Q: What was your reaction to being nominated for the Rock and Hall of Fame? I guess you waited a long time.

A: You know what? We never waited. And you probably say, "Oh, he's jivin'" But we never discussed it. We felt that we were fulfilling what our destiny was. There are a lot of people in that Hall of Fame that ain't performing anymore. We reached a pinnacle in our career where we were working at some of the finest places in the world, from Vegas to Lake Tahoe, all the biggest rooms. It was almost to us like, I don't know how they decide who gets to be in the Hall of Fame, but we realize that the only thing we had to do was to be better - better performers. People like Billy Joel, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, those were the people who were really lobbying for us. We don't have any power.

With the announcement of the 2009 inductees being so close, it's likely the five artists who will be honored have already been notified. Last year, word of the inductees started to leak when John Mellencamp let the cat out of the bag. Before the 2007 inductees were announced, Sammy Hagar also let it slip early. This doesn't seem to bode well for Little Anthony, because it sounds like he hasn't heard anything yet, but we'll know for sure in January when the official announcement is made by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

• Metallica: It was shocking last year when Metallica wasn't nominated in their first eligible year because they have the highest induction chances percentage of any artist. This one is truly a no-brainer for the voting committee.
• Jeff Beck: Voters are also likely to respond to a legendary name who is appearing for the first time on the ballot.
• The Stooges: Is this finally the year The Stooges get in after losing out on the final ballot six previous times? Their performance at last year's induction ceremony should put them over the top.
• Run DMC: As hip-hop immortals they should be a sure thing, but last year's rejection of the Beastie Boys shows that voters may be taking it slow when it comes to hip-hop.
• Little Anthony and the Imperials: Nostalgia could play a factor in inducting this doo-wop group, especially since they are peers of many of the inductees who are part of the nominating committee.

Over 1700 Future Rock Hall voters cast their ballots in the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame poll. The top five vote getters are Metallica (on 79% of ballots), Jeff Beck (77%), The Stooges (75%), Run DMC (69%), and War (60%). [Last year, FRH voters accurately predicted three out of the five inductees.] The poll results are just one of the factors that go into Future Rock Hall's induction forecast, but there is agreement on four out of five nominees.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will announce the official 2009 inductees in January. Keep checking Future Rock Hall for all of the latest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame news.

The Grammy Museum, opening in downtown L.A., "explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music; the creative process; the art and technology of the recording process; and the history of the GRAMMY® Awards, the premier recognition of recorded music accomplishment." Variety has much more on the grand opening.

The new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex, opening in New York, has received generally positive reviews from the press. Here's how the Washington Post sums it up:

[T]he annex isn't attempting to duplicate the Cleveland experience. In its 25,000 square feet, it highlights significant moments in music. It serves as the CliffsNotes to music history. (If you want the whole book, go to Cleveland.) And it does so with enthusiasm, good humor and little pretense.

"A lot of those guys on the [Nominating Committee] board can go and get my sandwich when I want, and I mean that in the nicest way," he said. "There are disco bands, rap bands, Yiddish folk song bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but not Kiss. I believe we have more gold records in America than any other group, but it's OK."

Simmons is probably just trying to be outrageous for his reality show, which was filming his speech, but he has a right to be bitter towards certain members of the Nominating Committee who have effectively black-balled them from the process.

A hefty 72 of the artists listed are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. That leaves just 28 artists who are not yet in. Quite a few of these are primarily known as country singers (George Jones, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Patsy Clline), and generally wouldn't be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anyway, although there have been exceptions (like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash). There are seven artists who aren't eligible yet, but a few of them are likely future inductees, like Nirvana, Radiohead and Guns N’ Roses.

Of the notable snubs on the list, Nina Simone ranks the highest, but many rock fans will likely point to Steve Perry's inclusion on this list as another reason for Journey's induction.

The full list:

1. Aretha Franklin
2. Ray Charles
3. Elvis Presley
4. Sam Cooke
5. John Lennon
6. Marvin Gaye
7. Bob Dylan
8. Otis Redding
9. Stevie Wonder
10. James Brown
11. Paul McCartney
12. Little Richard
13. Roy Orbison
14. Al Green
15. Robert Plant
16. Mick Jagger
17. Tina Turner
18. Freddie Mercury
19. Bob Marley
20. Smokey Robinson
21. Johnny Cash
22. Etta James
23. David Bowie
24. Van Morrison
25. Michael Jackson
26. Jackie Wilson
27. Hank Williams
28. Janis Joplin
29. Nina Simone *
30. Prince
31. Howlin' Wolf
32. Bono
33. Steve Winwood
34. Whitney Houston *
35. Dusty Springfield
36. Bruce Springsteen
37. Neil Young
38. Elton John
39. Jeff Buckley
40. Curtis Mayfield
41. Chuck Berry
42. Joni Mitchell
43. George Jones *
44. Bobby "Blue" Bland
45. Kurt Cobain * [inducted in 2014]
46. Patsy Cline *
47. Jim Morisson
48. Buddy Holly
49. Donny Hathaway *
50. Bonnie Raitt
51. Gladys Knight
52. Brian Wilson
53. Muddy Waters
54. Luther Vandross *
55. Paul Rodgers *
56. Mavis Staples
57. Eric Burdon **
58. Christina Aguilera *
59. Rod Stewart
60. Björk *
61. Roger Daltrey
62. Lou Reed
63. Dion
64. Axl Rose * [inducted in 2012]
65. David Ruffin
66. Thom Yorke *
67. Jerry Lee Lewis
68. Wilson Pickett
69. Ronnie Spector
70. Greg Allman
71. Toots Hibbert *
72. John Fogerty
73. Dolly Parton *
74. James Taylor
75. Iggy Pop ** [inducted in 2010]
76. Steve Perry *
77. Merle Haggard *
78. Sly Stone
79. Mariah Carey *
80. Frankie Valli
81. John Lee Hooker
82. Tom Waits *[inducted in 2011]
83. Patti Smith
84. Darlene Love * [inducted in 2011]
85. Sam Moore
86. Art Garfunkel
87. Don Henley
88. Willie Nelson *
89. Solomon Burke
90. The Everly Brothers
91. Levon Helm
92. Morrissey *
93. Annie Lennox *
94. Karen Carpenter *
95. Patti LaBelle *
96. B.B. King
97. Joe Cocker *
98. Stevie Nicks
99. Steven Tyler
100. Mary J. Blige *

* = not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
** = nominated in 2009

Presumably, this line in the article that prematurely announces the '09 "inductees" is a mistake, although it is a highly plausible list:

The 2009 inductees include Run-DMC, Metallica, Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and The Stooges.

Mustaine was kicked out of the band before they made their first album, but he is credited with co-writing some of the signature songs on their first album, Kill 'Em All. Who knows how Mustaine himself feels about the issue, but he'd most likely rather be inducted on his own with Megadeth.

And how about current bassist, Robert Trujillo? Is playing on the latest album enough to get enshrined? There aren't really any stated rules on these issues, so it will be interesting to see what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decides to do.

For his part, James Hetfield believes Trujillo should get in, but not Mustaine. Here's a portion of Hetfield's recent interview with Rolling Stone (via Blabbermouth.net):

Rolling Stone: Most likely, Metallica will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame next April. Who will be onstage with you?

Hetfield: "Everyone that played on a record should be there. You're considered for the Hall 25 years after your first recording, not after you formed."

Rolling Stone: That would omit Dave Mustaine [former Metallica guitarist and current Megadeth mainman].

Hetfield: "He wasn't on a record. Jason Newsted [former Metallica bassist] should be up there — he was in the band for 14 years and played on quite a few records. And so should Robert [Trujillo; current Metallica bassist]."

Rolling Stone: Will it be weird to be there with Jason?

Hetfield: "There's no reason for it to be weird. We don't want to be part of the soap opera of the Hall of Fame. Everybody wants a train wreck, like with BLONDIE onstage arguing over crap [in 2006]. That really cheapens the moment."

What would really be weird is if the Hall of Fame used Hetfield's qualifications. By his logic, producer Bob Rock would be inducted as a member of Metallica because he played bass on St. Anger, when Metallica was still in between bassists after Newsted left. I doubt Hetfield, or anyone else, thinks Bob Rock should be on stage if Metallica gets inducted.

Thanks, David.

Forbes Magazine thinks so. They recently named the Cleveland landmark the #2 ugliest building in the world. Oddly enough, the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is theoretically slated to open in the #1 ugliest building in the world, the Millennium Dome in London.

Are rock and roll museums and good architecture mutually exclusive? No, we think Forbes is just looking for some easy publicity by putting together a controversial list. We're surprised they didn't go for the trifecta and add Frank Gehry's Experience Music Project to the list too.

