‘Music’s Highest Honor:’ Who’s Next?

It is anyone’s guess who will be a part of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, but certain artists lie in the hot seat – or have for a long, long time.

Written by Kylee Herrick

Within the glass pyramid that hovers over Cleveland’s downtown region, resides an ecosystem of musical history and relics of legendary artists. To be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a privilege only bestowed upon those considered to have left a monumental effect on the music industry. The induction process is complex and selective, beginning with a Nominating Committee of journalists, historians, and current inductees that compose a ballot of eligible musicians. Nominees are voted upon by a combination of an internal body and the results from the annual Fan Vote. 

Ballots release in February; community members hold their breath and anticipate – with either excitement or deep dread. It is infeasible to predict what the almighty committee will decide, but a small handful of artists have rightful reason to be recognized. Only time will tell as to how the following opinions will age.

1. DEVO

DEVO is a new wave band of Akron natives: Bob and Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald and Bob Casale, Josh Freese and Josh Hager – amongst a variety of past members. The group spearheaded a movement of ‘weirdo’ bands with their deadpan humor and eccentric, delinquent nature. 

Originating in 1973, early work from DEVO mixed elements of rock and electronic music, incorporating Bob Mothersbaugh’s riffs with the futuristic keyboard melodies of Mark and the Casale brothers. This approach disturbed a handful of critics and greatly appealed to others. DEVO would transition into a synth-centric style as a reflection of a changing social and political climate, maintaining their satirical image. Mainstream attention met the band through their 1980 album, “Freedom of Choice,” and its third track “Whip It.”

Their authenticity struck a chord in the same hearts as fans of Talking Heads and The B-52s. DEVO has not left the public eye since their initial breakthrough, touring in 2025 with The B-52s and performing for Saturday Night Live’s SNL50 celebration. 

It is safe to assume that DEVO has long surpassed underground notoriety. Their absence in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has bewildered fans, as their connections to Cleveland as an Akron-based and Kent State University alumni band justify their presence. Previous nominations in 2019, 2021, and 2022 were unsuccessful; and references to their music and artistic style by bands like Radiohead and Nirvana showcase the enormous reach DEVO had. The band is arguably overdue for a spot between their successors. 

2. Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were a 1970s English prog-rock powerhouse which was composed of classic rock heroes Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. Each of the three members originated from other influential prog-rock bands such as King Crimson, Atomic Rooster and The Nice. 

Prog-rock differentiated itself from other rock counterparts – Judas Priest or Led Zeppelin – with compositional, narrative albums and trailblazing stage performances. The genre was overshadowed by the intense sound of punk and hard rock, but ELP maintained a spot in audience’s ears through innovative structures and a unique combination of instruments. It was more than music; it was a theatrical production performed within the eardrums. 

Intertwining Moog synthesizers, expeditious drumming and a Hammond organ made their impact on ‘rock & roll’ impossible to disregard. Greg Lake’s guitar and bass mastery is evident in their early work, producing a melody that modernized their medieval tone. “Brain Salad Surgery” and “Trilogy” are two albums that saw massive success, both peaking at second place in the UK. 

But prog has seen little recognition in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It has been designated as a niche genre, despite ELP, King Crimson, and Jethro Tull being the foundation of alternative forms of rock music. Jack White of The White Stripes credited ELP, amongst other bands not inducted, as direct inspiration for his work during his 2025 acceptance speech. To overshadow the pioneers is to ignore a fundamental period in the evolution of rock. Fans of prog are a small but a mighty force, and the demand for appreciation grows stronger through each induction process. 

3. Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains were a major player in the American grunge wave of the 1990s, in the same vein as Nirvana and Soundgarden, breaking the mainstream and bringing alternative music into the pop-culture sphere. Its original lineup included guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr, drummer Sean Kinney and vocalist Layne Staley. It was Staley, in particular, who stood out amongst the crowd with a uniquely distinct voice that would be recurrently imitated by ‘90s and 2000s rock artists. 

The band had been placed into several boxes: grunge, heavy metal, hard rock, but they remained a staple of an intense noise that encapsulated the turn of the century. 

Alice in Chains’ growth was abruptly halted due to Staley’s diminishing mental health, leaving much to be imagined in a world where they continued as a voice for the people. Their albums “Dirt,” “Facelift” and “Jar of Flies” were appraised by critics – including late metal legend, Ozzy Osborne – as influential rock and metal records. 

Soundgarden was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, leaving room for anticipation as to whether Alice in Chains will be placed into the spotlight in 2026. As goes with other artists on this list, hard rock is ironically overlooked by the Nominating Committee, who seems to be following a trend of nominating pop singers. 

Alice in Chains released only a handful of studio albums and singles prior to their period of inactivity, but those releases have been played across radio, streaming and social media circles decades after the peak of grunge’s initial popularity. It is a prediction that, while unlikely, they are entitled to nonetheless. 

4. Black Flag

Black Flag grabbed the American punk scene by its throat, being regarded as one of the founders of hardcore punk. With such dominating members as Henry Rollins, Bill Stevenson and Greg Ginn, the band distinguished itself from other punk groups of the late 1970s and early ‘80s. 

The band evolved alongside ever-changing cultural issues and experimented with the sludge and post-hardcore genres – integrating elements of jazz and blues within their rhythms. They would grow to detest the fanbase and subculture they had assisted in creating, transforming into long-haired descendants of Black Sabbath in their later years. This transition was evident in their 1984 album, “My War,” which slowed its songs to a crawl as compared to their previous 1981 record, “Damaged,” considered quintessentially hardcore. 

Fans of the band had to adapt to a discography that was unpredictable and erratic. In a world where artists are forced into rigid roles and stereotypes, Black Flag invaded the charts in each iteration of their sound.

Punk rock is a genre that fans have claimed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has neglected, particularly the rush of West Coast punk that occurred in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Jack White also acknowledged Black Flag in his aforementioned induction speech. The band survived hardships – notably a few interactions with law enforcement – and ignited a fire that would spawn bands such as Sonic Youth and Melvins. 

It is difficult to debate the rise of the punk and metal scene without including Black Flag in the discussion, though if they were to be inducted it is questionable as to whether the hardcore band would accept it at all. Such is the culture of the alternative scene.

5. Roberta Flack

The artists featured in this list pale in comparison to the light that Roberta Flack brought forth into the world. A native to Washington D.C., Flack’s powerful voice managed to gracefully weave several genres – jazz, R&B, soul and funk – within the span of a single song. She reached stardom through a slow, deliberate process of performing for other artists and finding opportunity at local nightclubs. 

Her voice would later be recognized as the archetypal voice of the 1970s, becoming the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year consecutively with “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” in 1973 and “Killing Me Softly” in 1974. Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were but a handful of artists that she would work with. 

To formulate a reason as to why Flack has not been nominated, let alone inducted, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame would be inconceivable. She inducted Little Richard in the 1980s and has been inducted by other institutions, namely the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

With a heart as strong as her voice, she advocated for civil rights and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Queer bars were the places she felt the most appreciated. 

Flack passed away in 2025, but her candle remains lit for her audience to appreciate its warmth. An induction would serve as a ‘thank you’ to a woman that nurtured the world with her sound. 

These artists are widely observed by their fans as having been snubbed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – whether only recently eligible or long-delayed. Year after year, audiences are left to wonder if their musical opinions will be validated by the results of the ballot. Someone will always be angered by the next set of inductees; however, the artists discussed in this list may receive a considerable uproar if not inducted in 2026. It remains to be seen how loud the cries may be.