ways, Love was also boldly pioneering and fearless, brazenly giving the middle finger to authority like a female Iggy Pop. Hole also proved to be commercially successful, with Live Through This and Celebrity Skin both reaching platinum sales. Love was on hand for Nirvana’s 2014 induction into the Rock Hall, accepting as Cobain’s widow. Whether she ever returns to the stage remains to be seen. (Irwin)

Humble Pie

Evening Standard, Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Humble Pie

One of the first supergroups of the ’60s, Humble Pie’s original lineup included Peter Frampton of the Herd, Steve Marriott of Small Faces, Greg Ridley of Spooky Tooth and Jerry Shirley of the Apostolic Intervention. They earned a strong reputation as a live band with their 1971 Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore double album, before Frampton left to find his own success. Humble Pie has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1995, but has never been nominated. (Rapp)

Billy Idol

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Billy Idol

MTV-era punk heartthrob Billy Idol has never been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, despite being eligible since 2007. Still, he would welcome the recognition for himself and longtime guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens. “My reward is the audience,” Idol told Variety in 2022. “But that would be fantastic — a great thing. If me and Steve could be inducted at the same time, it would be incredible. He deserves it.” (Rolli)

INXS

Paul Natkin, Getty Images

INXS

One of Australia’s most successful musical acts of all time, INXS has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 2006, though never nominated. They were, however, inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2001, just four years after the death of lead singer Michael Hutchence at the age of 37. A Change.org petition created by fans titled “Induct INXS into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” was launched in 2022, and drew more than 10,000 electronic signatures. “After many years of amazing music and dynamic ‘live’ performances, it’s time to ensure the legacy of one of the greatest bands in the world,” the petition read. (Rapp)

Iron Butterfly

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Iron Butterfly

Iron Butterfly has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1994, but hasn’t ever been nominated. Their signature song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” has proven an inspiration for millions – including Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, who borrowed from it for his solo on “The End” from Abbey Road. Iron Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy said Starr later admitted: “‘I hope you don’t mind I stole a part of your drum solo.’ I told him, ‘Not at all, I took it as a compliment coming from you.’” (Wardlaw)

Iron Maiden

Paul Natkin, Getty Images

Iron Maiden

Their metal brethren Judas Priest were finally inducted in 2022, leaving Iron Maiden as one of the Rock Hall’s most egregious snubs. They’ve only been nominated once, in 2021, after becoming eligible in 2005. Main songwriter Steve Harris has a positive outlook about it all. “I don’t mind that we’re not in things like that,” he told Rolling Stone in 2019. “I don’t think about things like that. It’s very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn’t get into the business for that sort of thing. I’m certainly not going to lose sleep if we don’t get any sort of award – not just that one, any award. I don’t think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn’t come of it is great, too.” (Rolli)

James Gang

Michael Putland, Getty Images

James Gang

James Gang, Joe Walsh’s pre-Eagles hard rock trio, has never been considered for the Rock Hall despite being eligible since 1995. Walsh has never commented on the omission specifically, but he aired his grievances with the institution in 2018. “There’s a lot of politics in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Walsh told TMZ. “There’s a lot us artists would change about the induction ceremony and who they pick.” (Rolli)

Janes Addiction

Frank Micelotta, Getty Images

Jane’s Addiction

Emerging from the Los Angeles music scene in the late ‘80s, Jane’s Addiction spearheaded rock’s evolution from glam to alternative. Led by dynamic frontman Perry Farrell, the band churned out two of the era’s most influential albums, 1988’s Nothing’s Shocking and 1990’s Ritual de lo Habitual , scoring hits with such songs as “Jane Says,” “Stop!” and “Been Caught Stealing.” Farrell admitted he was “really excited” in 2017 when the group earned its lone Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. Despite support from such notable rockers as Dave Grohl and Tom Morello, Jane’s remains on the outside looking in. (Irwin)

Jethro Tull

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Jethro Tull

Though they’ve been eligible since 1994, at least one member of Jethro Tull is fine that they’ve never been nominated for the Rock Hall. Founder Ian Anderson views it as more of a spotlight for American music: “I respect the institution of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame enormously, but I don’t think we really belong in there,” Anderson told Misplaced Straws. “I can think of a few artists who probably do who are not part of that.” (Wardlaw)

Kansas

Michael Putland, Getty Images

Kansas

Kansas has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 2000. They haven’t received a single nomination, but founding member Richard Williams is hardly concerned. “Nobody that I know really cares about the Hall of Fame. I don’t get it,” he said in 2000. “It doesn’t affect what I do. I would be honored if we [were] inducted, but it will not change the things that I do.” (Wardlaw)

King Crimson

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

King Crimson

Even as some of their progressive peers have been inducted, King Crimson remains on the outside of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Eligible starting in 1995, they haven’t been nominated. Stalwart founder Robert Fripp, who also became eligible as a solo artist in 1994, thinks their chances are slim. “Do I think we belong there? Probably not in terms of how America defines rock and roll,” he told Cleveland.com in 2022. “I think it is highly unlikely it will ever be formally offered.” (Wardlaw)

