Using Apple Music's 100 Best Albums as a Predictor for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

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Apple Music recently convened a panel of their own experts as well as "a select group of artists" to develop a list of the 100 Best Albums of all time. Unlike some old Rolling Stone lists which leaned heavily on boomer nostalgia, Apple's list includes a wide range of albums across the last 60+ years of popular music. As you might expect, many Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are represented, taking up 56 slots on the list. Of the 44 albums by non-Hall of Famers, 23 are by artists not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame.

The top ranked eligible artists are Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre, Daft Punk, Alanis Morissette, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Outkast, and Björk. As of 2024, none of those artists have been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Apple Music's full list below, with eligibility dates noted for non-Hall of Famers:

  1. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Eligible 2023
  2. Michael Jackson - Thriller
  3. The Beatles - Abbey Road
  4. Prince - Purple Rain
  5. Frank Ocean - Blonde - Eligible 2036
  6. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
  7. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city - Eligible 2034
  8. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black - Eligible 2028
  9. Nirvana - Nevermind
  10. Beyonce - Lemonade - Eligible 2027
  11. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
  12. Radiohead - OK Computer
  13. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
  14. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
  15. Adele - 21 - Eligible 2032
  16. Joni Mitchell - Blue
  17. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
  18. Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version) - Eligible 2031
  19. Dr. Dre - The Chronic - Eligible 2018
  20. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
  21. The Beatles - Revolver
  22. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
  23. Daft Punk - Discovery - Eligible 2020
  24. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
  25. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
  26. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Eligible 2027
  27. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
  28. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon
  29. A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
  30. Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? - Eligible 2041
  31. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill - Eligible 2017
  32. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
  33. Radiohead - Kid-A
  34. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
  35. The Clash - London Calling
  36. Beyonce - BEYONCE - Eligible 2027
  37. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (38-Chambers) - Eligible 2018
  38. Carole King - Tapestry
  39. Nas - Illmatic - Eligible 2018
  40. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
  41. Outkast - Aquemini - Eligible 2019
  42. Janet Jackson - Control
  43. Talking Heads - Remain in Light
  44. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
  45. Bjork - Homogenic - Eligible 2003
  46. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus
  47. Drake - Take Care - Eligible 2034
  48. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
  49. U2 - The Joshua Tree
  50. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
  51. Prince - Sign of the Times
  52. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
  53. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
  54. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - Eligible 1986
  55. Rihanna - Anti - Eligible 2030
  56. The Cure - Disintegration
  57. D'Angelo - Voodoo - Eligible 2021
  58. Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory - Eligible 2020
  59. Arctic Monkeys - AM - Eligible 2030
  60. The Velvet Underground and Nico - The Velvet Underground and Nico
  61. Sade - Love Deluxe - Eligible 2010
  62. Tupac - All Eyez on Me
  63. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced
  64. Erykah Badu - Baduizm - Eligible 2022
  65. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising - Eligible 2014
  66. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead - Eligible 2009
  67. Portishead - Dummy - Eligible 2020
  68. The Strokes - Is This It - Eligible 2026
  69. Metallica - Master of Puppets
  70. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
  71. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
  72. SZA - SOS - Eligible 2039
  73. Steely Dan - Aja
  74. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
  75. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
  76. Bad Bunny - Un Verano Senti - Eligible 2041
  77. Madonna - Like a Prayer
  78. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
  79. Lana Del Rey - Norman F***ing Rockwell - Eligible 2033
  80. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
  81. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
  82. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin' - Eligible 2024
  83. Patti Smith - Horses
  84. Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle - Eligible 2019
  85. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour - Eligible 2037
  86. Mary J. Blige - My Life
  87. Massive Attack - Blue Lines - Eligible 2014
  88. Nina Simone - I Put a Spell on You
  89. Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) - Eligible 2033
  90. AC/DC - Back in Black
  91. George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
  92. Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy - Eligible 2034
  93. Solange - A Seat at the Table - Eligible 2027
  94. Burial - Untrue - Eligible 2030
  95. Usher - Confessions - Eligible 2019
  96. Lorde - Pure Heroine - Eligible 2037
  97. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
  98. Travis Scott - ASTROWORLD - Eligible 2038
  99. Eagles - Hotel California
  100. Robyn - Body Talk - Eligible 2021
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The Rock Hall's Balancing Act

Looking at the wide array of 246 performer inductees and comparing it to the long list of those who aren't in, it's possible to draw some general conclusions about what it takes to get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The Hall doesn't list any official criteria, but the three primary traits of performer inductees tend to fall into these broad categories:

  • Popularity
  • Critical Acclaim
  • Industry Connections

History has shown that artists who do well in at least two out of the three categories have a solid chance at making the Hall of Fame, and those who check all three boxes likely get in on the first ballot. This is why having massive record sales and radio hits (aka "Popularity") on their own isn't typically enough to break through (e.g. Huey Lewis & the News, Styx, Backstreet Boys, etc.), while the same is true of Critically Acclaimed artists who never fully entered the mainstream (e.g. Can, Hüsker Dü, PJ Harvey). The Industry Connections category can take many shapes, such as having your record executive or manager on the Rock Hall Nominating Committee, but it can broadly be thought of as artists who often show up at awards shows or special events, and play the showbiz game (e.g. John Legend, Alicia Keys, Green Day, Gary Clark, Jr.). Having those industry relationships is often the missing piece of the puzzle that helps separate artists from their musical peers in the eyes of the Hall of Fame.