As much as the Beasties want to be part of people's reasons to get out and vote next month, [Michael] Diamond says they're not as concerned about another vote: whether or not the group gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Beasties were nominated last year but not inducted; this year, they didn't even get a nomination.

As if to prove that all of their politicking isn't just an attempt to increase their stature and legitimacy, the Beasties think they're better off not getting the Rock Hall nod.

"We didn't realize we were nominated at first, and then we thought it was kind of funny," says Diamond. "Then, when we didn't get in, we thought, 'This is for the best.' No disrespect, but I think we like being against all that. When you get down to it, we're a hardcore band and a hip-hop band, and we don't need to be part of all that."

Thanks, David.

• [Jeff Beck] clearly inspired Nigel Tufnel's haircut and wardrobe, and possibly Tufnel's childish petulance, in Spinal Tap.
• [Beck] was unable to create a hit single in two albums with a young Rod Stewart (though he and Stewart much later had a hit with a bastardization of the Impressions' sublime "People Get Ready").
• Jointly responsible for revitalizing the bloated charity benefit when he, Page, Clapton, Stewart, and Ron Wood staged the Rock for ARMS (Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis) concert to benefit Ronnie Lane, which in turn prompted a delusional Neil Schon to muse that the 1980s equivalent of Clapton/Page/Beck was Schon/Santana/Van Halen.
• Contributed to annoying pomp-rock fetishization of "Greensleeves," the sixteenth-century version of "Hey Ya."

Ryan Adams is the first artist featured, and he lists a quite a variety of his influences: Black Flag, The Strokes, Emmylou Harris, Sonic Youth, Nas, Jerry Garcia, Hüsker Dü, and Mariah Carey.

We'll try to keep an eye on this regular feature and take note of what is one of the more difficult Hall of Fame criteria to measure.

Looking down the list at the artists who aren't eligible yet (indicated with an asterisk), there really aren't any slam dunks for induction, although a strong case could be made for a few of them. If ranking high on this list were important to the Rock Hall, then Janet Jackson (the highest ranking eligible artist) should have at least received some serious consideration by the Nominating Committee, but she has not. Clearly the Rock Hall is looking for other credentials in their Hall of Famers besides having a successful singles career.

As far as using this list as prediction tool, we wouldn't recommend it. It's unlikely that over the next 20 years that any more than a handful of the non-Hall of Famers listed below will be inducted.

The complete list follows, with links to the non-Hall of Famers:

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. Elton John
4. Elvis Presley
5. Stevie Wonder
6. Mariah Carey *
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston *
10. The Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney/Wings
12. Bee Gees
13. Chicago
14. The Supremes
15. Daryl Hall & John Oates
16. Prince
17. Rod Stewart
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Aretha Franklin
20. Marvin Gaye
21. Usher *
22. Phil Collins
23. Billy Joel
24. Donna Summer
25. Diana Ross
26. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
27. The Temptations
28. The Beach Boys
29. Lionel Richie
30. Neil Diamond
31. Carpenters
32. Boyz II Men *
33. The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
34. Connie Francis
35. Brenda Lee
36. Barbra Streisand
37. Kenny Rogers
38. Bryan Adams
39. Cher
40. George Michael *
41. Bobby Vinton
42. John Mellencamp
43. Three Dog Night
44. Huey Lewis & The News
45. Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine *
46. Bon Jovi
47. Ray Charles
48. Chubby Checker
49. Foreigner
50. Kool & The Gang
51. Ricky Nelson
52. Duran Duran
53. Commodores
54. Eagles
55. Paul Anka
56. TLC *
57. Barry Manilow
58. Dionne Warwick
59. Gladys Knight & The Pips
60. Heart
61. The Everly Brothers
62. R. Kelly *
63. Bobby Darin
64. James Brown
65. Paula Abdul *
66. Richard Marx *
67. Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship
68. Destiny's Child *
69. Linda Ronstadt
70. Celine Dion *
71. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
72. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
73. Fleetwood Mac
74. Bruce Springsteen
75. The Pointer Sisters
76. John Denver
77. Four Tops
78. Tony Orlando & Dawn
79. The 5th Dimension
80. Alicia Keys *
81. Captain & Tennille
82. Andy Gibb
83. Air Supply
84. Nelly *
85. Roy Orbison
86. The Spinners
87. Queen
88. 50 Cent *
89. Dion
90. Aerosmith
91. Billy Ocean
92. Tommy James
93. Earth, Wind & Fire
94. Brook Benton
95. Michael Bolton
96. Styx
97. Toni Braxton *
98. Neil Sedaka
99. Herman's Hermits
100. Simon & Garfunkel

* = not yet eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

So, for example, if you're arguing that Neil Diamond should be inducted based on the number of hits he has had, you need to be prepared to induct everyone with a higher position on this list. If you can't do that, then it's unwise to use Billboard chart success as a sole reason for induction.

As far as using the list as a predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there are 45 artists who are Hall of Famers and 41 artists listed who are not. Of the non-Hall of Famers, only the Beastie Boys and Nirvana have two albums listed, and both are almost sure to be inducted in the future.

Other artists who are likely to be inducted after they become eligible are Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Public Enemy, Beck and Jane's Addiction. Some of the artists who might be on the bubble are Modern Lovers, the Minutemen, Hole, Mary J. Blige and Pavement.

Some of the most popular snubbed artists are represented by Randy Newman, Kiss, Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson and The Replacements.

There are obviously a number of hip-hop albums listed, and most of those artists listed would seem to have a good chance at future induction.

The full list is below:

1. Madonna - The Immaculate Collection (Sire, 1990)
2. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill (Def Jams, 1986) [inducted in 2012]
3. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia, 1965)
4. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (Tamla Motown, 1973)
5. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (Geffen, 1987) [inducted in 2012]
6. Ramones - Ramones (Sire, 1976)
7. Blondie - Parallel Lines (Chrysalis, 1978)
8. Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight (Chess, 1982)
9. Nirvana - Nevermind (DGC, 1991) [inducted in 2014]
10. Joni Mitchell - Blue (Reprise, 1971)
11. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jams, 1988) [inducted in 2013]
12. Metallica - Metallica (Elektra, 1991) [inducted in 2009]
13. Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (Epic, 1979)
14. Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966)
15. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (Tamla, 1973)
16. Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (Rhino, 1962)
17. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (Verve, 1967)
18. Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain (Warner Bros., 1984)
19. Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise, 1979)
20. James Brown - Sex Machine (King, 1970)
21. Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde (Columbia, 1966)
22. Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers (Columbia, 1966)
23. R.E.M. - Murmur (IRS, 1983)
24. Parliament - Mothership Connection (Casablanca, 1975)
25. Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death (Bad Boy/Arista, 1997)
26. Van Halen - Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978)
27. Al Green - Call Me (Hi, 1973)
28. Aerosmith - Rocks (Columbia, 1976)
29. Beck - Odelay (DGC, 1996)
30. Little Richard - Grooviest 17 Original Hits! (Specialty, 1959)
31. Louis Armstrong - The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (Columbia Legacy, 2000)
32. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (Curtom, 1972)
33. Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits (Mercury, 1978)
34. Steely Dan - Katy Lied (MCA, 1975)
35. The B-52's - The B-52's (Warner Bros., 1979)
36. Chic - Risqué (Atlantic, 1979)
37. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989) [inducted in 2012]
38. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (Atlantic, 1967)
39. Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions (RCA/BMG, 1976)
40. Hole - Live Through This (DGC, 1994)
41. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (Reprise, 1968)
42. Patti Smith - Horses (Arista, 1975)
43. Sly & the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On (Epic, 1971)
44. Dr. Dre - The Chronic (Death Row, 1992)
45. Pearl Jam - VS. (Epic, 1993)
46. Run-DMC - Raising Hell (Profile, 1986) [inducted in 2009]
47. Phil Spector - Back to Mono (1958–69) (ABKCO, 1991)
48. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959)
49. Eminem - The Slim Shady LP (Interscope, 1999)
50. Kiss - Destroyer (Casablanca, 1976) [inducted in 2014]
51. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark (Asylum, 1974)
52. Randy Newman - 12 Songs (Reprise, 1970) [inducted in 2013]
53. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (Jive, 1991)
54. Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours (Capitol, 1955)
55. Bob Dylan - The Basement Tapes (Columbia, 1975)
56. Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire E(PIC, 1996)
57. Mary J. Blige - My Life (MCA, 1994)
58. Grateful Dead - American Beauty (Warner Bros., 1970)
59. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Loud/RCA, 1993)
60. Paul Simon - Graceland (Warner Bros., 1986)
61. The Coasters - 50 Coastin' Classics (Rhino, 1992)
62. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town (Columbia, 1978)
63. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (Columbia, 1968)
64. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (Reprise, 1974)
65. Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin (Columbia, 1958)
66. Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers (Berserkley, 1976)
67. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (Matador, 1992)
68. TLC - Crazysexycool (Laface, 1994)
69. Lynyrd Skynyrd - (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd) (MCA, 1973)
70. Prince - Sign "O" the Times (Paisley Park, 1987)
71. L.L. Cool J - Radio (Def Jam, 1985)
72. Carpenters - The Singles 1969–1981 (A&M, 2000)
73. Pixies - Surfer Rosa (4AD, 1988)
74. Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (Atlantic, 1968)
75. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Columbia, 1998)
76. Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960 (Chess, 1960)
77. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (Warner Bros., 1998)
78. Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis (RCA, 1969)
79. Woody Guthrie - Dustbowl Ballads (Camden, 1964)
80. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (Nothing/Interscope, 1994)
81. Various Artists - Nuggets: 1965–1968 (Elektra, 1972)
82. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (Tommy Boy, 1989)
83. The Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (SST, 1984)
84. Buddy Holly - Greatest Hits (MCA, 1995)
85. Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger (Columbia, 1975)
86. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (Reprise, 1970)
87. R.E.M. - Automatic for the People (Warner Bros., 1992)
88. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing… (Mo'wax/FFRR, 1996)
89. Talking Heads - Remain in Light (Sire, 1980)
90. Weezer - Weezer (Geffen, 1994)
91. Eagles - Hotel California (Asylum, 1975)
92. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams (Rough Trade, 1988)
93. Tori Amos - Under the Pink (Atlantic, 1994)
94. Nirvana - In Utero (DGC, 1993) [inducted in 2014]
95. Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson (RCA, 1971)
96. Kid Rock - Devil Without a Cause (Top Dog/Lava/Atlantic, 1998)
97. The Doors - The Doors (Elektra, 1967)
98. The Replacements - Let It Be (Twin Tone, 1984)
99. Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale (Tamla, 1974)
100. Otis Redding - Otis Blue — Otis Redding Sings Soul (Atlantic, 1965)

