Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the nominees for induction in 2016. Eight of the 15 nominees are on the ballot for the first time (noted by *). To be eligible for consideration, an artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to nomination, meaning the potential members of the Class of 2016 must have issued a first recording by 1990.
About 800 industry professionals — including current hall of famers as well as historians, certain media members and others in the business — will vote on who makes the cut.
The new hall members — usually between six and eight off the ballot, along with one or two members in the non-performer and lifetime achievement award categories — will be announced in December.
The induction ceremony will be in New York City in April. This represents a change in the Foundation’s previous plans to rotate the ceremony between Cleveland, where the Class of 2015 was inducted, Los Angeles and New York.
And the nominees are:
- Chicago* – Had a string of #1 albums and top 40 hits in the 70s and 80s.
- Cheap Trick* – The hard-rocking, power-pop pioneers want you to want them in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- Deep Purple – Heavy metal / modern rock pioneers.
- The Cars – Late 70s through mid-80s radio staple with hits including You Might Think, Just What I Needed and Tonight She Comes.
- Chaka Khan* – For her sake, hopefully she’ll fare better here than she did on this season’s Dancing With the Stars…eliminated first.
- Chic – Disco ‘s dance-floor classics Le Freak and Good Times, Nile Rodgers and company influenced generations of pop and hip-hop artists – 10th nomination.
- The J.B.s* – The original name of James Brown’s ’70s band, which included members such as Bootsy Collins and Bobby Byrd.
- Janet Jackson* – Penny from Good Times broke out of her brothers’ shadows and became one of the most successful female artists of all time.
- Los Lobos* – Winners of multiple Grammys. Hit #1 with their 1987 cover of La Bamba.
- Steve Miller* – He’s a joker. He’s a smoker. He’s a midnight toker.
- N.W.A. – Nominees With Attitude “Straight Outta Compton.”
- Nine Inch Nails – Possibly entering the Hall of Fame based in the city where the act was founded (Cleveland).
- The Smiths – English rock band best know for fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk
. - The Spinners – Classic R&B group formed in Detroit. Hits included Working My Way Back to You and Could it be I’m Falling in Love.
- Yes – Owners of a lonely heart, largely responsible for bringing progressive rock to the mainstream.
Who would you vote in?