It should be noted here that there are dozens of artists who satisfy two or three of these categories that aren't in the Hall of Fame yet, but should be considered qualified.

RockHallVennDiagram-abbreviations

It wasn't long ago that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was criticized for being self-centered and run by elitist critics when it would repeatedly nominate artists like Patti Smith or The Stooges while ignoring (or outright disparaging) populist artists like KISS or Chicago. While there was unquestionably an element of truth to that reputation, the overall list of inductees was fairly balanced between popular and critical favorites.

Over the last decade, there has been a noticeable shift in the Rock Hall's stance towards critically maligned but popular artists, as more and more famous snubs finally broke through with a nomination and then were quickly inducted.

Continuing that trend, take a look at the performers nominated in 2022 and how they best fit in the diagram above (bold artists were inducted):

  • C/P/I (1st Ballot): Eminem
  • P/I: Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Dolly Parton*, Duran Duran
  • I/C: Beck
  • C/P: A Tribe Called Quest, Judas Priest, Rage Against the Machine
  • P only: Pat Benatar, Dionne Warwick
  • C only: Devo, Kate Bush, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls

* - Dolly is critically acclaimed in Country music circles, but generally not considered by the Pop/Rock critics, which are relevant here.

The only common denominator among the winners is Popularity. When evaluating such a musically diverse ballot, voters heavily gravitated towards the most iconic names, most of whom are deeply entrenched in the music industry. Any artist without household name recognition, a significant Billboard chart presence, or couldn't plausibly appear at the American Music Awards were passed over again.

To be fair, the Nominating Committee has tried to create well-balanced ballots, but it has become incredibly predictable to see that the Voting Committee now favors shiny stars over influential pioneers. The Rock Hall's "solution" to this problem is to use their special categories to induct handpick a few artists who can't get past the voters (like Judas Priest, Kraftwerk and LL Cool J), rather than addressing the systemic deficiencies in their ballot construction or voter demographics.

While some may see lack of balance unsettling, those in charge at the Rock Hall and HBO (its induction ceremony broadcast partner) almost certainly see this populist direction as a feature rather than a bug (especially with their new interest in the superstars of Country to choose from). Now that the precedent has been set for the amount of star power expected on stage at induction ceremonies, there's no turning back now.

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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).


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On Fairness: Using the Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot as a Model for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

2021RockHallBallotBaseballStyle

In another universe where there isn't an endless backlog, this could be the 2021 Rock Hall ballot — styled after the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. (Illustration by Future Rock Legends)

One of the primary reasons that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame generates so much derision from fans is that there are literally hundreds of artists who can make a Hall of Fame case, but due to the nature of the induction process, will never get a shot on the ballot. The unfairness of the system creates a visceral reaction among casual observers of the Rock Hall who simply can’t understand how legendary artists don't even get a chance after decades of eligibility. Don’t all these artists deserve an opportunity to have their names appear on a Hall of Fame ballot, ideally while they're still alive?

Compare the Rock Hall’s current system, where even once-in-a-generation artists can’t get on the ballot, with the Baseball Hall of Fame induction process where every notable player gets a shot at their first opportunity.

Some quick background: players are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame five years after they retire. In that first year of eligibility, a six-member Screening Committee adds every reasonable new candidate to the ballot along with all players that met a minimum 5% vote threshold from the previous year. That leads to ballots that typically have anywhere between 25 and 40 names. When the votes come in, marginal candidates quickly fall out of contention for the next year, but others are allowed up to 10 chances to get the 75% approval needed for induction before they fall off the ballot and are left for the Eras Committees to consider (formerly called the Veterans Committee).

The benefits of Baseball's system:

  • Every quality candidate gets at least one chance on the ballot.
  • A 10-year nomination cap provides enough time to build momentum for those who don’t get in right away, and also provides urgency for the voters when a player’s reaches their final ballot.
  • Voters can vote for between 0 and 10 candidates each year, which gives voters plenty of options to give support to all those who deserve it without having to vote strategically.
  • A low vote threshold to get back on the ballot allows nominees to get a multiple chances if they get caught in a stacked year.
  • Players on the ballot are all from roughly the same era.

