Rock Hall Omissions Part 2: Digging Deeper - Best Classic Bands (2024)

On April 21, 2024, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced the inductees for its Class of 2024.

In Fall 2016, we put together our initial list of artists that we felt deserved consideration for induction. Since that time, many core rock acts that had been overlooked for decades have finally been chosen. Notably, that list includes Peter Frampton (2024), Foreigner (also 2024), Pat Benatar (2022), Todd Rundgren (2021), the Doobie Brothers (2020), Def Leppard, the Zombies and Stevie Nicks as a solo artist (2019), the Moody Blues, the Cars, Bon Jovi and Dire Straits (2018), and Yes, the Electric Light Orchestra and Journey (2017). We update the list each year, deleting those that have made the cut and replacing them with other deserving names.

But, as many readers often let us know, even our first list of 100 omissions—which still includes Bad Company, Jethro Tull and Warren Zevon—barely scratched the surface. So we went back to work and compiled this followup list of 100 more omissions by the Hall.

We could probably put together a third list but we’re going to leave it at 200. If we’ve forgotten someone you feel is worthy of inclusion in the Rock Hall, we’d love to know about it! (But please check the first half of the list before you give us hell about leaving out your favorites!)

Our reasons vary for selecting the artists we did. One factor we considered in particular is whether they were important in their own time, not only how they are regarded today. Some of these artists will eventually make the Hall’s cut, others never will, and that’s just how it is.

In order to be eligible, an artist must have made their first recording 25 years prior to the current year (for the 2024 class, that meant 1999).

One other note: This list considers only artists who recorded primarily under their own names. This is the only category that is submitted to the voting body each year. Thus it does not include musicians who have served primarily as “sidemen” or “sidewomen.” Some of the greatest musicians in rock history have never received the recognition they deserve because they contribute mostly to others’ recordings. The Hall of Fame has a separate sideman category (which seems to be known now as the Award for Musical Excellence), to which it occasionally appoints names its executives deem worthy. As those artists are not submitted for consideration to voters, we are not concerning ourselves with them here.

Names are listed alphabetically

Bryan Adams—The Canadian singer-songwriter scored with such ’80s/’90s favorites as “Straight From the Heart,” “Summer of ’69,” “Run To You,” “Heaven,” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.”

Alice in Chains—Part of the Seattle grunge movement, they were hugely popular in the ’90s, and remain so today.

America—Many fans of harder rock may cringe at the kind of soft-rock America delivered, but there is no denying their contribution to that genre with hits like “A Horse With No Name” and “Sister Golden Hair.”

Big Star—A classic example of a cult favorite, this ’70s Memphis band led by Alex Chilton (ex-Box Tops) had no real hits but has been enormously influential posthumously.

Blue Cheer—Although known mainly for their cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” this San Francisco trio was one of the prototypes of heavy metal.

Roy Buchanan—The blues-rocker exerted enormous influence on many other guitarists but is sadly overlooked today.

Tim Buckley—With his ethereal voice and complex compositions and arrangements, the late singer-songwriter (father of Jeff Buckley) left behind a body of work that’s still being discovered by many.

Johnny Burnette—Before he had soft-pop hits like “You’re Sixteen” and “Dreamin’,” the late singer and his Rock & Roll Trio were a sizzling rockabilly outfit.

Jerry Butler—Already in with the Impressions, but like Curtis Mayfield the R&B great’s solo work is vital.

The Cadillacs—From uptempo R&B novelty hits like “Speedoo” and “Peek-A-Boo” to their exquisite ballad “Gloria,” this doo-wop group was one of the finest of the 1950s.

The Chambers Brothers—They started out as a gospel group and then, as their signature tune “Time Has Come Today” put it, their souls became psychedelicized.

Related: When the Chambers Brothers’ “Time” had come

The Chantels—One of the first Black girl groups, their hits of the ’50s, among them “Maybe” and “Look in My Eyes,” featured the soaring vocals of Arlene Smith.

Petula Clark—Although a bit older than the other British invasion chanteuses, she rode that wave to the Top 10 with “Downtown,” “My Love,” “I Know a Place” and others.

Related: Many of these artists are still touring – Links for100s of tours

The Cramps—Whatever it is that they did—minimalist rockabilly punk?—they were the first to do it, and they influenced many other bands.

The Damned—The first bona fide British punk band, who later expanded their sound.

Devo—They injected a high-art, conceptualist spin into the new wave movement, and gave us at least one classic with “Whip It.”