Other than Sonic Youth, who do you think are the worst omissions? Smashing Pumpkins? Wilco? Soundgarden? Red Hot Chili Peppers? The Flaming Lips? The White Stripes? Devo? Let us know in the comments.

Daryl Hall recently sat down for an interview with the UK magazine, Record Collector. Naturally, the topic of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came up:

Question:  It's puzzling why Hall & Oates are not in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Daryl Hall:  Who cares about the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame? They're f-ing dinosaurs too.  Maybe we'll get in and maybe we won't.  It depends on who's running it, once these old fools get out there with their old agenda.  If you said The Ramones were the greatest band in the world, you can't possibly let us into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Hall & Oates have been eligible for eleven years and they have never been seriously considered by the Nominating Committee. So it's good that Daryl Hall isn't bitter about the snub.

Update: John Oates was also asked why he thought Hall & Oates weren't in the Rock Hall yet:

"There is a lot of politics involved," Oates said. "There are a lot of personalities involved. I personally feel we deserve it and that goes without saying. But we're not in a position to dictate that kind of thing.

"You know, Daryl and I were voted into the American Songwriters Hall of Fame about four years ago and we were also won the BMI Icon Award (on May 20, 2008, as part of the 56th annual Pop Awards), both of which are awards for songwriting. And for us, personally, I find it satisfying to be in that category and to be among the people in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

"For me, it's all about the songs and all about the songwriting and that's how we started and I think that's essence of what Daryl and I do individually and collectively, so I'm proud of that. If the day comes and we get voted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, that will be amazing; I'll be there with bells on. But until that happens I won't lose any sleep over it."Thanks, Tom.

Comments

Back in 1998, VH1 asked 600 musicians to list what they felt were the greatest artists of all-time. As you might expect, the list included many artists who were already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the time, but it also includes a whopping 26 artists who weren't in the Hall, but have subsequently been inducted.

There are only twelve artists from the list who are not in the Rock Hall: Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Kiss, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Coltrane, Tina Turner, Devo, Iggy Pop, T. Rex, Carole King and Tom Waits. (Sting, Tina Turner and Carole King are already Hall of Famers, but not as solo performers.) So, when the list was created, 62 of the 100 artists were already Hall of Famers, and of the 38 that weren't, 68% were inducted within ten years. That's a pretty good track record.

We would love to see a new poll of musicians which would rank the top artists since 1980, and see how well that would predict future Hall of Famers.

Here is the complete list:

1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Led Zeppelin
5. Bob Dylan
6. James Brown
7. David Bowie
8. Elvis Presley
9. The Who
10. The Police *
11. Stevie Wonder
12. Ray Charles
13. The Beach Boys
14. Marvin Gaye
15. Eric Clapton *
16. John Lennon
17. Elton John
18. Prince *
19. Pink Floyd
20. The Doors
21. Aretha Franklin
22. Fleetwood Mac
23. The Eagles
24. Bob Marley
25. Van Morrison
26. Chuck Berry
27. Bruce Springsteen *
28. Sly & the Family Stone
29. U2 *
30. Neil Young
31. The Clash *
32. Joni Mitchell
33. Queen *
34. Buddy Holly
35. Otis Redding
36. Little Richard
37. Al Green
38. Elvis Costello *
39. Miles Davis *
40. Michael Jackson *
41. Janis Joplin
42. Nirvana #
43. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers *
44. The Jackson Five
45. Crosby, Stills & Nash
46. The Sex Pistols *
47. Creedence Clearwater Revival
48. Van Halen *
49. Roy Orbison
50. R.E.M. *
51. B.B. King
52. Cream
53. Peter Gabriel #
54. The Grateful Dead
55. The Byrds
56. The Kinks
57. Steely Dan *
58. Sam Cooke
59. Bo Diddley
60. Earth, Wind & Fire *
61. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
62. Paul McCartney *
63. Sting ##
64. Frank Zappa
65. James Taylor *
66. Talking Heads *
67. Kiss #
68. The Allman Brothers
69. Pretenders *
70. Stevie Ray Vaughan #
71. Rod Stewart
72. Simon & Garfunkel
73. Muddy Waters
74. The Velvet Underground
75. Curtis Mayfield
76. The Bee Gees
77. John Coltrane #
78. Billy Joel *
79. Aerosmith *
80. Tina Turner ##
81. The Band
82. Devo #
83. Iggy Pop #
84. T. Rex #
85. Carole King ##
86. Madonna *
87. Santana
88. Ramones *
89. Johnny Cash
90. Tom Waits #
91. Gladys Knight & the Pips
92. The Temptations
93. The Four Tops
94. Diana Ross & the Supremes
95. Robert Johnson
96. Lynyrd Skynyrd *
97. Fats Domino
98. Traffic
99. Parliament/Funkadelic
100. Paul Simon *

* Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after 1998
# Still not a Hall of Famer; Nirvana is the only artist listed who is not yet eligible because of the 25 year rule
## A Hall of Famer, but not as a solo performer

Update: This list is now next to the "Immortals" list too.

On Dave Marsh's weekly Sirius XM show, "Kick Out The Jams", he picked 5 names he would be voting for on this year's ballot:  Chic, War, Jeff Beck, Stooges, and Run DMC.

Marsh also said that this year's ballot was "flawless" and made a remark about how he opposed the Beastie Boys getting into the Hall.

He also said that he wouldn't vote for Metallica because they are going to get in anyway. 

Four out of Marsh's five selections are currently leading Future Rock Hall's 2009 ballot, so he may have a chance to see many of his choices inducted in Cleveland on April 4, 2009.

Thanks, Tom. Check out Tom's top snubbed artists here.

NHOR : Alice was quoted earlier this year as saying he kind of likes the idea of being blackballed from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Do you think Alice really thinks that, and would you agree with his comments, that it's more of an honor not to be in there than to actually be in there?

NS : Well, I know a little bit about the politics around the hall, so I'm not really at liberty to say anything about that. I think whatever he thinks are his thoughts and opinions. I would like to be in there, but the way I look at it the true band Alice Cooper pissed people off way back then, and apparently we are still doing it. When you think of the things we started then, there's a whole vein of music which didn't exist before us. Everybody from Kiss all the way up to Marilyn Manson. All the bands in between in that vein were one way or another inspired by Alice Cooper. I read, and hear things from people all the way up to this day all the time, that they wouldn't be playing an instrument if it weren't for us.