All of these attributes stand in stark contrast to the Rock Hall’s system:

  • Most quality candidates never get nominated.
  • There’s no nomination cap, so voters can endlessly procrastinate voting for certain artists who seem to come up every year.
  • Voters are limited to selecting five artists from the ballot which leads people to vote strategically for lesser known candidates over obvious Hall of Famers, which occasionally backfires.
  • While some artists get multiple chances on the ballot, many are “one and done,” even after they had never gotten a fair shot at induction because they were nominated in a strong year, or they were pitted against similar artists which split the vote.
  • In any given year, voters are forced to compare artists from the 1960s to those up through the 1990s, when the context of their careers could not be more different.
  • Nearly every nominated artist is Hall of Fame-worthy, making the voters choices come down to personal preference. Recently, a great induction class can be created by pulling six random artists from the ballot, since they all have their merits.

If the Rock Hall adopted a system like Baseball’s, the image at the top of this post could be the 2021 ballot, with its mix of newly eligible artists and those who have recently missed out. That fantasy ballot has many advantages over a typical Rock Hall ballot:

  • Those with Hall of Fame careers clearly stand out from the rest.
  • Artists with good careers get a chance at renewed exposure through their Rock Hall nomination.
  • Evaluating contemporaries is much easier and a lot more fun to debate.
  • It's fair to the artists and their fans.

Could the Rock Hall ever adopt a system like the Baseball Hall of Fame’s? Sure, anything is possible. There is nothing sacred about the current induction process. The Hall of Fame has always had the ability to do whatever it wants and be the type of institution it wants to be. A fair Rock Hall system structured like baseball’s, with the potential for large induction classes, a robust Veteran’s Committee, and a clear and transparent voting process could ultimately lead to a Hall of Fame that doesn't make people so mad.

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Using Spin's Influential 35 as a Predictor for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Rage-Against-the-Machine

Spin is marking its 35th anniversary with a series of features and lists, including a ranking of the 35 "most influential artists of the past 35 years." Seventeen of the artists have already been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including 15 of the top 20. The remaining artists will likely be in the Rock Hall conversation for the next 20+ years.

Here is Spin's ranking, with the eligibility year listed for non-Rock Hall artists:

  1. Nirvana
  2. Prince
  3. Madonna
  4. N.W.A
  5. Nine Inch Nails
  6. 2Pac
  7. Run-DMC
  8. R.E.M.
  9. Public Enemy
  10. Rage Against the Machine (2018)
  11. Guns N' Roses
  12. Beastie Boys
  13. Dr. Dre (2018)
  14. U2
  15. Pearl Jam
  16. The Neptunes (2029)
  17. Notorious B.I.G.
  18. Tori Amos (2017)
  19. Michael Jackson
  20. Jane's Addiction (2013)
  21. Outkast (2019)
  22. Radiohead
  23. Kanye West (2029)
  24. Jay-Z (2021)
  25. Eminem (2022)
  26. Beyoncé (2029)
  27. Ricky Martin (2017)
  28. Lady Gaga (2034)
  29. Tyler, the Creator (2035)
  30. Spice Girls (2022)
  31. Bikini Kill (2017)
  32. Drake (2035)
  33. Billie Eilish (2042)
  34. Sublime (2018)
  35. No Doubt (2018)

Of the eligible artists, only Rage Against the Machine and Jane's Addiction have appeared on a Rock Hall ballot. The others are still waiting to get an opportunity from the voters.

Is being influential enough to get you into the Hall of Fame on its own? Probably not. It usually takes an additional mix of commercial success, critical acclaim, and industry connections to get you over the top. Fortunately for many of these artists, they can score on multiple fronts.

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Using "Women Who Rock" as a Predictor for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

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Illustrations from Women Who Rock

Journalism professor and former pop music critic Evelyn McDonnell is one of the most vocal advocates for properly recognizing the importance of women's contributions to rock music. Her essays regarding the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's deficiencies in that area have led to a heightened awareness in the media and public that just 7.7% of inductees are women.

In 2018, McDonnell released her edited collection of essays, Women Who Rock, which celebrated the careers of over 100 artists, 30% of whom are already in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. While many of the remaining women highlighted in the book are clearly worthy of the Hall of Fame, most of those eligible haven't even been nominated due to the Rock Hall's flawed induction system.

Will this list predict who the next women inductees will be? The only three women who have been inducted by the Rock Hall since publication were featured in the book, Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, and Whitney Houston.

Here is the full list of women from the book (linked artists are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Hall of Famers noted with their year of induction):

It should be noted that McDonnell's book is not meant to be a comprehensive list of women who are worthy of induction, because there are many others who should be considered.


Comments

What Does Rock & Roll Look Like?

THEJAM
In 1986, Canadian artist Michael Keirstead created the “The Jam Part I - A History” to illustrate “the musical influences that shaped the evolution of Rock music.” It’s a fantastic piece filled with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers from the 1950s through the 1970s. Here is who is on the poster (everyone is in the Rock Hall except those that are linked):
  • John Paul Jones
  • Jimmy Page
  • Robert Plant
  • John Bonham
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Nick Mason
  • Rick Wright
  • David Gilmour
  • Roger Waters
  • Elvis Presley
  • Marc Bolan
  • Jim Croce
  • Chuck Berry
  • Little Richard
  • Buddy Holly
  • Jim Morrison
  • Kin Hensley
  • Pete Townshend
  • Keith Moon
  • Roger Daltrey
  • John Entwistle
  • Janis Joplin
  • Brian Jones
  • Mick Jagger
  • Ron Wood
  • Charlie Watts
  • Bill Wyman
  • Keith Richards
  • Jon Lennon
  • Yoko Ono
  • George Harrison
  • Ringo Starr
  • Paul McCartney
  • Alice Cooper
  • Grace Slick
  • Muddy Waters
  • Bill Haley
  • Johnny Winter
  • Don Everly

Keirstead followed up that work with “The Jam Part II - Long Live Rock & Roll” which continued the project showing the following decades of rock stars (with a slightly more Canadian bias).

jam2
Here are the people illustrated (this time Hall of Famers are linked - most are not in the Hall of Fame yet):

For many rock fans, this is what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame should represent (even if it happens to be almost entirely white). If the Rock Hall also saw it that way, they might even have a chance to induct most of those people. But that’s not the way the Hall of Fame wants to represent rock and roll. They choose a far more ambitious path -- to include many of the different branches that sprung from the roots of rock and roll, including disco, electronic music, pop, and most controversially, hip hop. That makes their task exponentially more difficult. It’s hard enough to properly honor and represent the most important artists of one genre, but to try to capture the essence of popular music from the past half-century becomes an impossible task. There will inevitably be important artists who get left behind which leaves fans of all genres eternally frustrated. The current format of inducting just five artists per year does a huge disservice to their mission “to celebrate the musicians who founded, changed and revolutionized rock & roll,” when their definition of rock and roll includes an ever-expanding number of artists and genres. The Rock Hall has created an intractable problem.

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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
Comments

Using Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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In 2011, Rolling Stone released their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time, created by musicians and other experts*. (Rolling Stone originally released a list in 2003 that was just David Fricke’s picks, which is less instructive for this exercise.)

As with the other Rolling Stone lists, there are a large number of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers represented here. Just 29 of the guitarists are not in the Hall of Fame. Since this list was created four years ago, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Freddy King, John Frusciante, Slash, Alex Lifeson, Mike Bloomfield, and Kurt Cobain have been inducted, and Link Wray, Deep Purple and the Smiths have been nominated. That’s a pretty good run. We’ll see if it continues this year.

The full list (linked artists are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame):

  1. Jimi Hendrix
  2. Eric Clapton
  3. Jimmy Page
  4. Keith Richards
  5. Jeff Beck
  6. B.B. King
  7. Chuck Berry
  8. Eddie Van Halen
  9. Duane Allman
  10. Pete Townshend
  11. George Harrison
  12. Stevie Ray Vaughan
  13. Albert King
  14. David Gilmour
  15. Freddy King
  16. Derek Trucks
  17. Neil Young
  18. Les Paul
  19. James Burton
  20. Carlos Santana
  21. Chet Atkins
  22. Frank Zappa
  23. Buddy Guy
  24. Angus Young
  25. Tony Iommi
  26. Brian May
  27. Bo Diddley
  28. Johnny Ramone
  29. Scotty Moore
  30. Elmore James
  31. Ry Cooder
  32. Billy Gibbons
  33. Prince
  34. Curtis Mayfield
  35. John Lee Hooker
  36. Randy Rhoads
  37. Mick Taylor
  38. The Edge
  39. Steve Cropper
  40. Tom Morello
  41. Mick Ronson
  42. Mike Bloomfield
  43. Hubert Sumlin
  44. Mark Knopfler
  45. Link Wray
  46. Jerry Garcia
  47. Stephen Stills
  48. Jonny Greenwood
  49. Muddy Waters
  50. Ritchie Blackmore
  51. Johnny Marr
  52. Clarence White
  53. Otis Rush
  54. Joe Walsh
  55. John Lennon
  56. Albert Collins
  57. Rory Gallagher
  58. Peter Green
  59. Robbie Robertson
  60. Ron Asheton
  61. Dickie Betts
  62. Robert Fripp
  63. Johnny Winter
  64. Duane Eddy 
  65. Slash
  66. Leslie West
  67. T-Bone Walker
  68. John Mclaughlin
  69. Richard Thompson
  70. Jack White
  71. Robert Johnson
  72. John Frusciante
  73. Kurt Cobain
  74. Dick Dale
  75. Joni Mitchell
  76. Robby Krieger
  77. Willie Nelson
  78. John Fahey
  79. Mike Campbell
  80. Buddy Holly
  81. Lou Reed
  82. Nels Cline
  83. Eddie Hazel
  84. Joe Perry
  85. Andy Summers
  86. J Mascis
  87. James Hetfield
  88. Carl Perkins
  89. Bonnie Raitt
  90. Tom Verlaine
  91. Dave Davies
  92. Dimebag Darrell
  93. Paul Simon
  94. Peter Buck
  95. Roger McGuinn
  96. Bruce Springsteen
  97. Steve Jones
  98. Alex Lifeson
  99. Thurston Moore
  100. Lindsey Buckingham