Related: A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cynic Visits the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Dominoes—Also known as Billy Ward and the Dominoes, they cut the R&B classic “Sixty Minute Man” and gave us vocal greats Jackie Wilson and Clyde McPhatter.

Lee Dorsey—The great New Orleans R&B hitmaker. Induct him for “Working in the Coal Mine” alone.

Duran Duran—It’s hard to even imagine the ’80s without the synth-popping, MTV-genic British fashion plates, whose hits like “Girls on Film” and “Hungry Like the Wolf” were so ubiquitous.

Brian Eno—After serving as a member of Roxy Music, Eno produced U2, Talking Heads, Coldplay and others, and his own ambient music albums were groundbreaking.

Fairport Convention—Two words: Richard Thompson. Two more: Sandy Denny. No other band defined English folk-rock like Fairport.

5thDimension—Popularizing songs by Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro and others, their mix of soul and R&B was extremely popular in the late ’60s/early ’70s.

Foghat—The British blues-rockers have been purveying the endless boogie for more than four decades, with several gold and platinum albums to their credit.

Connie Francis—By today’s standards, the pop singer may not be considered rock, but teens were buying up records like “Lipstick on Your Collar” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” in the ’50s/’60s.

The Fugs—They never had a hit record, but their over-the-top irreverenceinspired many who followed to experiment without fear.

Rory Gallagher—Not everyone knows his name, but ask fans of pure guitar mastery and this late Irish virtuoso is always near the top of the list.

Arlo Guthrie—He could get anything he wanted at Alice’s Restaurant, except, it seems, induction into the Rock Hall.

Tim Hardin—The singer-songwriter’s tunes, including “Reason to Believe” (Rod Stewart cut a definitive version),were covered by numerous artists. And his own recordings were always honest and insightful.

Slim Harpo—A virtuoso on the blues harmonica, and a dynamic singer, he was a favorite of the Stones and many other blues-rock bands.

Hawkwind—They found a sweet spot where edgy psychedelia, hard rock and space-rock met, plus they gave the world Lemmy. Truly adventurous musicians.

Hot Tuna—When Jefferson Airplane began to crash, guitarist/singer Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady explored their love for blues. More than a half-century later, they’re still at it.

INXS—Fronted by Michael Hutchence, this Australian band was both phenomenally successful and continually innovative.

Related: The Rock Hall opens in 1995 with a concert for the ages

The Jam—Often compared to the Who and the Kinks, the English trio—led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Paul Weller—incorporated a strong soul influence into their punk/Mod sound.

Rick James—The late funk great was one of the last stars to emerge from the Motown empire; his riffs were sampled by countless rappers.

James Gang—The Cleveland-based hard-rock band is best known for its early incarnation featuring future Eagle Joe Walsh, but continued to make solid music after he left.

Jan and Dean—The surf duo was overshadowed by their colleagues the Beach Boys but for a few years they were massive.

Joy Division/New Order—Fronted by the charismatic Ian Curtis, who would commit suicide a few years into their run, the British Joy Division didn’t last long but influenced many with their two brilliant albums. The survivors formed New Order, which has been a major creative force ever since. (The Hall combined them into one entity when nominating them, so we’ve done the same here.)

Kansas—The Hall has always been standoffish about prog, but there’s only so many years that they can ignore the popularity of tracks like “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.”

Kingston Trio—The folkies sold millions of albums and influenced many singer-songwriters and folk-rock groups.

Lenny Kravitz—A true keeper of the rock ‘n’ roll flame, this singer-songwriter-musician was nominated with the 2024 class but did not make the cut. Maybe next time.

LaBelle—Originally a ’60s girl group called Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles, they reincarnated in the ’70s and tore up the charts with funky hits like “Lady Marmalade.”

Loggins and Messina—They were one of the most successful duos of the ’70s (“Your Mama Don’t Dance”), and Kenny Loggins became even bigger after they split up.

Lonnie Mack—One wicked guitar player, championed by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck and Duane Allman.

Manfred Mann—From their initial run as an R&B-heavy British Invasion band (“Do Wah Diddy Diddy”) into their reconfiguration as Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Springsteen’s “Blinded By the Light”), they created a solid string of quality singles and albums.

Related: Our feature story on the mighty Manfred Mann

The Marvelettes—One of the few major Motown groups yet to be inducted, they had more than 25 hits, including their #1 Billboard debut, “Please Mr. Postman,” covered by the Beatles.

