The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation has announced its nominees for the Class of 2023.
The 15 artists, in alphabetical order, are:
- Kate Bush - fourth nomination
- Sheryl Crow - first nomination, eligible since 2018
- Missy Elliott - first nomination, eligible since 2022
- Iron Maiden - second nomination
- Joy Division / New Order - first nomination, Joy Division eligible since 2003; New Order since 2006
- Cyndi Lauper - first nomination, eligible since 2009
- George Michael - first nomination, eligible since 2013
- Willie Nelson - first nomination, eligible since 1987
- Rage Against the Machine - fifth nomination
- Soundgarden - second nomination
- The Spinners - fourth nomination
- A Tribe Called Quest - second nomination
- The White Stripes - first time eligible
- Warren Zevon - first nomination, eligible since 1995
To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.
John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, says, “This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates. These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”
Cyndi Lauper commented on the nomination, telling us, "It's such an honor and thrill to be recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a nominee. Seeing my name on this year's ballot with so many talents that I admire means so much to me. It has been a lifetime privilege to reach so many different kinds of fans with a message of following your own path (and having fun along the way, too)."
Nominee ballots are sent to an international voting body of more than 1000 artists, historians and members of the music industry. Factors such as an artist’s musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation, and superiority in style and technique are taken into consideration.
And once again, fans can vote starting now through April 28th at Vote.RockHall.com or in person at the Museum in Cleveland. The Top 5 artists selected by the public will make up a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to determine the 2023 Inductees.
Inductees will be announced in May along with the date and location of the induction ceremony in the fall.
So, what do you think? Who would you have left off this list and who would you have put in their place?
As a member of the nominating committee is fond of saying, they look to nominate artists who they consider "game changers." So, are Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush, A Tribe Called Quest, Iron Maiden, Soundgarden and Warren Zevon "game changers"? Tough to say yes.
Hard to imagine that it's taken Willie Nelson this long to be nominated.
Should the Hall limit the number of times an artist is nominated? Case in point, if Rage Against the Machine does not get in on their fifth nomination, move on. Give someone else a chance.
It's looking less and less likely that artists such as Bad Company, Jethro Tull, Foreigner and Boston will ever get nominated.