* - Here are the voters who created the list, which includes quite a few members of the Rock Hall’s Nominating Committee (highlighted with links): Trey Anastasio, Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Brian Bell (Weezer), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket), James Burton, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Gary Clark Jr., Billy Corgan, Steve Cropper, Dave Davies (The Kinks), Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing editor, Rolling Stone), Tom DeLonge (Blink-182), Rick Derringer, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Melissa Etheridge, Don Felder (The Eagles), David Fricke (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), Peter Guralnick (Author), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band), Brian Hiatt (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Lenny Kravitz, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Jon Landau (Manager), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Nils Lofgren (The E Street Band), Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe), Doug Martsch (Built to Spill), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Brian May, Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Roger McGuinn (The Byrds), Scotty Moore, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Tom Morello, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Brendan O’Brien (Producer), Joe Perry, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Robbie Robertson, Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes), Carlos Santana, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marnie Stern, Stephen Stills, Andy Summers, Mick Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Vieux Farka Touré, Derek Trucks, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Nancy Wilson (Heart)

See Also:

Using Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rolling Stone recently released a new “best of” list, the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All-Time.” Unlike most of their other lists, there’s no description of their methodology for ranking the names, so this one feels a bit arbitrary. As usual, these types of lists stir up controversy, but let’s take a look to see if the list can provide any insight into future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. The close ties between the Rock Hall Nominating Committee and Rolling Stone are no secret, and they often share the same favorites and biases.

Of the 100 songwriters on the list, there are just 29 who are not yet in the Rock Hall, and many of these are primarily known for country music, so they are long shots for induction anyway (Parton, Haggard, Nelson, Lynn, Kristofferson, Prine, and Hall). Ten more aren’t eligible for induction yet, but will be strong candidates in the future.

Some of the eligible artists on the list who are not in the Hall of Fame who could show up on this year’s Performer ballot are Harry Nilsson, The Smiths, Lucinda Williams, Ashford and Simpson, Björk, and the Replacements.

The full list (linked artists are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame):

  1. Bob Dylan
  2. Paul McCartney
  3. John Lennon
  4. Chuck Berry
  5. Smokey Robinson
  6. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
  7. Carole King/Carole King and Gerry Goffin
  8. Paul Simon
  9. Joni Mitchell
  10. Stevie Wonder
  11. Bob Marley
  12. Brian Wilson
  13. Hank Williams
  14. Bruce Springsteen
  15. Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland
  16. Leonard Cohen
  17. Neil Young
  18. Prince
  19. Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
  20. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
  21. Lou Reed
  22. Van Morrison
  23. Robert Johnson
  24. Elvis Costello
  25. Randy Newman
  26. James Brown
  27. Ray Davies
  28. Woody Guthrie
  29. Buddy Holly
  30. Pete Townshend
  31. Dolly Parton
  32. Burt Bacharach and Hal David
  33. Merle Haggard
  34. Michael Jackson
  35. Bono and the Edge
  36. Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter
  37. Jackson Browne
  38. Al Green
  39. David Bowie
  40. John Fogerty
  41. Max Martin
  42. Sly Stone
  43. Johnny Cash
  44. Jimmy Webb
  45. Robbie Robertson
  46. Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
  47. Neil Diamond
  48. Elton John and Bernie Taupin
  49. Don Henley and Glenn Frey
  50. Billy Joel
  51. Willie Dixon
  52. The Notorious B.I.G.
  53. Stevie Nicks
  54. Kurt Cobain
  55. Tom Waits
  56. Madonna
  57. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
  58. George Clinton
  59. Tom Petty
  60. Willie Nelson
  61. Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
  62. Harry Nilsson
  63. Chrissie Hynde
  64. Bert Berns
  65. George Harrison
  66. Kenny Gamble and Leon A. Huff
  67. Morrissey and Marr
  68. Jay Z
  69. James Taylor
  70. Dan Penn
  71. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
  72. Fats Domino and Dave Barthomolew
  73. Radiohead
  74. Patti Smith
  75. Isaac Hayes and David Porter
  76. Loretta Lynn
  77. Allen Toussaint
  78. Curtis Mayfield
  79. Lucinda Williams
  80. R. Kelly
  81. Björk
  82. Marvin Gaye
  83. Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
  84. Kanye West
  85. R.E.M.
  86. Sam Cooke
  87. Kris Kristofferson
  88. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill
  89. Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
  90. Babyface
  91. Eminem
  92. Paul Westerberg
  93. Billie Joe Armstrong
  94. John Prine
  95. The Bee Gees
  96. Timbaland and Missy Elliott
  97. Taylor Swift
  98. Otis Blackwell
  99. Tom T. Hall
  100. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
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Using Lollapalooza Headliners as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

lollapalooza94
Over the last 25 years, Lollapalooza has an impressive track record for showcasing some of the biggest and best names in rock. Many of the headliners have since been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But does a headline slot guarantee you a future home in Cleveland? Just like we did with Coachella, let’s take a look at the top three (or four) headliners from each Lollapalooza over the years. (* = already a Hall of Famer)
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When will the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees be announced?

