On Thursday 5th October the nominees for The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2018 were announced, and there are a few British artists on the list. Nominations included Kate Bush (a huge music star in the 1970s and a respected artist today) and Radiohead, a band that has often been characterised as 'miserable'.
There are a total of 19 nominees for the induction. Eight of these are British. To have a chance of being nominated for the honour, you have to produce music for at least 25 years. Essentially, if you recorded something 25 years ago, you are in the running.
Radiohead and Kate Bush are joined by other British acts Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, and The Moody Blues. The Eurythmics have also been nominated, as well as Judas Priest.
Radiohead burst onto the music scene in the early 90s with their single 'Creep'. However, their most influential and successful album was Ok Computer, which regularly won awards and critical respect. The band often produce introspective music, which is often seen as depressing and miserable.
How The Hall of Fame works
Any artist that recorded their first work at least 25 years ago is eligible. When inductees are chosen it is part of a complex and involving process. The good news for nominees is that the process involves both artists and fans.
So that means that people who get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have validation from the audience they make music for, as well as their fellow artists. Prior to all of this though, the committee of the body sits and makes up a list of possible nominees.
The very first acts were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986. The list of artists who made the cut back then reads like a dream team of rock and roll music and includes Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley.
In some cases, artists are inducted twice. This happens when an artist is part of a group or a duo for example. Simon and Garfunkle were successful, and then both men branched out into solo careers. Paul Simon went on to have an enormously successful solo career and was thus inducted two times.
Only one artist inducted three times
Only one artist has been inducted three times. Eric Clapton has enjoyed a strong and influential solo career, but he was also part of a band called The Yardbirds, as well as another group called Cream, both of which have been inducted as groups.
Perhaps the most successful and influential group of all time, The Beatles, were inducted together. There were also some successful solo careers coming out of that group. George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon have been inducted, with Ringo Starr the only solo artist of the group that hasn't.
The actual Hall of Fame (and the museum) was not opened until 1995 and is situated in Cleveland.
