But Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston are in. If you are fans of them, that’s fine, they are and were very talented. But it would be like the Baseball Hall of Fame inducting Tom Brady.
IMO, it entirely depends on whether you believe that the R&RHoF should only admit “rock” acts, as well as whether you feel that important influencers should be admitted.
The “Rock & Roll” in the hall’s title is really a misnomer at this point; it is, in effect, “The Popular Music in America From 1955 Onwards Hall of Fame.” Houston was a pop and R&B singer (not “rock” by a narrow definition of that genre), but was not only “very talented,” but an absolute force in pop music for decades; she won eight Grammys, and was one of the best-selling artists of the 20th Century. Her tumultuous personal life and drug use wound up overshadowing her career in her later years, and she died far too young, but based on her achievements, she absolutely belongs in the Hall.
As for Parton, she had a number of crossover hits in the '70s and '80s, but she has stated that she is absolutely a country-music artist, and when she was initially nominated for the HoF, she tried to decline it, stating that she wasn’t “rock and roll.” But, she has been a tremendous influencer beyond country music for decades, especially for female artists. That said, I think that one could, with validity, argue that Parton’s nomination and election were a publicity stunt on the part of the Hall.