Steve Vai, the first album he ever learned from beginning to end was 'Love It To Death'. A lot of great musicians, and just that whole vein of music, the shock rock thing, or whatever you want to call it was brought upon by us. And to totally ignore that, and pass it over year after year just surprises me, that's all. My spin on it is if we're blackballed, who needs 'em anyway. I look at it as we're still ruffling feathers after all this time. Somewhere, somebody doesn't set easy with us. But you know what? When we were with Warner Brothers, they were ready to cancel our contract after every single album. We had to renegotiate after every single one. They kept thinking it was a fluke. The only ones who believed in us were us and Shep Gordon, our manager. That was it, and our fans. We had to cut a demo for 'Love It To Death'. It was always a fight and a struggle for us. So the fact that somewhere somebody doesn't like us, that's fine with me. (Laughs)

NHOR : Well, let's face it Neal, the Alice Cooper Band was never one of Rolling Stone Magazine's darlings, which seems to be a criteria to being inducted...

NS : I always said that, the magazine's not called, "Alice Cooper", it's called "Rolling Stone". And bearing in mind with what you just brought up, and I'm not going to elaborate on it much more, but we're talking about that whole San Francisco area there. Which does have a lot of influence on what goes on with the Hall. It's all politics, and there's nothing wrong with The Talking Heads, but when I saw that they got in I said, "You've got to be kidding me". I know they had a couple of hit songs but I can't even really tell you what they are. The Alice Cooper 'Greatest Hits' album is really a greatest hits album. How many records did they sell? I don't know.

I think they should start up a Shock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The Hall Of Fame's cool, I've been there, and it's got some great stuff. The majority of the people who are in there certainly deserve to be in there and it's cool for the fans. And the other question is, if it happens, are they going to put Alice in by himself, or the whole band? That would be the biggest kick in the head for us, if they'd put Alice in by himself. Actually, I've had a couple people I've talked to from the Hall in New York, and they've said, "Believe me, everybody knows the original band was THE band".

NHOR : Do you think that Alice would actually accept an induction without the rest of the original band being voted in as well?

NS : He didn't have any problem accepting the Alice Cooper star on Hollywood Boulevard, did he? He actually had the balls to tell me, "I actually thought of you guys". You thought about us? Gimme a break. We used to walk up and down that street starving every day, day after day, thinking someday we'd have our name there, and it gets there and you're by yourself. That's awful nice you thought about us. I think it's great that it's there, but sometimes it's better to say nothing than to say something that stupid. That band was put together through the blood, sweat and tears of 5 people. Each one of them deserves 100% credit, not just one getting 500% of the credit. That's the reason Dennis is writing a book and I'm writing a book. It's just a factual documentation of what we went through.

Safe Bets: Metallica, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Stooges

Too Close To Call: Run-DMC, Jeff Beck, Chic

Long Shots: Bobby Womack, Wanda Jackson, War

Soeder's confidence in the induction of Little Anthony and the Imperials is a little surprising, given this is the first time they have been nominated in over 20 years of eligibility.

You can cast your own ballot here and weigh in on the nominations here.

[Jones] told me he'd given up on being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, possibly because Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner hadn't liked it when Jones started Vibe magazine. This week, for the zillionth time, Jones was overlooked despite his enormous contribution to rock, R&B and jazz.

Friedman is a little premature in stating that Jones has been passed over again this year since the Sidemen, Non-Performer, and Lifetime Achievement awards will be announced in January with the inductees in the Performer category. It is still unknown what the selection process is for those other awards, but they are presumably picked by a select few members of the Nominating Committee along with Wenner.

Update: From the comments, Joe has another possible reason for the Quincy Jones snub:

A listing in "The New Book of Rock Lists" (Dave Marsh and James Bernard, 1994, p312), in a subchapter titled "Worst Career Moves", suggests a different reason: Jones was selected to give the speech inducting Neshui Ertegun into the Hall. The speech "said little about Ertegun but a great deal about himself...[mostly] concerning his own qualifications for the Hall. Those twenty minutes probably cost Quincy whatever chance he may have had for induction, at least during his lifetime, since all inductees give speeches and nobody's about to risk sitting through another of his." (Any spelling or grammatical errors are mine.)

What was it that killed this awards show? Was it the induction of Robbie Williams over Radiohead in 2004 that laid an unstable foundation? Or was the final nail in the coffin the induction of Bon Jovi in 2006, the last ceremony ever? We'll probably never know for sure.

There has been no news on the progress of the (unrelated) UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since it was announced in January. Anyone know if it died too?

Thanks, Tom.

Wilson adds that she hopes recognition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame comes next, though she feels it's hardest to come by, especially since they're a female-fronted band.

"It's harder to be taken seriously by the brotherhood. So it might take the Hall of Fame people long to figure it out," she says. "But we're serious about our art, and there's no band like this: an original, authentic, vital rock band. People realize it more now and appreciate it."

Heart aren't among the artists we're predicting will be nominated this year, but the Nominating Committee has been known to throw curveballs in the past, so anything is possible.

The closest thing to the Madonnas, R.E.M.s, Van Halens and U2s that have starred at recent inductions is probably Bon Jovi.

Another leading prospect is the late blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, but the rest of the crop — including Cyndi Lauper, k.d. lang, Billy Bragg, and metal extremists Slayer — are more marginal prospects.

Which means the committee will need to turn to holdovers — those previously eligible artists who have yet to gain sufficient support. Among them are previous nominees Chic, Donna Summer and the Beastie Boys, all of whom must confront the "Is disco or rap really rock?" conundrum that regularly polarizes voters and fans.

Metro Times: You have so many awards and accolades. Why aren't you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Sharp: [laughs] That's a good question! I got a Rhythm & Blues award in 2001. But I don't know. I can't answer that. Maybe I'm just not blessed enough; I don't know.

MT: Well, you should be.

Sharp: Well, I appreciate that. But I found that sometimes tooting your own horn just doesn't work. But I really can't answer why I'm not in. I do know that I was the first woman to do a lot of things. I was the first African-American woman to ever be placed on the cover of 16 Magazine. So I don't understand. I have no idea as to why I'm not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's ridiculous as well that I don't have a star on the Walk of Fame in Philadelphia.

Future Rock Hall currently gives Dee Dee Sharp a 3% chance at future induction.

Back in 1997 when Cleveland first hosted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, it was held in a ballroom at the Renaissance Hotel. For the 2009 ceremony, Cleveland is moving up to the historic Public Hall, (aka Public Auditorium). Capacity is 11,500, but that will likely be reduced to under 10,000 after the VIP tables get set up on the floor.

The event will be held on a yet to be determined day in March of 2009.

In this same article, Rock Hall president Terry Stewart emphasizes that the new Rock Hall Annex is not a precursor to the entire museum moving to New York City. It's also revealed that the Rock Hall may open an annex in Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf (in addition to the planned one in Memphis).

And I think it's wonderful to be here tonight, but I also think it's sad that there are other people who aren't here tonight. And, uh, those are the people who have passed away, those are the obvious ones. But the other not-so-obvious ones are people like Paul McCartney, who couldn't be here tonight because he's in a lawsuit with Ringo and Yoko. That's what he sent a telegram to some, uh, high priced attorney in this room, you know. And that's a bummer, because we're talking about harmony, right, and the world. If we can't get it together in America and in England, and harmony within our groups. I mean, believe it, you can believe it the Beach Boys have their own [unintelligible] or whatever you call it, squabbles. But that's a bummer when Ms. Ross can't make it, you know?

The Beach Boys have continued to do, about, we did about 180 performances last year. I'd like to see the Mop-Tops match that! I'd like to see Mick Jagger get out on this stage and do "I Get Around" versus "Jumpin' Jack Flash", any day now. And I'd like to see some people kick out the jams, and I challenge the Boss to get up on stage and jam.

[during Mike's pause, someone in the house band plays the theremin line of "Good Vibrations" during the crowds tepid response] I wanna see Billy Joel, see if he can still tickle ivories, lemmee see. I know Mick Jagger won't be here tonight, he's gonna have to stay in England. But I'd like to see us in the Coliseum and he at Wembley Stadium because he's always been chickenshit to get on stage with the Beach Boys.

Given the minimum 25 year waiting period for eligibility, it's unlikely anyone will break Michael Jackson's record anytime soon. We can't think of anyone else who began their career at an age younger than 13 who has any chance at future induction. Any contenders out there?

Two years ago, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny used the Rock Hall prominently. Last year 30 Rock also had the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in its "Cleveland" episode.

Is the Rock Hall now iconic enough to find it's way into more mainstream Hollywood fare? Are there any other movies where the Rock Hall makes an appearance? Let us know in the comments.

