The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently announced the list of nominees for 2023, and it features a diverse group of musicians from different genres. Among the nominees are some of the most iconic and influential musicians of the past few decades, including the late pop star and Wham! singer, George Michael, who won the fan vote with over a million votes. However, his win isn’t a confirmation of his induction this year, and the inductees will be announced on Wednesday, May 3.
Joining Michael on the list of nominees are some of the biggest names in music, such as Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Cyndi Lauper, Rage Against The Machine, and The White Stripes. Other nominees include Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, A Tribe Called Quest, Willie Nelson, The Spinners, and the joint nomination of Joy Division and New Order, both of whom are being nominated for the first time.
Fans of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are allowed to vote once per day for their favorite nominee online or in person at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Michael won the fan vote with over a million votes, followed in second place by Cyndi Lauper (928,113 votes), with Warren Zevon (634,130), Iron Maiden (449,682), and Soundgarden (427,040) following up.
While the fan vote victory isn’t a confirmation of Michael’s induction this year, it’s worth noting that all but one of the five previous fan vote winners have gone on to be inducted into the prestigious group. The inductees will be announced on May 3.
Most of this year’s shortlisted artists have not previously been nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. However, some of the artists have been nominated multiple times, with Rage Against The Machine being nominated for the fifth time, and Kate Bush being nominated for the fourth time. Soundgarden, Iron Maiden, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Spinners are all on their second nomination.
Missy Elliott and The White Stripes have been nominated for the first time, as they have become eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their debut albums. Last year’s inductees were Eminem, Duran Duran, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, and Pat Benatar.
Despite the diverse range of nominees, there have been criticisms about the lack of representation for certain groups in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Recently, Courtney Love called for more female acts to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and highlighted the lack of past inductees of Black origin.
The Hole vocalist took to social media to respond to an article titled ‘Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame celebrates women who rock’ that had been shared by author and journalist Jessica Hopper. In her post, Love attached a screenshot of a text she had sent to Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl about his own induction to the Rock Hall. She urged him to “hold the seats of Tina Turner and Carole King, both who have been eligible for over 30 years each.” Grohl has been inducted into the hall twice, with Nirvana in 2013 and Foo Fighters in 2021.
Love then turned her attention to this year’s Rock Hall nominations, saying the list “offered the annual reminder of just how extraordinary a woman must be to make it into the ol’ boys club.” Her comments reflect a growing concern among fans and musicians alike about the lack of diversity and representation in the music industry, and specifically, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.