Musicians Who Belong In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
Update: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listened to your feedback and inducted a number of artists on this list since its initial publication. Voting has been locked on such artists, with their induction year noted.
Each new crop of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees brings with it with it a good share of controversy. Who is most deserving of being in the Rock Hall of Fame? Vote for the bands and musicians that you think most belong in the Rock and Roll HOF, or make your own ranked list of the rockers who have been left out of the Rock Hall
This list collects artists that Ranker voters and listers think belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but who are not currently inducted. Remember, bands and musicians are only eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their debut album, so popular acts from the late '80s, '90s or '00s would not yet be eligible. Don't suggest them!
Check out more lists like the worst albums created by the best artists, badly aged rock stars and celebrities who took their own life.
voting closed at #1
Inducted in 2001.
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Their classic line-up was Freddie Mercury (lead vocals and piano), Brian May (lead guitar and vocals), Roger Taylor (drums and vocals) and John ...more- The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist John Entwistle and drummer ...more
voting closed at #3
Inducted in 1996.
David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie (, BOH-ee), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. He was a leading figure in the music industry and is ...morevoting closed at #4
Inducted in 2019
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Savage ...more- Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; born January 10, 1953), who goes by the stage name Pat Benatar, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and four-time Grammy Award winner. She has two ...more
- Joseph Fidler Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he has been a member of five successful rock bands: James ...more
- Boston are an American rock band from namesake Boston, Massachusetts, that had its most commercial successes during the 1970s and '80s. The band's core members on their most popular recordings ...more
- Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. The band's discography has grown to thirty-nine albums, including ...more
voting closed at #9
Inducted in 2018.
The Cars were an American rock band that emerged from the new wave scene in the late 1970s. The band originated in Boston in 1976, with singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter Ric Ocasek; bassist ...more- Foreigner are a British-American rock band, originally formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran British guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones and fellow Briton and ex-King Crimson member Ian ...more
voting closed at #11
Inducted in 2018.
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing ...more- Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in West Bromwich in 1969. They have sold over 50 million copies of their albums. They are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of ...more
- Styx are an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972 and is best known for melding hard rock guitar balanced with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks ...more
- Bad Company are an English hard rock supergroup formed in Westminster, London, in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers and guitarist Mick Ralphs later adding drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell. ...more
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised Tom Petty (lead singer, guitar), Mike Campbell (lead guitarist), ...more
- Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. After the ...more
- Jethro Tull are a British rock band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire, in 1967. Initially playing blues rock, the band later developed their sound to incorporate elements of hard rock and folk rock to ...more
- Deserves an entry as solo artist
John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty, he founded the band Creedence Clearwater ...more voting closed at #19
Inducted in 2019
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer and songwriter. Nicks is best known for her work as a songwriter and vocalist with Fleetwood Mac, and also for her chart-topping solo ...more- John Robert Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014), better known as Joe Cocker, was an English singer. He was known for his gritty voice, spasmodic body movement in performance, and distinctive ...more
- Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. After signing with Capitol Records in 1962, Wilson wrote or ...more
- Blue Öyster Cult (sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) are an American rock band formed in Stony Brook, New York, in 1967, best known for the singles "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Burnin' for You", and ...more
- The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, the group also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with ...more
- Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on album-oriented rock charts and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". The band has ...more
voting closed at #25
Inducted in 2016
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band's classic lineup consisted of vocalist Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, and drummer ...more