In the same year that Cleveland will finally wrestled the Induction Ceremony back from New York, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced it is opening a new $12 million museum annex in SoHo.

“Establishing outposts like these is becoming a strategy of other major institutions,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Terry Stewart, citing the Guggenheim Museum of New York, Britain’s Tate Modern and the Louvre in Paris as examples. “These projects allow museums to extend their reach, but also provide space to travel exhibits and allow curators to display some of our priceless artifacts for the first time outside of Cleveland.”

You can check out the website for the Annex and apply for a job at RockAnnex.com.

Stephen Colbert asked the band, "You are yet to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Is there any chance that your next album will be titled That's Bullshit?"

Rush's exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a common thread through these media appearances and Wired's Listening Post is trying to get to the bottom of the issue. Wired's Scott Thill has a Rock Hall contact in Cleveland who will answer three questions about Rush and the induction process, and he is seeking input on what to ask.

Although it's unlikely Rush will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 (after 10 years of waiting), there are signs that this might be the best chance they've had in years. Never underestimate the Colbert Bump.

Do you think Sonic Youth will ever be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Do you care?

I have no problem with awards or awards ceremonies. I don't take issue with them; what it means is that people are celebrating your work in some capacity. But the Hall of Fame - whatever. It's a certain cabal of people who created this institution. It's not like real people are voting. It's like the Grammys. Very rarely does something win that doesn't have to do with sales of the record or the lobbying of the record label or management. It's the same thing with the Hall of Fame. You start lobbying your artist a decade early and the cabal votes. But that was before the Sex Pistols got in, so who knows?

Future Rock Hall predicts that Sonic Youth has a 58% chance at induction, one of the highest ratings of the eligible artists. Here's to hoping they get in sooner rather than later.

In 2006, Rock Hall snubs KISS, Def Leppard and Judas Priest were all honored (as well as Hall of Famers Queen). In 2007, three more Hall of Fame outsiders, Heart, Genesis, and Ozzy Osbourne were featured (ZZ Top too). Going in a different direction this year, the show focuses exclusively on The Who (inducted into the Rock Hall in 1990).

It's not hard to imagine that future years of Rock Honors could pay respects to Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden, Rush, Motörhead and others who probably aren't going to get much attention from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anytime soon.

The band was asked about their being snubbed by the Rock Hall in the article:

Self-effacing poise may be rare to arena rockers, but like Green Party candidates and Nascar heroes, the members of Rush have adjusted to both idolatry and disregard.  Just prior to tonight's dinner, they were once again snubbed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which instead inducted no greater rock luminaries than the Dave Clark Five. But Rush seem convincingly unfazed.

"I just keep saying we're too young to be in there," says [Geddy] Lee.

"Yeah," says [Neil] Peart.  "Unlike all those other people, we're still working."

"I think it upsets our fans,"  allows [Alex] Lifeson.  "It's a big issue for them."

"It doesn't matter at all," Lifeson says. "If we were inducted it would mean we'd probably have to go up there (to Cleveland) and play there."

Stein, an avowed "doo-wop fanatic" who identifies heavily with the music of his youth, feels like there's "quite a bit of catch-up to do." He cites the Hollies, Brenda Lee, Conway Twitty, Gene Pitney, Percy Sledge, Chuck Willis and panoply of doo-wop acts such as the Five Satins ("In the Still of the Night") and the Penguins ("Earth Angel") as acts that should be full-fledged inductees. "I don't want to forget artists from the '50 and '60s, but not at the expense of worthwhile artists from the '70s," he said. "I don't want to sound like George Bush, but I don't want to see anyone left behind. But I really mean it, hence the difference."

Stein goes on to make a prediction, that is laughable in hindsight:

Stein does not predict that any artist, whether in 2001 or in future years, will ever sail into the hall the first year they are eligible, the way, say, the Beatles did in 1988, or Bruce Springsteen did in 1999. He cited a random selection of artists, from James Taylor to Earth, Wind & Fire to Gene Vincent to Parliament-Funkadelic to Joni Mitchell to the Bee Gees to the Velvet Underground, who waited a few, or many, years for induction.

Stein and Van Zandt have been rather candid about their biases in favor of the music of their youth. At some point, don't you have to close the book on that chapter in rock and roll history and start recognizing some of the gaping holes in later periods? How many groups from the 50's and 60's still need to be inducted before the award is completely stripped of its prestige?

As a way to keep a fresh perspective on the Rock Hall, perhaps there should be term limits for the Nominating Committee members. There is little doubt that each of the members, past and present, have been qualified to help shape the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you can imagine what happens when the same group meets year after year: At the committee meeting, the member nominates a few artists, they get tossed around and ultimately get rejected or put on the ballot. The next year, the committee member tries again with the same names that didn't make it, and tries to wear down the other members into submission. A five year term limit would allow committee members ample opportunity to advocate for their favorite artists, but wouldn't let them stay so long that their perspective gets outdated.

So, are term limits a good idea? Is five years the right amount of time? Let's hear it in the comments.

Last week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its annual list of inductees. The news was followed by the annual list of grievances and complaints about those choices in the music business. This year, however, the opposition included a particularly high-profile and vitriolic voice, Courtney Love's.

. . .

Some in the music industry were upset that punk-rock and female acts were not represented in the winners' circle, but Ms. Love had her own ax to grind. Evidently not a fan of the New York Dolls, Black Sabbath or Lou Reed [nominees who weren't inducted that year], she lambasted the Hall of Fame in a telegram: ''How dare you fools not put Lynyrd Skynyrd, Patti Smith, or AC/DC in your Hall of Fame. Damn you to the darkest belly of the underworld. Stop.''

She goes on to demand that the items belonging to herself and her husband, Kurt Cobain, that are in the possession of the Hall of Fame's museum in Cleveland be returned: ''Any of my stuff you stole, I want back immediately. Stop. This includes any of mine or Kurt's clothes, guitars, or debris that you scavenged for. Stop. I hope that no one I know is ever inducted into your idiotic 'Hall of Fame.' ''

One wonders what will happen in 2011, when Nirvana, Cobain's old group, will most likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Ms. Love concludes her telegram: ''You are a sham and you deserve Bush. Stop. He probably has the same taste in music as you.''

An employee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said the sentiments expressed in the telegram captured the true spirit of rock 'n' roll.

For the record, Nirvana can't actually be inducted prior to the 2014 Induction Ceremony and Hole won't be eligible until two years after that.

Rolling Stone magazine recently came up with a list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." Despite the name, the list isn't really indicative of the best guitar songs, but more of a rundown of the greatest artists of all-time with tracks selected from each.

These types of lists are generally good indicators of who Rolling Stone thinks the important artists are. And because of the overlap between the Rolling Stone writers and the members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, it might show who could be headed for future induction.

Here is the list of artists in order, with their Hall of Fame status in parentheses. The guitar song can be found on Rolling Stone's website -- it's irrelevant here.