Megadeth—Formed in the early ’80s and still going strong, they’ve been one of the most consistently influential and popular metal bands.

Melanie—A star of the Woodstock festival, the late singer-songwriter was a radio favorite with hits like “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” and “Brand New Key.”

Related: We talked to Melanie about both of those songs

Moby Grape—Some said that they were the greatest of the ’60s San Francisco bands, with a triple-guitar front line and well-crafted songs.

The Move—Before there was ELO, there was the Move, featuring Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. They never caught on in America but their psychedelic sound influenced many.

Related: Many of these artists are still touring – Links for 100s of tours

Olivia Newton-John—The Australian pop star enjoyed a steady run of hits throughout the ’70s and into the early ’80s, culminating in a high-profile star turn in the film version of Grease.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band—They started out as a country-rock band in the mid-’60s, then became one of the first to introduce bluegrass and other core Americana to the rock audience.

Oasis—Huge immediately in the U.K. (22 consecutive Top 10 singles), it took a while for them to catch on in America. By the time the ever-bickering Gallagher brothers broke it up, Oasis had sold more than 70 million records.

SinéadO’Connor—Nominated for 2024 but not elected, this Irish singer-songwriter, who died in 2023, enjoyed phenomenal early success and courted controversy by always remaining true to herself

Phil Ochs—The late singer-songwriter gets stereotyped as a political/protest artist and for sure there was that side of him. But Ochs also wrote insightful love songs and was a keen observer.

Graham Parker—After leading his band, the Rumour, for five well-received albums, the great lyricist from East London has forged a solid solo career.

Gram Parsons—He should be inducted with the Flying Burrito Brothers and as a solo artist! Synonymous with country-rock.

Teddy Pendergrass—Both with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and on his own, he was one of the most dynamic R&B singers.

Peter, Paul and Mary—Amidst the individual singer-songwriters, they were the most popular of the ’60s folk revival groups. Their #1 “Leaving on a Jet Plane” was one of several big hits.

The Pointer Sisters—Their versatility has been proven repeatedly over four-plus decades, resulting in a string of hits including a great cover of Springsteen’s “Fire.”

Suzi Quatro—One of the first female rock stars who wasn’t just a singer but also played an instrument, this glam heroine was an inspiration to Joan Jett and others.

Raspberries—They were one of the bands that invented power pop, and although their only hit single was 1972’s “Go All the Way” they inspired many other bands to forego the excess and return to rock and roll basics. Leader Eric Carmen died in 2024.

The Replacements—The Minneapolis quartet came out of the local punk scene and developed its own brand of lovably chaotic, sloppy but often brilliant rock.

The Runaways—Joan Jett is already inducted as a solo artist but this is where it all began for her, and where it began for women’s role in shaping the forthcoming punk deluge.

Otis Rush—The Chicago blues great, now 82, was a major influence on guitarists like Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield and Peter Green. How about honoring him while he’s still around?

Bobby Rydell—Among the many squeal-inducing ’50s/60s pretty-boy pinups, the late singer made some of the best records, all for Philadelphia’s storied Cameo label.

Savoy Brown—Fronted by guitar-slinger Kim Simmonds, who died in 2022, they were the most durable of the British blues revival bands.

Scorpions—They’ve been called the “Ambassadors of Rock” and “Heroes of Heavy Metal.” How about we just go with massively popular and influential and get them into the Hall?

The Searchers—You think there was only one great band to come out of Liverpool? This quartet’s harmony-rich tunes like “Needles and Pins” and “Love Potion Number Nine” were keepers too.

The Shangri-Las—They were the toughest of the ’60s girl groups, and their hits like “Leader of the Pack” reflected the angst of growing up teenage and female in their era. Here they are singing “Give Him a Great Big Kiss.” Lead singer Mary Weiss died in 2024.

Ravi Shankar—No, he wasn’t a “rock” artist, but look at all of the ones he influenced. And he played Monterey Pop, Woodstock and the Concert for Bangladesh. Can anyone else claim that?

Sir Douglas Quintet—The Texas band that revolved around singer-guitarist Doug Sahm had only a few hits but their impact on the Americana movement was felt long after their chart reign ended.

The Smiths—Led by singer Morrissey, with fine guitar work by Johnny Marr, they were one of the most popular British bands of the early ’80s.

Sonny and Cher—Before Cher, who was elected to the Hall in 2024, broke out on her own (and her ex, Sonny, became a U.S. congressman), they were a major success together on radio, television and the stage.

