Do online fan petitions help artists get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

With the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's backlog of snubbed artists growing bigger every year, frustrated fan groups often turn to online petitions like change.org or Facebook groups to show the strength of their campaigns. But do they have any impact on the process? Is the Nominating Committee, who puts together the ballot, even made aware of their existence?

Let's take a look at just a sampling of the thousands of petitions that are out there:

ArtistPetition SiteYear StartedSignaturesNominations
Randy Rhoadschange.org2020850+Inducted in 2021
Todd Rundgrenchange.org201617Inducted in 2021
The Doobie Brotherschange.org20172,400+Inducted in 2020
T. Rexchange.org201621Inducted in 2020
Whitney Houstonchange.org20151,100+Inducted in 2020
Janet Jacksonchange.org2013512Inducted in 2019
The Guess Whochange.org202125,000+0
Styxchange.org20203,500+0
Triumphchange.org2020600+0
Kansaschange.org2012530
Redbonechange.org20194,700+0
Mötley Crüechange.org20192,500+0
INXSchange.org20203,600+0
Original 5 VJschange.org20184,700+N/A
Spiritchange.org20161,600+0
matchbox twentychange.org20213,500+N/A
Foreignerchange.org20184,800+0
The Swampers (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)change.org2021300+N/A
Emerson, Lake & Palmerchange.org20181,300+0
Three Dog Nightchange.org20151,000+0
Sha Na Nachange.org2018750+0
Backing Groupschange.org20182,900+N/A
Blue Öyster Cultchange.org2019900+0
"Weird" Al Yankovicchange.org2019500+0
Melissa Etheridgechange.org201710,000+0
Duran Duranchange.org20191,700+0
George Michaelchange.org20165,000+0
Ted Nugentchange.org20173,6000
Meat Loafchange.org20182,700+0
Salt-n-Pepachange.org20161,300+0
Cinderellachange.org20211,100+0
Diana Rosschange.org20203,900+0
Weenchange.org20171,600+0
Bone Thugs-n-Harmonychange.org20191,500+0
New Editionchange.org20201,000+0
David Cassidychange.org20171,200+0
Suzi Quatrochange.org2018900+0
Toots Hibbertipetitions.com20208,700+0
Rory Gallagheripetitions.com201019,000+0
Little Featipetitions.com20136,400+0
Fannyipetitions.com20211,600+0
Pat Booneipetitions.com2013400+0
Selenaipetitions.com20211,600+0
Kool & The Gangipetitions.com201470+0

The fact that a handful of recent inductees had an online petition is likely just coincidental, since there are petitions for hundreds of artists. Each year, Nominating Committee members are allowed to put two names up for discussion, and given huge number or artists to choose from, they won't be nominating anyone they aren't already passionate about.

The best way for fan groups to get the Rock Hall's attention is currently through the Voice Your Choice kiosk at the museum, where visitors can vote for the one artist they want to see inducted in the future. (This does require a trip to Cleveland and a $30 ticket to the museum.)

Greg Harris, the president of the Museum, has been known to use the standings of that poll as a reason to nominate artists. Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks and Dave Matthews Band have all jumped from the leaderboard to the ballot.

As for petitions? That energy would be better channeled into trying to encourage the Rock Hall to fix their induction system so more artists can be inducted each year.

Footnote: We first wrote about petitions 15 years ago (paper petitions didn't work either).


blog comments powered by Disqus