Credit: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and MuseumThe nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 have been announced. Among next year’s potential inductees are classic rock acts Journey, Yes, The Cars, Electric Light Orchestra, Pearl Jam, J. Geils Band, Steppenwolf and The Zombies. Journey, Electric Light Orchestra, Pearl Jam and Steppenwolf all are included on the Rock Hall ballot for the first time, as are folk singer Joan Baez, alternative rockers Jane’s Addiction, synthpop greats Depeche Mode, hardcore punk band Bad Brains, and late rapper Tupac Shakur.
To be eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an artist or band has to have released their first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. The cutoff for this year’s class is 1991. Pearl Jam, of course, released their debut album, Ten, in 1991, meaning they’re being nominated in its first year of eligibility, as is Shakur.
Also included on the list of 19 nominees are proto-punk band MC5, electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, late soul singer Joe Tex, and R&B stars Chic, Chaka Khan and Janet Jackson.
Starting October 18 and continuing through 11:59 p.m. on December 5, you can vote for your favorites at RockHall.com. The top five artists chosen by the public will make up a “fans’ ballot” that will be included with the other ballots. The final inductees will be announced in December, determined by a voting body of more than 800 artists, music historians and music industry insiders.
The 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY in April, and will air on HBO.
Here’s the full list of nominees:
Bad Brains
Chaka Khan
Chic
Depeche Mode
Electric Light Orchestra
J. Geils Band
Jane’s Addiction
Janet Jackson
Joan Baez
Joe Tex
Journey
Kraftwerk
MC5
Pearl Jam
Steppenwolf
The Cars
The Zombies
Tupac Shakur
Yes
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