The 2016 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been named and the roster skews heavily toward classic rock, with Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Chicago and Steve Miller among the acts chosen by the nominating committee.
The rap group N.W.A, possibly getting a boost from the biopic Straight Outta Compton, will also be inducted into the Rock Hall on April 8, at a ceremony to be held in New York.
"It's quite an honor," Cheap Trick frontman and guitarist Rick Nielsen told the Rockford Register Star. "It's a pretty select bunch of people. And for the most part, you are picked by people in the industry."
Nielsen, 66, a Rockford resident whose birthday is Tuesday, said petitions signed by fans and fan votes online urging the Hall of Fame to induct Cheap Trick were appreciated. "We owe it to our fans for keeping us working and relevant. Onward to 2016!"
Other members of Cheap Trick are lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson. Nielsen's son Daxx Nielsen has been the band's drummer for six years. Bun E. Carlos, the original drummer of the band has not been touring with Cheap Trick.
“The petitions were well-received by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Brian Leggero told The Rockford Advocate. “They told me it was the first time in the hall of fame’s 30-year history that a petition to request nomination had been submitted.” Leggero spearheaded the petition drive to get the band into the Hall of Fame.
Cheap Trick plays Uptown Theater in Napa, California, Friday.
The lack of diversity in both genre and gender of the inductees was noted. As The New York Times reports:
"The music world has been closely watching the results of the secretive Rock Hall process, after the organization this year dismissed a large contingent of its influential nominating committee and, according to reports, made an effort to expand its membership with younger voters and more women. But that process has yet to yield any radical changes."
Newer acts like The Smiths and Nine Inch Nails were overlooked. The prog rock band Yes got a no. Chic, nominated for a record 10 times, has now been overlooked 10 times. Chaka Khan and The Cars will also have to wait for a later date, if ever, to reach the hall of fame.
The exclusion of Janet Jackson, nominated for the first time since she became eligible in 2007 and a favorite to make the class of 2016, raised the ire of Troy L. Smith at cleveland.com:
"Her failure to earn induction highlights older rock voters claims' that Miss Jackson isn't rock, isn't Madonna, and isn't as good as her brother. I couldn't disagree more.”
But complaining about the Rock Hall's picks is a national pastime. For tips on how to do it properly, check out NPR's The Right Way To Complain About The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.