Every year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame welcomes new inductees into its pantheon of artists who have achieved success in the music industry across any and all genres. Two artists nominated to be inducted in 2023 were able to secure a nomination in their first year of being eligible to join the exclusive club.
The 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees
Per Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rules, artists and bands can only be eligible for inauguration into the Hall of Fame after 25 years have passed since the release of their first recording.
An array of artists received nominations this year, with over half earning their spot on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes, and Warren Zevon are all up for the honor of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Joy Division and New Order were nominated together, as New Order was formed from Joy Division at the turn of the 1980s.
Missy Elliott, Warren Zevon, Willie Nelson, The White Stripes, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, and Joy Division/New Order are all appearing on the ballot for the first time.
Missy Elliott is the first female rapper to be nominated to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Missy Elliott made history with her nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: the “Work It” rapper is the is the first woman hip-hop artist to be nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame. Elliott became eligible for the honor in 2022 following the 25th anniversary of her debut studio album Supa Dupa Fly. She’s also one of two inductees this year to be nominated in their first year of eligibility, beating out artists who could’ve become eligible this year such as Coldplay, Lauryn Hill, Destiny’s Child, Queens of the Stone Age, Britney Spears, Diddy, Mos Def, Muse, and Death Cab for Cutie.
“I’ve cried my eyes out,” Elliott said on Twitter of her accomplishment. “I’ve always dreamed big but to be nominated for this is bigger than I dreamed and I am so humbly grateful to [the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame] and to all my fans who helped me get here.”
“This is so important for us women in hip-hop because there’s never been a female rapper nominated and hopefully this nomination will open the door,” she added in another tweet, always one to uplift other women in hip-hop.
The White Stripes earned a nomination their first year of eligibility
The White Stripes similarly earned a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame their first year of eligibility.
The band founded by Jack White and Meg White didn’t release their self-titled debut album until 1999. But they were eligible to be nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thanks to their debut single, “Let’s Shake Hands,” which was released in March 1998.
The White Stripes did not release a full album until 1999, but are apparently eligible due to their debut single, “Let’s Shake Hands,” having come out in March 1998.
