The Rock Hall May Have Jumped the Shark in 2024

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has existed since 1986. Seemingly since its inception, it's been a topic of many debates. Personally, I know I've engaged in numerous Rock Hall debates over the years, and that only increased when I started covering rock/classic rock news professionally ten years ago.

In general, I love the idea of the Rock Hall. I love that there's a semi-mysterious group that makes a point to honor musical greatness on a lifetime achievement level annually. I especially love the idea of there being a whole museum dedicated to these artists. In fact, one of my closest friends and I have planned a road trip to the Rock Hall Museum in Cleveland this summer, because we both haven't been there in years.

On top of that, I've long defended the Rock Hall and how they nominated and inducted non-rock acts. You can read my full remarks on this matter here, but to succinctly (and indulgently) quote myself, "The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has never been exclusively about rock music. Ever. Influence and impact have always been more important than genre."

All of this being said, it's undeniable that 2024 has seen some shakeups with how the Rock Hall is conducting itself. For starters, this year saw the nominees announced on a Saturday, instead of a weekday when media outlets are typically more engaged. Also, the Rock Hall unveiled its 2024 nominees on February 10, which was the Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday.

You don't have to be a marketing or public relations genius to know that trying to compete with the Super Bowl for attention isn't the smartest move. Not to mention, Super Bowl LVIII will forever be tied to Taylor Swift, who was in attendance with many of her famous friends to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.

Competing for attention between the Super Bowl and "Swelce" was bone-headed enough, but then came the news about when and where the 2024 Rock Hall induction class was going to be announced. On the April 15 episode of American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest shared that he and judge/2022 Rock Hall inductee Lionel Richie would be joining Seacrest in announcing the 2024 class on the April 21 episode of the show.

Upon learning this news, my first thought was, "Oh my God...I think the Rock Hall has jumped the shark!"

Just in case you're unaware, "jumped the shark" and its tense variations are a reference to a season five episode of Happy Days when Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumped over a shark in the ocean on water skis. It was the culmination of a three-part episode arc and a moment many viewers consider the beginning of the sitcom's decline, even though it was on the air for another six seasons.

Look, by no means is the Rock Hall "over" in any way. (Like I said, even Happy Days lasted six more seasons.) But there's no denying that it's different, and not in a cool way.

The 2024 Rock Hall induction ceremony will air live on Disney+, and an edited version will air on ABC at a later date. Since American Idol airs on ABC, the corporate synergy of it all does make sense, but that doesn't mean it's good. (It's also likely the reason why the 2024 Fan Vote end date was quietly moved from April 26 to April 15, as noted by Future Rock Legends.)

Even though American Idol has solid ratings, it's still a show well past its heyday. It also has an unsavory element of cheesiness, especially to rock fans, who are your primary audience for caring about the Rock Hall in the first place.

If there had to be an ABC tie-in for the 2024 Rock Hall class announcement, Good Morning America is literally right there! Plus, there's the potential for interesting interview opportunities with Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Michael Strahan and more. By all means, those interviews could still happen, but having GMA handle the announcement has considerably less "ick" than Idol, a show that has always cared way more about pop music than rock and roll.

I certainly don't blame the Rock Hall for trying to get more eyes on itself. This whole situation is definitely a business decision more than anything. But there has to be a way to do that without completely annoying people who've backed your mission for years.

I can honestly say that if my job weren't covering rock/classic rock news, I wouldn't be tuning into Idol this Sunday. I'd just wait until I receive a push notification from a news outlet I respect to learn about the induction class. But alas, at 8 PM, I'll be watching ABC and counting down the minutes until I can change the channel.

The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced on Feb. 10. Once the 15 nominees were announced, the Rock Hall Fan Vote officially opened.

The 15 nominees are:

-Mary J. Blige
-Mariah Carey
-Cher
-Dave Matthews Band
-Eric B. & Rakim
-Foreigner
-Peter Frampton
-Jane's Addiction
-Kool & the Gang
-Lenny Kravitz
-Oasis
-Sinéad O'Connor
-Ozzy Osbourne
-Sade
-A Tribe Called Quest

Fans can cast their vote once a day at Vote.RockHall.com for who they think should be part of the 2024 Rock Hall induction class. This year, voting was initially announced to last through April 26. However, it abruptly ended on April 15. Even the Instagram post below from the Rock Hall states voting ends on April 26.