1. Chuck Berry (yes)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (yes)
3. Cream (yes)
4. The Kinks (yes)
5. The Rolling Stones (yes)
6. Van Halen (yes)
7. The Beatles (yes)
8. Led Zeppelin (yes)
9. The Allman Brothers Band (yes)
10. Nirvana (eligible in 2013)
11. Led Zeppelin (yes)
12. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (yes)
13. Derek and the Dominos (eligible since 1995)
14. Bruce Springsteen (yes)
15. The Who (yes)
16. Neil Young With Crazy Horse (yes)
17. Black Sabbath (yes)
18. Ramones (yes)
19. Prince and the Revolution (yes)
20. The Impressions (yes)
21. The White Stripes (eligible in 2024)
22. The Beatles (yes)
23. The Yardbirds (yes)
24. Rage Against the Machine (eligible in 2017)
25. The Rolling Stone (yes)
26. B.B. King (yes)
27. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (eligible since 1988)
28. U2 (yes)
29. AC/DC (yes)
30. Bill Haley and His Comets (yes)
31. Queen (yes)
32. Dire Straits (eligible since 2003)
33. Metallica (eligible since 2007)
34. Aerosmith (yes)
35. The Stooges (eligible since 1994)
36. Pink Floyd (yes)
37. Elvis Presley (yes)
38. The Faces (eligible since 1995)
39. Santana (yes)
40. The Who (yes)
41. Television (eligible since 2002)
42. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (eligible since 1990)
43. The Sex Pistols (yes)
44. Sleater-Kinney (eligible in 2020)
45. The Beatles (yes)
46. Dick Dale and the Del-Tones (eligible since 1987)
47. Van Halen (yes)
48. The Clash (yes)
49. Jimi Hendrix (yes)
50. Pixies (eligible in 2012)
51. Ozzy Osbourne (eligible since 2005)
52. Radiohead (eligible in 2017)
53. Creedance Clearwater Revival (yes)
54. Stevie Ray Vaughan (eligible in 2008)
55. Cream (yes)
56. The Byrds (yes)
57. Grateful Dead (yes)
58. Link Wray (eligible since 1985)
59. Jeff Beck (eligible since 1992)
60. Funkadelic (yes)
61. Sam and Dave (yes)
62. Albert King (eligible since 1987)
63. Guns n' Roses (eligible in 2011)
64. Lynyrd Skynyrd (yes)
65. The Police (yes)
66. Stevie Ray Vaughan (eligible in 2008)
67. Bruce Springsteen (yes)
68. B.B. King (yes)
69. Pink Floyd (yes)
70. Smashing Pumpkins (eligible in 2015)
71. The Strokes (eligible in 2026)
72. Weezer (eligible in 2019)
73. Blue Cheer (eligible since 1993)
74. ZZ Top (yes)
75. Frank Zappa (yes)
76. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (yes)
77. Pearl Jam (eligible in 2016)
78. Buddy Guy (yes)
79. Sonic Youth (eligible since 2007)
80. Steely Dan (yes)
81. Michael Jackson (yes)
82. The Ventures (yes)
83. Sublime (eligible in 2017)
84. John Mayer (eligible in 2024)
85. Phish (eligible in 2013)
86. Jeff Beck (eligible since 1992)
87. King Crimson (eligible since 1994)
88. Quicksilver Messenger Service (eligible since 1993)
89. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (eligible since 2005)
90. The Smiths (eligible in 2008)
91. The Mars Volta (eligible in 2027)
92. Mick Jagger (eligible in 1995)
93. My Bloody Valentine (eligible in 2010)
94. Dire Straits (eligible since 2003)
95. Moby Grape (eligible since 1992)
96. Hüsker Dü (eligible since 2006)
97. Queens of the Stone Age (eligible in 2023)
98. Red Hot Chili Peppers (eligible in 2009)
99. My Morning Jacket (eligible in 2024)
100. Tool (eligible in 2017)

There are 46 songs from non-Hall of Famers by 43 different artists. Of these artists, 20 are already eligible for induction, with at least seven having been "previously considered" by the Nominating Committee (Albert King, Jeff Beck, Dick Dale, The Faces, The Stooges, Metallica, and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band).

As for the artists that aren't eligible yet, many of them are very likely future Hall of Famers. Bands like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, The White Stripes, and Radiohead are almost certainly going to be inducted. As for the Mars Volta, the Strokes, and My Morning Jacket, it's probably a little too soon to know if they'll make it, but making this list is a sign they're on Rolling Stone's radar.

Though they still come out with fresh experiments like [their new concept album, Nostradamus], Priest have been banging their heads for more than three decades. But the veterans have never been considered for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, despite being eligible since 1999. Tipton said it's an honor the band would welcome but one he doesn't expect anytime soon.

"We'd absolutely be honored by it, but we have no control over that," he said. "Besides, we haven't been noticed for 30 years. Maybe they'll notice us now that we've crossed that 30-year mark."

His case for Chicago:

Chicago... were revolutionaries. "CTA," "Chicago," "III," "V," "VI" and "XI" pushed the limits on conceptual boundaries and displayed superb musicianship. And they had hits, which has somehow been labeled as a sin over time.

I have been appalled by the acts that have made it in ahead of them. It shows the bias of the hall's voters - they are either too old to have the wistful childhood memories of the early '70s or too young to fully appreciate how distinctive they were in the pop landscape at the time. Chicago made a difference back then.

Idolator came up with a list of 70's snubs:

ABBA Bachman-Turner Overdrive Boston Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Cars Deep Purple Devo Neil Diamond Doobie Brothers Electric Light Orchestra Emerson, Lake & Palmer Foreigner Peter Gabriel Genesis Guess Who Hall & Oates Hawkwind Heart

Jethro Tull KC & The Sunshine Band King Crimson Kiss Moody Blues Procol Harum Randy Newman Todd Rundgren Roxy Music Rush Styx Supertramp Richard & Linda Thompson Three Dog Night Loudon Wainwright III Yes

Rock Band

Van Zandt has already let it be known that he will be pushing for more '60s bands to be inducted into the Rock Hall next year. But these statements leave the impression that he will actively oppose bands who incorporated electronic music into their sound during the '80s (or even beyond). Not exactly what the Rock Hall was hoping for when it restructured the Nominating Committee two years ago.

Thanks, Casper.

"We've done tours with the Pretenders, the Go-Go's, Tom Tom Club, Blondie," Schneider says, rattling off several of B-52's' musical era contemporaries.

"Each time, each band had a new album out, so it was groups from the past with new records," he says. "It wasn't like an oldies tour. Well, except for us."

What most of those groups also have is a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (The Go-Go's the one exception, with the Tom Tom Club in through the back door as members of Talking Heads.)

The B-52's were eligible for the hall in 2004 – 25 years after their debut album appeared – but have so far been ignored by the nominating committee, possibly because their songs were always frothy, fun party music.

"We created our own genre," Schneider notes, which should count for something in Hall of Fame consideration. "We should have been in four years ago. The most recent years, (the acts) who got in are sort of our peers.

"But what can you do? Hopefully I'll be in there (some day) so my mother can have this plaque or something on the mantle.

Future Rock Hall projects that the B-52's have a 44% chance for induction.

The star is disappointed he is continually turned down by the panel - even though he thinks he has made a very significant contribution to the industry.

He says, "It makes me wonder. I've paid my dues, I think, and I think I've done good work. I'd like to be in there with my peers.

"Maybe you just have to keep doing it and I'll get in there some day."

The vast majority of Future Rock Hall voters (87%) are confident that Neil Diamond will one day be inducted.

Thanks, David & Tom

This seemingly straightforward rule often has different meanings. In most cases, an artist's "first record" is a single, an EP or an album. But what about a demo tape (like the Talking Heads)? Or a song included on a compilation (like Metallica)?

In today's environment, as the traditional music business models crumble, how will new media rules apply to eligibility dates? Is releasing songs on MySpace official enough (like Black Kids)? Or selling self-pressed CDs at your gigs? The Rock Hall won't have to deal with these issues for a while, but you can bet they will need more clarification in the future.

In going through some of the original eligibility dates of Hall of Famers, one strange case stood out from the rest: Rod Stewart. Stewart was first nominated for the 1993 ceremony, which means he would have had to release his first record by 1967. But Stewart didn't release his first solo work, the album An Old Raincoat Won't Let You Down, until 1969. So Stewart became eligible from his work with the Hoochie Coochie Men (1964), who are definitely not in the Hall of Fame.

Following this logic, does this mean that Stevie Ray Vaughan should already be eligible because he was a member of the band Paul Ray and the Cobras, which released a single in 1975? (Not to worry SRV fans, Stevie hasn't been snubbed -- he hasn't been on the list of eligible artists that the Nominating Committee works from yet.)

It seems like Rod Stewart is just a weird exception to the Rock Hall's prerequisite, but let us know if you find any others.

Q: You worked hard to get the Dave Clark Five into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Who's on top of your list now of bands that ought to be in?

A: Right now the priority is the Hollies. It's ridiculous. I think Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio is still high on my list. . . . Paul Revere & the Raiders deserve to be in. Herman's Hermits deserve to be in.

Q: Really?!

A: Absolutely. People forget how important Herman's Hermits were when they started. . . . We all get very elitist about who should be in and who shouldn't, but I consider great, great, great '60s pop music absolutely essential to the development of the art form.

The Rock Hall generally nominates at least a couple of bands from the '60s every year, so you can pencil in The Hollies at the top of your list of potential nominees for the 2009 ballot.

Thanks, Tom.

Hilburn... will recount his personal ties with John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, John Fogerty, Prince, Kurt Cobain, Stevie Wonder, Ice Cube, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Jack White, and Eminem.

While bringing the Induction Ceremony back to Cleveland will undoubtedly help raise the profile of the Museum, it won't cure the image problem that the Rock Hall has in the eyes of many people. This website alone contains thousands of pleas to the Hall to induct long ignored fan favorites such as KISS, Rush, Alice Cooper, The Moody Blues, The Monkees, Neil Diamond, Yes, Steve Miller Band, Jethro Tull, and many others. You can't help but wonder if Terry Stewart wishes the New York-based Rock Hall Foundation (who determines the nominees each year) would put some popular names on the ballot to help boost ticket sales at the museum. What's going to bring more people to Cleveland, Janis Joplin's car or a KISS induction with a full blown exhibit to honor them? A Leonard Cohen exhibit or a Monkees induction?

