ROCK HALL INDUCTEES:
NEW & OVERDUE

Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Tina Turner are the 2021 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, representing what’s described in the press release as “the most diverse list of inductees in the history of the organization.”

In another notable category, the legendary behind-the-scenes operative Clarence Avant, aka the Black Godfather (do not miss the documentary of that title) will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s and Jay-Z are the first-ballot inductees. King, Turner and Foos founder Dave Grohl are being recognized for the second time; Carole’s in as a songwriter, and Tina was half of Ike and Tina Turner, while Dave’s in for drumming in a prior band whose name escapes us.

At the other extreme is prolific multidisciplinarian Rundgren, who’d been eligible since 1993—that’s 25 years after the release of the first Nazz LP—but whose name somehow hadn’t come up during nominating-committee meetings until a few years ago. At long last, God hath ascended, announcing his arrival with a celestial "Hello, It's Me," while the angels greet Him with a rousing chorus of "Just One Victory."

LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads will receive the Musical Excellence Award, while Kraftwerk, Gil Scott-Heron and Charley Patton are 2021’s Early Influencers.

“This diverse class of talented inductees reflects the Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture,” said John Sykes, donning his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Chairman’s hat. “It will make for an unforgettable live celebration of music in October at this year’s induction ceremony in Cleveland.”

This year, 1,200 ballots went out, and we assume the majority were mailed back. FWIW, three out of the top five in the 4.8m fan vote—winner Turner, The Go-Go’s and the Foos—made the cut.

You want criteria for the inevitable upcoming arguments? Here you go: “Factors such as an artist’s musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique are taken into consideration.”

The 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, 10/30, at 8 pm ET at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, with a simulcast on SiriusXM’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Radio channel 310. The whole shebang will air on HBO and will be streamable some time thereafter on HBO Max.

Tickets—tickets!—go on sale to the public and members in July at ticketmaster.com.