Based on recent history, here is when to expect the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees to be announced.

Keep an eye on our Twitter page to find all of the latest Rock Hall news and information.

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Future Rock Legends predicts the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees

nin
Future Rock Legends has announced its prediction of the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees. Check out the full story here.
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Using Coachella Headliners as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup was announced today, and once again it is an impressive group of artists headlined by the Black Keys, Radiohead, and Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg.

Let’s take a look at the festival’s past headliners to see if they will prove to be this generation’s Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. (* = already a Hall of Famer - updated in 2021)

The only eligible artists above who haven’t been inducted yet are The Cure (nominated this year; Update: Inducted in 2019) and Depeche Mode (Update: Inducted in 2020). So, yeah, with just a few exceptions, that’s a pretty solid list of future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers (at this point in their careers, we would have to hedge a bit on the Killers, Gorillaz, Jack Johnson and Muse).

There are definitely other big American festivals which will have a similar record -- Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo come to mind -- that we will analyze soon. (Update: See Lollapalooza)

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The official 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

The 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees were announced this morning at RockHall.com.
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The 2010 Rock Hall Ceremony and beyond

The latest issue of Rolling Stone has a wrap up article about the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There are some interesting quotes from some of the attendees regarding the future of the Rock Hall (the article is not currently posted online).

Pearl Jam bought a table at the ceremony so they could watch The Stooges finally get inducted after being nominated eight times. Some quotes from Eddie Vedder:

"The Stooges are exactly what the Hall of Fame needs more of... [They are] the true embodiment of rock & roll... One can only hope that the voting committee starts boning up on their Black Flag, X, Sonic Youth and Fugazi to keep it going in the right direction... Iggy's speech was right on. Appreciative, but delivered with the back of his hand. If it hadn't taken so many years, Ron Asheton would've been there."

Vedder has his eye towards the future of the Rock Hall, hoping the bands that influenced him will get inducted before he does (Pearl Jam is first eligible for the 2017 induction ceremony). Vedder also calls out the Rock Hall's 500+ member voting committee which consists of people in the music industry, including the past inductees. And this is where the generational rub comes to a head. In this same Rolling Stone article, it casually mentions that the members of Genesis "had barely heard Phish's music" when they were told Phish would be inducting them at the ceremony. These same members of Genesis are now Rock Hall voters. This isn't to suggest that the members of Genesis aren't qualified to vote for the Rock Hall, it's just that they apparently don't connect with a later generation of artists, even one as huge as Phish. And unlike the Nominating Committee, which at least attempts to get younger by occasionally adding new members, the Voting Committee will always be dominated with aging rock stars who likely prefer their peers and influences rather than their followers.

One last nugget from this article that we didn't catch in the ceremony: It mentions that Paul Shaffer, the musical director for the Rock Hall ceremonies, was "honored for his 25 years of Hall of Fame service." Well deserved.

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Non-Hall of Famers to perform at the Rock Hall 25th Anniversary Concerts

The big Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concerts are this week in New York City, and new names are being added to the lineup almost daily. While all of the headliners are Hall of Famers, some of the more recent additions to the lineup aren't yet eligible for the Rock Hall. Does participation in an event like this bode well for an artist's chances of getting inducted into the Hall of Fame in the future?

Let's take a look at who these artists are:

  • Tom Morello (performing with Bruce Springsteen) - His best shot at induction is clearly with Rage Against the Machine, not with the now-defunct Audioslave. Morello inducted the Clash into the Rock Hall in 2003, so he's no stranger to Rock Hall events.
  • John Legend (performing with Stevie Wonder) - It seems like Legend is always available for big industry events such as this, but he has a long way to go before he becomes a serious Rock Hall contender himself.
  • Lenny Kravitz (performing with Aretha Franklin) - The Rock Hall won't hold it against you if you've sold a lot of records, but that certainly doesn't guarantee induction. Kravitz's career got off to a quick start, but has gone off the rails a bit this decade.
  • Annie Lennox (performing with Aretha Franklin) - The Eurythmics have been eligible since 2006, and have been seriously considered by the Nominating Committee, so they have a very good chance at getting in someday. Lennox's solo career has been good, but not Hall of Fame-worthy (yet).
  • Update: Darlene Love (performed with Bruce Springsteen) - Love is nominated this year for the Rock Hall, so she may be a Hall of Famer soon enough.
  • Update: Peter Wolf (performed with Bruce Springsteen) - Wolf is close friends with the many of the guys on the Nominating Committee, and the J. Geils band was nominated a few years ago, so it's always a possibility he could get in.
  • Update: Black Eyed Peas (performed with U2) - The BEP are currently touring with U2, so that's likely how they got involved. Future Rock Hall prospects are pretty slim.
Here is the list of participating Hall of Famers: Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Metallica, Jeff Beck, Aretha Franklin, U2, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Dion, Billy Joel, Ozzy Osbourne, Smokey Robinson, Sting, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Fogerty, Ray Davies, BB King, Buddy Guy, Mick Jagger, Billy Gibbons, Lou Reed, Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt.

