Industry Insights: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Has a Representation Problem

This year’s group of inductees into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has once again ignited conversations about representation within the genre. 

Industry Insights explores the inner workings of the greater music industry, and what they mean for artists and fans alike.

Written by Delaney Davis

Photo courtesy of Music Week

Every year, roughly six to eight artists are given a coveted spot in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) — one of the most sought-after honors for musicians in the genre. After a nominating committee comprised of rock and roll historians suggests artists for the “Performers” category (which includes singers, vocal groups, bands, and instrumentalists), their choices are voted on by journalists, academics, producers, and anyone who is anyone in the industry. 

While this nominating process may seem efficient, it has allowed gender and race disparities to run rampant in the RRHOF. The result is an award that doesn’t even come close to fully representing the genre it was designed to honor. 

This year’s inductees in the “Performers” category include Nine Inch Nails, the Doobie Brothers, T. Rex, The Notorious B.I.G., Depeche Mode, and the group’s only woman, Whitney Houston. Though the reveal of the 2020 class has launched a recent wave of criticism at the RRHOF, the insulting lack of female inductees is nothing new. 

The institution's inaugural class, inducted in 1986, had more in common than just being rock pioneers — they were all men. It seemed like things might be changing in 1987 when the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, became the first woman to be inducted. But her induction didn’t bring the wave of female inductees one might expect. Since 1987, women have been introduced into the RRHOF sparingly, with usually only one or two women in each class, if any at all. There have also been several years where women were not inducted.

This had led to a RRHOF that is composed of under 8 percent women — just 69 out of the 888 current inductees. 

That low statistic isn’t lost on the female inductees. At the end of her speech at her induction ceremony in 2019, Janet Jackson issued a stern demand to the Rock Hall: “And Rock and Roll Hall of Fame please, 2020: Induct more women.”

Image courtesy of Evelyn McDonnell and Marika Price

Gender inequality isn’t the only issue plaguing the RRHOF. With each passing year, the percentage of people of color in the Rock Hall has steadily decreased. Currently, the RRHOF is composed of only 32.7 percent of people of color — and 64.3 percent of inductees are white men. This trend is particularly startling considering the beginnings of the institution: six out of the 10 original inductees are Black. What once started as a rare, racially inclusive award institution has succumbed to the same inequalities of its counterparts. 

Instead of honoring rock and roll, a majority-white RRHOF disrespects the genre’s origin. The birth of rock music can largely be attributed to Black musicians (and RRHOF inductees) Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, and more. To choose so many white artists over Black artists creates a perception of rock and roll that isn’t even accurate.

Whenever conversations about representation in award ceremonies spark up, many are quick to say that awards don’t matter and don’t truly symbolize the contributions an artist has made to the industry. In some respects, this is true. There are several artists not in the Rock Hall that many would regard to be the best musicians that have ever lived. One such artist is Cyndi Lauper, whose hits “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” are notable rock staples. But similar to the Grammys, an induction into the RRHOF is more than just an accolade. These ceremonies are celebrations of music and the joy that it brings to both listeners and musicians alike — and that should include everyone. Everyone deserves validation for their work, and fans deserve to see the artists they admire praised for their influence on rock and roll. 

Artists become eligible for induction in the RRHOF when 25 years have passed since the release of their first record, which includes LPs, EPs, or singles. With this single piece of criteria, the Rock Hall’s nominating body has several female artists and artists of color to choose from. An obvious choice is Big Mama Thorton, the often forgotten Black woman who first brought widespread acclaim to “Hound Dog” before Elvis Presley recorded the song. She also wrote “Ball and Chain,” which became a performance staple for Janis Joplin, who was inducted in 1995. Including Thorton would be a first step in recognizing the Black women who built rock and roll, providing a seat at the table they are so often not invited to.

Given the connection between rock and country music, many are surprised Dolly Parton has not yet been inducted either, especially considering her songwriting prowess. (She did write “I Will Always Love You,” after all.) The RRHOF has long included artists who blurred the line between rock and country like Johnny Cash, who was inducted in 1992. There is no better way to further recognize the connection between the two genres than inducting one of country’s female pioneers. 

Of course, there are too many underrepresented artists deserving of an induction to list. (Carly Simon, Pat Benetar, Patti Labelle, and Salt n’ Pepa all come to mind.) Hopefully, the RRHOF will become more holistically representative of rock music in the years to come. Those inducted become a part of the electorate that votes on the nominating body’s list of potential choices, so including a more diverse set of artists may help produce a Rock Hall that celebrates everyone who made rock music the genre it is today.

This article was added to Industry Insights after its publication, upon the creation of the Industry Insights series.