It's Too Late: Artists That Should Have Been Inducted Before They Died

Ain't that a shame. 

Another beloved music artist passes on, and along with the sadness their fans feel, the realization that this icon wasn't inducted into the Rock Hall is salt in the wound.

But let's pump the brakes just for a second. Perspective is so important. A Rock Hall induction, to the departed's immediate family and friends, doesn't even register. There are concerns of far greater consequence. Life, after all, is way bigger than a career achievement trophy. Recently, Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) made some entirely rational comments to Stereogum on this very topic:

"...I’m not gonna sleep any better. Included or not. With that being said, it’s always nice to feel you’ve been appreciated to some degree but it’s not on my list of things I have to achieve before I die."

Reznor's candid position is presumably shared by many of his peers. But on the other side of this matter, the fan experience is different. Fans feel these artists belong to them on some level; these musical heroes have enriched, provided a soundtrack to, and elevated their lives in immeasurable ways. Music has given them freedom, identity and exhilaration when they needed it most. To evoke the late Dick Dale's thrilling guitar work, music is the wave we catch — it carries us. Everyday fans process these deaths differently — to them, it's unjust that their heroes weren't afforded the proper respect while they were with us, in the form of Rock Hall recognition. It was avoidable, and it's hard to understand. They feel invalidated by proxy.

So this stuff matters, on some level. Whenever a major popular music figure dies, from Prince to Gregg Allman to Aretha Franklin, the fact they were members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is reliably noted in their obituary, often within the first two paragraphs. And it must be said — few turn down the honor or fail to show up. Most celebrate it and invite their families to the ceremony.

Alas, many never got that chance. Here's a partial list of snubbed artists that should have been inducted before they died (yes, there are others). In a perfect world, the Hall's committees and voters would observe the recent lessons of Dick Dale and Peter Tork passing, and take appropriate nominating/inducting action with those still with us. There are many still-living artists that are wildly overdue, and many ailing musicians that could get in before it's too late.

(One distinction to call out: There are also several individuals who were inducted posthumously when it didn't have to be that way/after long periods of eligibility, i.e. Yes' Chris Squire, Deep Purple's Jon Lord, Donna Summer, Moody Blues' Ray Thomas, etc. The following list is comprised of deceased individuals that might have had nominations, but were never inducted.)

Barbara Ann Alston (The Crystals) - Eligible in 1988, died in 2018, no nominations

William Jan Berry (Jan and Dean) - Eligible in 1985, died in 2004, no nominations

Clive Burr (drummer, Iron Maiden) - Eligible in 2004, died in 2013, no nominations

Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) - Eligible in 1991, died in 2010, no nominations

Glen Campbell - Eligible in 1987, died in 2017, no nominations

Bob Casale (keyboardist/guitarist, Devo) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2014, 1 nomination

"Fast" Eddie Clarke (guitarist, Motörhead) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2018, no nominations

Joe Cocker - Eligible in 1994, died in 2014, no nominations

Glenn Cornick (founding bassist, Jethro Tull) - Eligible in 1993, died in 2014, no nominations

Dick Dale - Eligible in 1987, died in 2019, no nominations

Ronnie James Dio - His band Dio eligible in 2008 (he was technically eligible with Black Sabbath in 1995, Sabbath was inducted without him in 2006). Died in 2010, no nominations

Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - Eligible in 1995, died in 2016, no nominations

Roky Erickson - Eligible in 2005, died in 2019, no nominations

J. Geils (J. Geils Band) - Eligible in 1995, died in 2017, 5 nominations

Lesley Gore - Eligible in 1995, died in 2015, no nominations

Lux Interior of  The Cramps (Erick Lee Purkhiser) - Eligible in 2003, died in 2009, no nominations

Gladys Horton (The Marvelettes) - Eligible in 1986, died in 2011, 2 nominations

Whitney Houston - Eligible in 2009, died in 2012, no nominations

Davy Jones (The Monkees) - Eligible in 1991, died in 2012, no nominations

Arthur Kane (bassist, New York Dolls) - Eligible in 1998, died in 2004, 1 nomination

Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2015, no nominations

Nick Knox (drummer, the Cramps) - Eligible in 2003, died in 2018, no nominations

Greg Lake (King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - Eligible with King Crimson in 1994 and with ELP in 1995, died in 2016, no nominations

George Michael - Eligible in 2012, died in 2016, no nominations

Alan Myers (drummer, Devo) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2013, 1 nomination

Art Neville (co-founder/keyboardist of The Meters and The Neville Brothers) - Eligible in 1994 (with Meters), died in 2019, 4 nominations (Meters). The Neville Brothers, eligible in 2003, have no nominations.

