Kate Bush, Missy Elliot, A Tribe Called Quest, among nominees for Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2023
A musically-varied list of candidates has been unveiled for one of the industry's most unique annual events
This year's nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have been announced, with Kate Bush, Missy Elliott and A Tribe Called Quest among those up for possible induction. The successful candidates with be announced in May.
Elsewhere on the list are the White Stripes, Willie Nelson, Iron Maiden, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, the Spinners, Warren Zevon, and George Michael. Joy Division and New Order feature as a single entity, as is often the case when two acts share close DNA.
To be eligible, artists must have put their first single or album out in 1998 or earlier, meaning this the first time the White Stripes and Missy Elliott met the criteria. The latter is the first female hip hop artist to ever receive a nod.
Fans have until 28th April to cast their vote in the public ballot here.
“This remarkable list of Nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honours and celebrates,” said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in a press release. “These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”
"This is an incredible honor. I’m so humbled and grateful to be counted amongst all the incredible honorees. I’ve spent my career making the kind of music I love and it means so much to know that I have touched others as well," said Missy Elliott in a statement. "But to hear that I am the first female hip hop artist to EVER be nominated into the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame?!? Wow!! This one hits extra different as I hope it opens doors for other female emcees.”
Some of those up for a spot in the iconic museum have been in the global spotlight over the past 12 months. Last year, A Tribe Called Quest — who have received a Hall of Fame nomination once before — saw their landmark LP, 'Low End Theory', enter the archives at the U.S. Library of Congress, and a posthumous album from founding member Phife Dawg arrived to critical acclaim on what would have been his 50th birthday.
Meanwhile, Kate Bush saw her 1985 hit 'Running Up That Hill' dominate charts after featuring on the soundtrack to the Netflix show, 'Stranger Things', breaking three Guinness World Records in the process. This will be the fourth time she has been in the running for the Hall of Fame. More than half of this year's candidates have been nominated for the first time.
Once the results have been announced in spring, work will begin on preparing for the official induction night in autumn, where some of those joining the institution perform live. This has led to some huge and often unexpected reunions in the past. The likes of The Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads, the Doors, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were all dormant prior to appearing at the ceremony.
The Hall of Fame itself is located in Cleveland, Ohio — believed to be home to a radio DJ who first coined the phrase "rock and roll" and the location of the genre's first major concert, 1952's Moondog Coronation Ball. However, the induction event switches city each year. 2022's was held at the Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles. At the time of writing no details have been released on the venue or date for this edition.
