The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2020 finalists.
The latest batch of influential recording artists is an especially eclectic bunch, ranging from jam bands to glam rockers to hip-hop royalty.
This year, nine out of 16 nominees are on the ballot for the first time: Dave Matthews Band, The Doobie Brothers, Motörhead, The Notorious B.I.G., Pat Benatar, Soundgarden, T.Rex, Thin Lizzy, and Whitney Houston.
Inductees — typically around a half-dozen acts make the final cut — will be announced in January, with the big induction ceremony/rock show following May 2 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. Ticket info will be announced at a later date.
To be eligible for a nod, an artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years ago.
The 2020 nominees are:
- Pat Benatar
- Dave Matthews Band
- Depeche Mode
- The Doobie Brothers
- Whitney Houston
- Judas Priest
- Kraftwerk
- MC5
- Motörhead
- Nine Inch Nails
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
- Todd Rundgren
- Soundgarden
- T.Rex
- Thin Lizzy
How the inductees are picked
Nominee ballots are sent to an “international voting body of more than 1,000 artists, historians and members of the music industry” — but the general public can also participate in the selection process.
From Oct. 15 through 11:59 p.m. EST Jan. 10, fans can search “Rock Hall Fan Vote” or any nominee name plus “vote” to cast a ballot vote via Google. Votes can also be logged on RockHall.com or in person at the museum in Cleveland.
The top five artists, as selected by the public, will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2020 inductees.
