If the Hall takes its name seriously, the MC5 and the New York Dolls should be in. They never sold (which is, I suppose, still an important aspect for American awards and such, I’m looking at you, Grammys), but they were pivotal bands and a lot of what came after, many bands that are already in the RHOF, was influenced by them.
I wonder if “Pat Benatar” could be inducted as a band. Neil Girardo is, at least, as responsible for the success of that act as Pat is.
Yeah, Kate put out some epic stuff. I think she has such an expressive, powerful voice…but maybe you love her or hate her. Hit-wise? As noted she duetted with Peter Gabriel on Don’t Give Up. Wikipedia says Rubberband Girl reached #88.
I heard once that “Rock around the Clock” was considered the first Rock and Roll song. I don’t know what a lot of these have in common.
David Gilmour discovered her, played the solo on “Love and Anger,” a favorite track.
In case anybody missed the wrath of Steve Miller in 2016:
Dolly says “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap” 
I’m not going to say anybody on this list isn’t talented, but half of these nominees are like inducting a soccer player into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
actually, rocket 88’ by ike turner is …
Better don’t open that can of worms. This question will still be disputed for hundreds of years from now.
IMO, who should get in:
- Beck: Odelay blew my mind when it came out, with such a bizarre mix of styles that somehow worked. Guero was fantastic. Sea Change is beautiful. And since then, he’s had what, 5 albums in the top 10? He should be a shoe-in.
- DEVO: influence, popularity - it’s unfathomable that they weren’t a first-time pick.
- Duran Duran: I initially dismissed them as a boy band getting by on looks, not talent. I was very wrong.
- MC5: even if you’ve never heard of them, their influence is huge
And who I really want to get in because their music is amazing and groundbreaking, but I can’t justify the “rock and roll” part for them:
- Dolly Parton
- A Tribe Called Quest
I agree, and I too was blown away by “Odelay”. “Loser” had left me a little unimpressed, I thought of it as a novelty rap song by a white slacker, but with “Odelay” I became a fan. “Guero” and “Sea Change” are fantastic, but I like “Mutations” and “Midnite Vultures” just the same. He’s also a very good live act, seen him three times (though granted, this was more than twenty years ago). And besides the discussion who can count as rock’n’roll, Beck who constructs his music from multiple styles has enough of a rock foundation to count.
Ugh. Couldn’t stand her in the day, and her stuff hasn’t grown on me. Histrionic formula. YMMV. 
In case you’ve never heard the original, Lowen and Navarro “We Belong.” She ruined it IMO.
I once liked her, but got over it.
I’d never heard that – thanks!
[side question]: what happens after the nominees are announced? Who picks the actual entries? Is there a committee or such, or a public vote? [/sq]
Totally different vibe, isn’t it? At 1:15 in this bilingual version, they break into a Spanish part.
If women got some girl power from Pat’s music, great. But musically she didn’t honor the power of this song IMO.
The vote is done by a committee (over a thousand thousand people, I believe) who work in the industry – musicians, producers, music journalists, etc. There is also a “fan vote,” which is held online, but the fans’ top selections account for one ballot out of the thousand-plus total.
Thanks! You mean the whole fan vote is worth one vote of a committee member out of thousands? That’s nuts.
That should be “over a thousand people.” facepalm
This is exactly the case. And, there was no fan vote at all until a decade or so ago.
Which is why Rocky McRockstar was never inducted.