Back in 1999, Ozzy Osbourne asked that Black Sabbath's name be removed from consideration for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, declaring that "the nomination is meaningless" because fans aren't involved in the selection process.
Meaningless or not, it takes a lot just to be nominated, much less inducted into the Rock Hall. First and foremost, it takes time. Twenty five years must have elapsed from the time an act's first record was released. That only guarantees eligibility to be nominated, not an actual nomination. In fact, none of the acts who became eligible this year, by virtue of releasing their first records in 1980, were nominated.
Besides the calendar, the Rock Hall induction criteria also include consideration of "the influence and significance of the artist's contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll."
Eighth Time Is the Charm?
It isn't unusual for an act to be nominated many times before being selected. For example, Black Sabbath was nominated eight times before being inducted, Lynyrd Skynyrd seven times, Sex Pistols five. Among the 12 nominees for 2010 induction, six have been nominated previously.
A committee of some 70 rock journalists, historians, and label executives chooses the nominees from the list of eligible bands and artists. The nominees' names are placed on ballots that are sent to an international group of some 700 representatives of all areas of the music industry. That's where the actual voting takes place.
Being selected requires getting more than 50% of the votes cast. Those who do -- typically five to seven of the nominees -- earn their spot in the Rock Hall.
