Fan Votes Are In

5.2.22

Eminem, LL Cool J Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2021

For the past two months, fans have been given their opportunity to cast daily votes, for whom they would like to see in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As of Friday, the fan votes have been closed, and there is a clear leadership race for the top three artists. Eminem, nominee of the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class, has ended the fan vote in second place, with 684,237 votes.

The fan votes surpassed 5,000,000 votes, though there is much more than just the fan vote that goes into account when determining the final inductees. Nominees had to be nominated but others in the industry, then voted upon to make the ballot. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website, they will then take the top five artists as from the fans vote, to comprise a ‘fans’ ballot’ that will be tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2022 inductees.

Last years’ Hall of Fame induction sealed the deal for Jay-Z and LL Cool J, both legends in hip-hop, showcasing that the same can be said for themselves in music, in general. Different songs, sounds, instrumentals, and certainly inspiration can be very cross-genre, lending the artists a clear spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not only the music, but building platforms and giving back to others, showcases that their legacy goes beyond just what they do in the booth individually, and all appeared to absolutely crush the ballots when it came time for induction. Next up - should be Eminem.

The fans votes alone will not seal the deal for his spot in the 2022 Hall of Fame Class, however it is looking strong. The top three artists from the fan vote were Duran Duran, Eminem and Pat Benatar, coming in with just about 200,000 votes more than fourth and fifth.

As for hip-hop, A Tribe Called Quest was also nominated, but somewhat towards the bottom of the fan vote with around 145,000 fan votes. This will not be the end for them though, there are still other ballots to consider, as well as the opportunity to be nominated in future classes. It is a pretty hefty list this year, with additional artists such as Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Judas Priest, Rage Against the Machine, and many more.

I see a clear place in the Hall of Fame for Eminem this year, and am excited to see how they showcase his career path during the induction ceremony. Last year, he was able to present LL Cool J his induction, and even performed on stage with him. Since then, a Super Bowl performance you cannot deny, and a recent partnership with a new Minions movie soundtrack. A performance would be nothing more than incredible to showcase all he has done for the music industry.

We should hear the official results for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2022 Class at some point this month (May), and the induction ceremony will be at some point later in the year.