The concert won't be televised or webcast live, but there will be a four-hour HBO special in November and a DVD release next year.

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Does Metallica open the door for Slayer?

With Metallica's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, it may give other metal pioneers hope that they will someday be inducted as well. Kerry King from Slayer is skeptical about his band ever getting honored.
"Only because... Didn't Metallica get in this year or last year or something? And I'm like, oh yeah, they've experienced and experimented with more of a pop angle, so I can definitely see them," he said. "Whether our time comes and people say, 'You're going to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.' I'd kind of be surprised if we did because we are the anti-everything."
Slayer are one of the "big four" bands of thrash metal, along with Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth, so they may have a good chance of getting in if the Hall of Fame ever decides to widen its net to cover heavier rock genres. Future Rock Legends currently gives Slayer a 30% chance of future induction.
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Rolling Stone's Five-Star Album Reviews

The latest issue of Rolling Stone has a five-star review of the new U2 album, which led us to wonder when the last time the magazine gave a five-star review to a non-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist. Over the years, we noticed that they seem to reserve the perfect rating for artists who have already cemented their legendary status (Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan come to mind). When was the last time the magazine went out on a limb to anoint an album of new material an instant classic?

For our purposes, we're excluding five-star reviews of reissues and compilations, which Rolling Stone hands out fairly regularly and generally are given to artists that are already determined to be "immortals." So let's find the five-star reviewed albums by artists before they were eligible for the Rock Hall. Here are the five-star reviewed albums by non-Rock and Roll Hall of Famers since 1986 (in reverse chronological order):

As you can tell, Rolling Stone is extremely judicious in handing out five star reviews, but when they do, they have a good track record of picking artists who eventually end up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And of the artists who are not in yet, it's difficult to find any who won't likely end up enshrined in Cleveland someday. The only two artists on the list who are eligible and not in the Rock Hall are The Smiths (eligible since 2008) and Sonic Youth (eligible since 2007). Neither group has received much attention from the Nominating Committee yet, but that is likely to change in the coming years.

One other thing to note is that there is only one debut album on the list (Appetite for Destruction). Usually, the five-star reviewed album follows other notable work from the artist, so Rolling Stone isn't gambling its reputation on a previously unknown artist.

Major thanks go out to Erik J. Heels who has been tracking these five star reviews for many years now. We'll be sure to take note of any new five-star reviews in the future.

Update: We removed Pavement's Slanted & Enchanted from the list above. That album didn't get its five-star review until the reissue came out. Can anyone confirm the others were all from their initial review?

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Using Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rolling Stone magazine unleashed their latest "greatest" list today, this one focusing on the best singers of all-time (not necessarily rock, by the way).The list was compiled after Rolling Stone polled a bunch of artists, journalists and music industry folks to name their top 20 singers.

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

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Rolling Stone to add new "Influences" feature

Rolling Stone has unveiled a new feature in its latest issue called "Influences," where a current artist explains what music inspired them.

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.

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Using the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or: Why the Charts Don't Matter

As a part of its 50th anniversary this year, Billboard put together a list of the Hot 100's top 100 artists of all-time (well, 1958 through today). As opposed to Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the all-time greats, which polled groups of artists, Billboard uses their singles charts to generate their list. The results certainly show the most popular artists from the last 50 years, but are not very indicative of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers (no Hendrix, Dylan, The Who, The Police, U2, etc.). Of the 100 artists listed below, 40 are Hall of Famers. Of the 60 who are not in, 46 are eligible and have never reached final ballot for induction.

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.

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Using Blender's Greatest 100 American Albums of All-Time as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Blender recently came up with a list of the 100 greatest American albums of all-time. Clearly there are a number of problems with the list (such as using greatest hits albums, the absence of Daydream Nation, listing Canadians such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, nothing listed from this decade, etc.), but any ranking such as this will never please everyone.

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.

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Using Rolling Stone's List of 100 "Immortals" as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Does Rolling Stone's list of "The Immortals" hold the keys to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Find out here.
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Using Rolling Stone's 100 Best Guitar Songs as a Predictor for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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.

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Slash Discusses a Potential Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Induction


Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash was recently asked about the possibility of a future GNR reunion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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."