Korn

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Korn

Korn became eligible for the Rock Hall in 2020, and have not been nominated yet. But as pioneers of nu metal, their influence has touched a number of other heavy music groups. “Not only were they the band that we loved, but we also aspired to what they had,” Slipknot’s Corey Taylor said in 2014. “It’s crazy when the bands you look up to become your peers; that’s a pretty big statement to what you’ve done – especially with that band, because I have so much respect for what they’ve been able to do and what they’ve accomplished, and just how far they’ve been able to push their music.” (Rapp)

Lenny Kravitz

Scott Gries, Getty Images

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz has already taken the stage at two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies – just not as an inductee. He performed “When Doves Cry” and “The Cross” in 2017 as a tribute to Prince, and he inducted Lionel Richie in 2022. He seemingly possesses his own Rock Hall credentials, with more than 40 million albums sold worldwide and hit songs like “Let Love Rule,” “It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over,” “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” and “Fly Away.” Kravitz has been Hall eligible since 2015. (Irwin)

Cyndi Lauper

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Cyndi Lauper

Eligible since 2009, ’80s icon Cyndi Lauper was nominated for the Rock Hall of Fame for the first time in 2023. She didn’t get in and honestly it’s hard to understand why. Her first four singles – including the immortal 1983 empowerment anthem “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – all hit the Top 5, and she has sold over 50 million records to date. (Wilkening)

Annie Lennox

Dave Benett, Getty Images

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 as a member of Eurythmics. Her solo career may be even more deserving. The dynamic singer broke out on her own in the early ‘90s, delivering such hugely popular hits as “Why,” “No More ‘I Love You’s’” and “Walking on Broken Glass.” Her first two solo projects, 1992’s Diva and 1995’s Medusa, reached double platinum status in the U.S., a level of success the Eurythmics never achieved with an album of original material. Lennox has been eligible as a solo artist since 2018, and it’s likely the Rock Hall would take some time before considering her once more. Only three women have earned a second induction: Stevie Nicks, Carole King and Tina Turner. (Irwin)

Huey Lewis and the News

Aaron Rapoport/Corbis, Getty Images

Huey Lewis and the News

Throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Huey Lewis and the News enjoyed a commercial peak that rivaled almost any other band. They scored 12 Top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including No. 1 hits “The Power of Love,” “Stuck With You” and “Jacob’s Ladder.” Their 1983 album Sports sold more than seven million copies in the U.S., and the follow-up Fore! went triple platinum. Huey Lewis and the News have been Rock Hall eligible since 2006, yet have never received a nomination. Still, this hasn’t stopped thousands of fans from rallying behind the group online, as multiple Change.org petitions have called for their induction. (Irwin)

Living Colour

Anthony Barboza, Getty Images

Living Colour

Let’s talk right down to earth, in a language that everybody here can easily understand – Living Colour belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ever since releasing their 1988 anthem “Cult of Personality” the band has been kicking down doors that never should have been shut in the first place. They have been eligible for induction since 2014 and never nominated. (Wilkening)

Love

Michael Ochs Archive, Getty Images

Love

Although it wasn’t a hit when it was first released, Love’s Forever Changes is considered one of the most important albums from 1967’s Summer of Love. Decades later Love’s innovative mix of folk, pop and psychedelia continues to inspire new generations of bands. They have been eligible for Rock Hall induction since 1992. (Wilkening)

Manfred Manns Earth Band

YouTube

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band boast the unique distinction of giving Bruce Springsteen his only No. 1 single. They’ve been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1989, but their take on Springsteen’s “Blinded by the Light” hasn’t been enough to garner a nomination for induction. Still, Springsteen laughs regretfully when thinking about how the modification of the word “deuce” to something that sounded like “douche” gave them a huge hit. “I have a feeling that is why the song skyrocketed to No. 1 – but it worked, y’know,” Springsteen said on VH-1. “Deuce was like ‘Little Deuce Coupe,’ as in a two-seater hot rod, and a douche is a feminine hygienic procedure. So they are different. What can I say? The public spoke and they were right, y’now.” (Wardlaw)

Marshall Tucker Band

Absolute Publicity

Marshall Tucker Band

Like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band, the Marshall Tucker Band helped popularize Southern rock in the ’70s. Unlike those two acts, however, they haven’t been enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Marshall Tucker released an impressive eight albums during that decade, with one reaching platinum sales and another five going gold. The group scored hits with songs like “Fire on the Mountain,” “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Last of the Singing Cowboys,” and seemed poised to continue their success into the ‘80s. However, primary songwriter Tommy Caldwell was killed in a car accident in 1980, tragically altering the Marshall Tucker Band’s trajectory. The band has continued touring and recording ever since, but has never reached the heights of success they enjoyed in the ‘70s. Despite bing Hall eligible since 1999, they’ve never received a nomination. (Irwin)

Meat Loaf

Michael Putland, Getty Images

Meat Loaf

The late Meat Loaf has never been nominated for the Rock Hall, despite being eligible since 1997. It’s possible he’s never been considered because his non-Bat Out of Hell records underperformed commercially and critically, making for an uneven career. Nevertheless, epic hits like “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” earned Meat Loaf’s partner Jim Steinman’s enshrinement in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. (Rolli)

Read More: Ted Nugent Accuses Rock Hall of ‘Pissing in the Face’ of History | https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ted-nugent-rock-hall-of-fame-piss/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral