On May 1, 2023, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced the inductees for its Class of 2023.
In Fall 2016, we put together a list of artists that we feel deserve consideration for induction. In that time, many core rock acts that had been overlooked for decades were finally chosen. Notably, that list includes Pat Benatar (2022), Todd Rundgren (2021), the Doobie Brothers (2020), Def Leppard, the Zombies, and Stevie Nicks as a solo artist (2019), the Moody Blues, the Cars, Bon Jovi and Dire Straits (2018), and Yes, the Electric Light Orchestra and Journey (2017).We update the list each year, deleting those that have made the cut and replacing them with other deserving names.
But, as many readers let us know, even our first list of 100 omissions—which includes Bad Company, Jethro Tull, and Peter Frampton—barely scratched the surface. So we went back to work and compiled this followup list of 100 more omissions by the Hall.
We could probably put together a third list but we’re going to leave it at 200. If we’ve forgotten someone you feel is worthy of inclusion in the Rock Hall, we’d love to know about it! (But please check the first half of the list before you give us hell about leaving out your favorites!)
Our reasons for selecting the artists we did vary. One factor we considered in particular is whether they were important in their own time, not only how they are regarded today. Some of these artists will eventually make the Hall’s cut, others never will, and that’s just how it is.
In order to be eligible, an artist must have made their first recording 25 years prior to the current year (for the 2023 class, that meant 1998).
One other note: This list considers only artists who recorded primarily under their own names. This is the only category that is submitted to the voting body each year. Thus it does not include musicians who have served primarily as “sidemen” or “sidewomen.” Some of the greatest musicians in rock history have never received the recognition they deserve because they contribute mostly to others’ recordings. The Hall of Fame has a separate sideman category (which seems to be known now as the Award for Musical Excellence), to which it occasionally appoints names its executives deem worthy. As those artists are not submitted for consideration to voters, we are not concerning ourselves with them here.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland
Names are listed alphabetically
Alice in Chains—Part of the Seattle grunge movement, they were hugely popular in the ’90s, and remain so today.
America—Many fans of harder rock may cringe at the kind of soft-rock America delivered, but there is no denying their contribution to that genre with hits like “A Horse With No Name” and “Sister Golden Hair.”|
Bachman-Turner Overdrive—After finishing his run with the Guess Who, guitarist/singer Randy Bachman, a couple of brothers and bassist Fred Turner formed BTO and rocked out on hits like “Takin’ Care of Business” and “You AIn’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.”
Brook Benton—One of the most popular R&B singers of the late ’50s and ’60s, he deserves to be remembered, especially for his ballads. And 1970’s “Rainy Night in Georgia” still sounds gorgeous.
Big Star—A classic example of a cult favorite, this ’70s Memphis band led by Alex Chilton (ex-Box Tops) had no real hits but has been enormously influential posthumously.
Blue Cheer—Although known mainly for their cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” this San Francisco trio was one of the prototypes of heavy metal.
Roy Buchanan—The blues-rocker exerted enormous influence on many other guitarists but is sadly overlooked today.
Tim Buckley—With his ethereal voice and complex compositions and arrangements, the late singer-songwriter (father of Jeff Buckley) left behind a body of work that’s still being discovered by many.
Jimmy Buffett—Some listeners may only know his ubiquitous “Margaritaville” from 1977, but he has a huge, devoted following that savors his live performances.
Johnny Burnette—Before he had soft-pop hits like “You’re Sixteen” and “Dreamin’,” the late singer and his Rock & Roll Trio were a sizzling rockabilly outfit.
Jerry Butler—Already in with the Impressions, but like Curtis Mayfield the R&B great’s solo work is vital.
The Cadillacs—From uptempo R&B novelty hits like “Speedoo” and “Peek-A-Boo” to their exquisite ballad “Gloria,” this doo-wop group was one of the finest of the 1950s.
Freddy Cannon—Talk about rock ‘n’ roll, this wild singer did nothing but. His turbo-charged hits included “Palisades Park,” “Tallahassee Lassie” and “Action.”
The Chambers Brothers—They started out as a gospel group and then, as their signature tune “Time Has Come Today” put it, their souls became psychedelicized.
Related: When the Chambers Brothers’ “Time” had come
The Chantels—One of the first black girl groups, their hits of the ’50s, among them “Maybe” and “Look in My Eyes,” featured the soaring vocals of Arlene Smith.
Petula Clark—Although a bit older than the other British invasion chanteuses, she rode that wave to the Top 10 with “Downtown,” “My Love,” “I Know a Place” and others.
Albert Collins—Many of the great bluesmen of the past century have been inducted but this omission remains a glaring one.
Related: Many of these artists are still touring – Links for 100s of tours
The Cramps—Whatever it is that they did—minimalist rockabilly punk?—they were the first to do it, and they influenced many other bands.
The Damned—The first bona fide British punk band, who later expanded their sound.
Devo—They injected a high-art, conceptualist spin into the new wave movement, and gave us at least one classic with “Whip It.”
Related: A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cynic Visits the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Dominoes—Also known as Billy Ward and the Dominoes, they cut the R&B classic “Sixty Minute Man” and gave us vocal greats Jackie Wilson and Clyde McPhatter.
Lee Dorsey—The great New Orleans R&B hitmaker. Induct him for “Working in the Coal Mine” alone.
Brian Eno—After serving as a member of Roxy Music, Eno produced U2, Talking Heads, Coldplay and others, and his own ambient music albums were groundbreaking.
Fairport Convention—Two words: Richard Thompson. Two more: Sandy Denny. No other band defined English folk-rock like Fairport.
5th Dimension—Popularizing songs by Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro and others, their mix of soul and R&B was extremely popular in the late ’60s/early ’70s.
Foghat—The British blues-rockers have been purveying the endless boogie for more than four decades, with several gold and platinum albums to their credit.
Connie Francis—By today’s standards, the pop singer may not be considered rock, but teens were buying up records like “Lipstick on Your Collar” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” in the ’50s/’60s.
The Fugs—They never had a hit record, but their over-the-top irreverence inspired many who followed to experiment without fear.
Rory Gallagher—Not everyone knows his name, but ask fans of pure guitar mastery and this late Irish virtuoso is always near the top of the list.
Arlo Guthrie—He could get anything he wanted at Alice’s Restaurant, except, it seems, induction into the Rock Hall.
Tim Hardin—The singer-songwriter’s tunes, including “Reason to Believe” (Rod Stewart cut a definitive version),were covered by numerous artists. And his own recordings were always honest and insightful.
Slim Harpo—A virtuoso on the blues harmonica, and a dynamic singer, he was a favorite of the Stones and many other blues-rock bands.
Hawkwind—They found a sweet spot where edgy psychedelia, hard rock and space-rock met, plus they gave the world Lemmy. Truly adventurous musicians.
Hot Tuna—When Jefferson Airplane began to crash, guitarist/singer Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady explored their love for blues. More than a half-century later, they’re still at it.
INXS—Fronted by Michael Hutchence, this Australian band was both phenomenally successful and continually innovative.
Related: The Rock Hall opens in 1995 with a concert for the ages
Joe Jackson—The English singer-songwriter rode in on the new wave, then branched out in many directions, from the jazzy Jumpin’ Jive to the sophisticated Night and Day albums.
The Jam—Often compared to the Who and the Kinks, the English trio—led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Paul Weller—incorporated a strong soul influence into their punk/Mod sound.
Rick James—The late funk great was one of the last stars to emerge from the Motown empire; his riffs were sampled by countless rappers.
James Gang—The Cleveland-based hard-rock band is best known for its early incarnation featuring future Eagle Joe Walsh, but continued to make solid music after he left.
Jan and Dean—The surf duo was overshadowed by their colleagues the Beach Boys but for a few years they were massive.
Joy Division/New Order—Fronted by the charismatic Ian Curtis, who would commit suicide a few years into their run, the British Joy Division didn’t last long but influenced many with their two brilliant albums. The survivors formed New Order, which has been a major creative force ever since. (The Hall combined them into one entity when nominating them, so we’ve done the same here.)
Kansas—The Hall has always been standoffish about prog, but there’s only so many years that they can ignore the popularity of tracks like “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.”
Kingston Trio—The folkies sold millions of albums and influenced many singer-songwriters and folk-rock groups.
Kool and the Gang—Traversing R&B, funk and disco, their hits like “Jungle Boogie” and, especially, “Celebration” are still considered classics.
LaBelle—Originally a ’60s girl group called Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles, they reincarnated in the ’70s and tore up the charts with funky hits like “Lady Marmalade.”
Huey Lewis and the News—Critics, for the most part, have shunned this popular ’80s and ’90s from the Bay Area, but a steady stream of multi-platinum albums and singles speaks for itself.
Lonnie Mack—One wicked guitar player, championed by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck and Duane Allman.
Taj Mahal—His top-notch output beginning in the late ’60s introduced many rock fans to the more organic acoustic blues, plus he could rock like crazy and he incorporated world music and other elements.
Manfred Mann—From their initial run as an R&B-heavy British Invasion band (“Do Wah Diddy Diddy”) into their reconfiguration as Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Springsteen’s “Blinded By the Light”), they created a solid string of quality singles and albums.
Related: Our feature story on the mighty Manfred Mann
The Marvelettes—One of the few major Motown groups yet to be inducted, they had more than 25 hits, including their #1 Billboard debut, “Please Mr. Postman.”
Megadeth—Formed in the early ’80s and still going strong, they’ve been one of the most consistently influential and popular metal bands.
Melanie—A star of the Woodstock festival, the singer-songwriter was a radio favorite with hits like “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” and “Brand New Key.”
Related: We talked to Melanie about both of those songs
Moby Grape—Some said that they were the greatest of the ’60s San Francisco bands, with a triple-guitar front line and well-crafted songs.
The Move—Before there was ELO, there was the Move, featuring Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. They never caught on in America but their psychedelic sound influenced many.
Related: Many of these artists are still touring – Links for 100s of tours
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band—They started out as a country-rock band in the mid-’60s, then became one of the first to introduce bluegrass and other core Americana to the rock audience.
Oasis—Huge immediately in the U.K. (22 consecutive Top 10 singles), it took a while for them to catch on in America. By the time the ever-bickering Gallagher brothers broke it up, Oasis had sold more than 70 million records.
Phil Ochs—The late singer-songwriter gets stereotyped as a political/protest artist and for sure there was that side of him. But Ochs also wrote insightful love songs and was a keen observer.
Gram Parsons—He should be inducted with the Flying Burrito Brothers and as a solo artist! Synonymous with country-rock.
Teddy Pendergrass—Both with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and on his own, he was one of the most dynamic R&B singers.
Peter, Paul and Mary—Amidst the individual singer-songwriters, they were the most popular of the ’60s folk revival groups. Their #1 “Leaving on a Jet Plane” was one of several big hits.
The Pointer Sisters—Their versatility has been proven repeatedly over four-plus decades, resulting in a string of hits including a great cover of Springsteen’s “Fire.”
Suzi Quatro—One of the first female rock stars who wasn’t just a singer but also played an instrument, this glam heroine was an inspiration to Joan Jett and others.
Raspberries—They were one of the bands that invented power pop, and although their only hit single was 1972’s “Go All the Way” they inspired many other bands to forego the excess and return to rock and roll basics.
The Replacements—The Minneapolis quartet came out of the local punk scene and developed its own brand of lovably chaotic, sloppy but often brilliant rock.
Rockpile—The band itself released only one album but it served as temporary home base for guitarist-singer Dave Edmunds and bassist-singer Nick Lowe, two of England’s great no-nonsense rockers.
The Runaways—Joan Jett is already inducted as a solo artist but this is where it all began for her, and where it began for women’s role in shaping the forthcoming punk deluge.
Otis Rush—The Chicago blues great, now 82, was a major influence on guitarists like Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield and Peter Green. How about honoring him while he’s still around?
Bobby Rydell—Among the many squeal-inducing ’50s/60s pretty-boy pinups, he made some of the best records, all for Philadelphia’s storied Cameo label.
Scorpions—They’ve been called the “Ambassadors of Rock” and “Heroes of Heavy Metal.” How about we just go with massively popular and influential and get them into the Hall?
The Searchers—You think there was only one great band to come out of Liverpool? This quartet’s harmony-rich tunes like “Needles and Pins” and “Love Potion Number Nine” were keepers too.
The Shangri-Las—They were the toughest of the ’60s girl groups, and their hits like “Leader of the Pack” reflected the angst of growing up teenage and female in their era. Here they are singing “Give Him a Great Big Kiss.”
Ravi Shankar—No, he wasn’t a “rock” artist, but look at all of the ones he influenced. And he played Monterey Pop, Woodstock and the Concert for Bangladesh. Can anyone else claim that?
Sir Douglas Quintet—The Texas band that revolved around singer-guitarist Doug Sahm had only a few hits but their impact on the Americana movement was felt long after their chart reign ended.
The Smiths—Led by singer Morrissey, with fine guitar work by Johnny Marr, they were one of the most popular British bands of the early ’80s.
Sonny and Cher—Before Cher broke out on her own (and her ex, Sonny, became a U.S. congressman), they were a major success together on radio, television and the stage.
Sonic Youth—The New York post-punk band was relentlessly experimental, using noise and unorthodox tunings, inspiring other indie bands to take their music to the edge.
Soundgarden—Led by the gifted vocalist, rhythm guitarist and lyricist Chris Cornell, who died in 2017, this Seattle band expanded beyond their grunge roots during their off-and-on three-decade reign.
Joe South—Although mostly known for his biggest hit, 1969’s “Games People Play,” he was also a prolific songwriter (Deep Purple’s “Hush”) and session guitarist (Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde).
Spirit—One of the most underrated California bands of the ’60s, led by guitar whiz Randy California, they created a series of fine albums like The Family That Plays Together.
Status Quo—Another great example of a band that was huge at home—England—but had only minimal impact in the U.S. They’re still boogieing after more than five decades.
The Sugarhill Gang—The Hall of Fame has been actively inducting rappers but has inexplicably ignored this seminal old-school group.
Joe Tex—Another super soulman of the ’60s who has been unjustly forgotten.
The 13th Floor Elevators—One of the first bona fide psychedelic bands of the ’60s, these Texans, led by the mercurial Roky Erickson, are revered by many for their unique, uncompromising approach.
Carla Thomas—Like her dad Rufus Thomas (also yet to be inducted), this Memphis soul great turned out hit after hit in the ’60s.
Irma Thomas—A true legend in New Orleans, this soulful vocalist sounds as great today as when she was turning out hit records like “Time Is on My Side,” covered by the Rolling Stones.
Toots and the Maytals—If Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff can be inducted, then why not this pioneering, dynamic reggae band that openly acknowledged its debt to American R&B?
Peter Tosh—And as long as we’re talking reggae, this former Wailers-mate of Marley’s made a strong impact with his songs advocating Rastafarianism, equal rights and weed legalization.
Tower of Power—The Bay Area funk organization has been going strong for more than 40 years and includes one of the most in-demand horn sections in all of recorded music.
Pete Townshend—Would this singer-songwriter-guitarist have become a force in rock even if he hadn’t been in a certain English band? His solo work suggests that he had the goods.
Luther Vandross—After serving as a backup vocalist for the likes of Bowie and Diana Ross, he went solo and racked up a long string of huge modern R&B hits, plus several Grammys.
Vanilla Fudge—Noted primarily for their creative way of reinventing a cover song, the New York-area ’60s band included the great drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tim Bogert, both of whom would later play with Jeff Beck.
Bobby Vee—The now-deceased singer started out as a Buddy Holly protégé and then found his own groove with AM radio classics like “Take Good Care of My Baby” and “Come Back When You Grow Up.”
Mary Wells—Another Motown star who’s been unjustly ignored by the Hall, her hits included “Two Lovers” and the #1 “My Guy.”
Tony Joe White—The late master of swamp-rock had a big hit with “Polk Salad Annie” in 1969 and wrote “Rainy Night in Georgia” for Brook Benton.
Larry Williams—Just ask the Beatles if you don’t know who this ’50s singer was: they covered his “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” “Bad Boy” and “Slow Down.” His other hits included “Short Fat Fannie” and “Bony Moronie.”
Sonny Boy Williamson (II)—There were two blues greats with this name. The second—also known as Rice Miller—was a harmonica master and singer who had a huge influence on the Stones, Yardbirds, John Mayall, Animals, etc.
Chuck Willis—This long-gone R&B singer was nominated for five consecutive years by the Hall and then forgotten. He still deserves recognition for “C.C. Rider” and “What Am I Living For,” among other sides.
Wishbone Ash—Although many members have come and gone, and they never caught on in the U.S. as strongly as they did at home, this prototypical British heavy-rock band is still led by guitarist Andy Powell after more than five decades.
X—The U.S. produced dozens of great punk bands and X was one of the most important. Their debut album, Los Angeles, was a landmark of the genre.
The Youngbloods—Worth remembering for their big peace-and-love anthem “Get Together” but more than that too: singer-songwriter Jesse Colin Young was and remains a talented force.
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104 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationLittle Anthony and the Imperials were inducted as part of the Rock Hall’s class of 2009 (in the performer category). So technically you still have 1 more snub in their place.
Harry Chapin. Worthy for his music, and I would say more influencial than Jim Croce, who is on your list,(and is also deserving)
but Harry should have been in a decade ago for his work for charities and humanitarianism work, and basically being the person who got scores of other artists, including Bruce to do charity work.
Bruce should be championing him
also-
John Denver (who is on your list)
Pet Shop Boys
Monkees
Art Garfunkel, solo
Brian Wilson, solo
Nina Simone
and its never too early to remind people in 10 to 15 years that Lana Del Rey should be inducted as early as possible.
Well, from my list above, at least Nina got in this year.
There is hope for the others on my list especially Harry Chapin and in a few years Lana Del Rey. (Who now has 2 debut #1 albums and was one of 4 cover artists of 2017 Billboard Magazine’s year end issue.
Dont forget a few Canucks– The Guess Who, Loverboy, Bachman Turner Overdrive, April Wine , Triumph ( ya that other Canadian trio)
As great as Rush was..I.think Triumph were better in concert and put on a massive stage show that rivaled the best of them. Always surprised they faded away.
How about Lighthouse? A whole orchestra making great music.
The Hall of Fame hasn’t even inducted the Dolls yet!
Bauhaus.
What about Styx. Unless I missed it they should definitely be in!!!
It’s never a good idea trying to second guess how the nominating committee comes up with its picks, but our guess is that they just don’t consider Fogelberg to be important enough.
Maybe I missed his name, but I did not see Joe Jackson on either list! With out doubt. J Geils, and Los Lobos deserve to be in. Nick Lowe not only as a performer, but as a producer himself. Elvis Costello himself said if it want for Nick, he wouldn’t be in the Hall.
Add The Neville Brothers, Ravi Shankar (influence on Beatles et al, only one to play Monterey, Woodstock, and Concert for Bangladesh),
They are on his first list
Jethro Tull, ELP, Boston, Grand Funk, BTO, J. Geils
WARREN ZEVON
GORDON LIGHTFOOT.
Two of the greatest songwriters of the last 40 years..but then, neither of them were part of ‘Jann’s Boys’
This ‘Hall’ is a joke..and a bad one at that.
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Monkees, Paul Revere and The Raiders, and Mark Lindsay, both with the group, and solo, hes still performing, and still pretty cute, The HELL with ‘JannsBoys’!!!
After all these years, still Don Henley has not been inducted as a solo artist. He was inducted along with his fellow Eagles in the ‘90’s, but Don had a fabulous solo career with hit songs—Boys of Summer, Dirty Laundry, All She Wants To Do Is Dance, just to name a few. With his wonderful songwriting and that unforgettable voice, it’s shameful that he’s been looked over. If Stevie Nicks could get in as a solo artist, surely Don Henley should be there!
Jann has/had too much influence on HOF inductees! Many of those he pushed though have no business being there!
First of all, it’s the Rock n Roll hall of fame! Not the Pop, Country, Folk, or Top 40 hall of fame so people like Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Peter, Paul and Mary, Charlie rich should not even be anywhere near this list! And no mention of The Pixies or Link Wray???
Bread!!!
Weird Al!
Come on guys–no mention of the Raiders! Shame.
You apparently didn’t check out part 1, as we suggested. Look under Revere.
http://bestclassicbands.com/rock-hall-omissions-12-13-17/
For the 1980’s. Two glaring omissions not mentioned. What about Dan Fogelberg? And Richard Marx? Both had HUGE influences!
What about “Eddie Money”?
Looked on BOTH lists. No mention of WISHBONE ASH! Are you kidding me? Twin lead pioneers, and founder Any Powell (Flying V) is still touring Europe and the USA. Got to do something about that!!!
Dare I say “Atomic Rooster”? This British band barely made a dent in the US market, but was influential.
They were able to come up danceable prog rock(“Tomorrow Night”) some really dark sounding stuff(“Death Walks Behind You”), and even new wave-like material(“Where’s the Show”).
They had a number of personnel changes, but somehow, leader Vincent Crane was able to make the best out of what the musicians had to offer, in each edition of Rooster.
This was also Carl Palmer’s band before ELP got started…..so a sense of “historical
significance” much like Spooky Tooth, Humble Pie, or the Move….which shaped things to come…..
REO Speedwagon – Number 1 album of 1981. While they are often credited for the power ballad, they had some great rock songs, especially in the 1970’s. Have basically toured every year since they started.
Bread …just because
The B-52s
Still no love for INXS
I am very interested in your thoughts of the incomparable Dan Fogelberg not be in the HOF yet and especially your reasons please of why is left off of your list – as your list gets more respect from me than the Hall’s. Thank you and I really thank you for this unbelievable website and off-the-chart emails! Jeff – Tulsa, OK (1st real rock concert Bob Welch opening for Heart approx 1977?)
Since many of the acts listed here are people or groups that I never have heard before, I would like to add a group from Detroit called the Rockets, Pulled together by some of Mitch Ryders group the Detroit Wheels, Johnny “Bee” Bandajek and Jimmy MacCarty, they had what some have called the best version of Peter Greens hit with Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well” with a blistering solo by Mac Carty, but also had some hits of their own that never really got the recognition they deserved, Hits like “Desire”, “Turn Up the Radio” “Takin It Back” and they were also a killer live band, that rocked the house.
Still missing the great Jack Scott and The Pretty Things
FOREIGNER
The Beastie boys suck, rage against the machine has no real hits and Foghat was a great band with ,handy hits like Bad Company. Are you letting 4th graders vote? I will never visit.
why arent the 5th dimension , tommy james and the shondells , the turtles in the rock and roll hall of fame do you know how many hits those 3 groups have ,
1) THE BYRDS – PART TWO:
CLARENCE WHITE, GENE PARSONS,
SKIP BATTIN & ROGER McGUINN
2) CHRIS REA
3) ALBERT LEE
4) GENE CLARK (solo)
Elliott Murphy have written and released as many great songs as the real big ones like Beatles, Stones, Neil Young and Springsteen. Still activ and a superb live artist. Springsteen has said that “Elliott Murphy” have never made a bad song. That’s true!
Weird Al Yankovic .Insanely great musician, superlative lyricist, unique in rock music with a 40 year career and many Grammy’s
Grand Funk Railroad was omitted. These guys sold out Shea Stadium, and were one of the biggest bands of the 70’s. The HOF is real joke!
GFR is on our list. Look at part one. There is a link in part two.
I hope that eventually the Cranberries will get mentioned
Harry Chapin! …not only for his music (Cat’s in the Cradle, TAXI, W*O*L*D*, Mr. Tanner, etc.) but for his charity work and approach that preceded Live Aid and others by many years. Even Springsteen recognized and affirmed it.
It looks like you missed part one of our list, where Harry is mentioned.
https://bestclassicbands.com/rock-hall-omissions-12-13-17/
A lot of support for Harry Chapin in these comments, not that I’m against it. He was a prolific performer (over 2,000 concerts between 1972-81), touring all over the US, Canada, England, Germany, and Holland, plus recording 11 albums during that span. He was the master of long form, narrative “Story Songs” and bore influence on both Billy Joel & Bruce Springsteen, who have employed his storytelling narrative composing style on more than a few occasions. His humanatarian work as an added plus, when James Taylor & Neil Diamond are in he should get consideration (he should already be in The Songwriters HOF).
As for Tom Jones, forget the “Vegas” years in the mid 70s-early 80s, that’s a relatively small sample of his 6 decade long career. From 1965-72 he was a phenomenal singer, one of the best blues singers in popular music, a legit rocker with the voice to carry power ballads & Broadway Show Tunes. His TV show showcased as such, Jones having no trouble fitting in with The Moody Blues, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, while switching gears and sounding just as great with Johnny Cash or Dusty Springfield. His duet with Janis Joplin has become a cult favorite of the era. Since the 1980s, he’s collaborated with Trevor Horn, Bono & Edge, Lenny Kravitz, Sting, and successfully covered roots music & gospel on a trilogy of highly acclaimed albums, performed for two US Presidents & The Queen of England, the quality of his work post 1990 combined with his 65-72 commercial heyday and the fact he still fills concert halls touring annually World Wide, there are a LOT of acts in the R&R HOF with a lot less quality work, versatility, & most of all credibility than Tom Jones.
Wish List- Induct- BOSTON, Grass Roots. America. The Carpenters, Seals and Crofts. Firefall, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Chubby Checker, Helen Reddy and The Doobie Brothers
With all due respect, England Dan and John Ford Coley will not be getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nor will Helen Reddy.
I can’t get over Cher not being in the Hall, surely that must be some sort of oversight somewhere.
One person definitely missing who should be in there as an Early Influencer must be Ella Fitzgerald.
I have never understood why Meatloaf has not been inducted. One of the greatest rockers ever. Thanks for including him on your list!
One not found on either list is Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO).
brian wilson as producer, songwriter, music arranger, vocal arranger.
Rare Earth
What about Olivia Newton John?!
How could Tull have detractors? Is it because they won the metal grammy? Just for the back to back albums Aqualung and Thick as a Brick they should be in. All their albums are great, performed for 50 years to sell outs constantly, melded rock, metal, fold, quirkiness, somehow the flute, old English tunes, irony, great guitar and Anderson’s theatrics, etc. No one has mentioned this group and if you know their music you would vote them in before Yankovic, They Might Be Giants, biting lyrics, memorable melodies and nobody is similar. Another person who doesn’t get mentioned is Al Stewart, such haunting songs in a good way.
Jethro Tull, America, They Might Be Giants, Al Stewart
I’m glad to see Suzi Quatro on the list, she was such a major influence to acts like Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, etc. that her not being inducted is ridiculous. Slade is another glaring omission, and somehow they are not on the list, even though they were very influential, and often covered by metal bands in the ’80s.
The Sweet.
The Buzzcocks.
Doctor Feelgood.
Montrose.
ALL deserve entry!