We're not advocating the induction of artists purely to sell Museum tickets, but you have to wonder if every year Terry Stewart shows up at the Nominating Committee meeting hoping that another stadium act like U2 or Aerosmith will get the votes to appear on the ballot (maybe Bon Jovi for 2009?).

The New York Times has their usual rundown of the ceremony, with an excellent slideshow too.

We're still pretty sure this is really Norm MacDonald and not Dave Clark (check out Rolling Stone's gallery).

Much of the Rock Hall coverage today focuses on Madonna's revelation that she used ecstasy with the A&R guy that discovered her, and that she smoked some weed with her publicist. Artists use drugs? Really?

"I realized a long time ago part of the deal with this process is that there are some people who need to be in who I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out than listen to," Marsh said. "Like the Grateful Dead (who were inducted in 1994). But at some level, it's about fame, too. And none of that justifies the Ventures and Leonard Cohen. None of it. The problem is, you've got a bunch of people who know a lot about music on the (nominating) committee, but then you have a lot of people doing the voting who don't."

Why shouldn't the Ventures, who hit with "Walk, Don't Run" in 1966, be in? "Great guys, but an instrumental group built around guitars, not a rock group," Marsh said.

In a long article about Madonna's career at Cleveland.com, Rock Hall Foundation president emeritus, Seymour Stein gushes over Madonna.

Madonna has "a true rock 'n' roll spirit," Stein says.

"She takes chances. She doesn't care about the odds. She cares about whether she believes in something or not.

"Believe it or not, Madonna is one of the easiest artists I ever worked with, because she knew what she wanted. And she was almost always right, too."

Madonna is either too busy or too famous to perform at Monday night’s New York dinner for Jann Wenner’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wenner must have lost his touch. In the old days, he could make inductees do anything.

Because Madonna can’t or won’t perform, and the other inductees are not exactly rock stars, the evening is shaping up to be a true disaster commercially for the money-hungry Hall of Fame Foundation.

...the Rock Hall show sounds like the grind it’s been designed to become. And isn’t this what years and years of hubris gets you? By ignoring a generation of potential inductees — almost all of the '70s — they’ve cut off most of their audience.

"She has loomed for a long time as a really significant, really influential figure," said Alan Light. "She is as famous a woman -- if not in the world, certainly in the Western world -- as anybody that's alive."

...

As for any gripes the pop singer doesn't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, save it, says Light.

"If you define rock and roll in any way other than it has to be played with electric guitars and be based on blues changes or whatever, any definition that is more expansive than that -- anything that talks about the rebellious side of it, the counterculture side of it, the creative, ambitious side of it -- she clearly should be there," Light said. "She changed the playing field."

"To me, she's this woman that's deeply feminine, combined with this masculine drive," said Canadian pop singer Alanis Morissette, who was signed to Madonna's record label, Maverick Records, in 1995. "For a long time as a kid, I felt very self-conscious about what a tomboy I was, but she was someone that I could always look up to."

"[I]f you think of rock 'n' roll, Madonna is not the first name that comes to mind," said Steve Morse...

He considers her selection, particularly in her first year of eligibility, an embarrassment.

Her music was never played on rock 'n' roll radio, he said. Some veteran rock artists like Deep Purple, the J. Geils Band, Steve Miller and Alice Cooper are still waiting for induction. Morse long and unsuccessfully argued on behalf of the late Gram Parsons.

"It seems like this is driven by commercial achievement and sales, rather than having anything to do with the rock 'n' roll genre," Morse said. "It's really a commercial move. They'll be able to sell more tickets to the museum and more people will watch the broadcast."

1. You have to rock. If Janis Joplin, Bon Scott or Joe Strummer wouldn’t have toasted your tunes with a pint, you’re out.

2. You have to blow minds. The Beatles and Hendrix switched the world from black and white to color. Well, you gotta do that. Or at least come close.

3. You have to have done at least one thing that categorically qualifies as rock ’n’ roll: lighting your guitar on fire, getting busy with your 14-year-old cousin or writing a letter to the Hall of Fame calling it a, um, urine stain after being inducted (as the Sex Pistols did) all qualify.

Hidden Track also comes up with a list of 10 bands they want to see inducted: Tom Waits, The Cure, Genesis, Rush, Willie Nelson, The Stooges, KISS, Metallica, Sonic Youth, and Alice Cooper. Videos, career highlights and ten more names at Glide Magazine.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee could do a lot worse than start with the names from these two lists when they're putting the ballot together for 2009.

[Dave] Clark's only regret about the delayed induction is that two bandmates, Denis Payton and Mike Smith, didn't live to bask in the glory. Sax player Payton died of cancer in late 2006. Singer Smith, who was left paralyzed from the chest down by a spinal cord injury in 2003, died of pneumonia Feb. 28. Clark had spent the previous Sunday at Smith's home to watch their beloved Tottenham Hotspur soccer team beat Chelsea.

"It would have been wonderful to be inducted a couple years ago and have everyone there," says Clark, whose Hall appearance will include his tributes to the late bandmates. "Denis knew he was dying when he found out we were on the (2006) short list, and he was over the moon. He said, 'What a way to finish my career. It's icing on the cake.' At least Mike knew we were being inducted, and he was thrilled."

Jim Henke, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee member, gives his justification for induction a pop star such as Madonna:

"To me, it's the same issue as last year with Grandmaster Flash and `does hip-hop belong in?'" says Jim Henke, vice president of exhibitions and curatorial affairs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. "I think here at the museum and among other inductees, we've always defined rock and roll pretty broadly.

"It's not just about four guys with guitars or something like that. Madonna certainly had a huge impact on popular music and rock `n' roll throughout the `80s and `90s and she's certainly deserving of being honored."

Henke points to Madonna's music, her incorporation of dance elements and her mixing of styles that influenced lots of performers that came after her.

The song has become ingrained in our culture over the past 20+ years thanks to scores of cover versions (even showing up on American Idol this week). Michael Barthel over at clapclap.org broke down the history of the song in a hugely comprehensive fashion. Check out the number of cover versions by year:

(via kottke)

Yes founder and singer Jon Anderson speaks out on his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snub:

Have to ask you this: How do you feel about not being recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

I'm am so annoyed! So [angry]! You can quote me on that. [Dramatic pause.] No, I don't care. [Laughs.] When it happens, it will happen. It never bothered me until 10 years ago. The manager who was managing Yes said 'I'm going to put you in the Hall of Fame next year' and we said 'cool.' And then it didn't happen. We said, 'What happened?' He said, 'They don't want you.' It went on for five, six years, with him making this pitch. ... When it happens it will happen.

Idolator takes the connection a step further: "the Stooges' bassist in its current incarnation is punk legend Mike Watt, whose obsession with Madonna once spurred friends Sonic Youth to record an entire album in tribute to her in 1988."

Both also (obviously) have a history of shock performances and don't mind shedding their clothes.

There's no question that the Iggy & The Stooges tribute will be the most exciting and unpredictable part of the ceremony.

• Live on TV: VH1 Classic or MHD (for high definition)
• Live on the web: BestBuy.com. The site says you will need Windows Media Player to be able to stream the Ceremony. Let's hope they have support for the Mac.
• Edited version on TV: VH1 will air an edited 2 1/2 hour "highlight edition" on Saturday, March 22nd at 11:00 PM. Could the lack of star power at the ceremony this year have pushed the ceremony out of primetime?

It also appears that Leonard Cohen won't be performing either; he's having Damien Rice play for him. Additionally, James Cotton will pay tribute to Little Walter, and Patti LaBelle will do the same for Gamble and Huff.

The only two inductees who are confirmed to perform at the ceremony are John Mellencamp and The Ventures.

Update: Joan Jett will be performing a tribute to the Dave Clark Five at Monday's ceremony.

"I heard about it and I kind of felt ambivalent, like, 'What is that, the place they put musical dinosaurs?' " Madonna told reporters from around the globe yesterday, including Sun Media in a Canadian print exclusive. She has just started promoting her new hip-hop and R&B-drenched dance album, Hard Candy, due in stores April 29.

"I didn't really know what to think of it," she said, "but then lots of people explained to me that it's an acknowledgement of singers and songwriters who have made a contribution in the world of music for 25 years, and so eventually I came around to the idea that it was flattering."

And she's pleased that she will be inducted by one of her Hard Candy collaborators, Justin Timberlake, who co-wrote many of the songs and sings on the new album, including the Timbaland-produced first single, Four Minutes. Timberlake also appears in the video alongside her as two superheroes trying to save the world.

"It was Justin who offered and kind of surprised me, when we were shooting the video — he said he wanted to be the person to induct me, so to speak, so I said, 'Okay,' " said Madonna, who added how the rest of the induction evening will unfold is up in the air.

