Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees 2025: My Picks

For over ten years(!), I’ve tried to explain to people that the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame is a hall of fame, not a Hall Of Nerdy Delights. Just because you think some band has been hot shit for decades, that doesn't mean they have the cultural presence to deserve such a ridiculous accolade. Besides, isn't it cooler when your favorite subversive, edgy act is still too subversive and edgy for a record industry banquet? Let's keep this shit pop! Nonetheless, more reliably than rain, my peers and lessers continue to natter about who’s most artistically worthy or admirable every time the (Former) Friends Of Wenner announce another dozen or so nominees for the annual jamboree. Takes are always based on the most solipsistic concept of greatness, rather than the droll, culturally astute lens I prefer to apply to this shindig. A lens that would lead to a wild party rather than a revisionist history lesson. Though it's all for naught, I won't be stopped from sharing my wisdom here.

Below are the 2025 nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, listed from most culturally deserving to least. Plus, one clueless shrug, and a furious harumph.

Outkast: One time in the ‘00s, my dad asked me if I’d heard That Song by Those Black Guys, and I correctly guessed he meant “Hey Ya.” There’s countless other examples of why they’re a commercially and culturally noteworthy act, one still so respected we’re supposed to feel glad for jazz musicians when Andre 3000 toodles in front of them. The easiest in.

Phish: I’m going to save my opinions about their music for another post. My take on that gnarly medley of "Bless This Mess" and "Boom Whistle" from Wilmington '97 deserves more space. But these four of the top 5 most famous Vermonters (number 5 is Calvin Coolidge) went from dorky Grateful Dead wanna-bes to the dorky surrogate Grateful Dead to a band I bet at least a million humans prefer to the Dead because the Dead aren’t dorky enough. Is there anybody that doesn’t know what Phish’s deal is at this point? Legends. The only reason they’re not an easier in than Outkast is because Phish somehow hasn’t made a movie.

Mariah Carey: As I said last year, Thanks to climate change, her annual promotional blitz is now more reliable than snow. Get it over with already. 

Cyndi Lauper: As I wrote two years ago, I didn’t realize she’s not already in! Her moment was brief enough that if Little Steven included “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” in one of his rambling speeches about his 45 collection, I wouldn’t blink. But she’s the face of early MTV.

Oasis: My pitch last year...In England, they probably belong above Mariah Carey, if not Ozzy. Their ‘90s moment is less totemic in America, to the point where I might argue “(Anyway, Here’s) Wonderwall” deserves inclusion instead. But I bet a lot of American kids today know they were unspeakably huge in England at least. Part of me thinks Billy Idol should get in first, as he was the earlier “let’s make this subculture for DUDES” MTV pioneer. But Oasis transformed Britpop in their image, where Billy Idol just became less new wave. So…I’m going with Oasis.

Chubby Checker: For the first half of the ‘60s, Checker spent a lot of time in the charts teaching squares the newest dances. "The Hucklebuck" is great, and I appreciate that his last Top 40 was a poignant "Let's Do The Freddie." “The Twist” already made the Singles Mentioned By Little Steven On Stage, and nerds like me love to note Hank Ballard did the song first and better. But Ballard got in the Hall back in 1990. I don’t know if I’ll have room on my ballot, but if they want to let this guy come in and sing “The Twist,” I’m not mad. Maybe he can shout-out The Fat Boys while he’s up there.

Bad Company: Technically a British supergroup (Paul Rodgers from Free, guitarist from Mott The Hoople) that managed to become the platonic ideal of the middle of the ‘70s FM rock road. Never too shrieky, never too silly, never too glossy, never too anything. Just a man with hair on his chest asserting his right to Saturday night. A formula so strong they had radio hits even after Paul Rodgers left. Last year, I suggested they might deserve acknowledgment before Foreigner, but I’m having second thoughts. Or just one: they never really made it on MTV. Therefore, I suggest they first release an entertaining documentary that affirms multi-generational awareness of the brand.

Billy Idol: He was a very important figure in helping MTV turn new wave into dumb-as-shit macho rock, but he’s been dumb-as-shit macho rock for so long I feel like he’s less noteworthy than acts who defined each pole more wholly. And where’s the documentary? “Dancing With Myself” definitely belongs in the Singles Mentioned By Little Steven On Stage category, however.

