This morning’s announcement that Iron Maiden were spurned by voters for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was met by metalheads the same way similar news is greeted every year: the Hall must hate metal!
Not so, according to Rock Hall CEO/President Greg Harris, who continually finds himself on the defensive, forced to explain why Judas Priest, Maiden and others haven’t made it in despite years of eligibility. So many younger artists who aren’t metal, the Hall’s detractors cry, get in on their first try (25 years must pass from a band’s first album before they’re eligible).
Audacy’s Ryan Castle spoke with Harris about the issue. He explained:
“We celebrate all forms of Rock & Roll. They were nominated; we nominated Maiden, Judas Priest have been nominated, we put Def Leppard in… Those that are nominated, over 80% of them eventually do get inducted. So, it’s really a question of, let’s keep nominating them, let’s get ‘em on the ballot, and let’s get it out to the voting body. This ballot had sixteen artists on it… they just can’t all go in.”
While it’s somewhat encouraging that 80% of nominated artists eventually get in, I don’t know if that factoid will be of much solace to metalheads, as new acts seem to keep coming along that push them out. Does that 80% apply to metal bands?
Of more concrete solace to metalheads: none of it fucking matters! Do you love Maiden? Great! Me too! But my love for them is not predicated on whether they’ve received some arbitrary recognition by a panel of voters, nor on recognition from anyone else.
You can watch the interview here.
This year’s inductees are Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Tina Turner. Nine Inch Nails made it in last year.