However, Future Rock Legends noted on X (formerly Twitter) on March 26, "The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame quietly pushed up the Fan Vote closing date to April 15th. It had previously been set to close on April 26th."

Unlike in previous years, fans got to vote for up to seven nominees every day. Previously, the choices were capped at five nominees.

The Fan Vote was first launched in 2013. Per the Rock Hall, "There have been over four million fan votes cast over the past 10 years, with 64% of the Fan Vote ballot (35 of 55) earning induction in the same year; and 86% (38 of 44 unique nominations) eventually earning induction. In 2022, the entire Top 5 earned induction – the only time that has happened."

Once voting closes, the top seven artists in the Fan Vote will create what is called a "Fans' Ballot." It will be counted among the other ballots that various artists, historians, and music industry professionals fill out and submit.

To see the final standings in the Rock Hall fan vote, keep scrolling. (NOTE: Vote tallies are as of vote closing on April 15, 2024.)

The Rock Hall noted that ten of the 15 nominees are on the ballot for the first time. Those artists are Mariah Carey, Cher, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinéad O’Connor, Ozzy Osbourne and Sade.

The 2024 inductees will be announced in late April. This year's induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland. The exact date of the ceremony is currently unknown, but it will take place in the fall. As with last year, the 2024 ceremony will live stream on Disney+. An edited special will air on ABC at a later date, which will be available on Hulu the next day.

In a statement on the 2024 nominees, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Chairman John Sykes said, "This remarkable list of Nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates. Continuing in the true spirit of Rock & Roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps."

Kool & the Gang have been eligible for induction since 1995. However, they only received their first Rock Hall nomination in 2024. It's pretty shocking, considering just how many hits are in their catalog. Those hits include "Celebration," "Ladies' Night," "Get Down on It," "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging."

Lenny Kravitz has been eligible for induction since 2014. This is his first nomination. Since debuting in 1989, he's consistently offered up his unique brand of rock to the masses. Some of his biggest hits include "It Ain' Over 'til It's Over," "Again," "Fly Away" and "Are You Gonna Go My Way."

Cher has been eligible for the Rock Hall for over three decades, but 2024 marks her first nomination. Despite her current standing in the Fan Vote, Cher recently bashed the Rock Hall in a December 2023 appearance on [inlink id="cher-nikki-sixx-rock-hall-comments" text="The Kelly Clarkson Show"]. Cher said, "I wouldn't be in it now if they gave me a million dollars ... They can just go you-know-what-themselves."

Currently, The Prince of Darkness is atop the Fan Vote rankings, and it's not a terribly big surprise. He's been one of the most iconic figures in hard rock and metal for over 50 years. This is Osbourne's first Rock Hall nomination as a solo artist, despite being eligible since 2005. Over course, Ozzy has a history of delayed acknowledgment from the Rock Hall. He was inducted as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006, despite being eligible since 1995.

Foreigner has been one of the Rock Hall's most notable snubs over the years. The band has been eligible since 2003, and this is their first nomination. Guitarist/founding member Mick Jones said in response to the nomination, "I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee ... Getting this news today is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time."

Similar to Dave Matthews Band, expect Foreigner's fans to really rally and put their support behind these classic rock giants.

Like Foreigner, Peter Frampton has long been overlooked by the Rock Hall. Despite being eligible since 1997(!), 2024 marks Frampton's first Rock Hall nomination. The guitarist candidly told Billboard he was in the bathroom when he learned of his nomination and let out a scream. Frampton said his band leader Rob Arthur came running once he heard him scream.

"He thought something was wrong," said Frampton. "So, anyway, it was a very good day."

This year marks the second Rock Hall nomination for Dave Matthews Band. They were previously nominated in 2020. That year, the band [inlink id="rock-hall-fan-vote-final-totals" text="won the Fan Vote"], but they failed to be inducted. After the 2024 nomination was announced, DMB didn't waste any time to plug the Fan Vote on social media. Considering their enthusiastic fanbase, don't be surprised if Dave Matthews Band rises in the Fan Vote ranks.