History has shown that volatile bands don't instantly start loving each other again just because of a Hall of Fame induction (Van Halen, CCR, Blondie, etc.). So you can bet that when GNR gets honored, it will be worth watching.
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Rock Hall's "The Craft" series offers insight into Future Hall of Famers

This year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began an artist interview series called "The Craft" that features a number of potential Future Hall of Famers. The first artist featured was Elvis Costello, a member of the Rock Hall Class of 2003. Other artists have included Patty Griffin, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie. The latest to be interviewed and perform was Paul Westerberg from the Replacements, who first became eligible for induction last year but haven't made the ballot yet.

The next artist in the series is a sure-fire Future Hall of Famer, Black Francis of the Pixies. Aimee Mann rounds out the group who have been announced so far, but more are on the way.

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Beastie Boys and the Rock Hall

The Beastie Boys are eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year for the first time. They were recently asked if they would be honored to get inducted.

Journalist: Would you be honored to get inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Mike D: Will they pay you for that?
Journalist: I think you have to pay for your table.
Mike D: You pay to show up? So what’s the perks? Do you get a key to the city? Do you get a key to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Journalist: Probably.
Adrock: Do they give you a medallion of some sort?
Mike D: Do you get resort perks? Do you get to use a spa, for free?
Journalist: Let’s say all you get is the honor of it, would you be honored by it?
Mike D: You mean so there’s no perks, no spa package…
MCA: Let’s just say, can you get a placard? … I would be honored to receive a placard.
Mike D: I might like a medallion better.
Adrock: A trophy.
Journalist: If invited, would you pull a Johnny Rotten.
Mike D: That letter, was that ever [authenticated]? When I saw it reprinted it looked so fake.
MCA: I don’t think it was, because I was in LA and heard, what’s is name, the guitar player? Steve Jones. And they (Jones and John Lydon) were going on about it. And even Steve Jones, who’s more reasonable, was going on a tear, [mimics cockney accent] “I’m not going out there for a fucking…”   
The Beastie Boys are one of the few artists who are locks to be inducted in the future. It may not be this year, but you can bet that they will be accepting their medallions/placards/keys to the city within the next five years.

Thanks, David.

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New hope for KISS

This week, soldiers in the KISS Army descended upon Cleveland to protest the fact that Kiss has been excluded from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. With all of the attention around the event, Terry Stewart, the new Rock Hall President and CEO, weighed in on KISS' chances for future induction:
"They're worthy of induction," Stewart said. "They've influenced many other artists. They've also extended their band into almost a lifestyle, through merchandising."

So why hasn't KISS been enshrined?

"It's not a slight," Stewart said.

"The process is rigorous and methodical."

Worthy inductees eventually are honored, just not always quickly enough for fans or the musicians themselves, Stewart said.
This is unbelievable news for KISS fans who have felt that Kiss should have been inducted years ago. With Terry Stewart on the nominating committee, Kiss has an insider who has now gone on the record for supporting their nomination. Stewart will still have to contend with Dave Marsh who is firmly entrenched in the anti-Kiss camp (assuming Marsh hasn't been recently removed from the committee as part of the shake-up). Marsh has said, "Kiss is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot." Marsh is widely regarded as one of the most influential nominating committee members, so it will be interesting to see if Stewart can shake things up.
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Let's talk about... KISS

Most fans are able to recognize the impact that KISS has made on rock and roll, so it's puzzling that they have yet to even be nominated for the Rock Hall. A big reason they're on the outside could be music critic and Rock Hall nominating committee member, Dave Marsh, who once said:
Kiss is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot.
With that kind of prejudice, it's no wonder that Paul Stanley has become bitter about the Rock Hall in general:
The beauty of America is that you can basically start any kind of private club you want to. This one happens to be called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's a very impressive name for a club but it's an illusion. It's the creation of a group of industry people and critics who decide who they deem as qualified to be in their little admiration society. It's their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but it's not the people's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Have you ever voted? I know I haven't. That's why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, besides having people who very much belong in there, have an abundance of people who most people will scratch their head and not even have a clue who they are. I don't have anything against anybody who's been inducted, but more than a couple of them are a joke. A band or musician's impact is measured by how they change and influence society and other musicians. That and how many albums and concert tickets they sell should be what gets them into the Hall of Fame. As far as I'm concerned it's a private club with a misleading name. It's a sham.
KISS are one of those bands that have gone through their entire career without much critical acclaim or industry awards, but have legions of fans who couldn't care less.

Fans can rest assured that the KISS legacy will live on whether they are recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame or not.

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Supergroup alert!

The Strokes and Pearl Jam have been buddy-buddy lately. They've been dropping compliments on one another and appearing at each other's shows. Now they've gone into the studio together to record the Marvin Gaye classic, "Mercy Mercy Me". Somehow Josh Homme tagged along and plays drums on the track (as if he needs another side project).

Perhaps Julian Casablancas wants to be the one to induct Pearl Jam into the Hall in 2016.

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