The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

[ManPerson]

What kind of definition of rock doesn't include INXS?

[Brian]

Add Phil Collins and Shakira and we have the same top artists. I think both of them are more popular and acclaimed than P!nk.

I'm uncertain about Sharika's relationship to rock, but maybe she should be considered rock, and if she is, then she's probably important enough to be worthy of induction. Collins was very popular, so I can see including her in your first seven. And I agree with putting Lauryn Hill in the top 10.

Not that RYM is gospel or anything, but most of her albums are actually categorized on there as pop rock, which would seem to indicate she falls under the rock umbrella fairly clearly.

Checking her wiki article, her genres are listed as "Latin, pop, dance, rocK". At rateyourmusic, it's "Latin Pop, Pop Rock, Dance-Pop, Electropop, Reggaetón, Pop". If she isn't fully in the rock camp, she's probably close enough.

[Elton-Cetera]

THE 2026 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES I WANT

Phil Collins
Luther Vandross
Joy Division/New Order
New Edition
Iron Maiden
Billy Idol
INXS
Sade

[Brian]

What kind of definition of rock doesn't include INXS?

Yes, I thought that was pretty crazy. They have a little bit of an '80s dance aspect to their sound, but still.

[Elton-Cetera]

The Rock Hall Is A Captured Mess of Political Ideology and Mediocrity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6z2sp_ek8k

[Elton-Cetera]

THE 2026 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FAN VOTE LEADERBOARD
https://vote.rockhall.com/leaderboard

VOTE HERE - https://vote.rockhall.com/

Bobby Brown will eventually be a 2-Time inductee.

[Elton-Cetera]

It should only be 70s-80s acts at the 2026 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, or I won't be happy. Ralph Tresvant of New Edition is a big Genesis/Phil Collins fan, and now they are nominated together.

Yes, Liam, Again
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ballot Is Here
https://michellebourg669049.substack.co ... liam-again

[Ryan]

If I were voting with this ballot, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Mariah Carey, and Wu-Tang Clan would get my vote. Oasis, P!nk, and Sade would most likely be the other three I'd vote for.

Add Phil Collins and Shakira and we have the same top artists. I think both of them are more popular and acclaimed than P!nk.

I'm uncertain about Sharika's relationship to rock, but maybe she should be considered rock, and if she is, then she's probably important enough to be worthy of induction. Collins was very popular, so I can see including her in your first seven. And I agree with putting Lauryn Hill in the top 10.

Are you familiar with her big breakthrough album Dónde Están los Ladrones?, where she was positioned as a kind of Spanish language equivalent to Alanis Morissette?

[Ryan]

It would be good if you could at least be more selective about the links you post. We already know that every year, rockists will complain about the Hall considering artists that don't fit comfortably into the '70s guitar band mode. In one of the videos, the host didn't even think that INXS was rock. It doesn't broaden our perspective at all to see yet another rockist show how narrow his idea of rock is.

It reminds me of one video that I saw years ago where the host - might have been Eddie Trunk but I don't remember well - didn't think Sinead O'Connor was rock and thought the only thing she did that was rock was "Nothing Compares 2 U", as if they were unaware "Mandinka" and "The Emperor's New Clothes" and all the guitar-driven alternative rock she did even existed. Maybe they got her confused with Enya? I don't see how that's even possible.

INXS are unquestionably a rock band. They were huge on both rock radio formats in the late 80s and early 90s. I don't get how anyone could come to that conclusion that they aren't a rock band.

[Elton-Cetera]

THE 2026 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

WHEN VOTING NON-AMERICAN (British Invasion)

Phil Collins
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
INXS
Sade
Oasis

[Elton-Cetera]

Billy Idol - Billy Idol Should Be Dead (Official Trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eByNViJ8388

INXS Celebrates Rock Hall Nomination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vArH3Z6jHm8

Power Ballots and Second Thoughts
Nobody agrees with my 2026 R&R Hall of Fame votes -- including me!
https://chuckeddy.substack.com/p/power- ... d-thoughts

Paul McCartney Still Holds a Grudge About His Belated Rock Hall Induction
https://www.vulture.com/article/paul-mc ... ction.html

Sheryl Crow reveals who’s overdue to join her in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
https://nypost.com/2023/11/02/entertain ... l-of-fame/

[Brian]

Add Phil Collins and Shakira and we have the same top artists. I think both of them are more popular and acclaimed than P!nk.