Charles Neville (saxophonist, The Neville Brothers) - Eligible since 2003, died in 2018, no nominations

Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2018, no nominations

Johnnie Taylor - Eligible in 1992, died in 2000, no nominations

Phil Taylor (drummer, Motörhead) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2015, no nominations

Peter Tork (The Monkees) - Eligible in 1991, died in 2019, no nominations

Mary Travers (Peter, Paul and Mary) - Eligible in 1987, died in 2009, no nominations

Alan Vega (Suicide) - Eligible in 2002, died in 2016, no nominations

Scott Walker - Eligible in 1991, died in 2019, no nominations

Mary Wells - Eligible in 1986, died in 1992, 2 nominations

Link Wray - Eligible in 1983, died in 2005, 2 nominations

Warren Zevon - Eligible in 1994, died in 2003, no nominations

Members of the Spinners - Eligible in 1986, 3 nominations
Pervis Jackson, died in 2008
Billy Henderson,  died in 2007
C. P. Spencer,  died in 2004
Bobby Smith, died in 2013
George Dixon, died in 1994
Edgar "Chico" Edwards, died in 2011
Philippé Wynne*, died in 1984 (*prior to Rock Hall's existence)

(Acknowledgement and thanks, as always, to Future Rock Legends for many of these stats.)

It's the Time of the Season: Rock Hall Watchers Predict the Class of 2019

Who will be inducted into the Rock Hall on March 29? Anticipation is building, as the official ballots are due this Monday, December 10. Meanwhile, the Hall's fairly revealing Fan Vote finds Def Leppard and Stevie Nicks safely locking up the top two spots, followed by Todd Rundgren, the Zombies, and the Cure. 

The Class of 2019 inductees announcement hits Thursday, December 13 at 8 a.m EST on SiriusXM Volume (channel 106), and presumably via a simultaneous press conference at the Cleveland museum. Until then, here are some insightful predictions from Rock Hall watcher community:

Alex Voltaire 
Def Leppard
Stevie Nicks
Radiohead
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies 
Janet Jackson (if there are 6 inductees)

Nick Bambach
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
Roxy Music
The Zombies 
LL Cool J (if there are 6 inductees)

Charles Crossley
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
John Prine
Todd Rundgren
Roxy Music (if there are 6 inductees)

Donnie Durham
Sure Bets: 
Def Leppard
Stevie Nicks
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies
Too Close to Call - 3 acts with a 50/50 chance. 1 out of these 3 will be inducted if there are 5 inductees; 2 out of these 3 will be inducted if there are 6 inductees:
Janet Jackson
John Prine
Radiohead

Future Rock Legends 
Def Leppard
Stevie Nicks
Radiohead
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies
John Prine (if there are 6 inductees)

Iconic Rock Talk Show
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies 

Joe Kwaczala of "Who Cares About the Rock Hall" podcast
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies 
Radiohead (if there are 6 inductees)

Tom Lane
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies 

Rock Hall Monitors
Def Leppard
Stevie Nicks
Radiohead
Todd Rundgren
The Zombies

Troy Smith, Cleveland.com
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
Stevie Nicks
Roxy Music
Todd Rundgren

E-Rockracy
Def Leppard
Janet Jackson
LL Cool J
Stevie Nicks
Radiohead
The Zombies (specifically predicting 6 inductees)

Predictions: The Rock Hall Class of 2019 (Plus Rock Hall Singles)

To paraphrase "Spinal Tap," this conversation goes to 11. Rock Hall chatter is louder and more abundant than ever. Social media is abuzz, podcasters are dropping weekly shows, and the public is voting in person and online. Much like the institution itself is changing (i.e., museum CEO Greg Harris noticeably emerging as its public face, vs. Joel Peresman, as well as the increased fan engagement), the conversation around it also transforms.

Rock Hall fever is about to peak with the inductee announcement in mid-December. Ballots from the official voters are due December 10, and fans have been voting since October 5, with Def Leppard and Stevie Nicks lodged firmly in the Fan Vote's top two spots, respectively.

But who gets inducted March 29 in Brooklyn? A preponderance of factors play into that final slate. Official ballots and the fan vote figure in, naturally, but closed-door decision making, internal politics, and the HBO broadcast also hold significant sway.

E-Rockracy predicts the artists below will make up the Rock Hall Class of 2019. There are six choices here; no group of five nominees, in any combination, felt quite sufficient for the genre-diverse extravaganza the Rock Hall needs to mount next year. Hopefully the Hall follows suit, and goes with six or more inductees. 

Def Leppard - Here is your Fan Vote winner, and your Barclays Center ceremony headliner. Fly that Union Jack, and raise your lighters. And look for a possible cover of David Essex's "Rock On" (which appeared on Def Leppard's 2006 album Yeah!) as a potential end of night all-star jam vehicle.

Janet Jackson - Another headliner, and a rather overdue accolade for this pop legend after three nominations. This looks like her year. Few female artists have accomplished what Janet has, from conquering the charts, MTV and radio to bouncing back triumphantly from unjust controversy. Missy Elliott (eligible in 2022!) is a likely induction speaker.

LL Cool J - Last year's Kennedy Center honoree and a longtime Grammys host, James Todd Smith gets flak for being a television star, but all that obscures his massive influence and contribution to the world of hip-hop. He's a pioneer, a household name, and further, a five-time nominee. With Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z and Eminem coming up eligible in the next consecutive three years, in that order, there's no better time to induct this hip-hop luminary.

Stevie Nicks - Many would have preferred to see the Go-Go's or Pat Benatar take this performer slot (well, they'd have to be nominated first), but the Hall, and fans voting at the "Voice Your Choice" kiosks, are clearly intent in having Nicks be the first doubly inducted female artist in Rock Hall history. Not to detract from Nicks, as she is understandably adored, but legions of worthy female artists are still on the outside looking in. Since this all feels a bit calculated, the Fleetwood Mac star's imminent entry into the Clyde McPhatter Club is a valid reason why there should be at least six inductees this year.

Radiohead - Will they send a Sex Pistols letter? Do they actually show up? Does only bassist Colin Greenwood (who told Rolling Stone in 2017, "I’d be grateful if we got in. Look at the other people that have been inducted. I don’t know if everyone else will go though...") attend? These and other mysteries loom over Radiohead, who are perplexed, British, and by no means reliable guests. The band falls under a problematic category of Rock Hall nominees — positively worthy all-timers who don't care. Given their astonishing body of work and prestige, they don't need to. Look for the Hall to just go ahead and exorcise this Radiohead ghost from the machine, while simultaneously canonizing an act that truly belongs in Cleveland. It'll please the critics and balance out the more populist elements in this class. 

The Zombies - Eligible since 1989 and boasting four previous nominations, this British Invasion group with familiar hits but also an uncommonly strong discography will round out the Class of 2019. Odessey and Oracle (1968) is a psychedelic pop masterpiece, and defining singles like "Time of the Season" and "She's Not There" have truly endured. 

Speaking of singles, should Steven Van Zandt stroll out onto the Barclays Center stage and announce that newest of categories, Rock Hall Singles, there are six picks below that are more suggestions than predictions, given how many songs shaped rock and roll.

The selections below attempt to meet the ideal criteria for this honor, which is recognition of a significant song by an artist that has scant chances, at this point, of getting inducted as a performer. (Slotting Link Wray and Chubby Checker songs in this category last year was unfortunate, as both should have been inducted as performers long before.) Still, this new category has potential if carefully curated, as opposed to becoming a tainted "side door induction" for acts not getting over the hump with voters. Here are six singles — turn them up to 11!

1. The Big Bopper - "Chantilly Lace"
2. Lesley Gore - "It's My Party"
3. Don McClean - "American Pie"
4. Gil Scott-Heron - "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"
5. The Troggs - "Wild Thing"
6. Mary Wells - "My Guy"