Bon Jovi, Judas Priest, Dire Straits, Radiohead among Rock Hall of Fame nominees

Vying for a chance to be inducted next spring are Judas Priest, Bon Jovi, Radiohead, Dire Straits, The Zombies, The Moody Blues, Link Wray, The Cars, MC5, Rage Against The Machine and The J. Geils Band.

Completing the nominees are Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, LL Cool J, The Meters, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Thorpe.

The five inductees will be announced in December and they will then be inducted at the Barclays Center ceremony in Brooklyn on 14th April 2018. They will then be immortalised at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

For the sixth year, fans themselves can have their say on the inductees alongside the 800 artists, historians and music industry insiders of the Rock Hall voting body. The “fan's ballot" will count as one of the ballots that decide the class of 2018.

Artists can be nominated for the prestigious honour 25 years after the release of their first studio album - and Radiohead and Rage Against The Machine have picked up nods in their first year of eligibility.

Although Judas Priest have been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1999 – 25 years after ‘Rocka Rolla’ was unleashed – incredibly this is Rob Halford and co.’s first nomination.

Somewhat controversially, despite being one of the biggest heavy metal bands on the planet, Iron Maiden have been omitted from the shortlist once again. Still yet to pick up a nomination, Maiden have been eligible since 2005.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun on 20th April 1983 to honour artists who helped shape the history of rock n’ roll.

This year’s nominees are as follows:

Judas Priest
Bon Jovi
Radiohead
Dire Straits
The Zombies
The Moody Blues
Link Wray
The Cars
MC5
Rage Against The Machine
Depeche Mode
Kate Bush
Eurythmics
LL Cool J
The Meters
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Nina Simone
Sister Rosetta Thorpe
The J. Geils Band