(Credits: Far Out / Alamy / Press / Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

It’s fair to say that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s induction process has been a bit messy since its inaugural year of inductees in 1986. The one fixed rule seems to be that artists can only be inducted if at least 25 years have passed since the release of their first record.

Otherwise, it’s a free-for-all, with no discernable accounting for the chronology, influence or genre of artists chosen. The choices are made seemingly at random by 1,000 so-called “experts”. Since 2012, fan voting has also been added to the equation, perhaps making things a little fairer but only adding to the randomness of the choices.

Then there’s the number of inductees per year. OK, 1986 was bound to be a big year as all artists whose first record was released prior to 1962 were eligible. But it wasn’t even the biggest. While ten artists were inducted in the first year, another 15 followed in 1987. In 2012, the Hall of Fame arbitrarily decided to add another 12.

And it’s a dangerous game to get started on the choices themselves, which could take us down a rabbit hole of rock injustice.

New Order? No order, more like

While The Beach Boys and Bob Dylan were both eligible, Ricky Nelson was apparently considered to be more so in 1987. Rod Stewart preceded David Bowie as an inductee by two years. The latter was finally awarded his place four years after he became eligible.

Even as a massive fan of Laura Nyro, it’s hard to understand how she made it in a full nine years before Carole King. Or how Leonard Cohen became a Hall of Famer 18 years after Simon and Garfunkel.

Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong have long since been inducted, but Ella Fitzgerald and Charlie Parker have never even warranted a mention. Nor has John Coltrane, while Miles Davis was recognised at last in 2006.

Patti Smith was received into the RRHoF years after the Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie, all of whom would cite her as a formative influence. This year, A Tribe Called Quest is getting inducted, but De La Soul, whose first record preceded theirs and is seen as at least as influential, isn’t. And the Sugarhill Gang is still nowhere to be seen.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets have somehow been inducted twice, separately, as have Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. But no room for The Shadows, often seen as the prototype rock and roll instrumental and backing band.

Chic, Devo, Joy Division, and New Order are all still waiting for their berth in the Hall of Fame, despite each being nominated (some multiple times). Dick Dale, Nick Drake, Television and Richard Hell, to name but a few, have never even been nominated.

Who were the first inductees?

Notwithstanding all these grievous errors in recognition of rock and roll’s precedence, it’s hard to argue with the initial inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

The list contained most of rock and roll’s original godfathers, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and, of course, the ‘King’ Elvis Presley. The man who is typically credited with releasing the first rock and roll song, Fats Domino, also deservedly takes his place in the mix.

And the RRHoF resisted the temptation to include Bill Haley. His song ‘Rock Around the Clock’ is overhyped in rock and roll mythology due to its commercial success with white audiences. Yet it pales in comparison to the best that Messrs Berry, Richard, Charles and Presley had to offer around the same period.

The originator of funk, James Brown, is rightfully recognised, too, as is the genius singer, songwriter, producer and icon of black empowerment Sam Cooke.

The one name that sticks out a little is the Everly Brothers. Don and Phil Everly’s importance in the history of rock and roll can’t be disputed, especially when it comes to their influence on The Beatles. But they hardly belong with the rest.

It might have been nice to see other progenitors of the genre, like Big Mama Thornton and Big Joe Turner, get a look in as well. Scandalously, the former still isn’t a Hall of Famer and is one being recognised with a secondary award this year.

The stars who were inducted multiple times

In all, 27 individual artists have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame more than once in various capacities. Typically, they attain that privilege by virtue of having more than one recording output, both as part of at least one band and as a solo artist.

All members of The Beatles are on this list of 27, as are all of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Doo-wop singers Johnny Carter, Sammy Strain and Clyde McPhatter, as does Curtis Mayfield and Carole King, thanks to her songwriting partnership with Gerry Goffin as well as her solo output.

Then there’s Jimmy Page, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Jeff Beck, Michael Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Peter Gabriel, David Grohl, Ozzy Osbourne, and Gregg Rolie of Santana and Journey.

The only individual to be inducted more than twice is Eric Clapton. The English blues guitarist has been awarded three places in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Yardbirds, Cream and his solo career.

The full list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees by year

1986

• Chuck Berry
• James Brown
• Ray Charles
• Sam Cooke
• Fats Domino
• The Everly Brothers
• Buddy Holly
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Little Richard
• Elvis Presley

1987

• The Coasters
• Eddie Cochran
• Bo Diddley
• Aretha Franklin
• Marvin Gaye
• Bill Haley
• B.B. King
• Clyde McPhatter
• Ricky Nelson
• Roy Orbison
• Carl Perkins
• Smokey Robinson
• Big Joe Turner
• Muddy Waters
• Jackie Wilson

1988

• The Beach Boys
• The Beatles
• The Drifters
• Bob Dylan
• The Supremes

1989

• Dion
• Otis Redding
• The Rolling Stones
• The Temptations
• Stevie Wonder

1990

• Hank Ballard
• Bobby Darin
• The Four Seasons
• The Four Tops
• The Kinks
• The Platters
• Simon & Garfunkel
• The Who

1991

• LaVern Baker
• The Byrds
• John Lee Hooker
• The Impressions
• Wilson Pickett
• Jimmy Reed
• Ike & Tina Turner

1992

• Bobby “Blue” Bland
• Booker T. & the M.G.’s
• Johnny Cash
• The Isley Brothers
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• Sam & Dave
• The Yardbirds

1993

• Ruth Brown
• Cream
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
• The Doors
• Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
• Etta James
• Van Morrison
• Sly and the Family Stone

1994

• The Animals
• The Band
• Duane Eddy
• Grateful Dead
• Elton John
• John Lennon
• Bob Marley
• Rod Stewart

1995

• The Allman Brothers Band
• Al Green
• Janis Joplin
• Led Zeppelin
• Martha and the Vandellas
• Neil Young
• Frank Zappa

1996

• David Bowie
• Gladys Knight & the Pips
• Jefferson Airplane
• Little Willie John
• Pink Floyd
• The Shirelles
• The Velvet Underground

1997

• Bee Gees
• Buffalo Springfield
• Crosby, Stills & Nash
• The Jackson 5
• Joni Mitchell
• Parliament-Funkadelic
• The (Young) Rascals

1998

• Eagles
• Fleetwood Mac
• The Mamas & the Papas
• Lloyd Price
• Santana
• Gene Vincent

1999

• Billy Joel
• Curtis Mayfield
• Paul McCartney
• Del Shannon
• Dusty Springfield
• Bruce Springsteen
• The Staple Singers

2000

• Eric Clapton
• Earth, Wind & Fire
• The Lovin’ Spoonful
• The Moonglows
• Bonnie Raitt
• James Taylor

2001

• Aerosmith
• Solomon Burke
• The Flamingos
• Michael Jackson
• Queen
• Paul Simon
• Steely Dan
• Ritchie Valens

2002

• Isaac Hayes
• Brenda Lee
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• Gene Pitney
• Ramones
• Talking Heads

2003

• AC/DC
• The Clash
• Elvis Costello & the Attractions
• The Police
• The Righteous Brothers

2004

• Jackson Browne
• The Dells
• George Harrison
• Prince
• Bob Seger
• Traffic
• ZZ Top

2005

• Buddy Guy
• The O’Jays
• The Pretenders
• Percy Sledge
• U2

2006

• Black Sabbath
• Blondie
• Miles Davis
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Sex Pistols

2007

• Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
• R.E.M.
• The Ronettes
• Patti Smith
• Van Halen

2008

• The Dave Clark Five
• Leonard Cohen
• Madonna
• John Mellencamp
• The Ventures

2009

• Jeff Beck
• Little Anthony and the Imperials
• Metallica
• Run-DMC
• Bobby Womack

2010

• ABBA
• Genesis
• Jimmy Cliff
• The Hollies
• The Stooges

2011

• Alice Cooper
• Neil Diamond
• Dr. John
• Darlene Love
• Tom Waits

2012

• Beastie Boys
• The Blue Caps
• The Comets
• The Crickets
• Donovan
• The Famous Flames
• Guns N’ Roses
• The Midnighters
• The Miracles
• Laura Nyro
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Small Faces / Faces

2013

• Heart
• Albert King
• Randy Newman
• Public Enemy
• Rush
• Donna Summer

2014

• Peter Gabriel
• Hall & Oates
• Kiss
• Nirvana
• Linda Ronstadt
• Cat Stevens

2015

• The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
• Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
• Green Day
• Lou Reed
• Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
• Bill Withers

2016

• Cheap Trick
• Chicago
• Deep Purple
• N.W.A
• Steve Miller

2017

• Joan Baez
• Electric Light Orchestra
• Journey
• Pearl Jam
• Tupac Shakur
• Yes

2018

• Bon Jovi
• The Cars
• Dire Straits
• The Moody Blues
• Nina Simone

2019

• The Cure
• Def Leppard
• Janet Jackson
• Stevie Nicks
• Radiohead
• Roxy Music
• The Zombies

2020

• Depeche Mode
• The Doobie Brothers
• Whitney Houston
• Nine Inch Nails
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• T. Rex

2021

• Foo Fighters
• The Go-Go’s
• Jay-Z
• Carole King
• Todd Rundgren
• Tina Turner

2022

• Pat Benatar
• Duran Duran
• Eminem
• Eurythmics
• Dolly Parton
• Lionel Richie
• Carly Simon

2023

• Kate Bush
• Sheryl Crow
• Missy Elliott
• George Michael
• Willie Nelson
• Rage Against the Machine
• The Spinners

2024

• Mary J. Blige
• Cher
• Dave Matthews Band
• Foreigner
• Peter Frampton
• Kool & The Gang
• Ozzy Osbourne
• A Tribe Called Quest

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