Judas Priest Won’t Get Inducted Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, But Will Receive the ‘Musical Excellence Award’
Back in February, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame released their line-up of 2022’s nominees for induction. Included on that list were seminal heavy metal band Judas Priest and influential rap-rockers Rage Against The Machine. However, earlier this month it was revealed that Priest and RATM weren’t among the Top 5 on the Fan Ballot for the Hall. Now, according to Rolling Stone, the 2022 inductees have been officially announced, and while Priest aren’t among them, they are being awarded a consolation prize in the form of the ‘Musical Excellence Award.’
Here are this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees:
- Eminem – Really? I even like Eminem, but come on.
- Duran Duran – Oy.
- Lionel Richie – Huh.
- Eurythmics – Man, people LOVE Eurythmics. They must have some awesome B-sides I don’t know about.
- Carly Simon – Blecch, but we get it.
- Pat Benatar – I fuckin’ love Pat Benatar, and I’m glad she’s being honored. But her getting in and not the several metal nominees of years past…feels weird to me.
- Dolly Parton
With Dolly, there’s obviously a bigger story there. If you remember, Dolly Parton initially backed out of her nomination because she wasn’t a rock musician, leading Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider to singer her praises and Judas Priest’s own Richie Faulkner to hail her as “classy.” However, the Rock Hall then refused to take her off the ballot, and she has since told NPR that she would “accept gracefully.”
Meanwhile, Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotten will be given the ‘Early Influence Award;’ while attorney Allen Grubman, record executive/producerJimmy Iovine, and R&B singer/Sugar Hill Records founder Sylvia Robinson will be presented with the ‘Ahmet Ertegun Award.’
Apparently, the Musical Excellence Award, which Priest are receiving alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis…
“…artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.”
It is, however, let’s note, not an induction, right? Like, Judas Priest get a prize for having been one of the most influential bands in the world, but when it comes to an actual place in the Hall, they…don’t get in? Commenters, feel free to clarify this for me if I’m wrong.
Anyway, bummer for Priest and RATM, though honestly, we wouldn’t want to be part of any club that would have Duran Duran as a member.