The White Stripes: Me in 2023…Easily the most famous band “cool” rock & roll gave us in the ‘00s (whether more people know of them than Nickelback I'd prefer not to think about). But we have to debate how much “cool” rock & roll mattered that decade. I’d make them wait until White Blood Cells is 25, if not Elephant. Don’t rush them in for the self-titled. It's great, but I'm a nerd.

White Blood Cells turns 25 in 2026. They can wait one more year.

Soundgarden: Another 2023 blurb…Yes, there was a year where “Black Hole Sun” was on MTV every half hour. But that’s not enough fame, sorry. They played the Lollapalooza mainstage two non-consecutive years and headlined neither.  Nuff said. They definitely can’t get in before Bad Company.

Joe Cocker: For the theme from The Wonder Years? For the theme duets less popular than “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life”? For being the first white guy to have a hernia over horns and call it “soul”? For that album Bill Clinton likes? Meh. Maybe he can split a spot with Leon Russell or John Belushi.

The Black Crowes: While I respect the Crowes’ ability to resemble all ‘70s rock instead of one specific band, we should probably put most ‘70s rock in (see Bad Company!) before these guys. I mean, what’s the hit, “She Talks To Angels”? The Otis Redding cover? That one about needing a remedy (I always forget what it’s called)? Joe Cocker should be in before these guys. Canned Heat should be in first. Gregg Allman solo. Steve Winwood solo. 38 Special. Black Oak Arkansas. The Osmonds. Any successful band that wore colorful bellbottoms or flares cuz that’s just what bands did at the time. Also, anyone who had a hit album with a harmonica solo before 1989. Huey Lewis & The News. Maybe the Blues Brothers. Bruce Willis. First, let's acknowledge the guys who pretended they were on Motown, then the kids who pretended they were on The Midnight Special.

Now the shrug...

Mana: Rock critics never went out of their way to tell me about this group in the ‘90s like they did Caifanes, but…to quote Johnny Mathis (still not in the Rock Hall!), “it’s not for me to say.” I won’t be mad if they get it, but any sense of why they should would be purely taken on faith from Wikipedia.

...and the harumph.

Joy Division/New Order: This pisses me off. Joy Division deserves to get in for the Unknown Pleasures t-shirt alone, not to mention there being two great biopics about Ian Curtis. New Order could wait a bit, but their dance-rock synthesis was a major component of ‘80s “college rock.” So why are they sharing a spot? Don't tell me it’s because the line-ups are similar, or that the latter only exists because of Curtis’ death. First off, the same year they first pitched this, they also pitched a nod for Eurythmics/Annie Lennox, and you know the record industry is aware Dave Stewart’s alive. But, more seriously, you’re going to tell me that creating a musically unprecedented, commercially significant venture after the death of your instantly legendary singer isn’t worth a second acknowledgment, but giving Art Garfunkel the heave-ho is? Hank Ballard and the Midnighters have separate inductions. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band have separate inductions. The Beatles and Ringo Starr have separate inductions. Induct Joy Division the old fashioned way, then give New Order one of those “for musical excellence” side-entrances. I know Peter Hook will happily take the bump in his concert guarantee either way, but I must reject this out of protest.

So here’s my fan ballot. Again, Joy Division/New Order excised on principle.

When Paul Rodgers makes the cut, you know my enthusiasm ran out before the options did. So as a little treat, I'm going to acknowledge five acts I can't believe aren't in yet. Not that I really care. But I can play the game.

Johnny Mathis. If we're letting in the modern divas, we gotta bring in this guy.

The B-52's. In 1979, they went gold with self-aware, gay-coded hipster party music. A decade later, they went multi-platinum. "Love Shack" is still a karaoke classic, and if you did an Ethel Merman imitation, most people would assume you're doing Fred Schneider. They tragically lost a legendary guitarist and kept on trucking. So what the heck, Rock Hall?

"Weird" Al Yankovic. He had one top 40 hit in the '80s, one in the '90s, one in the '00s, and one in the '10s. Everyone knows his deal. There's a movie. C'mon.

Motorhead. How can you acknowledge anyone over 50 and still wearing a leather jacket, and not Lemmy?

Weezer. Just for the conniptions of the newly fifty-something. 

If you disagree with me, it's totally fine. All comments and questions unrelated to that possibility are welcome at anthonyisright at gmail dot com.