Buzzcocks, XTC, Stranglers, Ultravox, Gang of Four, Echo and the Nunnymen, PFM, Focus, Wishbone Ash, Caravan , Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Jellyfish, The Specials, English Beat, Split Enz, Squeeze, Gentle Giant, Supertramp
What about Gary Puckett and the Union Gap? number one hits, bunch of top 10 hits. Young GIrl, Woman Woman, Lady Willpower
I didn’t see 70’s glam/hard rock band, Sweet, on either list.
The band that gave us Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run, No You Don’t, Action, A.C.D.C., Set Me Free, Love is Like Oxygen, and many other catchy, yet edgy, rock tunes is forgotten by almost everyone it seems and that’s a damn shame.
What about Joe Jackson. Here is an artist, like his contemporary Elvis Costello(who is already in) that can move from genre to genre( Rock, pop, classical, etc) and put out brilliant work each time! He did not even make your list. The Jam, or even just Paul Weller deserve to be in as well as Los Lobos from your previous list. I can go on and on but I agree with most you have on both list.
I just scanned through both lists. I saw many acts that deserve to be inducted. A few that are pretty iffy. But did you really overlook Kansas?
Any love for Teena Marie? Maybe her resume makes her borderline; she didn’t cross over to pop as often as she probably deserved. But taking a stand like she did, to escape her Motown contract in one of the most important entertainment law cases of the seventies, should tip her into the Hall. She paved a path in music just as important as Curt Flood did in baseball.
Status quo,,,always seemed to robbed,,,best band in the world by a longshot,,been going nonstop since 1962,,its the music that keeps us fans from loving them for so long,,Matchstick men was their only hot in America,,but the rest was all over the world,,long Quo
I must have missed something. Little Feat isn’t in, nor one of your 200 omissions? Wow, just wow!!
Yes, you missed it. They’re in this story: https://bestclassicbands.com/rock-hall-omissions-12-13-1777/
Savoy Brown. The knock on them is always too many personnel changes but still they recorded over 20 albums and sold millions. Great blues rock, still going today.
Still some glaring omissions: Bir Brother and the Holding Company and .38 Special. Why not throw in Night Ranger and Michigan bands–SRC and The Frost?
Am I missing something? The Scorpions should already be in or at least at the top of the list. Also fellow Eurorockers Golden Earring who gave us the greatest song ever in “Radar Love”, but also have amassed 35 albums, still tour with their core lineup intact, and were founded in 1961. By far Holland’s greatest act ever.
“The Outlaws” are still playing since ‘74. There Goes Another Love Song, Green Grass and High Tides, etc. Come on!
It was nice to see Joan Jett bring Tommy James out to perform with her at her induction. Now put him and Todd Rundgren in already! Joe Cocker and Warren Zevon too. Thank you for your list. Carole King deserved to be the first 2 time woman inductee over Stevie.
I’m glad to see that Spirit made the 2nd list, should have been on the first list. I only saw them once, but it was a great show they put on, with tunes like “Fresh Garbage”, “I got a line on you” “Natures Way”, Mr. Skin” and many, many more, they deserve to be in. Randy California wrote some great Rock and Roll. and they were all great musicians.
Good lists! Delaney and Bonnie, Taj Mahal, Irma Thomas, The Meters, Chaka Khan, Ry Cooder, Carole King, Hot Tuna top my list. One big omission from the lists and the Hall is the Neville Brothers!
Validity of HOF in question….Where are super groups like TRAVELING WILBURY’s or BLIND FAITH ??
Darlene Love, although great, was never a member of The Crystals. Phil Spector put her name on a few of their hits. La La Brooks sang lead on their biggest hits.
Thank you for putting up this list of bands and artists that are not in the rock n roll hall of fame, I never really new all the artists that we’re in & the artists that weren’t in. One of my favorite bands of all time I believe just got into the Hall last year or the last time and that was “YES” and I thought they were in all this time. They should have been in the hall many years ago as so should a lot of these artists on this list. I’m just going to run off a couple of artists that should have been in the hall already, Bad Company, E.L.P., Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy, King Crimson, Ten Years After and Steve Winwood. I guess Steve Winwood should be glad he’s in the hall with the band Traffic but the others I just named , it should be a crime that these bands aren’t already in. It’s a great idea to have the Hall of Fame but they must remember that these words “Rock N Roll” are in front of “Hall of Fame” which means don’t wait until these guys pass away before being admitted, that would be very unjust, get them in ASAP no matter how, even if you have to add a large group of them now by bending the rules because it’s a tremendous award to these talented artists and they get so overwhelmed by this that they should get this award while they are still living so they can be with their rock n roll family and give an awesome speech an we can see the emotion in their faces when they are announced. All I am saying is these brilliant people aren’t getting any younger and some have already passed so please bend the rules or make an exception to the rule and get as many of the older rock n rollers who deserve it so bad in there while they are still with us and you will see a lot of old people cry, scream, jump, yell & smile but also say some words from their hearts about how great this night is for them and how happy they are as this is most likely the icing on their cake and their amazing career’s. Thank You very much & I apologise for talking so much but I love rock n roll music and the people who create it, peace !
