Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees By rockboy  [25 more lists]

A complete list of bands and artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, ranked in order of preference by music fans. For a list of artists who deserve to be inducted but haven't been yet, check out this guide to Artists Who Belong in the Rock Hall of Fame. And be sure to vote down all the artists you don't think belong in the Hall of Fame!

The Rock Hall of Fame - located in Cleveland, Ohio - was established in 1986 and is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage and memorabilia associated with rock music. Each year, a list of bands and artists is nominated to join the pantheon of all-time greatest musical acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Out of these nominees, only a handful are then chosen as actual Hall of Fame inductees. To be eligible, a musician or band must have released their debut album at least 25 years previously. (This eliminates flash-in-the-pan or "fad" artists from getting through, leaving the honor of joining the Hall of Fame open only to those artists who have made a lasting impact on rock music.)

2012's inductees are Guns N' Roses, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Laura Nyro, Donovan and The Small Faces. Nominated acts that were not selected this year include Eric B. & Rakim, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Spinners, Donna Summer and War. The Rock Hall of Fame decision-making process has been criticized frequently, for collecting all the power in the hands of a few individuals, and for ignoring genres that are not considered "purely" rock (such as hip-hop.) As well, some critics cite the numerous classic, iconic artists who are eligible but have not been inducted. These include Hall & Oates, Yes, Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Rush, KISS and Sonic Youth.