The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has had to change how its induction process works over the years. It was easy at first. Just pick the musical artists who helped build the genre. Then, after those first few years, it got weird. Oddly, one of the groups that often got overlooked was rock bands.
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello complained about this issue and eventually was added as a nominating member of the Rock Hall board. Since then, more rock groups have gotten in. Many other deserving ones still have not. Plus, bands such as Foreigner, possibly because of their more poppy sound later in their career, are iffy inductees, while Styx is still left out. Dave Grohl also helps in the process.
If you thought the nomination process was already a mess, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes likely confirmed it for you in a recent interview with Vulture. Sykes admitted the meeting when nominating members get together to put forth their ideas of who should be newly inducted is not "beautifully organized or wonderful." Why not?
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chair explains chaotic nominating process
Sure, the Rock Hall, in theory, should be a bit chaotic, just like rock itself. At the same time, performers hoping to be inducted deserve a process that is somewhat transparent and is certainly fully vetted. Otherwise, we end up with Foreigner getting in but not Styx. If the loudest voice in the room wins the day then we all lose.
According to Sykes, "I call the annual nominating committee a cross between an intellectual conversation and WWE. It’s not a beautifully organized or wonderful meeting. It goes on for hours. It all just depends when people decide to stop fighting for their artists they want to get in. The nominating committee is very passionate about who they want. This is not something they just think about in the taxi ride over to the meeting. They really come prepared with their artists and why they deserve it."
Passion is great, but there needs to be some order. Otherwise, a person putting forth a worthy band (let's say the Smiths, for instance) might get lost in the crowd. Coming prepared is fantastic unless one has to shout down others who are also passionate about the musical artists they want.
Maybe there is more method than just madness, but Sykes certainly did not present it that way. Maybe the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame likes the chaos. If so, that tends to induct performers such as country artist Dolly Parton getting inducted, while Iron Maiden gets left out.