I agree completely. Connie Francis, Neil Sedaka, Pat Boone, Paul Anka, and Paul Revere and the Raiders need to be inducted while they are still with us!
Paul Revere is actually deceased, as are two of the Raiders, but Mark Lindsay and the others you named are still around.
Would someone start a real rock and roll hall of fame cause it’s obvious there are people out here who know real rock and roll when they hear it, all the suggestions I’ve just read should have been in before some that went in the past few years
My only submission is Bryan Adams. Lots of hits, lots of records sold and a great songwriter.
Styx, Duran Duran, Foghat, INXS, Toto, REO Speedwagon, Buffet, Billy Idol, John Denver, Brian Eno, and Scorpions should ALL be in. America too but I mentioned them in the other first 100 snubs comments—-That is criminal. As are Styx Foreigner, Bad Co, Pat Benatar and Collective Soul!! BUT-/-Thanks for the info to debate. Interesting conversation! I still find it hilarious that the rockers wore those stage outfits that look like they were purchased at the kids section of Spencer’s Gifts or the Gap on asteroids or something stronger. Lol. It’s amazing those artists were small enough to wear those clothes on display. But there is always Meatloaf to offset some of this lopsidedness!! Haha
Air Supply should be added to this list along with Graham Russell as a songwriter.
I don’t see Spandau Ballet nor Howard Jones and I checked parts one and two
Excuse me but Nazareth , not on either list?
I didn’t see:
RAINBOW
MOLLY HATCHET
THE OUTLAWS-the original Florida Guitar Army!
Spencer Davis Group, Bryan Adams, Bread, Huey Lewis and The News.
It’s obvious we all prefer to think of it as the Hall of Respect For The Revolutionary Music Of Our Lives because for so many years music was so varied and spectacular and meant so much to us all.
A name I haven’t seen is Nick Drake and I’d also throw Egg in for big respect.
How is it that Supertramp never gets a mention?
Uriah Heep and Savoy Brown
Well, I wasted my time checking and reading each of your versions of ignored bands and here’s my addition (I don’t know their Hall or inductee status):
The Ides of March, Survivor, Triumph, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Brave Belt, Chilliwack, Toronto, Target, Cobra, Jimi Jamison, Jim Peterik, Dave Bickler, Frankie Sullivan, Marc Droubay, Stephan Ellis, Rik Emmett, Gil Moore, Mike Levine, Bill Henderson, Mike Reno, Holly Woods…
Three Dog Night……..PERIOD.
Okay maybe I missed it what ids wrong with you guys! Mott the Hoople with Ian Hunter. Glam rock. Ian Hunter Wrote so many songs. Still performs today! And rocks it.
Maybe you missed it because you started with part 2 of the article. Take a look at part 1.
https://bestclassicbands.com/rock-hall-omissions-12-13-17/
Wow. I’ve been waiting for Steppenwolf to be inducted for decades now!! I don’t see them on this list, and I don’t think they are in the Hall!
Of course, Jethro Tull and/or Ian Anderson has also been a GLARING omission from the Hall for decades!!! Fans care about the music, not the ‘politics’ of who gets in!
It’s in part 1 of the article.
https://bestclassicbands.com/rock-hall-omissions-12-13-17/
How can you leave The Smithereens out in the cold??
A few not on your list and don’t see many mentions for in the comments:
Nick Drake
Sparks
Screaming Jay Hawkins
The great 1980’s “Smiths” ( with Morrissey / Johnny Marr ) were thankfully added here to this important 2nd updated ” Best CLASSIC Bands” list. Yet another most popular ’80’s dominating UK band, which IS still actively creating, recording new albums and performing sold out world-wide concerts today ( year 2023 ! ), the amazing “Cure” ( Robert Smith & band members) were sadly ignored and did not appear to have been included …
I still can’t believe Bauhaus is not even mentioned. They spawned a genre.
Tell you what…..pick 50 each year for the next 4 years and clear up all of the hurt feelings…..I would LOVE to be a judge on that panel……they need some new OLD blood….someone who lived it!!!!!!!!
I was on it for a few years. They kicked me out for telling the truth.
Thanks for telling the truth…I think Larry Williams should be put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influencer
Please add Uriah Heep and Savoy Brown. Two big influences over the last 50 years