Seven critically acclaimed artists will be joining the ranks of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, following the academy’s annual voting period.
The Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music, and The Zombies have been picked to join the 330 inductees added to the hall’s ranks since it first began adding musicians, influencers, and industry moguls in 1986, an assortment that includes many of the biggest names in music from the past century.
More than 1,000 voters comprised of previous winners, music industry insiders, and music historians cast their ballots to pick these seven inductees from a list of 15 nominees — John Prine, Devo, Rage Against the Machine, LL Cool J, MC5, Kraftwerk, Rufus and Chaka Khan, and Todd Rundgren didn’t make this year’s cut, but will likely be considered in the future.
Perhaps most impressive is the quick addition of Radiohead, who just became eligible to be members of the hall last year, which marked 25 years after the release of Creep, the band’s debut single. In an equally interesting addition, Nicks is already in the Rock Hall, as part of acclaimed classic rock outfit Fleetwood Mac. Jackson joins her brothers — Michael Jackson was inducted in 2001 for his solo music, and in The Jackson 5 were inducted in 1997.
Both Radiohead and Def Leppard have previously expressed apathy when it comes to the honor, with Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood saying, “I don’t care,” and Def Leppard once claiming they would refuse the induction.
As with previous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies, the 2019 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Those who can’t get a ticket to the March 29 event will be able to see the events as part of an annual HBO special not long after.
To honor the varied sounds of these incredible artists, we assembled a playlist that includes what many consider to be each artists’ most classic album.
Want to check out some more contemporary sounds? Be sure to check out our list of the top 50 albums to come out in 2018. And if you want to dig in a bit further into each musicians’ catalog, we have a list of the best music streaming services to make that even easier.
