Another year, another Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubbing for Black Sabbath, Van Halen and Blondie.
The list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees for induction in 2005 in the “artist” category were announced this week, and include U2, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Randy Newman, the O’Jays, the Pretenders, Buddy Guy, Wanda Jackson, the J. Geils Band, Conway Twitty, and Percy Sledge.
The Sex Pistols, the Stooges, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Gram Parsons were previously nominated and remain on this year’s ballot.
In order to be eligible for induction, artists must have had an album released 25 years prior. Nominees are chosen by the foundation’s nominating committee — composed of rock historians — and then ballots are sent to an international voting body of around 700 rock experts to select the inductees. Voters consider the influence and significance of the artist’s contribution to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.
Ozzy Osbourne perhaps shouldn’t be upset that his band wasn’t nominated, since in 1999 he tried to take Black Sabbath off the list, calling the Hall of Fame meaningless.
[Credit: AP, RockHall.com]