I'm uncertain about Sharika's relationship to rock, but maybe she should be considered rock, and if she is, then she's probably important enough to be worthy of induction. Collins was very popular, so I can see including her in your first seven. And I agree with putting Lauryn Hill in the top 10.

Are you familiar with her big breakthrough album Dónde Están los Ladrones?, where she was positioned as a kind of Spanish language equivalent to Alanis Morissette?

I agree, that's rock. I do think now that she's worthy of the Hall.

[Brian]

It would be good if you could at least be more selective about the links you post. We already know that every year, rockists will complain about the Hall considering artists that don't fit comfortably into the '70s guitar band mode. In one of the videos, the host didn't even think that INXS was rock. It doesn't broaden our perspective at all to see yet another rockist show how narrow his idea of rock is.

It reminds me of one video that I saw years ago where the host - might have been Eddie Trunk but I don't remember well - didn't think Sinead O'Connor was rock and thought the only thing she did that was rock was "Nothing Compares 2 U", as if they were unaware "Mandinka" and "The Emperor's New Clothes" and all the guitar-driven alternative rock she did even existed. Maybe they got her confused with Enya? I don't see how that's even possible.

INXS are unquestionably a rock band. They were huge on both rock radio formats in the late 80s and early 90s. I don't get how anyone could come to that conclusion that they aren't a rock band.

Yes, that's crazy. If anything, "Mandinka" is more undeniably rock than "Nothing Compares 2 U".

[ManPerson]

Nothing Compares 2 U seems like one of her more adult contemporary songs, if anything.

[Ryan]

That's the issue I have with a lot of Rock Hall pundits online, is that they do not explore the music of the other artists they do not know well, and go based entirely on their assumptions. And I bet they would really hate it if someone did the same thing to their favorite nominee. It would be just as reductive, for instance, to claim that Iron Maiden don't belong in the Hall because they had no real hit songs. Those same pundits would be furious, and they'd have every right to be because Maiden's legacy is in more than just having hit songs on the radio.

It's as annoying of argument as the way that some pundits do not judge an artist on the ballot on their own merits or even the ones of the other nominees in comparison, but will instead reply back with a list of other artists who "should have" been there, including ones from a different genre. That's unfair to the artist, if you're not willing to engage with why they are even on the ballot at all.

This isn't all Rock Hall pundits by the way, I think there's plenty of bloggers and podcasts that do it the right way, but more about the reactionary Youtubers that Taupin Cetera always post that seem to have a very narrow understanding of music history but still somehow make videos about it.

I don't like that the Black Crowes are back on the ballot. But I can understand why they're here at least. I don't think they're completely unworthy of being on the ballot. They just would not get my vote is all.

[Elton-Cetera]

I just noticed this in my email.

https://rockhall.com/2026-nominees

THE 2026 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME NOMINEES
The Black Crowes • Jeff Buckley • Mariah Carey •
Phil Collins • Melissa Etheridge • Lauryn Hill • Billy Idol •
INXS • Iron Maiden • Joy Division/New Order •
New Edition • Oasis • P!nk • Sade • Shakira •
Luther Vandross • Wu-Tang Clan

[Elton-Cetera]

Where is Coldplay?
https://futurerocklegends.com/News/inde ... dplay.html

New Edition Talks Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/04/ ... l-of-fame/

Fans Turn Their Backs on Rock Artists in the R&R Hall of Fame Fan Votes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWcRY8CgNF8

Paul McCartney Says the R&R Hall of Fame Lied to Him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A245VRodh1s

[Elton-Cetera]

R'n'R Hall of Fame - OMG This is TRAGIC! (First Week of Voting Results)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7L0awCsZs-g

He wants…

Blue Oyster Cult, The Spencer Davis Group, Grand Funk Railroad, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Humble Pie, Free, Kansas, REO Speedwagon