Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Odds: 2018 Inductees

The nominees for the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been set, and I gotta say, we weren’t that far off the mark when it came to our odds on who should be nominated.

Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson didn’t make the cut this time around, but the Moody Blues finally got the nomination they deserved years ago. As you would expect, the list of 19 nominees has a mix of newer names and some “about freakin’ times.”

To be eligible for entry into the sacred Hall, each potential nominee’s first single or album had to be released in 1992 or earlier. Nearly half of the nominees this year are newcomers to the nominee list, including Radiohead and Rage Against the Machine, who were both nominated in their first year of eligibility. One of those newbies, and probably the most surprising nominee on the list, has to be Nina Simone; while she may not be “rock enough” for some, she’s one of the most important artists of all time. People really need to realize that “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” is just a name. Sure, it has its rock roots, but today’s definition of “rock” is open to interpretation. When you induct Tupac, Madonna, and even the N.W.A. into the Hall, things are obviously shifting away from preconceived notions of what rock & roll is and towards a celebration of great music.

The inductees will be determined by a collection of 900 music snobs, er… voters plus an online fan vote. In the past, the fans have helped push bands like Rush, KISS, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Chicago and Journey into RRHOF over the last five years.

There are great arguments for all 19 of the nominees but only roughly a third of them will get the nod. With recent history and trends in mind, I put together a gorgeous medley of odds on who’ll get the call to the Hall.

2018 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION ODDS

RADIOHEAD: 2/5

Like we’ve seen with Green Day, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, big and influential bands from the 90s are being inducted on their first try. You can expect the same thing to happen for Radiohead, who should have no problems securing their induction ticket.

They may not have had the same commercial success as many hall-of-fame artists, but they do have a 25-year catalog of some of the most critically acclaimed rock music ever. m first-ballot Hall of Famers. The question here isn’t whether Radiohead will get in, but whether they’ll even care.

• Odds Radiohead shows up to their own Hall of Fame induction: 1/1

NINA SIMONE: 3/4

This was a pleasant surprise and there is no doubt Nina Simone deserves to be in every musical hall of fame there is. She might not be rock & roll enough for some people, but if R&B great Bobby Womack can get in, there is more than enough room for Eunice Waymon.

MOODY BLUES: 2/3

This is one of the top snubs that people bring up when they talk about who should be in the RRHOF. It’s long overdue and it should be an easy tap in on their first nomination. If not, then the Rock Gods be damned!

They also have a huge fan base made up of baby boomers who have been pushing hard to see them enshrined. I believe this will finally be the year.

BON JOVI: 2/1

Jon Bon Jovi has had his issues with RRHOF board members including publically calling them out for standing in the way of his band getting the recognition it deserves.

Some people shun that time in history when long hair and arena rock ruled the day, but Bon Jovi are time-tested and has hundreds of millions of fans who still adore them today. They should be helped out by the fan vote and maybe, just maybe, feed those snobby executives some Bad Medicine!

• Odds Richie Sambora will reunite with Bon Jovi for HOF induction ceremony: 1/9

THE CARS: 5/1

Eighties New Wave just doesn’t get the respect it deserves. At some point, the RRHOF is going to have to open its doors to some of the best music of that decade.

The Cars are one of the top bands of that era and have a hit list a mile long. If it’s okay for Elvis Costello and Chicago to get inducted, then it’s time to Let the Good Times Roll for The Cars. Someone needs to drive this band home to the Rock Hall of Fame. RIP Benjamin Orr.

DIRE STRAITS: 5/1

Usually, the RRHOF includes a good quotient of classic-rock bands. After looking at the 19 nominees, it seems like Dire Straits could get the call ahead of Rage Against the Machine (too soon), Judas Priest (too metal), and even cult favorite MC5 (too obscure).

If you need to be reminded of songs like “Sultans of Swing,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Money For Nothing,” then pick up Dire Straights’ Best-Of album and get reacquainted with the fantastic hit-making band. It’s time to give the great Mark Knopfler some love.

THE FIELD

• LL Cool J: 6/1
• Rage Against the Machine: 6/1
• MC5: 7/1
• The Zombies: 8/1
• Kate Bush: 9/1
• Depeche Mode: 9/1
• Judas Priest: 10/1
• Eurythmics: 10/1
• J. Geils Band: 12/1
• The Meters: 15/1
• Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan: 19/1
• Sister Rosetta Tharpe: 19/1
• Link Wray: 19/1