Rage Against the Machine, Def Leppard Amongst Eligible Metal Bands Unlikely to Be Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019

The most culturally-irrelevant institution this side of Vero, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has announced its nominees for the ‘Class of 2019’ (oh give me a fucking break). Amongst them are two metal bands whose metalness isn’t even inarguable: Def Leppard and Rage Against the Machine. Their fellow nominees are Radiohead, Radiohead, Stevie Nicks, the Cure, Devo, Janet Jackson, Kraftwerk, LL Cool J, Roxy Music, Todd Rundgren, John Prine, MC5, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and the Zombies. Fans can now vote online for which acts should be inducted; the top five vote-getters will win a no expenses paid trip to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next March.

It’s worth noting that Rage Against the Machine were also nominated last year, and ultimately didn’t make the cut. Judas Priest, who were also nominated but not inducted last year, were not re-nominated this year, possibly because Rob Halford had the nerve — THE NERVE! — to share the Hall’s ridiculous rejection letter with the world.

To be nominated this year, the artist’s debut album had to have been released no later than 1993. For those playing at home, this means that, in addition to Priest, eligible metal bands not nominated include Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Dio, Slayer, Megadeth, Pantera, and, of course, Manowar (amongst many, many others).

Rage Against the Machine and Def Leppard will likely receive letters inviting them to swing by the museum sometime in December.

[via Rolling Stone by way of Metal Injection]