Earlier this year, heavy metal fans were upset with the lack of representation in this year’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees. Rage Against The Machine was the only rock-based act to earn the honor among this year’s honorees, with the field being rounded out by Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow and The Spinners.
Soundgarden and Iron Maiden were nominated, but did not make the cut.
FOZZY frontman and AEW superstar Chris Jericho, also a well-known hard rock and heavy metal ambassador, simply tweeted: “Dear @rockhall, F*CK OFF. That is all. @RollingStone.”
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame CEO Greg Harris addressed the snub saying that most bands who are nominated eventually get in.
“We love that people care — that they care if they’re in or out, and that their fans care,” Harris told Audacy.
“Now the truth is anybody that’s nominated, the odds are good that they’re eventually gonna get in. In fact, I think it may be as high as 90 percent eventually go in. Rage, who are finally getting inducted, this was their sixth time, I believe — fifth time on the ballot or sixth time. And so sometimes it takes a while. But let’s see where it lands. Right now, let’s celebrate this year’s class, and we can start to debate about next year’s class once the spotlight is off of this year’s class.”
In a new interview with The Telegraph, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson commented on what he thinks of the band not being in the Rock Hall. Needless to say, Dickinson doesn’t care.
“I don’t want to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame,” he said. “Because we’re not dead yet.”
“Some people feel almost actively threatened by metal. Not by the nature of the music. But by the fact that it doesn’t conform to their worldview of what pop music should be, which is: pop music is disposable, darling. Well, we don’t make disposable pop music.”
Numerous hard rock and heavy metal artists didn’t even make the nominations list earlier this year. Notable snubs included: Foreigner, Motörhead, Styx, Boston, Thin Lizzy, REO Speedwagon, Pantera, Ronnie James Dio, Motley Crue, Jethro Tull, Sammy Hagar, MC5, J. Geils Band, Eddie Money, Danzig (and/or Misfits), Alice In Chains and Smashing Pumpkins, among others.
Maiden bassist Steve Harris agrees with his singer.
“I don’t mind that we’re not in things like that,” Harris said previously. “I don’t think about things like that. It’s very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn’t get into the business for that sort of thing. I’m certainly not going to lose sleep if we don’t get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don’t think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn’t come of it is great, too.”
