Rock Legends Not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame That Should Be

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rarely seems to get things right when it comes to nominations and inductions, as there are dozens of genuine rock legends sitting outside its halls without even a single nomination. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, nominations go to “artists who have created music whose originality, impact, and influence has changed the course of rock ‘n’ roll.” The artist must also have released their debut music at least 25 years ago. However, the selection committee typically forgets it’s a “rock and roll” hall of fame, not a general music one. The 2025 nominees include Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division and New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Maná, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Related: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Nominees Related: Ranking Every Song by Mötley Crüe Related: Kansas Cancels Shows as Lead Singer Battles Cancer While Mariah Carey and Outkast are fantastic artists in their own right, however they, like so many other inducted musicians, have nothing to do with the genre of “rock and roll” itself, keeping out rock legends that have been waiting for DECADES to see their names enshrined forever.

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In honor of the artists dishonored by the hall, here’s 50 rock legends not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that should be: It’s worth noting several solo artists featured on this list are in the hall of fame as members of a group, however their respective solo careers were significant enough to warrant inclusion on the list.

50 Rock Legends Not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame That Should Be

1. Bryan Adams

Eligible since: 2005

Major hits: Summer of 69, Heaven, Run to You

Biggest project: Reckless (1984)

2. America

Eligible since: 1997

Major hits: A Horse with No Name, Sister Golden Hair, Ventura Highway

Biggest project: America (1972)

3. Asia

Eligible since: 2007

Major hits: Heat of the Moment, Don’t Cry, Only Time Will Tell

Biggest project: Asia (1982)

4. Badfinger

Eligible Since: 1996

Major hits: No Matter What, Day After Day, Come and Get It

Biggest project: Straight Up (1971)

5. Blackfoot

Eligible since: 2000

Major hits: Highway Song, Train, Train, Fly Away

Biggest project: Strikes (1979)

6. Blue Öyster Cult

Eligible since: 1997

Major hits: (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, Burnin’ for You, Godzilla

Biggest project: Agents of Fortune (1976)

7. Boston

Eligible since: 2001

Major hits: Amanda, Don’t Look Back, More Than a Feeling, 

Biggest project: Boston (1976)

8. Phil Collins

Eligible since: 2006

Major hits: In the Air Tonight, You’ll Be in My Heart, You Can’t Hurry Love

Biggest project: No Jacket Required (1985)

9. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Eligible since: 1994

Major hits: Just a Song Before I Go, Wasted on the Way, Woodstock

Biggest project: Déjà Vu (1970)

10. Rick Derringer

Eligible since: 1998

Major hits: Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, Real American, Demolition

Biggest project: All American Boy (1973)

11. Dio

Eligible since: 2008

Major hits: The Last in Line, Rainbow in the Dark, Holy Diver

Biggest project: Holy Diver (1983)

12. Foghat

Eligible since: 1998

Major hits: Slow Ride, Fool for the City, I Just Want to Make Love to You

Biggest project: Fool for the City (1975)

13. Golden Earring

Eligible since: 1991

Major hits: Radar Love, Twighlight Zone, When the Lady Smiles

Biggest project: Moontan (1973)

14. Grand Funk Railroad

Eligible since: 1994

Major hits: The Loco-Motion, We’re An American Band, Some Kind of Wonderful

Biggest project: Closer to Home (1970)

15. The Guess Who

Eligible since: 1991

Major hits: American Woman, These Eyes, No Sugar Tonight

Biggest project: American Woman (1970)

16. Sammy Hagar

Eligible since: 2002

Major hits: Your Love is Driving Me Crazy, I Can’t Drive 55, Heavy Metal

Biggest project: Standing Hampton (1982)

17. Don Henley

Eligible since: 2008

Major hits: Dirty Laundry, Boys of Summer, The End of Innocence

Biggest project: The End of Innocence (1989)

18. Humble Pie

Eligible since: 1995

Major hits: 3o Days in the Hole, Hot ‘n’ Nasty, I Don’t Need No Doctor

Biggest project: Smokin’ (1972)

19. Iron Maiden

Eligible since: 2005

Major hits: Run to the Hills, The Trooper, The Number of the Beast

Biggest project: The Number of the Beast (1982)

20. James Gang

Eligible since: 1995

Major hits: Funk #49, Walk Away, Must Be Love

Biggest project: James Gang Rides Again (1970)

21. Kansas

Eligible since: 2000

Major hits: Dust in the Wind, Carry On Wayward Son, Point of Know Return

Biggest project: Point of Know Return (1977)

22. Lenny Kravitz

Eligible since: 2015

Major hits: It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over, Are You Gonna Go My Way, Fly Away

