- The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame released their list of nominees this year
- The nominees are eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- There are some new musicians who are nominated
On February 12 the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame released their 2025 nominees list. The nominees list determines who is eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame this year. This year there are 14 potential nominees, eight of which are new. Bands and artists become eligible for nominations 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. Mariah Carey is nominated, and newly nominated are Billy Idol and Outkast.
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The voting
The voting process is done through a panel of over 1,200 people in music. There is also an option for fans to vote for their faves, but the decision is primarily in the panel’s hands. Last year, Mary J. Blige, Cher, and Ozzy Osbourne were among the Class Of 2024. Each year the ceremony is a big deal in music because many artists consider it a great honour. Yeah, imagine saying you’re in a Hall of Fame. Achievement of a lifetime!
This year’s nominees have been released, but who is on the list, and who are they? Let’s break it down.
1. Mariah Carey
The Queen of Christmas is not the first person you’d think would be nominated for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But here she is! Mariah Carey was included in the nominations last year but was not inducted. You may not recall but she made a rock album under an alias! Mysterious indeed.
In 1995 Carey made a rock album, Someone’s Ugly Daughter, under the name Chick. Otherwise, Carey has stuck to R&B and a pop sound with albums like The Emancipation of Mimi and Rainbow.
2. Billy Idol
Billy Idol is a legend in punk rock and has been prominent in music since the 1970s. He is known as the lead singer of Generation X and is a solo singer. His debut album Billy Idol in 1982 spawned hits such as Dancing With Myself and White Wedding.
To this day, Idol still performs and is regarded as an icon in the London punk scene.
3. Oasis
Another British act on the list is the Manchester-founded rock band Oasis. Unsurprisingly Oasis is not new on the list. When they broke up in 2009 fans were devastated but they’ve reunited since to perform. Known for hits such as Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back In Anger, the group was nominated last year.
Sadly, they were not inducted but with a resurgence in their popularity and a tour coming up, who knows? Liam and Noel finally put their beef to bed.
4. Outkast
If you grew up in the 2000s, you will know who Outkast is. A hip-hop duo made up of André 3000 and Big Boi, Outkast was together from 1992 until they split in 2014 officially again. The two have focused primarily on R&B with hits like Ms. Jackson and Hey Ya! However, the duo have dabbled with rock influences in their music.
Their 2000 song Gasoline Dreams leans into rock with electric guitar and Stankonia, one of their most popular studio albums is filled with rock influences in the music and instruments. This is their first time being nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
5. The White Stripes
Oh, another 2000s duo is eligible for the honor! For The White Stripes, the rock duo made up of Jack and Meg White, it isn’t their first year. They were nominated in 2023 and again this year.
In the 2000s the duo pioneered the indie rock genre with a few other bands. They are responsible for songs like Seven Nation Army and We’re Going To Be Friends. The duo broke up in 2011. Meg and Jack were married from 1996 to 2000, although they continued the group for years after they divorced. Working that closely with your ex? Yikes.
6. Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper is an eighties legend. Time after time, you’ll find us listening to her music. Lauper’s main impact has primarily been on pop music. She rose to fame in the pop golden age among queens like Madonna and rose to fame with her 1983 album She’s So Unusual. The album spawned hits such as Time After Time and the pre-going-out staple song Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.
Lauper was nominated for induction in 2021 and now is up again 4 years later. In rock music, she has been experimental. Her song Goonies R Good Enough for The Goonies movie soundtrack leaned heavily into rock, as did songs like Money Changes Everything and Primitive.
7. The Black Crowes
Still going strong is American rock band The Black Crowes who are nominated for the first time this year. The band formed in 1984 in Atlanta Georgia. The band has had many members, but the lead vocals are done by Chris Robinson. Robinson’s brother Rich was the main guitarist from 1984 until 2015.
The band has nine studio albums and is known for hits like She Talks To Angels and Twice As Hard.
8. Phish
Yes, you heard that right. Phish is another rock band nominated for the first time. Phish has attended the ceremony before but has not been nominated until now. The band was formed in 1983 and is still active today. The band even has a tour this spring.
But in their prime, Phish was known for songs like My Friend, My Friend and The Mango Song.
9. Joe Cocker
The late Joe Cocker is nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It is his first time being nominated. Sadly Cocker died in 2014, but his legacy remains. The English singer rose to fame in the late 1960s with a cover of The Beatles’ With A Little Help From My Friends. Cocker was known for his bluesy voice and produced songs like Unchain My Heart.
His contributions to rock music include his aforementioned single and his covers of songs which he put his own spin on. Specifically, his version of The Box Tops’ rock song The Letter showed Cocker’s ability to create his version of a song or turn it into a rock track.
10. Bad Company
Bad Company was a British rock supergroup formed in 1973, known for its hard rock sound and iconic lineup, which included members from Free, Mott the Hoople, and King Crimson.
Their music blended blues, hard rock, and arena rock, creating timeless anthems. With hits like Can’t Get Enough, Feel Like Makin Love, and Bad Company, the band became one of the most influential acts of the 1970s and ’80s, known for their gritty lyrics and powerful sound.
The band was nominated for the first time this year and they broke up for good in 2019.
11. Maná
Maná is a pop rock band. They were formed in 1981 in Mexico. Primarily the music made by Maná is Latin pop and Spanish rock. In 2024 the group performed at a Kamala Harris rally in Las Vegas.
Outside of politics, their best-known songs are Mariposa Traicionera and ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? The band has made rock music with other influences for years, particularly Latin. The band has won four Grammy awards. They are first-time nominees this year.
12. Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker was a pioneering American singer known for popularizing the dance craze The Twist. His music blended rock and roll with rhythm and blues, with hits like The Twist and Let’s Twist Again helping to shape the early rock scene and bringing a danceable energy to the genre. His influence in rock music is marked by his ability to make dance an integral part of the rock experience, leaving a lasting legacy on both the genre and pop culture.
Checker is a first-time nominee, and has one Grammy under his belt.
13. Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in 1984, known for their heavy, grunge-infused sound that combined elements of metal, alternative rock, and psychedelic rock. Fronted by Chris Cornell, their music, including hits like Black Hole Sun and Spoonman was a big part of the Seattle grunge movement in the 90s.
The band officially disbanded in 2018 although reunited with a concert in 2019. The concert was celebrating the band’s frontman Chris Cornell, who died in 2017 after ending his life. Soundgarden was nominated in 2020 and 2023 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
14. Joy Divison/New Order
Joy Divison or New Order as they were later known were nominated this year. The band is nominated together because previously they were known as Joy Division. Joy Divison was formed in 1976 and headed by singer Ian Curtis. They produced hits like Love Will Tear Us Apart and Transmission. The band was only officially together for four years and disbanded following Curtis’ suicide in 1980.
In 1980, a new band with bass guitar player Peter Hook, guitarist Bernard Summer, and drummer Steven Morris was formed. They called themselves New Order and produced hits like Blue Monday and Love Less. They were previously nominated in 2023 for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
That’s all the nominees. With such a competitive list of past and present legends, who knows who will be inducted this year? Find out who was inducted in April 2025!
