The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

[Zach]

I'd lump Melissa Etheridge with the Black Crowes as the biggest head-scratcher. She had two or three years of mainstream success, with two (maybe three) big hits and respectable industry acclaim, including a couple of Grammys, but she wasn't quite as broadly lauded as other female pop-rock stars of the era. Her influence feels somewhat unremarkable--she's noted as one of the earlier artists to come out as gay in her heyday, but that's kind of a "so what?" to me.

[Elton-Cetera]

I'd lump Melissa Etheridge with the Black Crowes as the biggest head-scratcher. She had two or three years of mainstream success, with two (maybe three) big hits and respectable industry acclaim, including a couple of Grammys, but she wasn't quite as broadly lauded as other female pop-rock stars of the era. Her influence feels somewhat unremarkable--she's noted as one of the earlier artists to come out as gay in her heyday, but that's kind of a "so what?" to me.

Melissa Etheridge has been compared to Janis Joplin in the past. There are people who think she looks and sounds like her.

[Elton-Cetera]

Rock Hall Inches Forward
https://populismblog.wordpress.com/2026 ... s-forward/

Off to the races: the 2026 Ballot
https://rockhallmonitors.blogspot.com/2 ... allot.html

[Ryan]

Feel tying influence to innovation specifically is more of a ddd thing, the more casual usage would be as a synonym for inspiration (or effect) which I think a lot of notable artists cited Buckley as.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Thom Yorke described Jeff Buckley as a significant influence on his singing from The Bends onward, and as have Chris Martin of Coldplay and Matt Bellamy of Muse, for a few examples.

[Ryan]

He is way ahead of the Black Crowes though. Maybe I should have called them the biggest head scratcher on the list.

I think The Black Crowes have one of the weakest cases for induction of this batch of nominees, as was the case last year. They had a couple hit records, their most enduring song is a cover, they mostly faded from relevance and popularity by album three, and I can't really see their specific influence on later bands. They are a reliable touring act these days, but this also describes plenty of other retro-rock styled groups from the 90s.

I listen to the "Who Cares About the Rock Hall?" podcast, and their episode on The Black Crowes was the one time last year where I came away liking the artist less and thinking they don't really have a case.

New Edition don't strike me as an artist with a strong case, because what they're being nominated for is their influence on later 90s R&B groups and boy bands, the former an era that they've almost entirely ignored, and the latter is probably never going to be represented in the Rock Hall. They made some quite good music, together and apart, but I don't see them getting in on a ballot that already includes Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, and Sade, all of whom have far better cases and are more likely inductees.

[Ryan]

Jeff Buckley is truly great, but I don't understand how they could forget about his father. Tim Buckley deserves to be in the Hall of Fame just as much as Jeff.

Tim Buckley doesn't have the lasting appeal or the popularity really. He has very limited name recognition, mostly connected to either his son, the Monkees, or This Mortal Coil's cover of his "Song to the Siren". He'd a possible influence inductee if they ever do a year where they put in several 60s and 70s singer-songwriters with cult followings like Tim Hardin, Phil Ochs, Judee Sill, and Nick Drake.

[Elton-Cetera]

This is what the Rock Hall Voting Committee sees when they vote online. They are *required* to select 7 artists for the first time (no more, no less).

https://bsky.app/profile/activecultures ... rtxyoywk2q

[Brian]

I'd lump Melissa Etheridge with the Black Crowes as the biggest head-scratcher. She had two or three years of mainstream success, with two (maybe three) big hits and respectable industry acclaim, including a couple of Grammys, but she wasn't quite as broadly lauded as other female pop-rock stars of the era. Her influence feels somewhat unremarkable--she's noted as one of the earlier artists to come out as gay in her heyday, but that's kind of a "so what?" to me.

Yes, that could be. Melissa had 5 platinum albums while The Crowes had 2, but the Crowes were more critically acclaimed, not that they were especially huge in that category. I don't think either has much influence, at least not in the way that I conceive influence. I agree that her coming out doesn't mean much. Elton John had done that years earlier. To Cetera's point that some think she looks and sounds like Janis Joplin, I don't think looking or sounding like someone else is a good reason to induct an artist.

