The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its newest class of nominees on Wednesday morning, acknowledging some of the most iconic names in music — many for the first time.
The Rock Hall’s full list of nominees for 2023 pays tribute to artists across a range of musical genres. It includes Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes and Warren Zevon.
More than half of this year’s potential inductees to the hall are newcomers, with eight of the 14 nominees — Crow, Elliott, Lauper, Michael, Nelson, Zevon, Joy Division/New Order and The White Stripes — receiving the honor for the first time.
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Elliott and The White Stripes only became eligible for consideration in 2023, since the Rock Hall requires that nominated artists have released their first commercial recordings at least 25 years prior to the year of their nominations. Elliott’s platinum debut album, “Supa Dupa Fly,” and The White Stripes’ first single, “Let’s Shake Hands,” were released in 1997 and 1998, respectively.
With individual music genres spanning pop, hip-hop, rap and country, the list of 2023 nominees reflects the Rock Hall’s evolving standards as it continues to broaden its criteria for inclusion. It follows comparably varied rosters announced in recent years, with 2022’s nominees including the likes of Dolly Parton, Eminem and Lionel Richie, as well as A Tribe Called Quest, which was nominated then for the first time.
“This remarkable list of Nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, in a statement. “These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”
An international group of voters — consisting of more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry personnel — will cast ballots over the next several months to determine which of the 14 nominees will actually be inducted later this year. Inductees will be announced in May, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, ahead of a formal induction ceremony set to take place some time during the fall season.
Members of the public can also cast votes online or in-person at the Rock Hall’s museum in Cleveland, through April 28. The top five names will be compiled into a “fans’ ballot,” and votes will be added to those artists’ official tallies.
