2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced
Yes, Pearl Jam, and the Cars are among the potential inductees
October 18, 2016
The 2017 roster of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees have been announced, and 19 artists – both new and returning – could received the honor. This year’s hopefuls include first-timers Tupac Shakur and Pearl Jam, who both became eligible this year. Additionally, the Rock Hall has re-nominated bar rock masters the J. Geils Band, who received their fourth nomination, soul singer Joe Tex, who received his fifth, and disco pioneers Chic, who have received their 11th nomination.
Other acts include Journey, the Electric Light Orchestra, Bad Brains, Joan Baez, the Cars, Chaka Khan, Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson, Jane’s Addiction, Kraftwerk, MC5, Steppenwolf, Yes, and the Zombies.
Howard spoke about the nominees during Robin’s News on Tuesday.
On J. Geils Band: “Absolutely they should be in…Peter Wolf, that whole band was so good.”
On Joan Baez: “Oh my god, of course. She’s amazing, Joan Baez…I remember my sister sitting in her room listening to Joan Baez. I was a little kid, I was like ‘hey, this is pretty cool.’ Very heady, folky, hippie music.”
On Pearl Jam: “They have to be in. They’re great.”
On Steppenwolf: “They definitely should be in.”
On the Cars: “Absolutely they should be in. Are you kidding me?”
On the Zombies: “Absolutely (sings ‘Time of the Season’)…yeah, they should be in.”
On Yes: “Absolutely Yes. What is that?!”
Of course, only five inductees will make it into the Hall. Howard provided his personal selections: The Cars, Pearl Jam, J. Geils, Jane’s Addiction, and Yes.
The final list of inductees will be voted on by over 800 artists, historians, and music-industry professionals. Fans can also contribute by casting votes through certain media outlets, including SiriusXM, and at rockhall.com. Voting ends Dec. 5 and the fans’ top 5 choices will count as a single vote.
The 2017 inductees will be announced in December and the induction ceremony will take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in April.
