Ticket 2 Ride

I saw the nomination list yesterday for 2026 induction. The usual good/bad/ridiculous mix of names.

The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
Billy Idol
INXS
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
New Edition
Oasis
Pink
Sade
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan

I’m ambivalent about the RRHOF, it was no real meaning to me. In the beginning, it was great to see many early founders of the genre, and contributing pioneers, recognized, some brought back from obscurity.

The focus by many when the selection process begins is why are so many non-rock & roll names on the list, and why are longtime rock & roll names not in the RRHOF?

Here are five names that should be in (admittedly, there are many more deserving names).

Jethro Tull – Formed in the late 1960s, this blues, folk, jazz, electronic and progressive inspired rock band is still going strong despite significant member turnover to play with band leader Ian Anderson. Incorporating flute and other non-rock influences into their musical repertoire, the band has been a thinking man’s eclectic rock and roll show. A mainstay of FM radio in the 1970s, they have released 24 studio albums and nine live recordings, and have sold in the tens of millions of records. Maybe it’s the sight of a grown man wearing a codpiece on stage that scares voters?

King Crimson – Stretching back to 1968, with changing lineups, the constant was Robert Fripp. A driving force in the evolution of progressive rock, branching out into various subgenres. The band is known for mixing classical, jazz and world music into their long instrumental movements. They’ve released 13 studio albums as 26 live albums.

The Monkees – With about 19 million albums sold, and millions more singles, they were a short-lived cultural phenomenon, that has been around for 60 years. Mickey, Davy, Mike and Peter were hired as actors, to sing the songs, and who then became the musical players. Monkees songs continue to be played on the radio and streamed. What may have started as a Marx Brothers type sitcom has evolved into a lasting and enjoyable musical experience.

America – Successful and influential trio that sold more than 11 million albums and numerous top ten chart hits including “Horse With No Name”, “Ventura Highway”, “Tin Man”, “Daisy Jane”,”Sister Golden Hair” and the “Border.” These guys influenced many teens to pick up an acoustic guitar, myself included.

The Carpenters – This duo has never been nominated. This is a shame given their incredible success and dominance in the soft rock/ pop genre. They had three number-one singles and five number-two singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and 15 number-one hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, in addition to 12 top-10 singles. Their record sales are in the 90-100 million range, depending on the source. Who else had a voice like Karen Carpenter?

A few others: Supertramp, The Guess Who, Blue Öyster Cult, Spencer Davis Group, Dick Dale, Three Dog Night, Warren Zevon, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Bread.