The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently disclosed their nominee list for 2025, and while first-timers like Bad Company, Outkast, Phish, Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker, Billy Idol, the Black Crowes, and Mana are being recognized, one cannot help but notice the side-lining of certain groups. This year’s nominations noticeably lack racial and gender diversity, even though the Hall of Fame has expressed awareness about being more inclusive. While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seems to have listened to complaints about them veering off the traditional rock genre, it came at the cost of recognizing only a few women and artists of color.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee list came with surprises like Chubby Checker’s name, seeing that he got noticeably snubbed in the past years while his counterparts received nods from the body. Mexican group Mana is another commendable representation of foreign groups, even if they are among the most popular talents in the Latin music scene. Historically, the organization has also been criticized for often favoring white, male artists over the diverse range of musicians that have played a crucial role in the evolution of rock.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2025 list is lacking in people of color
View this post on Instagram
Rock and Roll arguably originated from a mix of blues, jazz, and R&B, and though Black artists pioneered these genres, their contributions are hardly ever appreciated. Although this year’s list is impressive in some ways, there is still a struggle for equal representation in the Hall of Fame. Only four people of color — Outkast, Mariah Carey, Maná, and Checker, made the shortlist, this time out of 14 people. Legends like Eric B. & Rakim, and Dr. Dre got overlooked yet again, causing a stir among some rock fans.
Interested social media users have shared their thoughts about the nominee list online, ranging from impressed about the new mentions to annoyed about the snubs. “Chubby Checker’s nomination is a good sign…One per year I guess. Jan & Dean, and the Monkees should be next,” someone responded, after which he added Diana Ross, Ben E. King and tens of others to the list. “Are we just saying fuck it after the green light on The Gulf of Mexico?” a rather ticked-off fan asked. Others argued for and against the inclusion of pop and hip-hop artists, while a handful were simply rooting for the nominated musicians and commending the organization. “What an exciting lineup of nominees! It’s like a greatest hits playlist from over the decades!” a rather unbothered fan exclaimed.
The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list has very few women
The only female nominees for the 2025 class are Carey, Cyndi Lauper, Meg White of the White Stripes, and Gillian Gilbert of New Order, meaning that out of 14 nominees, only four are women. None of the ladies are even getting recognized as solo rock artists. Female musicians like Alanis Morissette, Sinéad O’Connor, and the B-52s were not included, further proving the gender imbalance. Other women like Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, and Debbie Harry have been influential in the rock genre for decades.
Angry fans, mostly women, also called out the organizers, asking them to consider being a bit more fair next year. “We are not letting you cretins play in Mariah’s face again like you did last year! They just used her name for clout so you could get attention. You can go to hell,” someone protested on X. “You are leaving off so many well deserved musicians/groups. It’s mind boggling,” another quipped. Ahead of the announcement of inductees in April, and the ensuing induction ceremony in Los Angeles later this year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will debut digital ballots instead of via mail to over 1,200 artists, historians, and industry professionals for voting. Fans can also vote online or in person at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland.