46 Rock Hall of Fame Close Calls

Over 270 artists have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since it started honoring musicians in 1986.

In the past 40 years another 46 solo stars or bands have come just one step short of getting one of those coveted trophies, after getting nominated – sometimes more than once –  but then not getting enough votes to be inducted.

The list is led funk / disco pioneers Chic, who were nominated a staggering 11 times between 2003 and 2017 without being inducted by the organization’s main voting committee.

Read More: The 10 Worst Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Snubs

In 2017, a separate group of voters inducted Chic guitarist NIle Rodgers – who also has an impressive producing resume that includes famous albums from David Bowie, Madonna and many others – into the Rock Hall via the Award for Musical Excellence. The group as a whole has not been nominated since.

“It’s sort of bittersweet,” Rodgers told Rolling Stone after learning he was being singled out for induction. “I’m a little perplexed because even though I’m quite flattered that they believed that I was worthy, my band didn’t win. They plucked me out of the band and said, ‘You’re better than Chic.’ That’s wacky to me. The only reason why I met Bowie and Madonna and Duran Duran and INXS is because they all loved Chic.”

Rock Hall Patience Pays Off for Billy Idol, Iron Maiden and Others

Between 2024 and 2026, a dozen artists who had been previously nominated but not inducted in past years were re-nominated and then successfully voted into the Rock Hall.

That list includes Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Oasis, Joy Division / New Order and Sade, who will receive their trophies as part of the hall’s class of 2026 at a Nov. 14 ceremony in Los Angeles.

However in that same time period, another dozen stars or groups – including the Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz and INXS – were nominated for the first time but not inducted.