Sonic Youth—The New York post-punk band was relentlessly experimental, using noise and unorthodox tunings, inspiring other indie bands to take their music to the edge.

Soundgarden—Led by the gifted vocalist, rhythm guitarist and lyricist Chris Cornell, who died in 2017, this Seattle band expanded beyond their grunge roots during their off-and-on three-decade reign.

Joe South—Although mostly known for his biggest hit, 1969’s “Games People Play,” he was also a prolific songwriter (Deep Purple’s “Hush”) and session guitarist (Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde.

Sparks—L.A. brothers Ron and Russell Mael never found huge commercial success but their fans were insanely loyal and the band proved highly influential.

Spirit—One of the most underrated California bands of the ’60s, led by guitar whiz Randy California, they created a series of fine albums like The Family That Plays Together.

Status Quo—Another great example of a band that was huge at home—England—but had only minimal impact in the U.S. They’re still boogieing after more than five decades.

The Sugarhill Gang—The Hall of Fame has been actively inducting rappers but has inexplicably ignored this seminal old-school group.

Supertramp—With the massive success of albums like Breakfast in America and a string of hit singles like “The Logical Song,” this British band was a major presence in the late ’70s/’80s.

Joe Tex—Another super soulman of the ’60s who has been unjustly forgotten.

The 13th Floor Elevators—One of the first bona fide psychedelic bands of the ’60s, these Texans, led by the mercurial Roky Erickson, are revered by many for their unique, uncompromising approach.

Carla Thomas—Like her dad Rufus Thomas (also yet to be inducted), this Memphis soul great turned out hit after hit in the ’60s.

Irma Thomas—A true legend in New Orleans, this soulful vocalist sounds as great today as when she was turning out hit records like “Time Is on My Side,” covered by the Rolling Stones.

Toots and the Maytals—If Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff can be inducted, then why not this pioneering, dynamic reggae band that openly acknowledged its debt to American R&B?

Peter Tosh—And as long as we’re talking reggae, this former Wailers-mate of Marley’s made a strong impact with his songs advocating Rastafarianism, equal rights and weed legalization.

Tower of Power—The Bay Area funk organization has been going strong for more than 40 years and includes one of the most in-demand horn sections in all of recorded music.

Uriah Heep—The English rock band, formed in London in 1969, were a steady presence on the U.K. charts throughout the ’70s, and earned their biggest hit in the U.S. with 1972’s “Easy Livin’.”

Luther Vandross—After serving as a backup vocalist for the likes of Bowie and Diana Ross, he went solo and racked up a long string of huge modern R&B hits, plus several Grammys.

Vanilla Fudge—Noted primarily for their creative way of reinventing a cover song, the New York-area ’60s band included the great drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tim Bogert, both of whom would later play with Jeff Beck.

Bobby Vee—The now-deceased singer started out as a Buddy Holly protégé and then found his own groove with AM radio classics like “Take Good Care of My Baby” and “Come Back When You Grow Up.”

Mary Wells—Another Motown star who’s been unjustly ignored by the Hall, her hits included “Two Lovers” and the #1 “My Guy.”

Tony Joe White—The late master of swamp-rock had a big hit with “Polk Salad Annie” in 1969 and wrote “Rainy Night in Georgia” for Brook Benton.

Larry Williams—Just ask the Beatles if you don’t know who this ’50s singer was: they covered his “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” “Bad Boy” and “Slow Down.” His other hits included “Short Fat Fannie” and “Bony Moronie.”

Sonny Boy Williamson (II)—There were two blues greats with this name. The second—also known as Rice Miller—was a harmonica master and singer who had a huge influence on the Stones, Yardbirds, John Mayall, Animals, etc.

Chuck Willis—This long-gone R&B singer was nominated for five consecutive years by the Hall and then forgotten. He still deserves recognition for “C.C. Rider” and “What Am I Living For,” among other sides.

Wishbone Ash—Although many members have come and gone, and they never caught on in the U.S. as strongly as they did at home, this prototypical British heavy-rock band is still led by guitarist Andy Powell after more than five decades.

X—The U.S. produced dozens of great punk bands and X was one of the most important. Their debut album, Los Angeles, was a landmark of the genre.

The Youngbloods—Worth remembering for their big peace-and-love anthem “Get Together” but more than that too: singer-songwriter Jesse Colin Young was and remains a talented force.

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