First time balloters Jay-Z and Foo Fighters made it in and Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads will be honored for his achievements in ‘Musical Excellence’
The 2021 induction class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been announced and for fans of heavier music, the reception has been less than stellar.
Of the initial field of nominees that were announced back in February, only the following have made the cut – Carole King, The Go-Go’s, Todd Rundgren, Tina Turner and first year nominees, Foo Fighters and Jay-Z Though the class has been regarded as one of the more diverse in recent history, the field seems to show a bias against the world of heavier music.
While Randy Rhoads will receive a special honor alongside LL Cool J and Billy Preston for their achievements in ‘Musical Excellence,’ the nominees that included the likes of Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Kate Bush, Devo, Iron Maiden, the New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine and the late Fela Kuti.
With regards to the fan ballot, names like Fel Kuti and Iron Maiden managed to make the list and despite performing well, still were omitted from the final list of inductees.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been regarded as being biased when it comes to heavy music. At the pinnacle of the category, bands like Black Sabbath had to wait ten years after meeting the threshold for eligibility to get the call. Deep Purple had to wait 22 years. Historic contributors like Motorhead and Thin Lizzy are still not in discussion for the Rock Hall.
The 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for October 30 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The 8pm ET radio simulcast will be available on SiriusXM. The ceremony will also be broadcast on HBO and on demand via HBO Max.
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