[Elton-Cetera]

THANK YOU EDDIE TRUNK! R&R HALL OF SHAME!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp0hWA8WtJw

Rock HoF 2026 Nominees: Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUXQjVg3ZIw

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Pushes Diversity Over Rock & Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi8RPrrCyJ0

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees! REACTION & PREDICTIONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Fdpj2Lgtc

A Reaction to the 2026 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Nominees!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ES62YuXrT0

RANT 2026 Rock Hall Of Fame Nominees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFGoE3Gu84U

Hey Rock Hall:Just Admit It…You HATE Rock! | Professor of Rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiMTIYJAytk

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees — I Already Know Who’s Getting In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ8tWsz-McA

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees… Are You Serious?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmC86vBX5VI

Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees - OMG What is this S**t!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ug08tLG5kY

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees: Who's a Yes? Who's a No?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeuo6nZh24g

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Has Released Their List of 2026 Nominees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LN4fNPrUQ4

Phil Collins, INXS, Melissa Etheridge Nominated in 2026 Rock Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRSQ6qnixIY

Live Reaction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD5SxQSL9JI

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaecYcHtuko

The R&R Hall of Fame Reinvents Rock Yet Again in 2026! Tribal Form 113
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQfchIwoC0

[Elton-Cetera]

Term Limits for Nominating Committee Members - Now What?

https://www.patreon.com/posts/term-limits-for-151813257

https://futurerocklegends.com/News/inde ... imits.html

[Brian]

On some of the youtube videos linked to in the above post, one can tell from the title that the video will be from a rockist perspective, complaining that the Hall nominated artists that aren't guitar band-oriented. However, I took a chance and watched three of the videos whose titles didn't repel me, and found a pretty intelligent one: the 4th one down, "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees! REACTION & PREDICTIONS".

[Elton-Cetera]

‘It’s Great to Finally Be in the Room’: Melissa Etheridge Talks Rock Hall Nomination
Previous nominees the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade are also on the ballot.
https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/ ... 236186124/

NICKO MCBRAIN On IRON MAIDEN's Latest ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Nomination: 'It's A Great Accolade To Even Be Considered Again'
https://blabbermouth.net/news/nicko-mcb ... ered-again

[Ryan]

a bunch of links to rant videos

What purpose is there in linking all these angry rant videos on here? No one's going to watch any of them.

[Elton-Cetera]

On some of the youtube videos linked to in the above post, one can tell from the title that the video will be from a rockist perspective, complaining that the Hall nominated artists that aren't guitar band-oriented. However, I took a chance and watched three of the videos whose titles didn't repel me, and found a pretty intelligent one: the 4th one down, "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees! REACTION & PREDICTIONS".

Yes, he's the best!

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees! REACTION & PREDICTIONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Fdpj2Lgtc

a bunch of links to rant videos

What purpose is there in linking all these angry rant videos on here? No one's going to watch any of them.

Some will. You have to know what's going on in the world.

[ManPerson]

A bit late to the party, but here's my ranking of the nominees based on the usual criteria
1. Mariah Carey
2. Joy Division/New Order
3. Iron Maiden
4. Oasis
5. Wu-Tang Clan
6. Phil Collins
7. Shakira
8. Pink
9. Sade
10. Lauryn Hill
11. INXS
12. Luther Vandross
13. Jeff Buckley
14. Billy Idol
15. New Edition
16. The Black Crowes
17. Melissa Etheridge

This didn't factor into this ranking, but New Edition are one of the most critically underrated r&b artists of all time and part of me hopes they get inducted.

Edit: Luther Vandross too

[ManPerson]

Quite a few surprises this time. Still no Coldplay. Instead a quite a few rather freshly eligible mainstream stars get their first or second chance. No act that had peaked before 1979. All in all, a rather welcome ballot. Edie Trunk will have a rather hard time selecting five acts that suit his narrow taste.

Coldplay should have been an easy first ballot induction, imo.