Judas Priest, Rage Against the Machine Nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame | Revolver

Judas Priest, Rage Against the Machine Nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

2022 ballot also includes Eminem, MC5, New York Dolls, A Tribe Called Quest, more
judas priest GETTY eighties, Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
photograph by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

You'd be hard-pressed to find a metalhead who actually respects the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an institution that's inducted many amazing musicians but has always treated heavy music like an historical footnote. That said, the 2022 nominees have been announced, and with two of metal's biggest names on the ballot, the Hall of Fame has a chance to finally earn a fist-bump from the headbanging world. 

Following last year's snub, Rage Against the Machine have once again been nominated, as well as Judas Priest, who were first nominated in 2018 and then again in 2020, but have yet to earn their way in despite being one of metal's foundational acts. In addition to those two, the rest of the ballot includes Eminem, MC5, New York Dolls, Beck, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Devo, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Fela Kuti, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest and Dionne Warwick. 

That's some stiff competition, but hopefully Rob Halford, Zack de la Rocha and their respective bandmates can finally earn the respect of the supposed arbiters of rock music canon. Regardless, this is a great moment to reflect on the immortal words of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson — whose band was finally nominated in 2021 but ultimately snubbed from the inductees list — who beautifully torched the institution during a 2018 stop on one of his spoken word tours. 

"I actually think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an utter and complete load of bollocks, to be honest with you," Dickinson told a room of fans. He added, "It's run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock & roll if it hit them in the face. They need to stop taking Prozac and start drinking fucking beer."