2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for the Class of 2022. In addition to the Performer Category (which artists received nominations and was voted on), there were three special categories (Musical Excellence, Ahmet Ertegan Award, and Early Influencer). The inductions will take November 5, 2022 in Los Angeles

Performers

Duran Duran, Eminem, Dolly Parton, and Lionel Richie were inducted on their first time being nominated. Dolly Parton’s induction is interested. Shortly after the nominations, Parton asked for her name to be withdrawn in order to not take a spot up from a “Rock” artists. The Hall said it was too late to remove her from the ballot as they had been sent out.

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

Following the announcement of the nominees a “fan vote” was held. The top five artists of the fan vote are submitted as a single fan ballot. The top five finished as follows with 3 artists from that ballot garnering induction. This vote is placed among the approximate 1000 music industry professionals who vote on the Hall of Fame. This year the top five fan voted artists would all get inducted. The results were:

1. Duran Duran (Inducted)
2. Eminem (Inducted)
3. Pat Benatar (Inducted)
4. Eurythmics (Inducted)
5. Dolly Parton (Inducted)

Others nominated but not inducted include: Beck, Kate Bush, DEVO, Felafels Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Warwick.

Musical Excellence

The Musical Excellence category is selected by the Hall. The Rock Hall describes this category as “The Award for Musical Excellence shall be given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.”

• Judas Priest
• Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis

Judas Priest who had been nominated this year in the Performer category (as well as two other times) gets inducted on this category. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are known for their work as producers.

Ahmet Ertegan Award

Named for the legendary record executive, this is an award for non performers. Winners are selected by the Hall committee.

• Allen Grubman
• Jimmy Iovine
• Sylvia Robinson

Grubman was best known as an entertainment lawyer. Iovine is a record executive who founded Interscope Records. Sylvia Robinson is another record executive who was the CEO of Sugar Hill Records. Robinson had also served as a performer, but gets inducted under the Ahmet Ertegan category.

Early Influencer

This category is also selected by the Hall committee.

• Elizabeth Cotton
• Harry Belafante