The only thing more exciting than finding out who gets into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame every year is seeing who got shut out. In its over 30-year history, the Rock Hall has looked over a number of incredible and influential artists.
Which artists have still yet to get the nod from the Rock Hall? Scroll through our gallery below and see just 10 notable omissions. (And there are plenty more!)
Bad Company
ShareFronted by Paul Rodgers, easily one of the most-recognizable voices in rock history, you'd think Bad Company would've been inducted by now, but 20 years since they were first eligible for induction, they're still not in the Rock Hall.
The Runaways
ShareWhen it comes to influential women in hard rock, The Runaways should always be part of the conversation. A launching pad for Joan Jett and Lita Ford, the band's four studio albums feature some quintessential '70s hard rock jams including "School Days," "I Love Playing with Fire" and, of course, "Cherry Bomb." Their 1977 live album 'Live in Japan' is incredibly underrated, too. For added measure, a Runaways induction would make Jett a double-inductee.
Jane’s Addiction
ShareJane's Addiction helped lay the groundwork for much of the 1990's alternative rock boom thanks to albums like 1988's 'Nothing's Shocking' and 1990's 'Ritual De Lo Habitual.'
Mary J. Blige
ShareThe Queen of Hip Hop Soul became eligible for induction in 2018, but Blige has only been nominated once in 2021, despite providing an important female voice in a very male-dominated genre. She's sold 80 million albums worldwide thanks to the strength of her incredible voice and her ability to uniquely blend R&B and hip hop unlike any artist before or after her on tracks like "Real Love," "Not Gon' Cry," "Family Affair" and "Be Without You." While we're on the topic of genre-blending, Blige is the only artist in history to have won Grammys in R&B, hip hop, pop and gospel categories. If that's not worth considering for a Rock Hall nomination, what is?
Melissa Etheridge
ShareNot enough is really said about how Melissa Etheridge came out as a lesbian in January 1993 only to nine months later release 'Yes I Am,' the album that would be her major breakthrough into the mainstream featuring hits like "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window." Looking back, that's a mind-blowing feat during a time when coming out wasn't always welcome as it is today. Add to the fact that she's consistently put out quality albums for nearly 30 years, has an incredible, easily recognizable voice and writes music that blurs the lines of rock, pop and folk, it's almost shocking she's never even been nominated.
Cyndi Lauper
ShareAs we previously stated, Cyndi Lauper once asked "Where the women at?!" when it came to representation in the Rock Hall Museum. Well, where Cyndi at in the Rock Hall itself? She was finally nominated for the first time in 2023, but Lauper has been ridiculously influential to artists that have followed thanks to many hits like "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," "She Bop," "Money Changes Everything," "True Colors" and "I Drove All Night." She's also continued to be a force live to this day. Oh, and she's also managed to dominate the Broadway world by writing the music and lyrics for the musical adaptation of 'Kinky Boots.'
Soundgarden
ShareSoundgarden has been eligible for induction into the Rock Hall longer than most of their Seattle grunge contemporaries, and yet, they only received their first nomination for the 2020 class. Considering their influence on the generation of bands that followed them, it's a massive oversight.
Cher
ShareOkay, now for those about to cry foul on this pick, if Madonna is in the Rock Hall, Cher definitely deserves to be in. With a career that spans six decades, Cher has defied the odds, remains one of the most iconic pop stars of all time, and she's managed to do it with a style and attitude all her own. She's won just about every award imaginable, from Grammys to Oscars to Kennedy Center Honors. Fun fact: She also the only artist ever to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in six consecutive decades. Those number ones include "I Got You Babe," "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," "Half-Breed," "Dark Lady," "After All," "If I Could Turn Back Time," "Believe," "Strong Enough," "Song for the Lonely," "A Different Kind of Love Song," "When the Money's Gone"/"Love One Another," "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" and "Woman's World."
Iron Maiden
ShareIron Maiden's entire aesthetic, from their stage shows to their classic logo to their mascot, Eddie, is at least enough to get a nomination, but even that hasn't happened (yet) for the heavy metal icons.
Salt-N-Pepa
ShareLet's talk about how much Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella deserve some recognition from the Rock Hall. With the Rock Hall expanding to recognize the hip hop world, they need look no further than this groundbreaking group of MCs that were not afraid to touch controversial topics in their lyrics and helped pave the way for countless women in hip hop. Decades later, many of their singles like "Push it," "Shoop," "Let's Talk About Sex," "Whatta Man" and "None of Your Business" still sound ridiculously fresh.
