The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its long list of nominees for the class of 2021. JAY-Z and Foo Fighters have been nominated in their first year of eligibility (meaning their first commercial recordings came out 25 years ago). Other first-time nominees include Mary J. Blige, Fela Kuti, the Go-Go’s, Iron Maiden, and Dionne Warwick.
Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, Devo, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, New York Dolls, Carole King, and LL Cool J have all been nominated once again.
If Foo Fighters are inducted, it will mark Grohl’s second Rock Hall induction after Nirvana entered the Rock Hall in 2014. Carole King and Tina Turner would follow Stevie Nicks as the second and third woman to be inducted multiple times. King was previously inducted as a songwriter alongside Gerry Goffin, and Turner was previously inducted alongside Ike Turner.
The inductees will be announced in May, and the Rock Hall is planning to throw a live ceremony in Cleveland this fall. Find the full list of nominees below. Fans can vote for their favorites via the Rock Hall website through April 30; the top five artists will be submitted as a “fans’ ballot” alongside ballots submitted by the music industry.
Artists who became Rock Hall eligible for the first time this year but weren’t nominated include D’Angelo, Garbage, Deftones, Backstreet Boys, and Robyn. Previous nominees who haven’t been inducted and didn’t make the long list this year include Soundgarden, the Replacements, Bad Brains, Motörhead, Dave Matthews Band, Thin Lizzy, Pat Benatar, Eric B. & Rakim, MC5, Kraftwerk, Jane’s Addiction, John Prine, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, the Smiths, and Gram Parsons.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 included Nine Inch Nails, Whitney Houston, the Notorious B.I.G., Depeche Mode, T. Rex, and the Doobie Brothers. Due to COVID-19, the live show was delayed and the traditional live ceremony was scrapped in favor of a filmed HBO special.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Nominees:
Mary J. Blige
Kate Bush
Devo
Foo Fighters
The Go-Go’s
Iron Maiden
JAY-Z
Chaka Khan
Carole King
Fela Kuti
LL Cool J
New York Dolls
Rage Against the Machine
Todd Rundgren
Tina Turner
Dionne Warwick