Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Include Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Soundgarden

T. Rex, Thin Lizzy and the Dave Matthews Band also receive nods

Singer Whitney Houston is seen performing on stage during the 2004 World Music Awards at the Thomas and Mack Center on September 15, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Singer Whitney Houston is seen performing on stage during the 2004 World Music Awards at the Thomas and Mack Center on September 15, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its nominees for the class of 2020, and they are: the Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Pat Benatar, Dave Matthews Band, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Judas Priest, Kraftwerk, MC5, Motörhead, Nine Inch Nails, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Soundgarden, T. Rex and Thin Lizzy.

A pool of over 1000 artists, journalists and other music industry professionals will vote on the 16 nominees, and the top candidates will be announced in January and inducted in a ceremony on May 2, 2020.

“Nothing stays the same in music,” Rock Hall chairman John Sykes told Rolling Stone. “Therefore, really, the institution that honors it has to evolve with all the music. Just like hip-hop is very much a part of the Hall of Fame now, everything we do — the board members we have, the events we build on — has to reflect a changing culture without ever disregarding or turning our backs on the ideals and fundamentals of the Rock Hall.”

To be eligible for the ballot, artists must have released their first single or album 25 years ago (in this case, in 1994). Dave Matthews Band, the Doobie Brothers, Motörhead, The Notorious B.I.G., Pat Benatar, Soundgarden, T. Rex, Thin Lizzy and Whitney Houston are all nominated for the first time. Meanwhile, Rundgren and Judas Priest each receive their second nomination, while Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode have now each been nominated three times.

This is the fourth nomination for Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, the fifth for the MC5 and the sixth for Kraftwerk.

Fans will also be able to cast their votes for their favorite nominees here.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.