(Image source: Billboard)


BY BRICE SANDER


Cleveland’s ready to rock. Again. The Ohio-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest crop of possible inductees.

Among this year’s nominees-

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts-

Guns ‘N Roses-

Seattle-based rockers Heart-

And Rufus front-woman Chaka Khan.

Anything stick out about that list? A HitFix contributor explains why this year’s nominees could make history.

“Is the boys’ club otherwise known as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame about to shift to ladies’ night? This year’s potential class of 15 … includes five female or female-fronted acts … If three of the women make the final cut, it will mark the first time more than two female acts have been inducted in the same year."

A Morton Report blogger gives some insight into how the Hall of Fame picks its nominees.

“To get into the Rock Hall you need to be either huge like Elvis or the Beatles, incredibly influential like the Ramones or the Sex Pistols, [or] a critical darling like Leonard Cohen …The process is hugely inconsistent and tends to enrage fans of bands…”

--Fans of bands like Bon Jovi, who earned a nom last year but is noticeably absent from this year’s list. A writer for the boys’ hometown paper, the New Jersey Star-Ledger, isn’t too happy about that.

“By inducting critical choices ahead of bestsellers, the Hall of Fame committee probably believes it is acting as the guarantor of rock ’n’ roll integrity. But part of the institution’s charter is to tell the ongoing story of popular music.”

And after rappers the Beastie Boys took a nom away from rockers like Bon Jovi, a panelist on CBS argues maybe its time for more than just one music hall of fame.

ANTHONY DECURTIS: “There’s a lot of debate about influence, importance. You know, there’s a lot of debate... I mean, there are people who believe, like, this is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You know, if hip-hop had a hall of fame, you know, that’s where, where they should go.”

But a writer for the Guardian points out one plus for fans of bands that did snag a nomination.

“…for fans there is often the opportunity to wrangle bands into reunions … This year, the biggest question mark surrounds Guns N' Roses: if inducted, would Axl Rose and Slash finally bury the hatchet?”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will induct five of the 15 nominees in early 2012. For a full list of picks, check our transcript section.