Using VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists as a Predictor for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Soundgarden-CharlesPeterson-e1359725565549
Back in 2000, VH1 compiled a list of the “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.” Although the exact methodology is unknown, the list was “selected by a panel of rock artists that included Pat Benatar, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Ozzy Osbourne, Scott Ian and John Bush of Anthrax, Korn's Dave Silveria, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters, Mike Bordin of Faith No More, Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Yngwie Malmsteen, Lita Ford, and Geddy Lee of Rush.”

Because the “hard rock” genre definition seems pretty loose here, 34 of the 100 are Rock & Roll Hall of Famers (Update: As of 2017, 36 have been inducted). Apparently, the difficulty for the remaining artists is just getting on the ballot. Only five of the remaining 66 artists have ever been nominated: Nine Inch Nails, MC5, New York Dolls, Bon Jovi and Yes (Update: Yes was inducted in 2017).

Although the Rock Hall doesn’t primarily focus on hard rock, in the last four induction years Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Green Day, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, KISS, Nirvana, Rush and Heart have all been inducted. Just give them another 30 years to induct the rest.

Here is the full list (linked artists are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame):

  1. Led Zeppelin
  2. Black Sabbath
  3. Jimi Hendrix
  4. AC/DC
  5. Metallica
  6. Nirvana
  7. Van Halen
  8. The Who
  9. Gun N' Roses
  10. KISS
  11. Aerosmith
  12. The Sex Pistols
  13. Queen
  14. Soundgarden
  15. Pink Floyd
  16. Cream
  17. Ramones
  18. Ozzy Osbourne
  19. The Clash
  20. Alice Cooper
  21. Pearl Jam 
  22. Deep Purple
  23. Judas Priest
  24. Iron Maiden
  25. Cheap Trick
  26. Motörhead
  27. Iggy Pop
  28. Rush
  29. Mötley Crüe
  30. Red Hot Chili Peppers
  31. Def Leppard
  32. The Doors
  33. Rage Against The Machine
  34. Alice In Chains
  35. Jane's Addiction
  36. Frank Zappa
  37. The Yardbirds
  38. MC5
  39. Neil Young & Crazy Horse
  40. Stone Temple Pilots
  41. Ted Nugent
  42. The Kinks
  43. Nine Inch Nails
  44. ZZ Top
  45. Pantera
  46. Scorpions
  47. Rollins Band
  48. Janis Joplin
  49. Smashing Pumpkins
  50. Slayer
  51. Thin Lizzy
  52. Faith No More
  53. Korn
  54. Sonic Youth
  55. Blue Öyster Cult
  56. White Zombie
  57. Heart
  58. Anthrax
  59. Bad Company
  60. New York Dolls
  61. Jethro Tull
  62. Ministry
  63. Boston
  64. Steppenwolf
  65. The Cult
  66. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 
  67. The Rolling Stones
  68. Hüsker Dü
  69. Megadeth
  70. Living Colour
  71. Lynyrd Skynyrd
  72. Foo Fighters
  73. Twisted Sister
  74. Pat Benatar
  75. Spinal Tap 
  76. Bon Jovi
  77. Hole
  78. Marilyn Manson
  79. Ratt
  80. Green Day
  81. Pixies
  82. Queensrÿche
  83. King's X
  84. UFO
  85. Whitesnake
  86. Foreigner
  87. King Crimson
  88. Tool
  89. Lita Ford
  90. Rainbow
  91. Danzig
  92. The Black Crowes
  93. Lenny Kravitz
  94. Yes
  95. Fugazi
  96. Meat Loaf
  97. Primus
  98. Mountain
  99. Bad Brains
  100. Quiet Riot
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