The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should be one of the world's finest museums. It isn't. The issue is that the people who decide who gets inducted into the Rock Hall oftentimes forget the name on the building. OutKast is fine to induct, but not Motörhead? That's illogical (and no offense to OutKast).
In recent classes, there has been a slight uptick in straightforward rock groups, such as Foreigner and Bad Company, but the legendary Iron Maiden is still out in the proverbial cold. Although they may not seem to care about being inducted, many of their fans might.
After all, it is fans that pay the bills for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not bands going to see themselves at the exhibit. Not that fans should be the reason musical artists get inducted (otherwise, we might have unworthy artists like Phish in the Hall), but the caring part of what people see at the museum matters.
Bad Company drummer nails what's wrong with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke has some strong opinions about who should be elected for induction and who shouldn't. Kirke espoused his extremely correct views in a recent talk with Music Drives Us. One band's absence appeared to bother him quite a bit.
Kirke said, "Once a band is inducted, you become an automatic voting member. So, I'm good friends with Nicko McBrain, the drummer with Iron Maiden, and I'm going to root for them from now on. Because they really deserve to be in because they're rock and roll. Y'know, if AC/DC can get in, then Iron Maiden can get in."
While that might seem like some shade being thrown at AC/DC, Kirke likely doesn't mean it that way. He is arguing that Iron Maiden is as important as the band from Australia, and they are. Both are great, and both should be permanent parts of the Rock Hall.
Kirke also spoke the absolute truth when he said, "I'm not denigrating the people who have gone in before us. But it makes sense to have an R&B Hall of Fame and a Rap Hall of Fame and a Rock and Roll and a Country, maybe even a Pop Hall of Fame."
That is the exact argument many have about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It needs to focus less on those genres that aren't rock music or change its name, and none of that is meant to mean Dolly Parton isn't a great musical act. She is. She simply doesn't belong in a Hall of Fame that honors rock music. Iron Maiden does.