Also announced: Recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performing professionals, are longtime Bruce Springsteen manager and former music critic Jon Landau and veteran Eagles manager and multifaceted executive Irving Azoff.
Whitney Houston, who has been eligible to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 2010, will at long last be enshrined into the pantheon of music immortals 10 years later. Most of these inductees, including Houston and Biggie, were also first-time nominees. Pat Benatar, who made the ballot for the first time, did not make the cut, while Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, eligible since 1999, was left out after its fourth time on the shortlist. Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode were previously nominated.
Other acts that failed to receive enough support included Dave Matthews Band, Motörhead and Thin Lizzy - all first-time nominees - and Judas Priest in its second year on the ballot. "Thank you!" See the band's post below. "When I look back at how Nine Inch Nails are received, it always seems like we fall between the cracks", Reznor told Rolling Stone.
The induction ceremony will air live on HBO from Cleveland's Public Hall on May 2. "So I'm allowing myself, for a limited period of time, to feel good about this".
This year's performance lineup will inevitably be filled with tribute performances, as half of the inductees - Houston, Notorious B.I.G.
The inductees are chosen by an global voting body of more than 1,000 artists, including historians, music industry professionals and previous Rock Hall inductees.
Tickets for the event go on sale to RRHOF members on February 25 at 10 a.m.
Viewers can tune in to the 35th annual snow on Saturday, May 2, at 8 p.m. ET.
