Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominates Nirvana, KISS, LL Cool J And More

Each year the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces a slew of nominees that have the potential to nab a place in the famous Hall. To be eligible for the spot in the prestigious Cleveland museum, bands and artists must have put out at least one single 25 years before they are officially nominated for the Hall of Fame. The 2014 class of nominees includes sixteen groups and solo artists. The most prominent names are probably KISS and Nirvana, but the other acts that have the possibility of getting their foots in the door include Hall and Oates, Peter Gabriel, Yes, Deep Purple, LL Cool J, N.W.A., The Replacements, The Zombies, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, Chic, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Link Wray, and The Meters.

This a first time nomination for the Hall of Fame for over half of the listed acts, although one group deserves a special nod. Nirvana is the only band on this list that was actually nominated during the first year that the group was eligible, after choosing a name and recording a set of demos in 1988. The band’s first album, Bleach, would hit the market thanks to Sub Pop Records in 1989.

A few names are getting a second shot at the Hall of Fame. N.W.A. has been nominated in the past, as has the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic , Deep Purple, and even The Meters. Those groups are competing again against some heavy hitters and we’ll have to wait and see how they fare.

The process is pretty simple. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation puts together a list of nominees each year. Then, 600 people involved in the music industry—whether they be artists, historians, or other members—all get a chance to vote. Those performers who receive the highest votes, as well as at least 50% of the vote get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Last year, Heart, Donna Summer, Rush, Public Enemy, Randy Newman, Albert King, Quincy Jones, and Lou Adler were inducted.

You can hear a little snippet about each of this year’s nominees, below.