Iron Maiden and Rage Against the Machine were nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2021 class, but were ultimately not chosen for induction. For the metal community, the lack of Maiden and Rage just reinforced the idea that the Rock Hall doesn’t respect their favorite genre.
However, Rock Hall Vice President of Education Jason Hanley, a self-described metal fan who personally voted for Iron Maiden’s induction this year, tells ABC Audio that he thinks the institution’s voters will eventually hop aboard the metal train.
“Yeah, I do see it changing,” he says.
Hanley adds that he doesn’t characterize artists getting passed over for induction after being nominated as “snubs.”
“If they’ve made the ballot, that is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame saying, ‘We believe they are worthy,"” Hanley says.
“We don’t just randomly put people on the ballot, you know, ‘Oh! Looks like so-and-so got inducted, oh well!"” he laughs. “If they’re nominees, they deserve to be inducted, is the way we look at it.”
Along with Maiden and Rage, metal icons including Judas Priest, Motörhead and Slayer have yet to be inducted. Still, Hanley says he’s “not discouraged,” and points to bands like Metallica, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple being in as good signs.
“I think there are some really important key metal bands, like an Iron Maiden or Motörhead or Judas Priest that, in my personal opinion, I really do think deserve to be inducted,” he says. “I think it’s just a matter of time.”
The 2021 Rock Hall inductees include Foo Fighters, Todd Rundgren, The Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Carole King and JAY-Z. Additionally, late Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads and Billy Preston are being inducted with the Musical Excellence Award.
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