Biggest project: Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993)

23. Huey Lewis and the News

Eligible since: 2006

Major hits: The Power of Love, I Want a New Drug, Stuck with You

Biggest project: Sports (1983)

24. Living Colour

Eligible since: 2014

Major hits: Cult of Personality, Glamour Boys, Open Letter (To a Landlord)

Biggest project: Vivid (1988)

25. Meat Loaf

Eligible since: 1997

Major hits: Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Paradise by the Dashboard Light, I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)

Biggest project: Bat Out of Hell (1977)

26. Molly Hatchet

Eligible since: 2004

Major hits: Flirtin’ with Disaster, Satisfied Man, Let the Good Times Roll

Biggest project: Flirtin’ with Disaster (1979)

27. The Monkees

Eligible since: 1992

Major hits: Daydream Believer, I’m a Believer, Last Train to Clarksville

Biggest project: More of the Monkees (1967)

28. Montrose

Eligible since: 1999

Major hits: Rock Candy, Bad Motor Scooter, Space Station #5

Biggest project: Montrose (1973)

29. Mötley Crüe

Eligible since: 2007

Major hits: Dr. Feelgood, Without You, Girls, Girls, Girls

Biggest project: Dr. Feelgood (1989)

30. Motörhead

Eligible since: 2003

Major hits: Ace of Spades, Motörhead, Bomber

Biggest project: Ace of Spades (1980)

31. Nazareth

Eligible since: 1997

Major hits: Love Hurts, Hair of the Dog, Holiday

Biggest project: Hair of the Dog (1975)

32. Robert Plant

Eligible since: 2008

Major hits: Sea of Love, Tall Cool One, Little by Little

Biggest project: Now and Zen (1988)

33. Poison

Eligible since: 2012

Major hits: Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Unskinny Bop, Something to Believe In

Biggest project: Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988)

34. Rainbow

Eligible since: 2001

Major hits: Stone Cold, Street of Dreams, Since You Been Gone

Biggest project: Straight Between the Eyes (1982)

35. Ratt

Eligible since: 2009

Major hits: Round and Round, Lay It Down, Dance

Biggest project: Out of the Cellar (1984)

36. REO Speedwagon

Eligible since: 1997

Major hits: Can’t Fight This Feeling, Take It On the Run, Keep On Loving You

Biggest project: Hi Infidelity (1980)

37. David Lee Roth

Eligible since: 2011

Major hits: California Girls, Just Like Paradise, Yankee Rose

Biggest project: Skyscraper (1988)

38. Joe Satriani

Eligible since: 2012

Biggest project: Surfing with the Alien (1987)

39. Scorpions

Eligible since: 1998

Major hits: Wind of Change, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Still Loving You

Biggest project: Love at First Sting (1984)

40. Slade

Eligible since: 1995

Major hits: Merry Xmas Everybody, Far Far Away, Cum On Feel the Noize

Biggest project: Slayed? (1972)

41. Billy Squier

Eligible since: 2005

Major hits: Rock Me Tonite, The Stroke, Everybody Wants You

Biggest project: Don’t Say No (1981)

42. Steppenwolf

Eligible since: 1994

Major hits: Born to Be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride, Rock Me

Biggest project: The Second (1968)

43. Styx

Eligible since: 1998

Major hits: Babe, Mr. Roboto, The Best of Times

Biggest project: Paradise Theatre (1981)

44. Supertramp

Eligible since: 1995

Major hits: The Logical Song, Goodbye Stranger, Breakfast in America

Biggest project: Breakfast in America (1979)

45. Survivor

Eligible since: 2005

Major hits: Eye of the Tiger, Burning Heart, I Can’t Hold Back

Biggest project: Eye of the Tiger (1982)

46. Thin Lizzy

Eligible since: 1996

Major hits: The Boys Are Back in Town, Cowboy Song, Whiskey in the Jar

Biggest project: Jailbreak (1976)

47. 38 Special

Eligible since: 2003

Major hits: If I’d Be the One, Caught Up in You, Hold On Loosely

Biggest project: Special Forces (1982)

48. Toto

Eligible since: 2004

Major hits: Africa, Rosanna, Hold the Line

Biggest project: Toto IV (1982)

49. Twisted Sister

Eligible since: 2008

Major hits: We’re Not Gonna Take It, I Wanna Rock, Leader of the Pack

Biggest project: Stay Hungry (1984)

50. Joe Walsh

Eligible since: 1998

Major hits: Life’s Been Good, Rocky Mountain Way, All Night Long

Biggest project: But Seriously, Folks… (1978)