"It's supposed to be a surprise for me — somebody sings one of my songs," she said before adding, "Yikes! No, I'm just kidding. I don't know."

Mike Smith, the lead singer and keyboard player of The Dave Clark Five, one of the premier bands to emerge during the 1960’s “British Invasion”, died today from pneumonia at Stoke Mandeville Hospital outside of London. His devoted wife, Arlene, who is known as Charlie, was by his side.  Smith was 64 years old.

Smith, who was due to be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame with his band mates on Monday, March 10th, was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit yesterday morning with a chest infection, a complication from a spinal cord injury he sustained in September, 2003 that left him a tetraplegic (paralyzed below the ribcage with limited use of his upper body).  Smith had been in the hospital since the accident, and was just released in December 2007 when he moved into a specially-prepared home near the hospital with his wife. Prior to his hospitalization yesterday, arrangements were being made to transport Smith to New York so he could personally attend the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

After his accident, Smith found tremendous support from his peers including Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven Van Zandt, and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, who helped defray his medical costs through donations and fundraisers.  Long-time fan and “Late Show” bandleader, Paul Shaffer, helped organize a benefit concert in New York in August 2005, which featured many of Smith’s fellow “British Invasion” stars, including The Zombies and Peter & Gordon.  A DVD of the benefit, Paul Shaffer and his British Invasion: A Tribute to Mike Smith will be released in March by VDI Entertainment.

According to Smith’s agent, Margo Lewis of TCI in New York, “These last five years were extremely difficult for Mike. I am incredibly saddened to lose him, his energy and his humor, but I am comforted by the fact that he had the chance to spend his final months and days at home with his loving wife, Charlie, whom he adored, instead of in the hospital, and that he was able to attend a recent concert in London by his good friend, Bruce Springsteen.  He was extremely excited and honored to have been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and I am glad that he will be remembered as a “Hall of Famer,” because he was in so many ways.”

Ken Barnes from USA Today has a nice tribute to Smith and his work with the DC5.

• Madonna -- Justin Timberlake
• The Dave Clark Five -- Tom Hanks
• Leonard Cohen -- Lou Reed
• John Mellencamp -- Billy Joel
• The Ventures -- John Fogerty
• Little Walter -- Ben Harper
• Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff -- Jerry Butler

The ceremony will air live on television on VH1 Classic (available in ~35 million households with digital cable or satellite) at 8pm EST EDT on March 10th.

This is undoubtedly a huge blow to organizers who were counting on Madonna to provide the star power at this year's event. Given the health of the Dave Clark Five's Mike Smith, it's unclear if they will perform either. The remaining 2008 inductees who will perform are John Mellencamp, the Ventures, and Leonard Cohen.

On March 10th, the Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on VH1 Classic, and (presumably) webcast at AOL's spinner.com.

Craig: Hey, I wanted to ask you something. This is something that came to my attention today. And I am furious, furious about this. Wait until you hear about this, you're going to lose your minds with rage. You're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Alice: No.

[audience gasps]

Craig: Ah! I can't believe that! They've got Madonna in there! They've got that Alf the alien puppet in there! I can't believe that. Did you piss someone off?

Alice: I must have stepped on someone's glasses or something. No honestly, I don't know how they work it. It's not a popularity contest.

Craig: Clearly!

Alice: It's who they decide that's going to be in the Hall of Fame. The longer I stay out the better the story gets. Because apparently I did something really bad to somebody. I can't imagine what.

Craig: What you mean is you can't remember what.

Alice: I've been a model citizen in rock and roll. I think the best thing in the world would be to get kicked out of the Hall of Fame.

Craig: What are they going to kick you out for, "You were using drugs when you were making that music!" "Yeah, yes I was."

Alice: I'll tell them,"I haven't had a drink in 25 years. You're outta here!"

Craig: Yeah, that would be it. You weren't using drugs. You claimed you were using drugs, but you weren't. "Get out."

Alice: Everyone thinks it's a popularity contest, and you can call in and vote. You can't. You get nominated and then you get either in or you're out. I'm sort of the Pete Rose of rock and roll right now. And I didn't even bet on my band.

Alice Cooper's quip that he's the "Pete Rose of rock and roll" doesn't seem quite right since he's not being kept out of the Hall of Fame because of a scandal. Who is a better baseball player comparison? Andre Dawson? Jim Rice? Bert Blyleven?

You can enter the VH1 sweepstakes right here and let us know if you win!

Speaking of Guns N' Roses, Slash admits he has no contact with Axl Rose, nor has he heard material from the long-awaited "Chinese Democracy." But any silence between the camps is bound to end come 2012, when the influential hard rock act becomes eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Slash, McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum experienced firsthand what could be in store based on the drama that ensued last year around Van Halen's induction into the Rock Hall. With Eddie Van Halen in rehab and David Lee Roth refusing to attend after a set list squabble, Velvet Revolver ended up jamming with Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar.

"I never even thought about it until we had to do that," Slash says. "Somebody asked me, 'Do you think you guys will be able to show up for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (induction ceremony) in five years?' I was like, 'Oh, I guess we're eligible.' It never dawned on me before then. If this comes up, I'd hope we'd be mature enough to get up and do that, but I have no idea."

When asked what his gut feeling is about Rose and the other original members coming together, Slash says, "My gut doesn't count because it's not just about me. It's about everybody. And if it was easy to predict, we probably wouldn't have had so many hassles in the first place."

• Arcade Fire -- Neon Bible
• Burial -- Untrue
• Feist -- The Reminder
• Justice -- †
• LCD Soundsystem -- Sound of Silver
• M.I.A. -- Kala
• Spoon -- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
• Stars -- In our Bedroom After The War
• Wilco -- Sky Blue Sky
• Working for a Nuclear Free City -- Businessmen & Ghosts

• Madonna: "I was fortunate to have inducted my idol, David Bowie, so to be included alongside him is an honor."
• John Mellencamp: "I don't really need verification, but this certainly does do that. After thirty-three years, it's nice."
• Leonard Cohen: No comment.
• The Dave Clark Five [Dave Clark]: "It would have been nice to have gotten in around the time the Beatles did, but it's wonderful now."
• The Ventures [Don Wilson]: "It's a long time coming. For years it's bothered me that we haven't gotten in. I hate the word 'posthumously.'"

Dubbed “Popworld”, the new exhibition will combine state-of-the-art technology and rare memorabilia from the likes of David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys to trace the evolution of popular music from the end of the second world war to the present day.

Visitors will be able to download classic tracks such as John Lennon’s Imagine on to their iPods or mobile phones as they tour the site and even record their own songs in a mini-studio.

The attraction could also include the country’s first permanent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to which new artists will be inducted each year.

Instead of having their names or handprints etched into the wall or floor, as with the Hollywood Walk of Fame, legends such as the Who and Led Zeppelin may be brought to life at the touch of a button through the use of holograms.

It is unclear whether the UK Rock Hall intends to honor British artists exclusively or if it will be similar to the US version, which is multi-national. It also doesn't seem to be affiliated with the UK Music Hall of Fame (although that wouldn't be such a bad idea), which actually may already be defunct after a short three year run of inductions that ended in 2006.

Whether or not Levy remains on the Rock Hall Nominating Committee after leaving Jann Wenner's nest remains to be seen.

The Dave Clark Five finally made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Thursday morning, one year after their real induction was stolen from them. Other inductees are Madonna, Leonard Cohen, the Ventures and, at long last, John Mellencamp. The latter nominee has been pushed and pushed by Jann Wenner year after year. It’s probably best just to get it over with.

Passed over were ridiculous nominees such as Donna Summer and Afrika Bambaattaa.

Madonna, who has nothing to do with rock, got in, however. For VH-1, which produces the show for TV, she’s the only drawing card on that bill. I’m sure the channel is already making desperate calls to Justin Timberlake and Amy Winehouse to see if they can sing (or if they know) a Cohen song.

To offset the usual lack of R&B inductees (meaning no black people), the Hall is giving a special award to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff of Philadelphia International Records for not paying royalties to their artists for many years. Check out rulings against them concerning the O’Jays (http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/05D1141P.pdf) and Billy Paul, all of whom have been reported previously. Maybe previous inductees the O’Jays will perform "For the Love of Money."

But Gamble & Huff have been coming to the dinner for years and paying for their tickets, so their time has come. Still not in, and never will be: Billy Preston, Chubby Checker, Hall & Oates, Chicago, The Moody Blues, Todd Rundgren, Mary Wells, a dozen or so DJs who made rock 'n' roll history, Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Bad Company and so on and so forth…